Download Vocabulary and Word Usage

Vocabulary and Word
Choice
Presented by the
Texas A&M International University
Writing Center
Vocabulary
Why should you improve
your vocabulary?
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Having an extended vocabulary allows you to
express your thoughts more clearly and
effectively.
Communicating your ideas effectively in writing
is one of the most important factors in your
success at the university level.
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How can you improve your
vocabulary?
Read well-written publications, such as
the New York Times or the Wall Street
Journal.
Determine the meaning of unfamiliar
words through context clues.
Write down unfamiliar words and look
them up in a dictionary.
Keep a vocabulary journal, and make a
point of using one new word in
conversation every day.
Make flash cards, and use new words
often.
Use a thesaurus – with caution. Words
in a thesaurus are related, but they do
not always have the same meaning.
Example: “The teacher thought her
students were bright.” This would
not be the same as saying, “The
teacher thought her students were
radiant.”
Roots and Affixes
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Roots are the words that affixes are
added to. Prefixes and suffixes are
known as affixes. Knowing the most
common roots and affixes can help
you figure out the meaning of
unfamiliar words.
Example: Audi is a root word that
means “to hear.” If the suffix -tion
(which refers to the condition or state
of “to move”) is added to the root
word audi, then the word audition is
formed. Audition refers to a trial
performance intended to demonstrate
a personal skill ( i.e. acting).
Prefixes
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A prefix is a word unit that is added to the
beginning of a root word to form a new word.
One of the most common prefixes is “un.” Knowing “un”
means “not,” one could understand not only “uncommon” and
“unusual,” but many other words that begin with “un.”
Another prefix is “sub,” which means “below.” When added
to “marine” which means “of or pertaining to the sea,” one
could conclude that “submarine” refers to something below the
sea.
Suffixes
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A suffix is a word unit that is added to the end
of a root word to form a new word.
They often change the part of speech of a word
so that a noun can be used as an adverb or an
adjective can be used as a noun.
Some common suffixes are -s, -es, -ed, -ing, -ly, ion, -tion, -ation, -able, -ible, -al, -ial, -y, -ness, -ity,
-ment, -ous, -ful, -ive, -ative, -ful, -less, -est, etc.
Roots
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A root word is the basic core element of a word,
exclusive of affixes (suffixes or prefixes).
As a result, most root words function as nouns.
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Some common root words are astro (star); dict
(speak, tell); geo (earth); min (small); phon (sound);
port (carry); spect (see); bio (life); etc.
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Knowing these roots can help you determine the
meaning of astrophysics, remit, pedestal, spectator,
phonograph, and many other words.
Putting It All Together
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Using your knowledge of roots and affixes, try
and figure out the meaning of the following
words: subjugation, anachronism, ecology.
Choosing Effective Words
Avoid Slang
Slang is often used when talking to friends. It
is language that is familiar and comfortable to
us.
 However, slang should be avoided when
writing formal essays.
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Visiting my relatives every day was a real drag. (tiresome)
Laura didn’t want to make waves. (cause disharmony)
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Most of the writing done in college
courses has a serious tone; therefore, a
formal level of language should be
used.
In academic writing, generally avoid
using slang and colloquial expressions.
Informal
•Since she worked hard on her
assignment, she was sure her grade
would be wicked.
Formal
•Since she worked hard on her
assignment, she was sure her grade
would be great.
•Canada is considered one of the
coolest countries to live in.
•Canada is considered one of the
best countries to live in.
Avoid Clichés
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A cliché is an expression that has been worn out through constant
use.
It is easy for someone to casually say something like, "The
conversation I had with my boyfriend was short and sweet."
Following are some other examples:
live and let live
time will tell
life goes on
one step at a time
no guts, no glory
what goes around, comes around
beauty is only skin deep
nobody is perfect
Be Precise
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Vague words force the reader to guess what you mean.
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It is best to choose words that express exactly what you want to say.
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An example of this would be, “Our conversation was nice.”
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An adjective, such as thought-provoking, interesting, or informative,
should be used in place of nice to specifically explain what the
conversation was like.
Be Accurate
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If you are unsure about the meaning of a
specific word, you may want to look it up
in a dictionary. This will help you make
sure that your sentence says exactly
what you intended.
Wrong- Did you pay for airplane fair already?
Correct- Did you pay for the airplane fare already?
Wrong- It is not certain whether he excepted the task.
Correct- It is not certain whether he accepted the task.
Wrong - My roommate has a dominate personality that is very intimidating.
Correct- My roommate has a dominant personality that is very intimidating.
This Concludes our Workshop on
Vocabulary and Word Choice!
Thank You!