EAP 1620 Bizon 2016 Chapter I.

The History and the Origin of the English Language

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UNIT I. The History and the Origin of the English Language
INTRODUCTION

WHY IS ACADEMIC VOCABULARY IMPORTANT?

 College: Students need specialized vocabulary in college classes. Academic subjects vary in
- their vocabulary and expressions,
- the types of text used (for instance essays, reports, research articles or summaries),
- their texts’ structure and organization.
 Job: One of the trends for employers is to give candidates a word list to describe themselves and the job
they are applying.
 Strong vocabulary
- reading and understanding your study materials,
- writing about your subject.

FACTS ABOUT THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE:

 About 1.5 billion people speak English (25% are native speakers, 25% speak it as their second language,
and the rest know some of it)
 There are approximately 600,000 words in English.
 Many English words come from German or French.
 Every-day speech is often Germanic.
 Academic and government language is French-based.
 A survey by Joseph M. Williams in Origins of the English Language of 10,000 words taken from several
thousand business letters gave this set of statistics:
o French 41%
o "Native" English: 33%
o Latin: 15%
o Old Norse: 2%
o Dutch: 1%
o Other: 10%
 You can’t learn all academic vocabulary.
 But you can learn Latin and Greek word parts to approximate the meanings.
 You can use context clues to be “dictionary-free.”

Every-day Speech is Germanic Academic Words are Latin or Greek or French

good beneficial (‘bene’=good)

fake name pseudonym (pseudo= false & nym=name)

talkative loquacious (loqu= talk, speak, say)

*See the table of most common prefixes, suffixes, and roots.

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EAP 1620 Bizon 2016 Chapter I. The History and the Origin of the English Language

PART 1. THE ORIGIN OF THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE

WHOSE LANGUAGE IS IT ANYWAY?

The foundation of the English language is Germanic. In the 5th century, English was brought to the eastern
coast of Great Britain by Germanic settlers: the Angles, the Saxons, and the Jutes. Like many other languages,
English has gone through many changes due to many factors, but mainly because of various invaders of the British
Isles. The history of the English language was affected by three big invasions: the Christianization (7th century), the
Vikings (597-1066), and the Normans (1066-1500).
The Christianization of England introduced Latin starting in the 7th century, and Latin words were used in
the realm of educated people. Latin became the official language of the administration. The list includes words like
altar, angel, candle, disciple, palm, pope, priest, relic, rule, shrift, shrine, shrive, cap, silk, radish, doe, oyster, lobster,
marshmallow, circle, legion, talent, and many more.
The Vikings, stereotypically described as violent brutes, pirates, merchants,
worriers, and explorers, spoke Old Norse (modern Norwegian, Danish, and
Swedish). Notwithstanding Old Norse and Old English have a similar Germanic
origin, Vikings brought many new words from the Old Norse language to
England in medieval times. Vikings lived in the North (Scandinavia);
consequently, the “loan” words in English reflected their lifestyle and origins:
anger, bag, dirt, fog, hell, hit, husband, knife, raft, scare steak, and many more.
Most English words beginning with th (thrift, thrust, they, there, then) and
words starting with sk (skirt, sky, skill, skate, skull, skin) originate from Old
Norse. Many common English names come from the
Vikings; for example, Eric and the addition of the patronymic -son at the end of a word; for example, Anderson is the
son of Anders, or Jackson is Jack’s son.
The French-speaking Normans had the most significant impact on the spoken and written English and left the
most extensive collection of borrowed words because of much longer occupation. The upper class adopted the
French language, whereas the poor retained the Germanic. For centuries French was used as official language in
England. Here is a brief list of areas that have French borrowings:
 state: alliance, authority, crown, empire, emperor, power, realm, reign, sovereignty...
 business: bargain, change, commerce, computer, count, enterprise, market, merchant, pay, purchase
 literature: chapter, lay, parchment, poet, preface, prose, rime, romance, story, volume...
 art: beauty, color, figure, paint, sculpture, tone...
 social status: citizen, marry, peasant, serf, slave, subject...
 foods: bacon, biscuit, mutton, pork, potage, prune, raisin, veal, vinegar...
 the verbs in -ish: establish, finish, furnish, punish
 morphological elements:
the prefixes en- (em-), mis-, sur-:endow, empower, mischief, surveil...
the noun suffixes -son, -age, -ment:reason, prison, season, voyage, commitment ...
the nouns in -or (-our), -ty, -ure: color, dolor, terror... cruelty, safety... creature, nature...
the adjective suffixes -ous, -ve etc.: hideous, brave...
the verbs in -ish: establish, finish, furnish, punish

Based on what you just read, answer the following questions:

1. What group of language does the English language belong to? ___________________________________
2. Name three groups of settlers that brought the language to England: ______________________________
3. When and how was the Latin language brought to the English language? ___________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________
4. What type of words was brought to English by the Vikings? _____________________________________
5. Why? _________________________________________________________________________________
6. Who adopted the French language? _______________________________ Why do you think it happened?

