Good

Morning 
Developing Your
Vocabulary
Module 1
Objectives
• Identify terminologies used in academic texts from
various disciplines;
• Recognize the meaning of a word using context clues;
and
• Give examples of words with denotative and
connotative meaning.
 WHAT IS VOCABULARY?

Also known as word stock or

word-stock, is a set of familiar
words within a person’s language.
ACADEMIC
TEXTS
 PRONUNCIATION:
/ˈ(h)wimzik(ə)l/

DEFINITION: Playfully quaint or

fanciful, especially in an
appealing and amusing way

WHIMSICAL Sentence: The loose-fitting dress

has a fun and whimsical quality
that makes it perfect for
outdoor parties.
CONTEXT CLUES

- are the words or

sentences surrounding the
unfamiliar word that give
hints on its meaning.
 Synonym

Context Antonym
Clues

Definition
SYNONYMS AS
CONTEXT CLUES
 EXAMPLE

1. It was an idyllic day- sunny, warm, and

perfect for a walk in the park.
1. It was an idyllic day- sunny, warm, and
perfect for a walk in the park.
 EXAMPLE 2

2. The crime he committed was egregious;

he’ll never recover from this horrendous
scandal.
2. The crime he committed was egregious;
he’ll never recover from this horrendous
scandal.
 EXAMPLE

3. This situation is a conundrum, a puzzle

that’s difficult to solve.
3. This situation is a conundrum, a
puzzle that’s difficult to solve.
DEFINITION AS
CONTEXT CLUES
 EXAMPLE:

1. The manager wanted a weekly

inspection, which is a methodical
examination of all the equipment.
1. The manager wanted a weekly
inspection, which is a methodical
examination of all the equipment.
 EXAMPLES:

2. Diane was lethargic; she didn’t

have the energy to get out bed.
2. Diane was lethargic; she didn’t
have the energy to get out bed.
 EXAMPLES:

3. She heard the cry of the banshee, a

spirit that alludes to the death of a family
member.
3. She heard the cry of the banshee, a
spirit that alludes to the death of a family
member.
ANTONYMS AS
CONTEXT CLUES
 EXAMPLES:

1. Marty is gregarious, unlike his

brother who is quiet and shy.
1. Marty is gregarious, unlike his
brother who is quiet and shy.
 EXAMPLE:

2. This painting of the landscape

picturesque, while the one of the old
house is just plain ugly.
2. This painting of the landscape
picturesque, while the one of the old
house is just plain ugly.
 EXAMPLE:

3. The feral cat, would not let us

pet him, unlike our friendly cat.
3. The feral cat would not let us pet
him, unlike our friendly cat.
WORD STRUCTURE
-the admissible arrangement of sounds in
words, sound structure, syllable structure,
morphology.

MORPHOLOGY – study of word structure

STRUCTURAL ANALYSIS- The act of breaking up

words.
 A ROOT WORD is a basic word ; is
the core of a word that is irreducible into
more meaningful elements.
 Common Latin Roots
Latin Root Definition Example/s
aqua water Aquarium
Aquamarine
aud To hear Audience
Audition
bene good Benevolent
Benefactor
cent One hundred Century
Percent
circum around Circumference
Circumstances
contra/counter against Contradict
Encounter
 Common Latin Roots
Latin Root Definition Example/s
dict to say Dictator
Dictation
form shape Reform
Conform
fort strength Fortitude
Fortress
jud judge Judicial
Prejudice
mal bad Malevolent
auto self Autobiography
Automobile
 Common Latin Roots
Latin Root Definition Example/s
bio life Biology
Biography
graph writing Graphic
Paragraph
logy study of Biology
Psychology
mono one Monologue
Monotonous
phobia fear of Phobic
Claustrophobia
therm heat Thermal
Thermometer
 A PREFIX is a group of letters
placed before the root of a word.
 PREFIX MEANING EXAMPLES
Pre- before Prefix, prehistory
 Common Prefixes
Prefix Definition Example/s
anti against anticlimax
fore Before; front of Foreshadow
Forearm
mid middle Midfield
Midnight
mis wrongly misspell
re again rewrite
pre before preview
 Common Prefixes
Prefix Definition Example/s
semi half; partly; not semifinal
fully
sub under subway
super above; beyond superhuman
trans across transmit
un not; opposite of unusual
under Under; too little underestimate
A SUFFIX is a group of letters placed
after the root of a word.
 SUFFIX MEANING EXAMPLES
-ible Forming an Reversible,
adverb flexible
 Common Suffixes
-able, -ible is; can be Affordable,
sensible
-al, -ial having Universal, facial
characteristics of
-ed past tense verbs The dog walked
-er, -or one who; person Teacher,
connected with professor
-est the most Tallest
-ful Full off helpful
 Common Suffixes
-ing Verb forms; sleeping
present participles
-ive, -ative, - Adjective form of active, comparative,
itive noun sentsitive
-less without hopeless
-ly How something is lovely
-ment State of being; act contentment
of
-y Characterized by gloomy
 DENOTATION
AND
CONNOTATION
 -real meaning

DENOTATION
“snake”
-a cold, scaly reptile
 -implied meaning

CONNOTATION
“snake”
-betrayal, evil,
or danger
DENOTATION VS. CONNOTATION

“Son, what now is •“This heart of

the condition of mine is yours
your heart?” now and
forever.”