1-4 Vocabulary
Key Concepts
- Synonyms
- Antonyms
- Homophones
- Root Words and Affixes
Synonyms
Synonyms are words that have the same or nearly the same meaning as another word. For example, "happy" and "joyful" are synonyms because they both describe a feeling of great pleasure or contentment.
Examples:
- Big and Large
- Fast and Quick
- Sad and Unhappy
Antonyms
Antonyms are words that have opposite meanings. For example, "hot" and "cold" are antonyms because they describe opposite temperatures.
Examples:
- Up and Down
- Happy and Sad
- In and Out
Homophones
Homophones are words that sound the same but have different meanings and spellings. For example, "to," "too," and "two" are homophones because they sound alike but have different meanings and spellings.
Examples:
- Bear (the animal) and Bare (without covering)
- Right (correct) and Write (to compose)
- Sea (large body of saltwater) and See (to perceive with the eyes)
Root Words and Affixes
Root words are the main part of a word that carries its fundamental meaning. Affixes are added to root words to change their meaning or create new words. Prefixes are added to the beginning of a word, and suffixes are added to the end.
Examples:
- Root Word: "Happy" (meaning: feeling or showing pleasure or contentment)
- Prefix: "Un-" (meaning: not)
- New Word: "Unhappy" (meaning: not happy)
- Root Word: "Care" (meaning: the provision of what is necessary for the health, welfare, maintenance, and protection of someone or something)
- Suffix: "Ful" (meaning: full of)
- New Word: "Careful" (meaning: taking care or paying attention)
Analogies to Make Concepts Clearer
Think of synonyms as different flavors of the same ice cream. They taste different but are still ice cream. Antonyms are like night and day, completely opposite but both part of the same world. Homophones are like twins who look different but sound the same. Root words are like the foundation of a house, and affixes are like additions that change the house's appearance and function.