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EAP 1620 Bizon 2016 Chapter I. The History and the Origin of the English Language

PART 2. STRATEGIES FOR DEDUCING MEANING

I. Types of Context Clues

There are five major types of context clues:
1. Synonym/Definition Clue: Sometimes an unfamiliar word is used as a synonym (a word having either
the same or similar meaning as another word). You can infer (figure out) the meaning of the unfamiliar
word by replacing it with the familiar word.
Example: I feel completely satiated; in fact, I am so full that I could not possibly eat another morsel of
food.
“Full” is a synonym for “satiated.” We can conclude that the word “satiated” means full or satisfied.

2. Comparison Clue: Sometimes an unfamiliar word is used in a comparison with a familiar word or group
of words.

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EAP 1620 Bizon 2016 Chapter I. The History and the Origin of the English Language

Example: The children huddle around their teacher, like baby chicks around a mother hen.
The children are being compared to baby chicks around a mother hen; we can conclude, then, that
“huddle” means “crowd together closely.”
Note: The phrase “like baby chicks around a mother hen” is a simile. A simile is a literary device that uses the
words “like” or “as” to describe one thing by comparing it with another.

3. Contrast Clue: Sometimes an unfamiliar word may be used in contrast to a familiar word or group of
words. You can infer the meaning of the unfamiliar word by giving it the opposite meaning of the familiar
word.
Example: Unlike Robin, who is full of life, Rachel is lackluster.
The opposite of “full of life” is “empty of life.” The word “lackluster” is used to contrast Robin and Rachel.
We can conclude, then, that the word “lackluster” means “lacking liveliness.”

4. Example Clue: Sometimes an unfamiliar word may be followed by an example, in which the familiar
word is used.
Example: In college, you can choose courses from a broad range of academic disciplines, such as history,
economics, mathematics, and psychology.
You are probably familiar with the primary (first) meaning of the word “discipline” - - control. But that doesn’t
quite fit in the context of the above sentence. The word “discipline” also has a secondary meaning; we can use the
context of the sentence to figure out this meaning. The word is followed by several examples: history, economics,
mathematics, and psychology. (Note: The words “such as” let us know that examples will follow.) We can
conclude, then, that each of these subjects is an example of a discipline and that the word “discipline” means “a
branch of instruction or learning.”

1. What does delicate mean as used in the following sentence?

Now more than 100 years old, many of Andersen’s delicate paper cuttings still exist in a museum in
Denmark devoted to his work.
A. thin
B. fragile
C. creative
D. old
Passage: “The Remarkable Paper Cuttings of Hans Christian Anderson”
In the example above, underline your clue words.
What is the correct answer?

5. Explanation Clue (General Sense): Sometimes an unfamiliar word may be followed with an
explanation, in which a familiar word or group of words is used.
Example: Marsha is insatiable; she can eat all day and never feel full.
Here, the second part of the sentence (“she can eat all day and never feel full”) is used to explain the first
part of the sentence (“Marsha is insatiable”). We can conclude, then, that “insatiable” means “incapable
of being full” or “incapable of being satisfied.”

Sometimes the clues to a word’s meaning are not found in the same sentence. You must read a few sentences
before and/or after the sentence in which the word appears.
Read the following passage and underline all of the words that provide clues to the meaning of “institutions.”
California has many educational institutions that have been affected by the recent state budget cuts. Its public
universities have been badly hit and will need to increase tuition. In addition, next year’s funding for elementary,
middle, and high schools has been cut significantly.
Meaning of institution: _____________________________________________________

6. Word Parts: prefix, root, and suffix

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 EAP 1620 Bizon 2016 Chapter I. The History and the Origin of the English Language

II. Signal Words

Context clues often follow “signal words and phrases.” These alert or “signal to” the reader that an important clue
is coming. Pay attention to these words when you are reading; they will help you figure out the meaning of
unfamiliar words. Let’s reexamine an earlier example:

Example: In college, you can choose courses from a broad range of academic disciplines, such as history, economics,
mathematics, and psychology.
In the sentence above, the phrase “such as” signals to the reader that examples of academic “disciplines” will
follow. Even if you are unfamiliar with the meaning of an academic “discipline,” you are probably familiar with all
of the examples (history, economics, mathematics, psychology). You can therefore conclude that a “discipline” is a
branch of instruction or learning.

