Advanced texts include words you may not know: obsolete, elated, terse, sceptical, precarious. Context often reveals both the general meaning and the shade of meaning.
In “Her response was terse: just one word, ‘No.’”, the colon introduces an example that shows terse means short and abrupt, not just short.
Look at punctuation clues (colons, dashes, commas), contrast words (but, although, unlike) and the tone of the passage. Then check whether your meaning fits every part of the sentence.
Worked example
Read: “The scientist was sceptical of the claim until she saw the evidence herself.” What does sceptical mean?
- She changed her mind only when she saw evidence.
- So before that she did not believe it.
Answer:doubtful
Key words
- shade of meaning
- a small difference in meaning
- tone
- the attitude a text expresses
- precise
- exact
Practise this
New questions every time.
Common Core-referenced: L.6.4a