Grades 7–8: List 5

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 in Grades 7 and 8. 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 in the collection: List 1, List 2, List 3, List 4, List 5, List 6, List 7, List 8
24 words 51 learners

Learn words with Flashcards and other activities

Other learning activities

Answer a few questions on each word. Use this to prep for your next quiz! Compete with other teams in real-time to see who answers the most questions correctly! Test your spelling acumen. Read the definition, listen to the word and try spelling it!

Teaching tools

Create and assign quizzes to your students to test their vocabulary. Assign learning activities including Practice, Vocabulary Jams and Spelling Bees to your students, and monitor their progress in real-time.

Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. 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
  2. event
    something that happens at a given place and time
    “Find books about historical events and places you’ve always wanted to visit,” suggested Sierra.Mr. Lemoncello's Library Olympics
  3. logical
    marked by an orderly and coherent relation of parts
    He also talked about the importance of logical progression, of an action being a direct consequence of the preceding one.The Guardian (Jun 21, 2013)
  4. progression
    a series with a definite pattern of advance
    He also talked about the importance of logical progression, of an action being a direct consequence of the preceding one.The Guardian (Jun 21, 2013)
  5. sequence
    a following of one thing after another in time
    I am trying to remember to use sequence to tell my story.The Truth as Told by Mason Buttle
  6. mental picture
    a clear and telling mental image
    Right away, the script had to reveal where the story was happening and who the characters were, providing enough details for the listener to form a mental picture.Spooked!
  7. mental image
    an iconic mental representation
    Harry had a sudden and vivid mental image of a great swollen spider, spinning a web around it, twitching a thread here and there to bring its large and juicy flies a little closer.Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
  8. 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
  9. multiple
    having or involving more than one part or entity
    A language has plenty of room for multiple meanings, including the ones that good writers hope to preserve.The Sense of Style
  10. meaning
    the message that is intended or expressed or signified
    One reason Locke avoids using the word ‘evidence’ as far as he can is that the word in English has multiple meanings.The Invention of Science
  11. narrative
    an account that tells the particulars of an act or event
    He then created narratives about immigrants building their lives in New York City.New York Times (Jun 15, 2022)
  12. observation
    the act of noticing or paying attention
    What other observations do you have about his character?Salon (Jul 7, 2022)
  13. organize
    cause to be structured according to some principle or idea
    I tried to organize the story I had started in the doghouse.The House of the Spirits: A Novel
  14. organization
    a planned structure for arranging or classifying
    The organization of the book feels profoundly random.New York Times (Sep 22, 2020)
  15. paraphrase
    express the same message in different words
    The italicized language in the description of the referenced exchange is paraphrased, not directly quoted.Educated
  16. plagiarism
    taking someone's words or ideas as if they were your own
    “The way you avoid plagiarism isn’t to ‘change the language’ but to never have that language in your original work in the first place,” he wrote.New York Times (May 10, 2022)
  17. plagiarize
    take without referencing from someone's writing or speech
    It was heavily plagiarized from a work written thirty years earlier by the Oneida Community’s founder.Ambushed!
  18. plot
    the story that is told, as in a novel, play, movie, etc.
    He describes the plot without giving too many details.I Can Make This Promise
  19. write
    produce a literary work
    I also needed to write an essay for school about a family subject or theme, so I decided to make my speech the same as my essay.Kira-Kira
  20. precise
    characterized by perfect conformity to fact or truth
    The language is simple, clear and precise, making it easy for children to understand all the various ways they could take part in making a great exhibition.New York Times (Nov 12, 2021)
  21. concise
    expressing much in few words
    He said in a statement that the language is clear, concise and complete.Washington Times (Apr 10, 2017)
  22. presentation
    a show or display
    She doesn’t look sad anymore as she walks to the front of the room and, with a toss of her hair, delivers an energetic presentation about Amelia Earhart.Amina's Song
  23. punctuate
    insert marks to clarify meaning
    “Of course I punctuate my text messages, I did A-level English,” one young man explained, with a look of scorn.Eats, Shoots & Leaves
  24. punctuation
    marks clarifying meaning by indicating separation of words
    The semicolon is one of the most useful but least used punctuation marks.Woe Is I
Created on July 19, 2022 (updated August 30, 2022)

Sign up now (it’s free!)

Whether you’re a teacher or a learner, Vocabulary.com can put you or your class on the path to systematic vocabulary improvement.