Example: The Sacramento Bee is a quotidian publication because it is put out every day.
In this sentence, “because” is a signal word. It alerts the reader that an explanation follows. Here, the words
“every day” define the word “quotidian.”

Example: Unlike Robin, who is full of life, Rachel is lackluster.

In this sentence, “unlike” is a signal word. It lets the reader know that “lackluster” can be contrasted with “full of
life.”

Types of Context Clues Definition Signals Examples

Example Examples that help to • for example Legumes, such as peas and beans,
explain or clarify a word. • for instance produce pods.
• such as
• like
• other
• one kind
• includes, including
Synonym/Definition* Another word or phrase • and The dromedary, commonly called a
with the same or a • such as camel, stores fat in its hump.
similar meaning is used. • like Sedentary individuals, people who
• similar to are not very active, often have
diminished health.
Antonym or Contrast Phrases or words that • however Unlike his quiet and low key family,
indicate opposite • although Brad is garrulous.
• though
• despite
• but, yet
• in contrast to
• rather
• unlike
• on the other hand
• as opposed to
• nevertheless
General Knowledge or The meaning is derived • because Lourdes is always sucking up to the
General Sense from the experience • because of boss, even in front of others. That
and background • since sycophant just doesn't care what
knowledge of the • in other words others think of her behavior.
reader; "common
sense" and logic.
Word Parts Root, Prefix, Suffix

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EAP 1620 Bizon 2016 Chapter I. The History and the Origin of the English Language

Signal Words for Definition*

 Word or Term + “is, means” + definition or refers to, is related to,
 Word or Term followed definition enclosed by dashes
• Revenues—the money the business takes in—must be greater than expenses over the long run
for the business to maintain itself and profit its owners.
 Word or Term + definition enclosed by commas
• For every aphorism, a statement of wisdom or a saying, you can usually find another one that
presents the opposite point of view.
 Word or Term + definition enclosed by parentheses
• In ancient Greek mathematics, the atoms of the earth were supposed to have the shape of
hexahedrons (cubes).
 Word or Term followed by “that is or “or”
• The children were asked to resolve a major dilemma, or difficult choice, between two
alternatives.
 Word or Term defined in a second sentence
• Athletes who play many sports usually work on their aerobic conditioning. Improving the
efficiency of the heart and lungs is important, no matter what the level of play.
 Definition before the Word or Term
• When a sound is used, it is typically a short word or a religious phrase that is mentally repeated,
called a mantra.

III. Punctuation Clues

Punctuation marks may also alert the reader to context clues:
1. Commas
Example: Netsuke, a small figure of ivory, wood, metal, or ceramic, is a form of Japanese art.
In the above sentence, the two commas (,) that enclose the words “a small figure of ivory, wood, metal, or
ceramic” signal to the reader that a definition of the word “netsuke” follows.
2. Colons
Example: There are many different types of professions in society: law, medicine, accounting, and education.
In the above sentence, the colon (:) signals to the reader that a list of examples will follow. Law, medicine,
teaching, and accounting are all examples of professions.
3. Semicolons
Example: Neil is such a cynic; he finds it difficult to believe that I would help him out of the goodness of my heart.
In the above sentence, the semi-colon (;) signals to the reader that an explanation (or continuation of the thought)
will follow. The fact that Neil ‘thinks the worst of everyone’ explains why the author believes that he is a cynic. A
cynic is someone who believes that only selfishness motivates human actions.
4. Parenthesis
Example: Damian was fatigued (he hadn’t slept for two days) and came straight home from school.
In the above sentence, the parentheses ( ) signal to the reader that an explanation is provided. Although you may
not know what the word “fatigued” means, you can probably figure out its meaning through the explanation
contained within the parentheses (he hadn’t slept for days). Someone who hasn’t slept for days is most probably
very tired, and that is exactly what “fatigued means.”
5. Hyphens
Example: Once a nasal infection reaches the bronchial tubes, cilia—tiny hair-like structures — can act to prevent
further damage.
In the above sentence, the hyphen (—) signals to the reader that a definition follows. We know, therefore that
“cilia” means tiny hair-like structures.
6. Dashes
Example: Neurology--the science of the nerves and the nervous system-- is a popular major at our university.
In the above sentence, the dashes (--) signal to the reader that a definition or explanation follows. We therefore
know that “neurology” means the science of the nerves and the nervous system.

