Glossary: Terms Starting with A
101 definitions with links to the lessons that teach each word.
a.m./p.m.
Maths
Morning/afternoon.
Learn it in: Time intervals (Grade 4), Time and money applications (Grade 5)
AB pattern
Maths
A pattern with two parts that repeat: A, B, A, B.
Learn it in: Colour patterns (Grade 1)
abbreviation
English
a shortened form of a word
Learn it in: Simple note-taking (Grade 3), Note-taking (Grade 5), Note-taking (Grade 6)
academic discussion
English
a structured talk where participants share and test ideas
Learn it in: Academic discussions (Grade 6)
academic listening
English
listening to learn from lessons, lectures and talks
Learn it in: Academic listening (Grade 6)
academic vocabulary
English
words used often in school subjects
Learn it in: Academic vocabulary (Grade 5)
accuracy
English
reading words correctly
Learn it in: Reading fluently (Grade 3), Reading fluency (Grade 4)
accuracy rate
English
the percentage of words read correctly
Learn it in: Monitoring reading accuracy (Grade 3)
accurate
English
correct with no mistakes
Learn it in: Accurate word recognition (Grade 2), Evaluating spoken information (Grade 4), Evaluating explanations (Grade 5)
act
English
pretend to be someone
Learn it in: Acting out stories (Grade 1), Base words and roots (Grade 3)
action
English
a movement
Learn it in: Nursery rhymes (Grade 1), Character actions and motivations (Grade 2)
action beat
English
an action between lines of speech
active listening
English
listening with full attention and understanding
Learn it in: Active listening (Grade 5)
add
Maths
Put groups together to find the total.
Learn it in: Meaning of addition (Grade 1), Area of composite rectangular figures (Grade 4)
addend
Maths
A number being added.
Learn it in: Reviewing multidigit addition (Grade 3), Large-number addition (Grade 4), Adding decimals (Grade 5)
addition
English
a transition that adds an idea
Learn it in: Transitions (Grade 4), Transitions (Grade 5), Transitions (Grade 6)
adjective
English
the grammar name for a describing word
Learn it in: Describing words (Grade 1), Describing words (Grade 1), Writing short descriptions (Grade 1)
adult
Science
a grown-up who looks after children
Learn it in: Science safety rules (Grade 1), Animal growth (Grade 2), Life cycles (Grade 2)
adverb
English
a word that describes a verb
Learn it in: Adverbs (Grade 2), Adjectives and adverbs (Grade 3), Parts of speech (Grade 4)
advert
English
a message that tries to sell something
Learn it in: Understanding media messages (Grade 2)
agreement
English
when subject and verb match
Learn it in: Subject–verb agreement (Grade 3), Subject–verb agreement (Grade 4), Pronoun reference (Grade 6)
air
Science
what we breathe
Learn it in: Basic needs of living things (Grade 1), What plants need to grow (Grade 1), Animal needs (Grade 1)
alive
Science
having life: growing, needing water and changing
Learn it in: What are living things? (Grade 1)
alliteration
English
repeated starting sounds
Learn it in: Literary language (Grade 3), Rhythm and imagery (Grade 4), Figurative language (Grade 5)
alphabet
English
all the letters in order
Learn it in: Uppercase and lowercase letters (Grade 1), Consonant sounds (Grade 1)
alphabetical order
English
in the order of the alphabet
Learn it in: Dictionary introduction (Grade 2), Dictionary skills (Grade 3)
alternative viewpoint
English
a different opinion on the same issue
Learn it in: Alternative viewpoints (Grade 6)
altogether
Maths
How many in all.
Learn it in: Meaning of addition (Grade 1), Counting categories (Grade 1), Two-step word problems (Grade 2)
analogue clock
Maths
A clock with hands and numbers 1 to 12.
