Teacher-resources#gloss

TermsAdjectives/AdjectivalsExplanationAdjectives are words that describe someone orsomething. They build up information around thenoun or pronoun. They answer the question:which, whose, how many, what like, or whattype?An adjectival is a group of words that are usedto give more information about the noun. Theymay be preceded by a preposition.Plain descriptiveproseFigurativelanguagePurple proseTechnical linkagesSimple sentencesCompoundsentencesComplexsentencesGeneral exampleSome types of adjective re:Numeral/Number: five, sixthDescriptive: old, white, busy, careful, horrible, friendlyDistributive: each, every, eitherInterrogative: which, what, whoseIndefinite: some, few, many, mostVerbal adjectives: walking tour, singing lessonwith (prep) dirty old jeans, (adjectival phrase) animals withbackbones are called vertebrates (adjectival phrase)My granddad wears slippers and is the former owner of the apple orchard that covers most of his land. Hehas the look of an old bagpiper and he has greying hair that is balding.Alliteration: is the repetition of consonants,Her crunchy chocolate chip cookies are cool.especially the initial consonant so that thewords are linked together by sound.Idiom: an expression which is not meant literally under the weather, rings a bell, kicks the bucket,and whose meaning cannot be figured out fromIt’s choice! She is such a pain in the neck.the individual words. They can be special to aparticular country or its language.Imagery: use of language to create a vividHe sits there like I’m a king and he’s a shoes salesmen.sensory image. May include vocabulary and orShe had been like the wind passing through the air.choice of synonym, adjectives and adverbs. Theimage may be visual (picture), auditory (sound),tactile (feel), olfactory (smell) or gustatory(taste).Metaphor: the writer writes about something orThe trip was a nightmare and something James wouldsomeone as if they were really something else,remember for the rest of his life.without using the words: like or as.Personification: language relating to humanThe wind whistled through the trees.action, motivation and emotion is used to refer tonon-human agents or objects or abstractconcepts.Simile: the writer creates an image in byHer face shone like a beacon.comparing a subject to something else, by using Our caretaker has hair like snow.the words: like or as.Her hair looks like a black birds nest.Descriptive prose that is exaggerated orThe long, wavy, dry, brown tussock swirled around theridiculously elaborate, i.e., over writing.rock.Precise and subject specific language is used insnout, tusks, gill slits, cartilagedescriptive reports. Language that is factualPossums are nocturnal mammals.rather than imaginative is used.Turtles are covered with a hard, box like shell.Conjunctions join two or more clauses togetherand, but, so, or, because, sinceand only occur within a sentence.Connectives are words or phrases that also linkhowever, for that reason, in fact, although, after thatclauses or sentences. They can be placed atConnectives have the following functions:adding information: also, apart from that, likewise,various positions within the sentence and helpexplaining: for example, in other words, that is to saycontribute to the cohesion of the text.indicating result: therefore, consequently, as a resultCharacter: Dad has got green eyes.Simple sentences have a single clause. TheyReport: Snakes have not got legs.have one main idea expressed as subject, verband object.Compound sentences have two or more clauses Character: Dad has green eyes and they get large whenjoined together by conjunctions such as ‘and’he laughs.Report: Snakes have not got legs and have not got armsand ‘but’. The clauses are of equal weight; thatis, they are main clauses.either.Character: Her car was old so Nana sold it.Complex sentences contain at least one clauseReport: Although snakes have not got legs or arms theythat does not make sense without the rest of thesentence.can move with speed.Page 4

Selected glossary of terms for the ‘to instruct’ purposePurpose:to describe how something may be done through a series of steps or actions andmake it possible for the reader to understand and duplicate the procedure being described.TermsWriting styledirected toaudienceMay adjustlanguage to bothinstruct and adviseTopic - relatedinformationUse of specialised/task appropriatelanguageEvidence ofinstruction-likestatementsConcise use oflanguageSimple statementsCommand-likestatementsUse of descriptorsto describematerials andactions.Action verbsImperativesAdverbs/Adjectives todescribe materialsand actions.Use generalisedotherCompound ‘runon’ sentencesSimple ionThe writer interprets the needs of the readers anddirects the language towards them.Recognising