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EAP 1620 Bizon 2016 Chapter I. The History and the Origin of the English Language

Practice 1: List all signal words (or punctuation marks) and context clues for each sentence; then guess the
meaning of the underlined word. The first one has been completed for you.
1. Working with a tutor may have many beneficial results; one positive outcome is that you may feel more
comfortable asking questions in a one-on-one setting than you would in a large classroom.
Signal Word/s (or Marks): Semicolon (;)
Context Clue/s: one positive outcome is
Meaning of beneficial: positive, advantageous
2. I despise broccoli, but I adore spinach.
Signal Word/s: _________________________________
Context Clue/s: _________________________________
Meaning of despise: _____________________________
3. My itinerary for this trip includes a three-day stay in Italy and a cruise to Greece.
Signal Word/s: ________________________________________
Context Clue/s: _______________________________________
Meaning of itinerary: __________________________________
4. In contrast to my sister, who is quite taciturn, I am extremely talkative.
Signal Word/s: ____________________________________________________
Context Clue/s: ___________________________________________________
Meaning of taciturn: _______________________________________________
5. I have found Michael rather duplicitous at times; for example, he encouraged me to apply for the
promotion but then he voted against me.
Signal Word/s: ______________________________________________
Context Clue/s: ____________________________________________
Meaning of duplicitous: ______________________________________
6. Success on the job entails a number of skills: it requires strong analytical, communication and organization
skills.
Signal Word/s: ______________________________________
Context Clue/s: ____________________________________
Meaning of entails: ___________________________________
7. While I do not necessarily concur with all of his viewpoints, I completely agree with his recent decision to
delay the project.
Signal Word/s: _______________________________________________
Context Clue/s: ____________________________________________
Meaning of concur: _________________________________________

Practice 2: Mark the direction of the underlined word in each passage and guess the word’s meaning.
1. The change did not occur overnight; on the contrary, it was progressive.
Signal Word/s: ______________________________________
Context Clue/s: ____________________________________
Meaning: ___________________________________
2. I love taking a long walk early in the morning; in fact, I find the experience invigorating.
Signal Word/s: ______________________________________
Context Clue/s: ____________________________________
Meaning: ___________________________________
3. Rather than being destroyed, many historical buildings are now being preserved.
Signal Word/s: ______________________________________
Context Clue/s: ____________________________________
Meaning: ___________________________________
4. Unlike her sister, who enjoyed time alone, Sylvia preferred the camaraderie of her colleagues.
Signal Word/s: ______________________________________
Context Clue/s: ____________________________________
Meaning: ___________________________________

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EAP 1620 Bizon 2016 Chapter I. The History and the Origin of the English Language

5. Despite her lack of experience, Eleanor handled the difficult project commendably.
Signal Word/s or Punctuation Marks: ________________________________________
Context Clues: __________________________________________________________
Meaning: ________________________________________________
2. Ethan is usually known for his brevity. Today, however, he was horribly long-winded.
Signal Word/s or Punctuation Marks: ________________________________________
Context Clues: __________________________________________________________
Meaning: ______________________________________________________
3. Pompeii is one of many ancient cities destroyed by a catastrophic event.
Signal Word/s or Punctuation Marks: ________________________________________
Context Clues: __________________________________________________________
Meaning: __________________________________________________
4. I find the man arrogant; he looks down on everyone around him.
Signal Word/s or Punctuation Marks: _________________________________________
Context Clues: ___________________________________________________________
Meaning: ______________________________________________________
5. He gingerly placed the delicate and priceless vase on the table and sighed with relief.
Signal Word/s or Punctuation Marks: _________________________________________
Context Clues: ___________________________________________________________
Meaning: ______________________________________________________
6. Because of the altercation, the two men never spoke to one another again.
Signal Word/s or Punctuation Marks: _________________________________________
Context Clues: ___________________________________________________________
Meaning: ____________________________________________________
7. Jason is a genuine raconteur: he excels at telling stories that fascinate his listeners.
Signal Word/s or Punctuation Marks: ________________________________________
Context Clues: __________________________________________________________
Meaning: ____________________________________________________
8. The divorce was extremely acrimonious. The husband and wife had really come to hate one another.
Signal Word/s or Punctuation Marks: ________________________________________
Context Clues: __________________________________________________________
Meaning: __________________________________________________

IV. Word Parts

Many English words can be traced back to Latin and Greek. Often you can guess the meaning of an unfamiliar
word if you know the meaning of its parts: the Latin or Greek roots, prefixes and suffixes.
A word root is a part of a word. It contains the core meaning of the word.
Example: The Latin root “scrib-” or “script” means “to write.”
Example: The Greek root “anthrop-” means “human.”

A prefix is placed at the beginning of a word to change its meaning; it cannot stand alone.
Example: The Latin prefix “pre-” means “before.”
Note: A prefix is an affix (something that is attached) that comes before a word.
Example: The Greek prefix “bio-” means “life.”

