Resources for defining and working with different words.

1. Glossary: Word Lists
By Melissa Vile

2. 2
1. Verb Lists
a. State of Being Verb List 3
b. Irregular Verb List 4
c. Modal Verb List 9
d. Power Verb List 10
e. Essential Word List 12
2. Commonly Misused Words List 18
Table of Contents

3. am I am
are You are
is He/She/It is
are We are
are They are
be
Present Tense
was I was
were You were
was He/She/It was
were We were
were They were
be
Past Tense
will be I will be
will be You will be
will be He/She/It will be
will be We will be
will be They will be
Future Tense
be
State of Being Word List
3

4. Irregular Verb List 1
• words that completely change their spelling or word in different tenses
Base Form Past Simple Participle
awake awoke awaken
beat beat beaten
begin began begun
bite bit bitten
blow blew blown
break broke broken
bring brought brought
build built built
buy bought bought
catch caught caught
choose chose chosen
Base Form Past Simple Participle
come came come
cost cost cost
cut cut cut
do did done
deal dealt dealt
dig dug dug
dream dreamt dreamt
draw drew drawn
drink drank drunk
drive drove driven
eat ate eaten
4

5. Base Form Past Simple Participle
grow grew grown
hang hung hung
have had had
hear heard heard
hide hid hidden
hit hit hit
hold held held
hurt hurt hurt
keep kept kept
know knew known
lay laid laid
Base Form Past Simple Participle
fall fell fallen
feed fed fed
feel felt felt
fight fought fought
find found found
fly flew flown
forget forgot forgotten
forgive forgave forgiven
freeze froze frozen
get got gotten
to went gone
Irregular Verb List 2
• words that completely change their spelling or word in different tenses
5

6. Base Form Past Simple Participle
quit quit quit
read read read
ride rode ridden
ring rang rung
rise rose risen
run ran run
say said said
see saw seen
seek sought sought
sell sold sold
send sent sent
Base Form Past Simple Participle
lead led led
leave left left
lend lent lent
let let let
lie lay lain
lose lost lost
make made made
mean meant meant
meet met met
pay paid paid
put put put
Irregular Verb List 3
• words that completely change their spelling or word in different tenses
6

7. Base Form Past Simple Participle
stand stood stood
steal stole stolen
stick stuck stuck
swear swore sworn
sweep swept swept
swim swam swum
take took take
teach taught taught
tell told told
think thought thought
write wrote written
Base Form Past Simple Participle
sew sewed sewn
shake shook shaken
shine shone shone
sing sang sung
sink sank sunk
sit sat sat
sleep slept slept
slide slid slid
speak spoke spoken
spend spent spent
spread spread spread
Irregular Verb List 4
• words that completely change their spelling or word in different tenses
7

8. Base Form Past Simple Participle
stand stood stood
steal stole stolen
stick stuck stuck
swear swore sworn
sweep swept swept
swim swam swum
take took take
teach taught taught
tell told told
think thought thought
write wrote written
Base Form Past Simple Participle
sewed sewn
shook shaken
shone shone
sing sang sung
sink sank sunk
sit sat sat
sleep slept slept
slide slid slid
speak spoke spoken
spend spent spent
spread spread spread
Irregular Verb List 5
• words that completely change their spelling or word in different tenses
8

