Domonique Payan

English 487-2
Dr. Fantuzzi
April 1, 2016
Project 2
Knowledge of general academic vocabulary is essential for reading school texts and writing
school assignments. In addition, the use of these words is often associated with education,
intelligence, and high social status. Students must learn not only what these words mean, but
also when it is appropriate to use them. Though these words may create a favorable impression in
academic contexts, using too many in informal settings may create an unfavorable impression of
pomposity and verbosity. Like the meanings of the 2,000 most common words, the meanings of
some low-frequency words vary according to the subject area. The word balance, for example,
has a special meaning in business and accounting courses. In history, a student may encounter
the expression balance of power; in environmental studies, balance of nature describes an
ecological concept; in law and civics, balance of mind refers to a legal notion of criminal
responsibility; in economics, balance of trade is an important concept; in physical education,
balance is a physical skill; in developing an argument in many subject areas, a balanced view is
desirable; in physics, balance is both a concept and a tool; and in the arts, balance refers to
harmony in the way the elements of a composition relate to one another. Page 95
FUNCTION WORDS
the, for, of, and, to, in, one, as, is, a, when,
not, for, some, it, but, may, has, these, often,
with, must, only, what, also, them, through,
most, an, both

CONTENT WORDS
knowledge general academic vocabulary
essential reading school text writing
assignments addition words associated
education intelligence high social status
students learn only appropriate through create
favorable impression contexts using informal
settings unfavorable pomposity verbosity like
meaning most common some low frequency
vary according subject area balance example
special business accounting courses history
student
encounter
expression
power
environmental studies nature describes
ecological concept law civics mind refers
legal notion criminal responsibility economics
trade important physical skill developing
argument view desirable tool arts refers
harmony elements composition relate one
another

COMPOUND WORDS

COMPLEX WORDS
knowledge
academic
reading
writing
assignment addition words associated
education intelligence students favorable
impression contexts using informal settings

unfavorable pomposity verbosity meanings

frequency according accounting courses
encounter expression environmental studies
describes
ecological
civics
criminal
responsibilities
economics
important
developing argument desirable arts refers
elements composition
INFLECTIONAL
reading writing words associated students
contexts using setting meaning courses
encounter studies civics developing arts refers
elements

STEM
Know (V)
Academy (N)
Assign (V)
Add (V)
Educate (V)
Intelligent (Adj.)
Favor (N)
Impress (V)
Inform (V)
Favor (N)
Pompous (Adj.)
Verbose (Adj.)
Frequent (Adj.)
Accord (V)
Account (N)
Express (V)
Environment (N)
Scribe (N)
Ecology (N)
Crime (N)
Response (N)
Economy (N)
Port (N)
Argue (V)
Desire (N)
Compose (V)
WORD
academic

DERIVATIONAL
knowledge academic assignments addition
education intelligence favorable impression
informal unfavorable pomposity verbosity
frequency according accounting expression
environmental describes ecological criminal
responsibility economics important argument
desirable composition

DERIVATION
Knowledge (N)
Academic (Adj.)
Assignments (N)
Addition (N)
Education (N)
Intelligence (N)
Favorable (Adj.)
Impression (N)
Informal (Adj.)
Unfavorable (Adj.)
Pomposity (N)
Verbosity (N)
Frequency (N)
According (Av)
Accounting (N)
Expression (N)
Environmental (Adj.)
Describes (V)
Ecological (Adj.)
Criminal (N)
Responsibility (N)
Economics (N)
Important (Adj.)
Argument (N)
Desirable (Adj.)
Composition (N)
ORIGIN

Greek

ROOT
academ (a place of learning)

AFFIX(ES)
-ic (pertaining to)

assignment

Latin

sign (mark, token, indication)

-ment (suffix; result of)

addition

Latin

associated

Latin

education

Latin

soci, social (interpersonal

relationships)
duc, duce (to lead)

intelligence

Latin

intellect, intelling ( know, Leran)

favorable

Latin

favor (good will or support)

impression

Latin

press, presso (press, bear down on or

against)

context

Latin

text, tex (to weave, woven)

-able (suffix; expressing

capacity)
-sion (suffix; forms nouns,
state of)
im- (prefix; in, on, against)
con- (prefix; with, together)

informal

Latin

form, forma (shape, structure)

in- (prefix; not)

unfavorable

Latin

favor (good will or support)

pomposity

Latin

pmpos, pompous (self-important)

verbosity

Latin

verbo, verb (word, words)

un-(prefix;
-able (suffix;
-ity (suffix; expressing state
or condition)
-ity (suffix; expressing state
or condition)

frequency
according
courses
encounter
expression

Latin
Latin
Latin
Latin
Latin

frequen, frequent(crowded, numerous)

cor, cord (heart)
cor, cour (to run, running)
counter, contre(against, opposed to)
press, presso(bear down against)

environmental

Greek

environment (the natural world)

describes
ecological

Latin
Greek

scrib, script, scribe (write, record)

eco (environment, habitat)

civics
criminals
responsibilities

Latin
Latin
Latin

civi, civ (metropolitan area)

crim, crimino (judicial decision, fault)
spon, spons(to bind oneself)

economics
important

Greek
Latin

eco (metropolitan area)

port, portat (carry, bring, bear)

argument
desirable

Latin
Latin

argue (express opposite views)

sider, sidero (star, stars)

arts
refers
elements

Latin
Latin
Latin

art, arti (skill, trade, handicraft)

fer, ferous ( to bear, to carry)
element (a part or aspect of something

ad- (prefix; to, toward)

-ate (suffix; to make, cause,
act)
-ation (suffix; action, act,
process)
e- (prefix; to)
-ence (suffix; action,
process)

ac- (prefix; toward)

en- (prefix)
ex-(prefix; out, from)
-sion(suffix; state of)
en- (prefix)
-al (suffx)
de- (prefix; away from)
-ical (suffix; made by or
caused by)
-ibility(suffix; able to)
re- (prefix)
-ics (suffix)
im-(prefix)
-ant(suffix; characterized by
or serving in the capacity
of)
-ment(suffix; result)
de- (prefix; away from, off)
-able(suffix; expressing
capacity)
re- (prefix; back, again)

abstract)

composition

Latin

pos, posit (to place, to put)

developing
PREFIX
as (to, toward, near, in addition to,
by)
con (with, together)
counter (against, opposite)
de (from, down, away, to do the
opposite, reverse, against)
en (put into make, surround with)
re (back, again)
un (not, against, opposite)

assign
assignable
assignably
assignation
assignment

design
designable
designedly
designer
designingly
resign
resignation
resigned
redesigning

com- (prefix; with,

together)
-tion (siffix; an act or
process)
de (prefix; reverse)

ROOT

WORD
assign

-sign
(mark token, indication a
fact, a condition or a
quality)

consign
consignation
cosignatory
consignment
consignor

consign
countersign
design
ensign
resign
undersign

countersign
countersignature

ensign

WORD ROOT
sign

undersign
undersigning