Technical Vocab
Specialized, subject-specific words—also called content words or expert language—that are used for a specific subject.
Technical Vocabulary
To teach or explain is what purpose?
inform
What is point of view?
the author's perspective or opinion
The word “slim” has a positive or negative connotation?
positive
When the storm started, it was raining cats and dogs, so we stayed inside.
➡️ What does “raining cats and dogs” mean?
raining heavily
In science, what does “photosynthesis” mean?
Plants making food using sunlight
To convince the reader is what purpose?
persuade
If an author strongly supports an idea, what is that called?
Bias
The word “skinny” has a positive or negative connotation?
negative
Before the big performance, the teacher told the students to break a leg.
➡️ What does “break a leg” mean?
have a good performance
Why is technical vocabulary important in informational texts?
Helps explain specific ideas clearly
To tell a story or amuse is what purpose?
entertain
How can an author show their point of view?
word choice, tone, examples
Why do authors choose words with strong connotations?
To influence how the reader feels
After weeks of keeping the surprise, Mia finally spilled the beans about the party.
➡️ What does “spill the beans” mean?
reveal a secret
In math, what does “variable” mean?
A symbol representing a number
What clues help identify author’s purpose?
word choice, tone, facts vs opinions
What is tone?
The author’s attitude toward the topic
Which has a more positive connotation: “childlike” or “childish”?
childlike
Instead of going out, I stayed home to hit the books for my science test.
➡️ What does “hit the books” mean?
study
How can context clues help with technical words?
They help determine meaning from surrounding text
If an author uses statistics and facts, their purpose is likely…
inform or persuade
Why is it important to recognize point of view?
To understand the message and possible bias
Explain connotation in your own words
The feeling or emotion a word suggests
Even though Jamal was nervous, he decided to bite the bullet and give his speech.What does “bite the bullet” mean?
Face something difficult or unpleasant with courage