KNOW YOUR TERMS Be A Brainiac!

Antonyms Are opposites e.g. hot is an antonym for cold. Your turn: Happy Fast Tired Enthusiastic

Cliche An overused saying e.g.

synonym Synonyms are words of similar meaning e.g. happy is a synonym for cheerful Your turn: grumpy angry peaceful shabby damp

Homophones Words that sound alike but have different meanings e.g. bear , bare, beer Your turn – explain the difference between these homophones: to / two /too principal / principle stationary / stationery practise / practice

1st person pronoun I (one =singular) We ( more than one = plural)

Second Person Pronoun You ( for both one and more than one)

Third Person Pronoun He, she, it ( for one) They ( for more than one)

Metaphor A direct comparison between two things e.g. She is such a mouse. (Meaning: the girl is very timid and shy like a mouse)

Simile A comparison using ‘like’ or ‘as’ E.g. She is as hard as nails. (Meaning: she is very strong like a nail is)

Adjective Adjectives are words which describe a noun e.g. Find the noun then look for word/swhich tell you about it: The day was hot. People love to swim on hot days.

Nouns Words which are names of objects, places, people, animals, seasons, months etc Proper nouns need capital letters e.g January, Tauranga Collective nouns are names of groups e.g. a pod of whales, herd of cows

Verbs Doing, being or action words e.g. run, think, is, hope, laugh Can be more than one word e.g. is running, will jump, was skipping Verb show tense e.g. past, present, future Imperative verbs are in the form of a command e.g. Go home! Eat that. Sleep now.

Irony Meaning the opposite of what you say e.g.

Minor Sentence An incomplete sentence e.g. Ready now? (Instead of are you ready now) The meaning is understood but it is not correct grammar. Sometimes writers use minor sentences to create a dramatic effect e.g. Flies. Heat. Disease. No one likes a holiday which includes these.

Comparative Adjective These are describing words used when comparing two things e.g. She is taller than him. I waited longer than you. It is better than that. He is more handsome than John.

Superlative An adjective which is used for the most or least of something e.g. It was the best answer. He is the fastest runner. It was the most beautiful painting.

Pun A play on words. Using words with double meanings usually to make people laugh e.g.

Repetition Repeating words to create a particular effect e.g. “Money, money, money. That’s all you care about!”

Rhetorical Question Asking a question to provoke thought but not expecting an immediate reply. E.g. Should we do more about this?

Imagery Creating pictures in the mind by using words e.g. The tired, grey horse dragged his heavy hooves across the barren paddock.

Statistics Numbers, data used to inform or prove a point.

Personification Giving human qualities to something which is not human e.g. The wind howled. The rain danced on my roof

Symbolism Objects which represent a feeling or idea e.g. a dove symbolises peace, a skull and crossbones symbolises death.

Adverb Adverbs tell you more about a verb e.g. I run slowly. Adverbs also tell you more about other adverbs e.g. I run very slowly. Adverbs can even tell you about adjectives e.g. The wind was very cold. Adverbs tell you how, when, where

Negative connotation Words can make you feel unpleasant or negative about something e.g. There was a stale smell coming from the bag. It was a vicious thing to say about her. He drove an old wreck of a car.

Onomatopoeia Words that imitate a sound E.g. rustle, crash, hum, slap

Positive Connotations Words which create favourable, pleasant impressions e.g. It was a delicious day. They lived in a palace of a house.