Grade 5: List 1

Vocabulary is key to performing well on Common Core-aligned tests for English Language Arts as well as for building literacy in social studies, science, and technical subjects. This collection features common tier-2 words that are taught and tested at every grade level. These words are used in a variety of contexts, exhibit different shades of meaning based on those contexts, and appear commonly in classroom instruction and on standardized assessments.

Here are links to our lists for the collection: List 1, List 2, List 3, List 4, List 5, List 6, List 7, List 8
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Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. affix
    a linguistic element added to a word
    The word affix signifies either a prefix or a suffix; and the verb to affix means to join a prefix or a suffix to a root-word. New Word-Analysis
  2. antonym
    a word that expresses an opposite meaning
    Among the antonyms for “nice” in Roget’s Thesaurus are “ugly,” “horrible,” “nasty” and “repulsive.”Washington Post (Dec 20, 2020)
  3. appropriate
    suitable for a particular person, place, or situation
    This was the sort of thing she knew she was not supposed to do, that it was not quite appropriate, and yet she could not help herself.Breadcrumbs
  4. information
    a collection of facts from which conclusions may be drawn
    “Well,” Mr. Bonner goes on, “if the person feels as though they have enough information—names, dates, access to primary sources like newspapers and photographs—they can seek out some truth that way.”Fast Pitch
  5. audience
    the part of the general public interested in something
    The chance to introduce his art to new audiences is an honor at his age, he said.New York Times (Jun 15, 2022)
  6. author
    a person who writes professionally
    “You know I love to write. You know I want to be an author or a journalist someday!”Keep It Together, Keiko Carter
  7. message
    what a communication that is about something is about
    What message of hope do you have for your community?Salon (Jun 9, 2022)
  8. point of view
    a mental position from which things are perceived
    I like debates where you argue about different points of view.Feed
  9. blog
    an online journal where people post about their experiences
    Last week, Mr. Stoker liked our idea of writing a blog post about pets that need a home.The Miscalculations of Lightning Girl
  10. capital
    uppercase
    The note comes back again, this time written in pencil-grinding capital letters.Al Capone Does My Shirts
  11. capitalization
    the use of uppercase letters
    Also, you may change capitalization and punctuation however you like.Washington Post (Nov 13, 2019)
  12. cause
    any entity that produces an effect
    These newer magicians have been the cause of great tragedies and terrible disasters these many years.Amari and the Night Brothers
  13. effect
    a phenomenon that is caused by some previous phenomenon
    His skin tingled, and he wondered if it was a side effect of the poison.The House of Hades
  14. central
    serving as an essential component
    The role of Olivia—an important role, central to the play—was never mine.It All Comes Down to This
  15. idea
    the content of cognition
    You’re a really nice person and you have good ideas all the time.The Lemonade War
  16. character
    an imaginary person represented in a work of fiction
    In The Winter’s Tale, a character named Time announced to the audience that sixteen years had passed.The Marvels
  17. action
    something done (usually as opposed to something said)
    "Your essay shows that a leader can lead with words as well as action."The Boy Who Dared
  18. relationship
    a mutual connection between people
    Jason always tried to build a good relationship with the people on his team.The House of Hades
  19. chart
    a visual display of data or information
    He has a detailed chart on his wall.A Mango-Shaped Space
  20. graph
    a visual representation of the relations between quantities
    There was a page in the book with graphs and numbers.From the Desk of Zoe Washington
Created on July 5, 2022 (updated August 30, 2022)

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