the personal situation of the reader.Making a suggestion as opposed to giving aninstruction. Advice may be included to clarify theprocedure.Refer to topic specific words and language thatrelate particularly to the procedure.Consistent use of topic specific language throughoutthe task. Procedures use precise action verbsspecific to the task, e.g., dice or slice instead of cut.These are sentences that are commands orimperatives, where the subject of a command isoften left out, but it is understood as ‘you’.Adding more detail through selection of adjectives,adjectivals and adverbials of manner (the how).A statement is a sentence that tells or informs. Agoal statement is often included or a title thatidentifies the product to be made.We use commands to get things done and to obtaingoods or services. The structure of a command issimple – we drop the subject and the auxiliary anduse the main verb.Words or phrases used to add more description tothe subject, verb or object of a sentence.General exampleYou might want to do the same thing with thetomatoes. Be careful you don’t cut yourself.Mrs Kingi, as you have your own poolSeason to taste (in a recipe).Don’t push too hard or the plane will be off. Balance(in a set of instructions).rinse, chop, slice, mix, squeezepulse, paramedic, patient, respirator, CPRtennis: slice, backhand, smash, deuce, directions:clockwise, turn 180 degrees, easterlyasthma: puffer, nebuliser, VentolinCut the paper into squares.Rub the butter in.Action verbs: are generally the more physicalactions that can be observed.Sentence for commands or instructions.Adverbs add detail and weight to the instruction.They give extra meaning to a verb, an adjective,another adverb or a whole sentence. Adding -ly toan adjective forms many adverbs, but there aremany that do not end in -ly.slice, put, glue, add, mix, cut, read, make, blow, fly,run, rub, slip, takeHold this! Take the second left. Pour the oil in.In many cases, adverbs tell us:how (manner): slowly, carefully, lightly, quicklywhere (place): here, away, outsidewhen (time): now, tomorrow, laterhow often (frequency): often, never, regularlywhy (reason): because, so, in order toDescribing materials: cotton, plastic, newsprintpaper, blue paper, dotted line, racing bike, flat tyre,frothy milk, boiled water, two timesFirst you break the egg or Break the egg.large ripe tomatoes, lukewarm water, cut along thedotted line, carefully slice, trim rather than cutHow to make a paper plane.Place the mixture in the oven.Answer the phone.Telling the reader how and where to do things: go tothe line, paint it on both sides, fold the paper longwaysAdjectives build up information around the noun.They answer the question: which, whose, how many,what like or what type?The reader is referred to in a generalised way by theomission of a pronoun.Second person: the person(s) being addressed.youThird person: what is being spoken about.he, she, it, theyA run-on sentence consists of two or more mainThe boy showed us his tickets someone gave them toclauses that are run together without using thehim. Make sure that the wings are right pickup theproper punctuation.plane and push it out lightly.Simple sentences have a single clause. They haveStart cutting the tomatoes into slices.one main idea expressed as subject, verb andFollow the path to the forest.object.Complex sentences contain at least one clause thatIf you want to top it all off get some oranges anddoes not make sense without the other clause(s),squeeze some orange juice in to have some flavour.Alternatively, put all the ingredients in a blender.i.e., the rest of the sentence.A sentence that is capable of standing alone and contains a subject and a predicate. Refer to the grammarpages for more information.Page 5

Selected glossary of terms for the ‘to narrate’ purposePurposes:to inform or entertain the reader by constructing a world that the reader can enter andmake the reader enter into and believe a creative, imagined world of events, problems, situations, or people.TermsExplanationGeneral examplePerspectiveThe particular point of view that the story is told from, i.e., who is the narrator telling the story, e.g., Wolf’sstperspective of ‘The Three Little Pigs.’ 1 person: the narrator is a character in the story and tells the readerhis/her story using the pronoun I. The narrator can comment only on what he/she sees and hears, and cannotcomment on other characters’ thoughts and feelings. 3rd person (limited): the narrator is outside of the story andtells the story from the perspective of only one character. As a result, the narrator can report only what that onecharacter sees and hears. 