9. Modals
100%
90%
70%
50%
50%
30%
10%
0%
will
must/have to
should, would
may/might, can/could
may not, might not
shouldn’t, wouldn’t
can’t
won’t
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10. Power
Verbs10 verbs that are critical for understanding questions and test-preparation.
1. Analyze
• explain how each part functions or fits into the whole.
• write the obvious as well as the hidden characteristics or meanings
• pretend you are a detective and break the material into parts
2. Persuade
• give a point of view
• take a stand and defend one side of an issue: argue
• give facts, statistics, beliefs, opinions, and your personal view
• show passion when you are defending your side.
3. Compare
• identifying how things are alike or similar
4. Contrast
• provide the characteristics that are not alike. How are people, events, or objects different?
5. Summarize
• give the meaning in a concise way using as few words as possible
• synthesize and restate key points from text in a sentence or short paragraph.
10
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11. Power
Verbs10 verbs that are critical for understanding questions and test-preparation.
6. Demonstrate
• provide a step-by-step procedure to show how to do something.
7. Describe
• present a clear picture of a person, place, thing or idea
• the reader should be able to visualize a picture or movie in his head from the material read
8. Explain
• give clear descriptions of an event, object, or idea
• think about the five W’s: Who, What, When, Where, Why, and How.
9. Interpret
• write their understanding of the passage in their own words
• ask yourself, “What does the __________ mean?”
• give a view from your experiences and the information you find
10. Infer
• read between the lines; the answer is not in the text
• derive meaning from information or clues the author provides
• figure out the author’s clues and add your background experience (what you know) to answer the
question
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12. Glossary: Essential Word
Listacknowledge to show that someone has been
seen and recognized: to look at or
talk to (someone)
analyze to break down into parts and
tell about the parts step by step.
argue to say and give specific reasons
as to why your understanding is
logical
asserting to cause others to recognize
(one's authority or a right) by
confident and forceful behavior
author’s purpose the reason why an author
writes, (P.I.E.):
1. to persuade
2. to inform
3. to entertain
background knowledge information that is
essential to understanding a situation
or problem. What you already know
about a new topic of study. (see
schema)
12
choose to select from a number of possibilities;
identify, determine
clarify to say in your own words and make
something understood better:
COMMENT
coherence A second key element in a well-
written paragraph. The movement
from one sentence to the next must
be logical and smooth; each
sentence must flow smoothly into
each other
 Repetition of key nouns by using key noun
substitutes (the correct pronoun)Being
consistent with the pronoun. See unity for first
key element
comment to explain the relevance of the fact
or statement
compare common characteristics, identify
how things are alike or similar. (often
used with contrast)
compose write or create (a work of art,
especially music, poetry, or a written
work)
conclude to arrive at a decision, to close or
bring to an end

13. 13
conduct organize and carry out
connect to join (two or more things) together
contrast characteristics that are not alike;
identify how things are different.
critique to evaluate (a theory or practice) in
a detailed and analytical way.
define to provide a definition of a key term
you’ve covered in class.
demonstrate provide proof of your answer by
using an example.
describe present a clear picture of a person,
place, thing, or idea. Use details
and sensory words. Paint a picture
with words.
develop to cause (a paragraph/argument)
to grow or become bigger or more
advanced
diagram to demonstrate your answer by
drawing a chart or other visual
element to illustrate your points
discuss to show you understand both sides of
an issue
distinguish to make (someone or something)
different or special in some way
elements part of something that when put
together make a whole. (parts of an
essay: hook, thesis, topic sentences,
supporting details, conclusions, body
paragraphs…)
enumerate to provide a list in a particular order
and explain why it is in that order
evaluate to tell the good and the bad; judge.
In your own words
evidence the facts showing whether a
statement is true
examine to use your own judgment to explore
(in writing) a topic and comment on
significant elements, events, or acts.
Provide your opinion and explain
how or why you came to your
conclusions

14. 14
explain to provide an answer that gives a
“why” response. Provide a complete
overview of the problem and solution
for a particular issue or process
explore think about other ways of coming to
a conclusion
extended response to answer, explain the
answer, and show how you arrived
at that answer
fact a true piece of information;
something that can be proved.
(commonly seen with opinion)
formulate create or put together
grade a particular level of rank, quality,
proficiency, intensity, or value
hook a thing designed to catch people’s
attention
identify establish or indicate who or what
(someone or something) is
illustrate to use examples to show or explain a
topic: words, drawings, diagrams, or
behavior to illustrate an answer
incorporate to include (something) as part of
something else
infer “Read between the lines”; the
answer is not clearly stated in the
passage. Use knowledge from the
text and your own experience to
draw conclusion. What is the hidden
meaning?
informative writing a type of nonfiction
writing that gives information about
something, which is factual. (See
narrative and persuasive writing)
interpret to explain using your own words
introduction to making something known for the
first time
justify to use examples or evidence to show
why (in your opinion) it is correct. You
must provide reasons for your
conclusions and opinions

15. 15
list to provide a series of answers
locate discover the exact place or position
of someone or something
merge combine or cause to combine
information to form a single new
thought
myth an idea or story that is believed by
many people but that is not true:
FABLE or LEGEND
narrative writing a story or report of
connected events, nonfiction (true)
or fiction (not true), presented in a
sequence of written or spoken
words
opinion a belief, judgment, or way of
thinking about something: what
someone thinks about a particular
thing
order to provide a chronological or value-
based answer by listing several items
(terms or events) in correct
placement
outline to provide an explanation with
headings and subheadings
persuasive writing presenting reasons
and examples to influence other
people’s actions or thoughts. (See
narrative and information writing)
predict hypothesize or to make an educated
(smart) guess
prefix type of root word; added to the
beginning of a base word. (see
words: root word and suffix)
prompt a question a teacher gives that has
to be answered. (for an essay,
report, or on a test) directions
prove to prove an answer; to use
evidence or reasoning to solve a
problem
rate consider to be of a certain quality,
standard, or rank

