Grades 11–12: List 2

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 11 and 12. 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
25 words 69 learners

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Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. compare
    consider or describe as similar, equal, or analogous
    It’s fun to compare Cairo to Lahore and realize how so many things are similar.Amina's Song
  2. contrast
    put in opposition to show or emphasize differences
    If you’re comparing or contrasting things, use than, as in more than or less than.Woe Is I
  3. colon
    a punctuation mark used after a word introducing a series
    Many people prefer to introduce a longer quotation with a colon instead of a comma.Woe Is I
  4. semicolon
    a punctuation mark used to connect independent clauses
    The semicolon is one of the most useful but least used punctuation marks.Woe Is I
  5. comparison
    the act of examining resemblances
    With those three samples I could make comparisons.Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close
  6. conclude
    reach a final opinion after a discussion or deliberation
    “I don’t think there really is such a country,” he concluded after studying it carefully.The Phantom Tollbooth
  7. conclusion
    the last section of a communication
    At the conclusion of the previous novel, “The Paris Spy,” Hope is locked in prison because she knows too much.Washington Post (Jul 23, 2018)
  8. draw
    make, formulate, or derive in the mind
    Additional work is needed to draw more detailed conclusions.Scientific American (Aug 5, 2019)
  9. concrete
    capable of being perceived by the senses
    In countless essays you produced an argument, and then you proved it with concrete detail and credible sources. US News
  10. detail
    a single fact considered separately from the whole
    In countless essays you produced an argument, and then you proved it with concrete detail and credible sources. US News
  11. word
    a unit of language that native speakers can identify
    The word "octave" comes from a Latin root meaning "eight."Understanding Basic Music Theory
  12. phrase
    an expression consisting of one or more words
    I flip through it to see that someone—Gram, probably—has underlined certain phrases and words and starred some of the poems.How to Disappear Completely
  13. language
    a means of communicating by the use of sounds or symbols
    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)
  14. conflict
    a state of opposition between persons or ideas or interests
    “You don’t like conflict. You want everything and everyone to be in perfect harmony.”Keep It Together, Keiko Carter
  15. tension
    feelings of hostility that are not manifest
    I settled close to Kevin, relaxing, letting go of tension I had hardly been aware of.Kindred
  16. context
    the set of facts or circumstances that surround a situation
    In the run-up to her 2019 audition, she was given a series of lines to read but was provided zero context about the character or the story line.New York Times (Mar 3, 2021)
  17. contradict
    be in opposition to
    It would take months to contradict every other wild assertion in Miss Skeeter’s book.Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them
  18. convention
    something regarded as a normative example
    Language Arts 3: Use knowledge of language and its conventions when speaking, reading, or listening.Music and the Child
  19. counterargument
    an opinion offered in opposition to another position
    Of course, responsible writers have to deal with counterarguments and counterevidence.The Sense of Style
  20. credible
    capable of being believed
    A CNN spokeswoman said the information was based on three credible sources and was changed as soon as sources provided new information.Reuters (Apr 19, 2013)
  21. credibility
    the quality of being believable or trustworthy
    But eventually, serious medical professionals turn up to talk about real cases, and the show gains credibility.New York Times (Jun 5, 2012)
  22. develop
    elaborate, as of theories and hypotheses
    “Mr. Morrison, if we’re writing our own scripts, shouldn’t I have some say about the character I develop?”Watch Us Rise
  23. evidence
    knowledge on which to base belief
    There’s enough “primary source” evidence—the newspaper and journal—to piece all that together.Fast Pitch
  24. elaboration
    a discussion that provides additional information
    His only elaboration had been that they were “delightful people.”The Incredible Journey
  25. dialogue
    the lines spoken by characters in drama or fiction
    I reached for the script and flipped to the first page of dialogue.It All Comes Down to This
Created on July 20, 2022 (updated August 30, 2022)

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