3rd person (omniscient): the narrator is outside of the story and is all knowing orGodlike because she/he knows everything and occurs and everything that each character thinks and feels. Thisdoes not mean that the narrator shares everything with the reader.Elements ofPlot: what happens and why. Setting: where the story takes place. Character: an individual in a story, play orstorypoem whose personality can be inferred by their actions and dialogue and physical features.Orientation: where the characters, setting and time of the story are established (who, what where).Problem/complication: the structures, activities and events involving the main characters are outlined.Conclusion/resolution: (ending) the complication is resolved satisfactorily but not necessarily happily.Coda:(optional) reflective statement often related to the theme that may occur anytime within the narrative but usually atthe end.Proportion ofThe elements of the story flow together well, e.g., neither the beginning nor the ending, dominate the story and theelementsother elements are not rushed in order to end the work.DumpingAdding in unnecessary information. The content may not be ordered to interest the reader.Sense ofThe ending doesn’t relate back to the beginning and or the plot is disjointed. The events are not linked in a logicaldisjunctionor realistic way.Semblance ofText is organised chronologically, i.e., some form of time helps to sequence and structure the text, e.g., beginning,ordermiddle and end or orientation, complication and resolution (not always in that order).Stream ofRecords the thoughts going on in a person's mind as they occur, e.g., I'm winning the race. One more kick I say toconsciousnessmyself and . now "Kick" I'm running, running, running and try time.Non traditionalFollows a different way of organising the story, e.g., slice of life, starting with the resolution or a flashbackstructuressequence.NounsA noun answers the question: who or what? InSome types of nouns are:Abstract: hope, love, joy, beautynarratives they name specific people, places, thingsCollective: class, team, swarmand events.Common: apple, dog, hat, boyProper: Monday, New Zealand, EasterPronounsPronouns are used often, but not always, to ‘replace’ a Some categories of pronouns are:Demonstrative: this, that, these, thosenoun or noun phrase and help the writer to avoidIndefinite: anybody, everything, nobodymrepetition. They can be confusing to a reader if thePersonal: I/me, you, he, her, we/us, they/them, itpronoun references are not clearly made.Possessive: mine, yours, his, hers, ours, theirs, itsReflexive: myself, herself, themselvesRelative: who, whom, which, whose, thatAdjective/Adjectives are words that describe somebody orSome types of adjectives are:Adjectivalssomething. They build up information around the noun, Classifying: African, plastic, wooden, social,Comparing: smoother, prettier, smallestcharacters or events. They answer the question:Descriptive/factual: old, busy, rocky, soft, red, brickwhich, whose, how many, what like or what type?Distributive: each, every, eitherOpinion: elegant, poor, scary, difficultQuantity: five, sixth, two dozenAn adjectival is a group of words that are used to give in the top branches of the last apple tree (where?),more information about the noun. They are sometimes cleaner than mine (what like?), the old scuffed bootspreceded by a preposition.(which?)VerbsVerbs refer to an action, a process, happening, or aSome types of verbs are:state of being. Action verbs: are generally the moreAction: danced, twisted, ventured, crept, held, slunkSaying: said, pleaded, replied, shouted, criedphysical actions that can be observed. In narrativessaying verbs help depict the character by the wayStative: am, hoped, felt, seemed, prefer, feared, love,they say something. Stative verbs: give informationsmelt, heard, thought, believed, knowabout a state of being or mind.Adverbs/Adverbs give extra meaning to a verb, an adjective,In many cases, adverbs tell us:Adverbialshow (manner): slowly, happily, carefully, grumpilyanother adverb or a whole sentence. Adding -ly to anwhere (place): here, away, home, outsideadjective forms many adverbs, but there are alsowhen (time): now, tomorrow, later, soonmany that do not end in -ly.how often (frequency): often, never, sometimeswhy (reason): thus, consequently, accordinglyAdverbial phrase: A group of words that function inthe same way as a single adverb.Page 6how: in a threatening way, where: a few miles away,when: over the weekend, a few days ago