A suffix is a word part that is placed at the end of a word to change its meaning; it cannot stand alone.
Example: The Latin suffix “-fy” or “-ify” means “to make or cause to become.”
Example: The Greek suffix “-ology” means “the study of.”

General Rules about Word Parts

 Most words have at least one root.
 Words can have more than one prefix, root, or suffix:

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EAP 1620 Bizon 2016 Chapter I. The History and the Origin of the English Language

Headache (two roots: head + ache), unbelievably (un- prefix, believ- root, abl- suffix, ly- suffix)
 Words do not always have a prefix and a suffix: head, book, the.
 The spelling of roots may change as they are combined with suffixes
Actor + ess= actress, not actoress
 Some word parts have the same meaning:
-er, -or, -ist mean a person who: worker, doctor, pianist
 Prefixes and roots do not always carry the assumed meaning:
suffix “-ly” makes both an adjective and an adverb: friendly (adj.) – slowly(adv.)
 Some prefixes and suffixes can change the meaning of new words:
legal- illegal, harmful-harmless.

PRACTICE 3: Circle the word that doesn’t belong to the group of the following words. What do words in each group
have in common?
A. bilingual proactive centigrade megaphone ____________________________
B. subway microscope milligram octopus ____________________________
C. pentagon semicircle adhesive triangle ____________________________
D. unicorn antiwar disagree incorrect ____________________________
E. illegal mistake nonfiction underground ____________________________
F. edible unpopular irregular pseudonym ____________________________
G. impossible adhesive perimeter collide ____________________________
H. depart ex-wife bicycle interpersonal ____________________________
I. preview retrospect telescope legitimate ____________________________

PRACTICE 4. Read the words in each column, and write one common root the words in each group have.
Latin- Latin- Greek- Latin-

1. vision 1. inscription 1. cognition 1. rupture

2. video 2. transcribe 2. recognize 2. bankrupt
3. envision 3. subscribe 3. incognito 3. corrupt
4. visibility 4. manuscript 4. prognosis 4. disrupt
5. visual 5. post scripted 5. recognizance 5. interrupt
6. revision 6. scribble 6. cognitive 6. abrupt
7. improvise 7. describe 7. diagnostic 7. erupt
8. television 8. prescription 8. ignorant 8. irruption

PRACTICE 5. Read the words in each column, and write one common suffix the words in each group have.

1. kindness 1. participant 1. hopeful

2. amazement 2. referee 2. hopeless
3. loyalty 3. teacher 3. gorgeous
4. organization 4. resident 4. harmless
5. discussion 5. activist 5. easy
6. childhood 6. advisor 6. edible
7. assistance 7. employee 7. movable
8. jealousy 8. actress 8. jealous
9. cavalry 9. American 9. girlish
10. superiority 10. Chinese 10. friendly

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EAP 1620 Bizon 2016 Chapter I. The History and the Origin of the English Language

PRACTICE 6.
A. One of the most common adjective-forming suffixes is the suffix –ful, such as use- useful, help- helpful, harm-
harmful, beauty- beautiful. Also, there is another suffix –ful that forms nouns, showing quantity or measure, such
as hand- handful , mouth- mouthful, spoon- spoonful, bucket- bucketful, basket- basketful, arm- armful.

Spoonful, dishful, cupful, pocketful, handful, mouthful

1. A ___________ of sugar helps the medicine go down.

2. She got up, went to the closet and brought him a ____________ of mashed potatoes.
3. She sat down and poured him a ______________ of coffee.
4. We won’t have time to find even a ______________ of nuts if we don’t hurry.
5. There were only a ________________ of men and ten or twelve women there.
6. When I had taken a ________________ or two of dinner, I found that I had no appetite.

B. Adjectives can be made by adding suffix –y to nouns and verbs. For example: shadow- shadowy, sun- sunny,
heart- hearty, sulk- sulky.
1. A young girl, dark and (shadow) _______________ was standing at my elbow.
2. He had a good appetite, a (sun) __________ temper, and a clear (heart) ____________ laugh.
3. I can’t eat (salt) _______________ food.
4. Look at the (cloud) _________________ sky; it’s going to rain soon.
5. Leave your (dirt) _____________ boots in the garage.

C. Some verbs can be formed by adding suffix –en to nouns and adjectives. For example: dark- darken, red- redden,
black- blacken, strength- strengthen, weak- weaken, short- shorten.
1. He stared at her for a moment, then dropped his eyes and (turned red) ____________.
2. His face flushed and (turned dark) _________.
3. The seamstress had to (make longer) _________________ the dress.
4. It may (make less) __________ his guilt.
5. The misery of many years has not (made hard) _______________ his heart.
6. Her lips (got tight) _________________ when she heard that remark.
7. Jealousy had no doubt (made sharp) ________________ the young man’s observation.
8. Her face (got softer) _____________ into a smile.
9. Reading (makes stronger) ________________ your vocabulary and comprehension.
10. The trip has to be (make shorter) ____________ .

