Advanced Vocabulary for TOEFL - Language and Grammar

Here you will learn some English words about language and grammar, such as "etymology", "gender", "allusion", etc. that are needed for the TOEFL exam.

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etymology [noun]

the study of the origins and historical developments of words and their meanings

Ex: The dictionary includes information on the etymology of words to provide linguistic context .

phonetics [noun]

the science and study of speech sounds and their production

Ex:

linguistics [noun]

the study of the evolution and structure of language in general or of certain languages

declension [noun]

(in the grammar of some languages) a group of nouns, pronouns, or adjectives changing in the same way to indicate case, number, and gender

Ex: The Old English language had a complex system of declension , with different forms for nouns depending on case , number , and gender .

to conjugate [verb]

(grammar) to show how a verb changes depending on number, person, tense, etc.

Ex: In Spanish class , we learned how to conjugate regular verbs in the present tense .

gender [noun]

(grammar) a class of words indicating whether they are feminine, masculine, or neuter

Ex: English does not have grammatical gender in the same way as many other languages , although pronouns like ' he , ' ' she , ' and ' it ' can indicate natural gender .

subjunctive [adjective]

(grammar) related to verbs that express wishes, possibility, or doubt

Ex:

prefix [noun]

(grammar) a letter or a set of letters that are added to the beginning of a word to alter its meaning and make a new word

Ex: The dictionary provided a list of prefixes and their meanings to help with word formation and understanding .

suffix [noun]

(grammar) a letter or a set of letters that are added to the end of a word to alter its meaning and make a new word

Ex: Students practiced adding different suffixes to root words to see how their meanings changed .

adjectival [adjective]

(grammar) connected with or functioning as an adjective

Ex:

adverbial [adjective]

connected with or functioning as an adverb

jargon [noun]

words, phrases, and expressions used by a specific group or profession, which are incomprehensible to others

Ex: In the tech industry , jargon like ' API , ' ' frontend , ' and ' backend ' is commonly used among developers but may be unclear to those without technical knowledge .

sarcasm [noun]

the use of words that convey the opposite meaning as a way to annoy someone or for creating a humorous effect

Ex:

allusion [noun]

a statement that implies or indirectly mentions something or someone else, especially as a literary device

Ex: In his speech , he made an allusion to the Trojan War , drawing a parallel between their struggle and that of ancient heroes .

analogy [noun]

a comparison between two different things, done to explain the similarities between them

Ex: She used an analogy to explain how a computer works like a brain .

alliteration [noun]

the use of the same letter or sound at the beginning of the words in a verse or sentence, used as a literary device

Ex:

to articulate [verb]

to pronounce or utter something in a clear and precise way

Ex: It is important for a teacher to articulate instructions clearly to ensure students understand the lesson .

affirmative [adjective]

(grammar) expressing or indicating a positive statement or response

Ex: The student 's reply was grammatically affirmative .

euphemism [noun]

a word or expression that is used instead of a harsh or insulting one in order to be more tactful and polite

Ex: The phrase ' passed away ' is a common euphemism for ' died , ' used to soften the harsh reality of death .

irony [noun]

a form of humor in which the words that someone says mean the opposite, producing an emphatic effect

Ex: His speech was filled with irony , making fun of the company ’s so-called " success . "

paradox [noun]

a logically contradictory statement that might actually be true

Ex: It ’s a paradox that standing is more tiring than walking , even though walking requires more movement .

hyperbole [noun]

a technique used in speech and writing to exaggerate the extent of something

Ex: The comedian 's routine was full of hyperbole , exaggerating everyday situations to absurd proportions for comedic effect .

pun [noun]

a clever or amusing use of words that takes advantage of the multiple meanings or interpretations that it has

Ex: " I used to be a baker , but I could n't make enough dough , " is a classic pun .

rhetorical [adjective]

connected with the art of writing or speaking in an effective or persuasive way

Ex:

satire [noun]

humor, irony, ridicule, or sarcasm used to expose or criticize the faults and shortcomings of a person, government, etc.

Ex: The cartoonist 's satire of political leaders sparked public debate .

tautology [noun]

the redundant repetition of an idea using different words in a sentence or phrase

Ex: In linguistics , a tautology is the redundant repetition of an idea , where the same concept is expressed multiple times in different words .

idiolect [noun]

(linguistics) the speech pattern that an individual uses at a particular period of life

asterisk [noun]

the symbol * used in writing or printing to show that there is more information about something in the footnote or as an indication of importance or omission

to punctuate [verb]

to use punctuation marks in a text in order to make it more understandable

Ex: To avoid run-on sentences , you should punctuate with periods , commas , and semicolons where appropriate .

phoneme [noun]

the smallest unit of sound in a language that can distinguish meaning, often represented by a specific symbol in phonetic notation

Ex: Phonemes are abstract units that are realized as various allophones in different phonetic contexts .

semantics [noun]

(linguistics) a branch of linguistics that deals with meaning, reference, or truth

Ex:

syntax [noun]

(linguistics) the way in which words and phrases are arranged to form grammatical sentences in a language

Ex: Linguists study syntax to uncover the underlying principles that dictate how different languages form sentences .

mood [noun]

(grammar) a group of verb forms that indicate if the action or state is conceived as a statement, question, command or in another way

lexis [noun]

(linguistics) all the words and phrases of a language, including the function words

lexicon [noun]

the complete set of meaningful units in a language or a branch of knowledge, or words or phrases that a speaker uses

Ex: A specialized lexicon is essential in technical fields like medicine or law , where precise terminology is crucial .

homophone [noun]

(grammar) one of two or more words with the same pronunciation that differ in meaning, spelling or origin

Ex: Mistaking homophones like " bare " and " bear " can lead to amusing misunderstandings in conversation .

homonym [noun]

each of two or more words with the same spelling or pronunciation that vary in meaning and origin

Ex: " Bank " is a homonym because it can mean both a financial institution and the side of a river .

Advanced Vocabulary for TOEFL
Human Anatomy	Biology	Engineering and Electronics	Architecture
Mathematics and Measurement	The Computer World	Physics and Chemistry	Experimentation
Time and Space	History	Physical Appearance	The Fashion World
Language and Grammar	Communication	Transportation	Art
Literature and Writing	The Entertainment Industry	News and Journalism	Education
Feelings and Emotions	Advice and Decision	Personal Characteristics	Shapes
The Animal Kingdom	Food and Restaurant	Healthcare and Medicine	Physical Conditions and Injuries
Mental Health and Disorders	Politics	Religion	Hatred or Affection
The Law	Doubt and Certainty	Crime and Punishment	Society
Social Problems	Argumentation	Persuasion and Agreement	Preference, Obligation, and Permission
Sports	Shopping	Money and Business	Professional Life and Occupations
Natural Phenomena and Environment	Farming and Vegetation	I Think, Therefore I Am!