Grade 5: List 4

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
20 words 78 learners

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Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. explain
    make plain and comprehensible
    And in English, I raise my hand when Ms. Singh asks someone to explain the difference between mood and tone.How to Disappear Completely
  2. paragraph
    one of several distinct subdivisions of a text
    We take turns reading paragraphs out loud about the thirteen colonies, and then Mr. Fabian hands out worksheets.Muffled
  3. flashback
    a transition in a story to an earlier event or scene
    Jean’s return is a trip into his past, shown in extended flashbacks.New York Times (Jan 19, 2022)
  4. focus
    special emphasis attached to something
    "And what was the focus of your essay?"You Bring the Distant Near
  5. global
    involving the entire earth
    We also created a global communications network that lets us all talk to each other, all around the world, all the time.Ready Player One: A Novel
  6. note
    a comment or instruction (usually added)
    It’s hard for me to really understand most of the poems inside, but Gram has made little notes in the margins.How to Disappear Completely
  7. grammar
    the branch of linguistics that deals with sentence structure
    Ms. Smith has us do grammar exercises with sentences we’ve written in our journals.Sparrow
  8. usage
    the customary manner in which language is spoken or written
    There was also Ross Milton’s book—the book on English usage.Across Five Aprils
  9. heading
    a line of text indicating what the passage below it is about
    After that there was a review paper about cursive writing, and then there was a sample sheet showing how the heading should look on every assignment.Frindle
  10. imaginary
    not based on fact; unreal
    In my imaginary scene, Father has forgiven Anatole and encourages his friendship with our family.The Poisonwood Bible
  11. infer
    conclude by reasoning
    To imply is to suggest, or to throw out a suggestion; to infer is to conclude, or to take in a suggestion.Woe Is I
  12. inference
    a conclusion you can draw based on known evidence
    These books also offer all readers a way to practice important reading skills such as building vocabulary, understanding a sequence of events, discerning the plot of a story and making inferences.Washington Post (Feb 27, 2020)
  13. inform
    impart knowledge of some fact, state or affairs, or event to
    When we left the children behind, my magic book kept us informed of their doings.Ella Enchanted
  14. informational
    relating to or conveying facts and knowledge
    Under its guidelines, by fourth grade, students will devote half their reading time to nonfiction, including historical documents, maps, and other “ informational texts”—even such materials as train schedules and recipes.Drama High
  15. paper
    an essay (especially one written as an assignment)
    They are complaining about the brutal compare-and-contrast paper they have to write, on the speeches of Sojourner Truth versus Chief Joseph.A Heart in a Body in the World
  16. article
    nonfictional prose forming a part of a publication
    I now know that the article was printed in a small Black American-run paper called the Atlanta Bulletin.Fast Pitch
  17. internet
    a worldwide network of computer networks
    On Sunday night after dinner, I browsed the internet some more.From the Desk of Zoe Washington
  18. introduction
    the first section of a communication
    Begin with an introduction that establishes the purpose for all the information that’s to follow.The Thing About Jellyfish
  19. key
    serving as an essential component
    He’d flip through the pages for five minutes—then lead a discussion on the paper’s key points.Bomb
  20. detail
    a single fact considered separately from the whole
    Support your selection with as many details as possible, including what it takes to survive in a variety of situations.The Benefits of Being an Octopus
Created on July 5, 2022 (updated August 30, 2022)

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