PRACTICE 7. Get the meaning of the words and write the type of context clues you used.
1) She dispelled the myth that all great ballet dancers had perfect turnout. The truth is that many didn’t have
180-degree turnout, and went to highly successful careers.
dispelled means____________________________________
context clue _______________________________________

2) A child deftly distracted his mom and stole cookies before dinner.
deftly means_______________________________________
context clue _______________________________________

3) I was in a very good mood, but my friend Bill was disgruntled.

disgruntled means__________________________________
context clue _______________________________________

4) His tremulous hands could scarcely hold a cup without dropping it.
tremulous means___________________________________
context clue _______________________________________

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EAP 1620 Bizon 2016 Chapter I. The History and the Origin of the English Language

5) Strong disagreements can disrupt even the most settled relationship.

disrupt means _____________________________________
context clue ______________________________________

5) The toddler was crying because his sister deprived him of his favorite toy.
deprived means ____________________________________
context clue _______________________________________

6) After the skunk sprayed her, she carried around a stench.

stench means_____________________________________
context clue ______________________________________

7) Because he ate candy morning, noon and night, it was inevitable that he would have a lot of cavities in his
teeth.
inevitable means__________________________________
context clue ______________________________________

8) He might be unfaithful to her, but he would never allow a word in disparagement of her to cross his lips.
disparagement means_______________________________
context clue _______________________________________

9) Our professor became vexed because last class, several students arrived late, and others were either
texting or sleeping in class.
vexing means ____________________________________
context clue ______________________________________

10) One of the amahs, a female servant or maid, opened the door.
Amah means______________________________________
context clue _______________________________________

11) When Henry Gonzalez was elected to Congress, many of his Spanish speaking constituents, the voters in
his district, felt he would fight for their rights.
constituents means ________________________________
context clue ______________________________________

12) The club’s coffers were so low that the members had to ask for donations to refill the treasury.
coffers means _____________________________________
context clue ______________________________________

13) As in so many polluted cities, the air in our community is also sometimes contaminated to breathe.
contaminated means _______________________________
context clue ______________________________________

14) The team’s uniforms were immaculate before the game, but by the end of the first half they were filthy.
immaculate means _________________________________
context clue _______________________________________

15) It was apparent that he was not a party guy. When everyone was dancing on the floor, he was sitting
aloof, looking shy and uncomfortable.
aloof means ______________________________________
context clue ______________________________________

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EAP 1620 Bizon 2016 Chapter I. The History and the Origin of the English Language

PRACTICE 8. Get the meaning of the words and write the type of context clues you used.

1) Everyone was in a good mood, but I felt grim.

grim means ______________________________________
context clue _____________________________________

2) Ransom is the price demanded for the redemption of a prisoner or a kidnapped person.
ransom means _________________________________
context clue _____________________________________

3) When parents appease their kids’ wants, children ask for more.
appease means ___________________________________
context clue _____________________________________

4) When I read about the blizzard in the book, I could visualize many snow hills and see the storm.
visualize means __________________________________
context clue _____________________________________

5) I didn’t realize he can be extremely callous. When we saw abused animals in a shelter, he said he would
not donate a penny.
callous means ____________________________________
context clue _____________________________________

6) I knew you were silly and frivolous and empty-headed, but I loved you.
frivolous means___________________________________
context clue ______________________________________

7) He was kind, generous, honest and trustworthy, and these were only a few of his positive traits.
traits means_____________________________________
context clue _____________________________________

8) Woman can rejuvenate their appearance different ways. One of them is a face lift.
rejuvenate means_________________________________
context clue _____________________________________

9) Two best friends had a strife. This conflict had gone too far when one threatened the other.
strife means_____________________________________
context clue _____________________________________

10) While most jewelry is for decoration, a wristwatch tends to be more utilitarian.
utilitarian means________________________________
context clue ____________________________________

PRACTICE 9.
A. Suffixes –ful and -less
Write a single word ending with -ful or -less to complete each sentence.
1. Martha thought she was _____________ at math. (without hope)
2. Don’t be afraid of the dog – it’s ____________ . (without harm)
3. Pop said the lawnmower was a ____________ piece of junk. (without any worth)
4. Pete was ____________ that his project would do well at the Science fair. (full of hope)
5. The ____________ rainbow seemed to be just over the next hill. (full of beauty)
6. The medicine was white and ____________ . (without any odor)
7. Mom said it was ____________ to see Robert swimming so confidently. (full of wonder)
8. Please be ____________ when you go into the forest and don’t pick any of the mushrooms. (full of care)

