Word Relationships

1. Word Relationships Identifying Relationships between words

2. Types of Relationships • Cause & Effect • Definition & Restatement • Compare & Contrast

3. Cause & Effect • Cause and Effect Context Clues: Words explaining the reasons behind an action, process or condition that will help give a meaning to an unknown word • Look for words like: • – since, because, as a result, with, when, if, then, so, consequently, due to, thus, after, and therefore • Look for punctuation like: • – Commas or semicolons that separate the cause • and effect

4. Examples of cause & effect: • The bear’s impending hibernation caused him to pack on extra pounds to keep him warm during the extremely cold winter in his dark cave. • A reader may not know what hibernation means; however, the reader may be able to infer that the bear’s weight gain for warmth has something to do with the bear remaining in its dark cave. • The apprehensive student sat with his pencil tightly gripped in his hand as he waited for his teacher to give him his final exam. • The reader may be able to relate to taking a final exam and waiting for it to be distributed and thus, infer that apprehensive means nervous or anxious.

5. Definition & Restatement • Restatement: • Restates the meaning of the word in easier language. • Definition: • Directly tells the meaning of the word in the sentence

6. Examples: • Definition: • Nanotechnology,or the process of creating microminiature equipment by manipulating atoms and molecules,is fascinating. • Restatement: • The business downturn of the Great Depression was pervasive—it affected all sectors of the economy

7. Compare & Contrast • Compare: • Suggests the meaning of the word by telling what it is like. • Contrast: • Suggests the meaning of the word by describing what it is unlike

8. Examples: • Contrast: • When faced with last minute changes, Tom is flexible, but Li is doctrinaire and won’t accept them. • Compare: • Like the chirps from a bird, the soprano’s notes twittered above the orchestra.