Learn it in: Reading analogue clocks (Grade 3)
analogy
English
a comparison showing the same link between two pairs
Learn it in: Word relationships (Grade 4)
analyse
English
to study something closely to understand it
Learn it in: Analytical questions (Grade 4), Morphological analysis (Grade 4), Academic vocabulary (Grade 4)
analysis
English
explaining how the quotation supports your point
Learn it in: Literary response essays (Grade 6), Literary analysis (Grade 6)
analytical question
English
a why or how question that needs thinking
Learn it in: Analytical questions (Grade 4), Analytical questions (Grade 6)
angle
Maths
Where two lines meet.
Learn it in: Right angles (Grade 3), Angles (Grade 4), Two-dimensional figures (Grade 5)
angle sum
Maths
Total of the interior angles.
Learn it in: Properties of polygons (Grade 5), Triangles (Grade 6)
animal
Science
a living thing that moves about and eats food, such as a dog, a bird or a person
Learn it in: What are living things? (Grade 1), Animals as living organisms (Grade 1), What are animals (Grade 1)
annotate
English
to add notes in the margin or on the text
Learn it in: Independent reading strategies (Grade 6)
announcement
English
a spoken message shared with a group
Learn it in: Listening for essential information (Grade 4)
answer
English
what we say to reply to a question
Learn it in: Asking and answering questions (Grade 1), Answering basic comprehension questions (Grade 1), Question marks (Grade 1)
answer
Science
what we find out when we ask a question
Learn it in: Asking scientific questions (Grade 1)
antecedent
English
the noun that a pronoun refers to
Learn it in: Pronoun reference (Grade 4), Pronoun usage (Grade 5), Pronoun reference (Grade 6)
antonym
English
a word with the opposite meaning
Learn it in: Antonyms (Grade 2), Synonyms and antonyms (Grade 3), Prefixes and suffixes (Grade 4)
apostrophe
English
a mark like ’ used in contractions and possession
Learn it in: Commas and apostrophes (Grade 2), Punctuation and editing (Grade 3), Punctuation and editing (Grade 4)
approximately
Maths
About.
Learn it in: Estimating answers (Grade 3), Estimation (Grade 3), Estimation (Grade 4)
area
Maths
The amount of flat surface a shape covers.
Learn it in: Understanding area (Grade 3), Area of rectangles (Grade 4), Area (Grade 5)
argument
English
a claim supported by reasons and evidence
Learn it in: Claims and reasons (Grade 5), Summarising spoken arguments (Grade 6), Comparing arguments (Grade 6)
argumentative essay
English
an essay that tries to persuade with reasoned support
Learn it in: Organising arguments (Grade 6)
arm
Science
the part of the body from the shoulder to the hand
Learn it in: External body parts (Grade 1)
array
Maths
Objects in rows and columns.
Learn it in: Arrays (Grade 2), Multiplication arrays (Grade 3), Division using arrays (Grade 3)
ascending
Maths
From smallest to greatest.
Learn it in: Ordering numbers (Grade 1), Ordering numbers (Grade 2), Ordering numbers (Grade 3)
assessment
English
a way to check what you know
Learn it in: Phonics review and assessment (Grade 1), Final Grade 6 literacy assessment (Grade 6)
associative
Maths
Grouping does not change the product.
Learn it in: Multiplication properties (Grade 4)
atmosphere
English
the mood or feeling of a scene
Learn it in: Setting and atmosphere (Grade 4), Descriptive techniques (Grade 5), Tone and mood (Grade 6)
audience
English
people who listen
Learn it in: Creating oral stories (Grade 1), Sharing information orally (Grade 1), Presenting personal experiences (Grade 1)
author
English
the person who writes the words
Learn it in: Picture books (Grade 1), Finding information (Grade 3), Introductory citations (Grade 6)
author’s approach
English
how the author handles the subject
Learn it in: Complex informational texts (Grade 6)
author’s purpose
English
the reason an author writes a text
Learn it in: Author’s purpose (Grade 4), Author’s choices (Grade 5)
axis
Maths
The line with labels.
Learn it in: Scaled bar graphs (Grade 3), Bar graphs (Grade 4), Bar graphs (Grade 5)