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EAP 1620 Bizon 2016 Chapter I. The History and the Origin of the English Language

B. Suffixes –able versus -ible

Write a single word ending with -able or –ible to complete each sentence.
1. Cheryl thought it was prob __________ that she would be allowed to go to the show. (capable of being a
probability)
2. My work is compar__________ to Jenny’s. (capable of being compared to) 3. It is poss__________ that humans
will one day visit Mars. (capable of being a possibility)
4. Dad thought that the broken skateboard was repair_________. (capable of being repaired)
5. The canoe was port__________ so we carried it from one river to the next. (capable of being carried)
6. The ship’s cargo was salvage__________ . (capable of being taken off the ship)
7. The show was so enjoy__________ we decided to go again next week with our friends. (capable of being
enjoyed)
8. To my surprise, Mark’s writing was quite leg_________ . (capable of being read)

PART 4. RELATIONSHIPS & PATTERNS OF ORGANIZATION

CAUSE AND EFFECT answers the questions

1. What is the cause(s) of [x]?
2. What is the effect(s) of [y] ?
When a writer uses a cause and effect pattern of development she is interested in communicating how one event,
situation, or condition caused or brought about another event, situation, or condition.

Signal words associated with cause and effect pattern:

For So Because Because of Therefore As

If. . (then) Since Being… Results in

PRACTICE 10. What is the relationship between two parts of the sentence? Underline the signal (word) that
indicates the pattern.
1. If deprived of claws, cats find it hard to jump from place to place.
a. Cause and effect
b. Addition
c. Illustration
d. Time order
2. On average, they get nineteen inoculations for ten different diseases. As a result, potential killers such as
polio and diphtheria are all but unknown in the United States.
a. Cause and effect
b. Addition
c. Illustration
d. Time order
3. As a result of the invention of the plow, farmers could farm more land, using less labor. Another
important invention in the Middle Age was the collar harness.
a. Cause and effect
b. Addition
c. Illustration
d. Time order
4. If you are invited to a Southerner’s home for New Year’s Day, you are likely to find black-eyed peas on
your plate. You are also likely to find bowls of cabbage and collard greens sitting on the table.
a. Cause and effect c. Time Order
b. Addition d. Illustration

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EAP 1620 Bizon 2016 Chapter I. The History and the Origin of the English Language

5. Being a nurse, she administered first aid to the injured people.

a. Cause and effect
b. Addition
c. Illustration
d. Time order

ILLUSTRATION or EXAMPLE answers the question

“Which person/place/thing is a good example of a generalization?”
Some writers choose to use one or two well-developed examples or illustrations to explain their generalizations
(overviews, statements covering a wide scope, statements applying to everyone in a group rather than the
individuals).

Signal words associated with illustration pattern:

For example For instance such as Colon (:) Dash (--)

PRACTICE 11. What is the relationship between two parts of the sentence? Underline the signal (word) that
indicates the pattern.
1. Dating services in South Korea also try to match couples according to the year in which they were born.
Tradition claims, for example, that a man born in the year of the monkey would not be happy with a
woman born in the year of the tiger.
a. Cause and effect
b. Addition
c. Illustration
d. Time order
2. Since that time, some diseases—for example, tuberculosis—have developed strains of bacteria that can
resist antibiotics.
a. Cause and effect
b. Addition
c. Illustration
d. Time order
3. Since infants need tremendous amounts of sleep just after birth, newborns sleep an average of sixteen
hours per day.
a. Cause and effect
b. Addition
c. Illustration
d. Time order
4. For example, when Thomas Edison introduced the electric light bulb, he called it an “electric burner,”
which made it sound like the lighting unit of a gas lamp, which people were already used to. Also, Edison
attached electric meters to the backs of homes and buildings to measure usage because people were
already accustomed to having gas meters there.
a. Cause and effect
b. Addition
c. Illustration
d. Time order
5. Women signal their availability through a variety of signals: stroking hair, swaying hips, sustaining eye
contact, revealing the neck.
a. Cause and effect
b. Addition
c. Illustration
d. Time order

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EAP 1620 Bizon 2016 Chapter I. The History and the Origin of the English Language

