Terms

The four steps 1. Positive or Negative Connotation 2. Break the word apart- prefix, suffix, root word 3. Context Clues 4. Word Association- what other words does it sound/look like

Positive or Negative Connotation The Connotation of a word means an idea or feeling that a word invokes in addition to its literal or primary meaning You can ask yourself what does it sound like, how does it make you feel, or look at other words in the sentence. Example: Appreciate Positive connotation Grimaced Negative Connotation

Break the word apart- prefix, suffix, root word Prefix is a group of letters placed before the root of a word. Suffix is (also called ending) is an affix that is placed after the stem of a word. The root of a word does not have a prefix in front of the word or a suffix at the end of the word. Once you pull off any prefixes or suffixes, the root will be normally what remains Example: Grimaced Root word: Grim or grimace Suffix: -ed

Context Clues Context Clues are hints that an author gives to help define a difficult or unusual word. The clue may appear within the same sentence as the word to which it refers, or it may follow in a preceding sentence. Example: My relatives murmured with pleasure when my mother brought out the whole steamed fish. Robert grimaced. Then my father poked his chopsticks just below the fish eye and plucked out the soft meat. Context clues: Whole fish, poked, fish eye, plucked

Word Association Word Association is a production of other words in response to a given word Ask yourself “what does this word sound like, look like, remind me of”? Example: Grimaced What word does it remind you of? Grim Grim Reaper

Fish Cheeks Vocabulary Shabby Positive or Negative Connotation Negative Context clues When I found out that my mother had invited the minister’s family over for Christmas Eve Dinner, I cried. What would Robert think of our Shabby Chinese Christmas? “I cried”; “terrible disappointment” Break Apart Root Word: SHAB Suffix: -y: allowing or characterized by Word Association Shady

Fish Cheeks Vocabulary Appalling Positive or Negative Connotation Negative Context clues She was pulling out black veins out of the backs of fleshy prawns. The kitchen was littered with appalling mounds of raw food: “mounds” “the kitchen was littered with…” Break Apart Root Word: appall: horrify or dismay Suffix: -ing: expresses action Word Association amazing; astounding; shocking