16. 16
relate to show a relationship between
two events or items by discussing
their similarities to provide a written
account of something (as in
literature)
report give a spoken or written account of
something that one has observed,
heard, done, or investigated
review to recall and repeat all the most
important elements or facts that you
learned about a specific topic in
essay form
root word the simplest form/part of a word that
carries meaning. Usually from a
different language (Greek or Latin).
Helps us understand the meaning of
whole words: BASE WORD
rubric (n) an explanation or a set of
instructions of which you are graded
by in reading, and writing
schema background knowledge; what you
know about the subject before you
begin reading
sketch make a rough drawing of
solve find an answer to, explanation for, or
means of effectively dealing with (a
problem or mystery)
suffix added to the end of a base word
summarize give a brief overview of the main
points. To tell the beginning, the
middle, and the end
support to back up information with
evidence; to prove. To back up with
details and facts
supporting details sentences that clarify,
explain, describe, expand and
illustrate the main idea
thesis… a statement or claim that has two
sides and you choose a side and
prove it: MAIN IDEA

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____________________________
____________________________
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_______________________
topic sentence a sentence that identifies the
main idea of the paragraph and also
states the point the writer wishes to
make about that subject. Generally,
appears at the beginning of the
paragraph.
visualize to form a mental picture of (someone or
something): to make a movie in your head of what
you are hearing or reading: imagine
voice individual writing style of an author, a
combination of syntax, diction,
punctuation, character development,
dialogue, etc., within a given body of
text (or across several works)
unity A key element in a well-written
paragraph to focus on one main idea in
a paragraph; to stay on topic. To have every
supporting sentence directly explain or prove the
main idea.

18. Commonly Misused Words
accept _________________ are _________________ buy _________________
except _________________ our _________________ by _________________
hour _________________
advice _________________ ascent _________________ cite _________________
advise _________________ assent _________________ sight _________________
site _________________
affect _________________ bare _________________ capital ________________
effect _________________ bear _________________ capitol ________________
all ready _________________ board _________________ censor _________________
already _________________ bored _________________ censure _________________
allude _________________ brake _________________ conscience _________________
elude _________________ break _________________ conscious _________________
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19. Commonly Misused Words
course _________________ elicit _________________ hole _________________
coarse _________________ illicit _________________ whole _________________
counsel _________________ fair _________________ its _________________
council _________________ fare _________________ it’s _________________
compliment _________________ further _________________ knew ________________
complement _________________ farther _________________ new _______________
desert _________________ hear _________________ no _________________
dessert _________________ here _________________ know _________________
disburse _________________ heard _________________ lose _________________
disperse _________________ herd _________________ loss _________________
loose _________________
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20. Commonly Misused Words
passed _________________ principle _________________ scene _________________
past ___________________ principal _________________ seen _________________
patience _________________ rein _________________ than _________________
patients _________________ rain _________________ then _________________
reign _________________
peace ________________ residents _________________ their ___________________
piece _________________ residence ________________ there __________________
they’re _________________
plain _________________ right _________________ to _________________
plane _________________ rite _________________ too _________________
write _________________ two _________________
presence _________________ rode _________________ waist _________________
presents _________________ road _________________ waste _________________
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21. Commonly Misused Words
weather _________________ your ___________________ _______________________
whether ________________ you’re _________________ _______________________
weight _________________ _______________________ _______________________
wait ___________________ _______________________ _______________________
wear __________________ _______________________ _______________________
where _________________ _______________________ _______________________
which _________________ _______________________ _______________________
witch __________________ _______________________ _______________________
whose _________________ _______________________ _______________________
who’s __________________ _______________________ _______________________
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Works Referenced
1. “Commonly Misused Words: Homonyms and Other Mistaken Words.” Santa Barbara Community College
CLRC Writing Center. https://www.sbcc.edu/clrc/files/wl/downloads/CommonlyMisusedWords.pdf
2. Williams, Kechia. “Top 10 Terms Students Need to Know to Be Successful on Standardized Tests.” Scholastic,
Scholastic, www.scholastic.com/teachers/articles/teaching-content/top-10-terms-students-need-know-
be-successful-standardized-tests/#top.