REVIEW

Table 1. Context Clues

Types of Context Clues Definition Signals Examples

Example Examples that help to • for example Legumes, such as peas and
explain or clarify a • for instance beans, produce pods.
word. • such as
• like
• other
• one kind
• includes, including
Synonym/Definition* Another word or phrase • and The dromedary, commonly
with the same or a • such as called a camel, stores fat in its
similar meaning is used. • like hump.
• similar to Sedentary individuals, people
who are not very active, often
have diminished health.
Antonym or Contrast Phrases or words that • however Unlike his quiet and low key
indicate opposite • although family, Brad is garrulous.
• though
• despite
• but
• in contrast to
• rather
• unlike
• on the other hand
• as opposed to
• nevertheless
• yet
• while
General Knowledge or The meaning is derived • because Lourdes is always sucking up
General Sense from the experience • because of to the boss, even in front of
and background • since others. That sycophant just
knowledge of the • in other words doesn't care what others think
reader; "common of her behavior.
sense" and logic.
Word Parts Root, Prefix, Suffix

Table 2. Signal words associated with cause and effect pattern:

For So Because Because of Therefore As

If. . (then) Since Being… Results in

Table 3. Signal words associated with illustration pattern:

For example For instance such as Colon (:) Dash (--)

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EAP 1620 Bizon 2016 Chapter I. The History and the Origin of the English Language

Table 4. Common Prefixes

Prefix Meaning Example

a-, an- without amoral
ante- before antecedent
anti- against anticlimax
auto- self autopilot
circum- around circumvent
co- with copilot
com-, con- with companion, contact
contra- against contradict
de- off, away from devalue
dis- not disappear
em-, en- put into enclose
epi- on, above, upon, after epicenter, epidermis
ex- out of, former extract, ex-president
extra- beyond, more than extracurricular
hetero- different heterosexual
homo- same homonym
hyper- over, more hyperactive
il-, im-, in-, ir- not, without illegal, immoral, inconsiderate, irresponsible
in- into insert
inter- between intersect
intra- between intravenous
macro- large macroeconomics
micro- small microscope
mono- one monocle
non- not, without nonentity
omni- all, every omniscient
post- after postmortem
pre-, pro- before, forward precede, project
sub- under submarine
super- over supervisor
syn- same time synchronize
trans- across transmit
tri- three tricycle
un- not unfinished
uni- one unicorn

Table 5. Common Suffixes

Noun Suffixes
Suffix Meaning Example
-acy state or quality privacy
-able, -ible ability capable
-al act or process of refusal

-ance, -ence state or quality of maintenance, eminence

-dom place or state of being freedom, kingdom
-er, -or one who trainer, protector
-ion noun lotion
-ism doctrine, belief communism
-ist one who chemist
-ity, -ty quality of veracity

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EAP 1620 Bizon 2016 Chapter I. The History and the Origin of the English Language

-ment condition of argument

-ness state of being heaviness
-ship position held fellowship
-sion, -tion state of being concession, transition
-y noun sympathy
Verb Suffixes
-ate become eradicate
-en become enlighten
-ify, -fy make or become terrify
-ize, -ise become civilize

Adjective Suffixes
-able, -ible capable of being edible, presentable
-al pertaining to regional
-ate adjective intimate
-ful notable for fanciful
-ic, -ical pertaining to musical, mythic
-ious, -ous characterized by nutritious, portentous
-ish having the quality of fiendish
-ive having the nature of creative
-less without endless
-y characterized by sleazy

Table 6. Word Roots

ROOT MEANING EXAMPLES

-ast(er)-(G) star asteroid, astronomy
-audi- (L) hear audible, audience
-auto- (G) self automatic, autopsy
-bene- (L) good benefit, benign
-bio- (G) life biography, biology
-chrono- (G) time chronic, synchronize
-dict- (L) say dictate, diction
-duc- (L) lead, make deduce, produce
-gen- (L) give birth gene, generate
-geo- (G) earth geography, geology
-gn(o)- know recognition, diagnosis
-graph- (G) write autograph, graph
-jur-, -jus- (L) law jury, justice
-log-, -logue- (L) thought logic, obloquy
-luc- (L) light lucid, translucent
-man(u)- (L) hand manual, manure
-mand-, -mend- (L) order demand, recommend
-mis-, -mit- (L) send missile, transmission
-omni- (L) all omnivorous
-path- (G) feel empathy, pathetic
-phil- (G) love philosophy, bibliophile
-phon- (G) sound phonics, telephone
-photo- (G) light photograph, photon
-potent- (L) power, mighty potent
-port- (L) carry export, portable
-rupt- (L) break erupt
-qui(t)- (L) quiet, rest acquit, tranquil
-scrib-, -script- (L) write ascribe, script

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EAP 1620 Bizon 2016 Chapter I. The History and the Origin of the English Language

-sens-, -sent- (L) feel resent, sensitive

-tele- (G) far off telecast, telephone
-terr- (L) earth terrain, territory
-vac- (L) empty evacuate, vacate
-vid-, -vis- (L) see visible, video

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