1. Chapter 2: Vocabulary Building
Reading Across the Disciplines: College Reading and Beyond, 1/e Kathleen McWhorter
PowerPoint by JoAnn Yaworski, 2001
© 2002 Pearson Education Inc., publishing as Longman Publishers

2. In this chapter you will:
Learn how to use context clues
Learn prefixes
Learn suffixes
Learn roots
© 2002 Pearson Education Inc., publishing as Longman Publishers

3. © 2002 Pearson Education Inc., publishing as Longman Publishers
Types of Context Clues
Definition
Example
Contrast
Logic of the Passage
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4. © 2002 Pearson Education Inc., publishing as Longman Publishers
Definition Clues
The writer gives a brief definition or synonym.
Example: Corona refers to the outermost part of the sun’s atmosphere.
© 2002 Pearson Education Inc., publishing as Longman Publishers

5. Types of Punctuation That Signal Definition Clues
Commas
Five-line rhyming poems, or limericks, are among the simplest forms of poetry.
(Continued)
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6. Punctuation Signals Definition Clues
Parentheses
A leading cause of heart disease is a diet with too much cholesterol (a fatty substance made of carbon, hydrogen and oxygen).
(Continued)
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7. Punctuation Signals Definition Clues
Dashes
Ancient Egyptians wrote in hieroglyphics—pictures used to represent words.
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8. © 2002 Pearson Education Inc., publishing as Longman Publishers
Example Clues
Writers include examples that help to explain or clarify a word.
Example: Toxic materials, such as arsenic, asbestos, pesticides, and lead, can cause bodily damage.
Example: Legumes, such as peas and beans, produce pods.
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9. © 2002 Pearson Education Inc., publishing as Longman Publishers
Contrast Clues
A word or phrase with the opposite meaning of an unknown word provides a clue to its meaning.
Example: Most of the graduate students were elated, though a few felt sad and depressed.
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10. Logic of the Passage Clues
Sometimes you can figure out the meaning of an unknown word by using logic and reasoning skills.
Example: We had to leave the car and walk up because the incline was too steep to drive.
© 2002 Pearson Education Inc., publishing as Longman Publishers

11. Prefixes, Suffixes, & Roots
The word trichromatic can be divided into three parts: its prefix, root, and suffix.
Prefix—tri (three)
Root — chrome (color)
Suffix — atic (characteristic of)
Trichromatic — having three colors
© 2002 Pearson Education Inc., publishing as Longman Publishers

12. General Rules about Word Parts
Most words are built upon at least one root.
Words can have more than one prefix, root, or suffix.
Words do not always have a prefix and a suffix.
The spelling of roots may change as they are combined with suffixes.
Some word parts have the same meaning.
Prefixes and roots do not always carry the assumed meaning.
© 2002 Pearson Education Inc., publishing as Longman Publishers

13. Visit the Longman English Pages
© 2002 Pearson Education Inc., publishing as Longman Publishers