TermsConjunctionsExplanationConjunctions join two clauses together and onlyoperate within a sentence. They can show therelationship between the ideas within and betweensentences.Connectives/linkagesConnectives are a word or phrase that also linkclauses or sentences. They can be placed at variouspositions within the sentence and contribute to thecohesion of the text.Linking devices: Conjunction of time (timeconnective) link words and or phrases.FigurativelanguageDirect speechIndirect /reported lexsentencesAlliteration: the repetition of consonants, especiallythe initial consonant so that the words are linkedtogether by sound.Hyperbole: is exaggeration for dramatic effect.Idiom: is an expression which is not meant literallyand whose meaning cannot be worked out fromknowledge of the individual words. They can bespecial to a particular country or its language.Imagery: use of language to create a vivid sensoryimage. May include vocabulary and or choice ofsynonym, adjectives and adverbs. The image may bevisual (picture), auditory (sound), tactile (feel),olfactory (smell) or gustatory (taste).Metaphor: the writer writes about something orsomeone as if they were really something else, withoutusing the words: like or as.Onomatopoeia: A word or group of words that attemptto replicate sounds that are associated with theirmeaning.Personification: where language relating to humanaction and emotion is used to refer to non-humanagents or objects or abstract concepts.Rhetorical questions: the question implies theanswer is obvious. It is the kind of question thatdoesn’t need to be answered in the text.Simile: the writer creates an image in readers' mindsby comparing a subject to something else, by usingthe words: like, as, or as if.Is when the writer quotes the speaker's original words.Speech marks are used to denote the beginning andend of direct speech.Is when the writer reports what is said. The exactmeaning of the speaker’s words is given but the exactwords are not directly quoted.Written conversation between two or more people.Simple sentences have a single clause. They haveone main idea expressed as subject, verb and object.Compound sentences have two or more clausesjoined together by conjunctions such as ‘and’ and ‘but’.The clauses are of equal weight; that is, they are mainclauses.Complex sentences contain at least one clause thatdoes not make sense without the other clause(s), i.e.,the rest of the sentence.Page 7General exampleThey show four main types of relationship:adding information: and, but, orcause and effect: as, because, if, sincetime: after, as, since, untilcontrasting ideas: unless, but, althoughThe cat saw its owner come out of the shop but did notfollow her home.Connectives have the following functions:adding information: also, furthermore, moreoverexplaining: for example, in other words, that is to saysequencing ideas/listing: firstly, first of all, finallyindicating result: therefore, consequently, as a resultafter, next, later, when the cat got home, suddenly itstopped so she did as wellThe wild wet Wellington wind, slithering snakes, ruby redrose.I’ve told you a million times to clean your room!You look a bit under the weather this morning.I’m off to see a man about a dog. She’ll be right. It was astorm in a teacup.Imagery may be combined with metaphors:The sleek, oily-black pistons hissed musically.Her gaze was icy. The salesman was a shark. The moonwas a ghostly galleon floating across the sky.The ship ploughed through the sea.the wind whistled, a rustle in the leaves, clang, hiss,crash, cuckoo, woofSoccer has been good to me. The weather is smiling onus. The flames licked at the walls of the house. The treewatched him sleep.Don’t you think it’s time you settled down?Have you ever built a tree hut?as brave as a lion, as strong as an ox,He smokes like a chimney. She swims like a fish.“I don’t know what to do,” said Dean.The wolf said that he would huff and puff.He said he might go to the party if he was asked to.“What do you want?” I asked.“An ice cream please,” replied Tom.The cat was safe. It was late.He climbed into bed and he fell fast asleep.It was late but I wasn’t tired.When morning came the cat ran home for some food.Although it was late, I wasn’t tired.

Selected glossary of terms for the ‘to explain’ purposePurpose:to give an account of how something is formed, or works, with reasons and why, i.e., make a readerunderstand the causes or reasons for phenomenon.TermsFactual/ DeclarativestatementsTopic relatedvocabularyTechnical/ specialisedlanguageExplanationThe function of the statements is to conveyinformation, make remarks and assertions.Words that relate particularly to the topic.Adverbs/Adverbials (to adddetail and weight to astatement)Adverbs give extra meaning to a verb, anadjective, another adverb or a whole sent

backbones are called vertebrates (adjectival phrase) Plain descriptive prose My granddad wears slippers and is the former owner of the apple orchard that covers most of his land. He has the look of an old bagpiper and he has greying hair that is balding. Alliteration: is the repetition of consonants, espe