| Antonym: | A word that is the opposite of another word. |
| Compare: | Place together characters, situations or ideas to show common or differing features in literary selections. |
| Evaluate: | Examine and judge carefully. |
| Genre: | A category used to classify literary works, usually by form, technique or content (e.g., prose, poetry). |
| Homophone | One of two or more words pronounced alike, but different in spelling or meaning (e.g., hair/hare, scale (fish)/scale (musical)). |
| Idiomatic language | An expression peculiar to itself grammatically or that cannot be understood if taken literally (e.g., Let’s get on the ball.). |
| Phonics | The relationship between letters and sounds fundamental in beginning reading. |
| Public document | A document that focuses on civic issues or matters of public policy at the community level and beyond. |
| Research | A systematic inquiry into a subject or problem in order to discover, verify or revise relevant facts or principles having to do with that subject or problem. |
| Semantics | The study of meaning in language. |
| Sources Primary | Text and/or artifacts that tell or show a first-hand account of an event; original works used when researching. |
| Secondary Sources | Text and/or artifacts used when researching that are derived from something original. |
| Synonym | One of two or more words in a language that have highly similar meanings (e.g., sorrow, grief, sadness). |
| Syntax | The pattern or structure of word order in sentences, clauses and phrases. |
| Thesis | The basic argument advanced by a speaker or writer who then attempts to prove it; the subject or major argument of a speech or composition. |