Reading and Meaning

Eight words for the reader who wants to know not just what a page says, but what it means.

Meet each word one at a time, then take the quiz to lock them in.

1. 1 reference noun
2. 2 theory noun
3. 3 interpret verb
4. 4 portray verb
5. 5 obscure adjective
6. 6 potent adjective
7. 7 fluently adverb
8. 8 typically adverb

Nelson's word

noun

Reference. A noun, and one I keep close, because a reference is a source you can point to. It is the book you cite, the page you flip back to, the note at the bottom that says where a fact came from. When a writer makes a reference to an old story, they mention it on purpose, pointing the reader toward it. I file it under sources and pointers, the trail that connects a claim to its proof. But be warned: this word does not always sit still as a noun. Give it a subject and it becomes an action, they reference the study, and suddenly it is doing a verb's work. We sort those hats in Practice. State it precisely: a reference points you somewhere.

The author added a reference at the bottom of the page so readers could check the fact themselves.

Nelson's word

noun

Theory. A noun, and a careful one. I file it under explanations, the kind that stand on evidence and reasoning rather than on a hunch. A theory is not a wild guess; it is an idea that gathers proof around itself until it holds. Scientists build a theory to explain what they observe, and they test it against fact after fact. When a report offers a theory for why the river flooded, it offers an explanation you can weigh against the evidence. State it precisely: a theory is an idea the facts support.

Her theory explained every clue in the case, and the evidence backed it up.

Vinny's word

verb

Interpret! To take a thing that is tangled or unclear and pull its meaning right out into the light! When the scholars interpret the ancient poem, they do not just read the words; they explain what those words truly mean. That is the verb, that is mine, and it is heroic work, because meaning does not always give itself up without a fight. A translator interprets one language into another. A reader interprets a hard chapter. Every time, someone takes the fog and turns it into sense. Learn this verb, and you become the one who explains, not the one left guessing.

The scholars interpret the ancient poem line by line until its meaning shines through.

Vinny's word

verb

Portray! To depict a thing, to represent it in words or in images so the world can see it clearly! When the painters portray the storm, they carry a whole tempest onto the canvas. When an author portrays a hero as brave, they build that bravery out of words. That is the verb, and it is mine. To portray a hero as brave is to build that bravery so vividly the reader can see it. Choose it when you want the picture, in paint or in words, to stand right up off the page.

The painters portray the storm so vividly that you can almost hear the thunder.

Jake's word

adjective

Obscure. An adjective, and mine, describing a thing that is not well known, or a thing that is simply hard to understand. An obscure poet almost no one has read; an obscure clue buried deep in the story; a meaning so obscure the whole class had to puzzle it out. Its Frown is famous, the thing everyone knows. Could we be more specific than saying a fact was unknown? We could call it obscure, which tells the reader it hides in the shadows, waiting to be uncovered. Same picture, sharper edges. Magnifique.

The teacher explained an obscure rule that almost no one had heard of before.

Jake's word

adjective

Potent. Oh, this is a strong one, and it is mine. As an adjective, potent describes a thing with real power or a real effect: a potent medicine that works fast, a potent argument that wins the room, a potent smell you cannot ignore. Its Frown is weak, the thing with no force behind it. Could we be more specific than saying a speech was good? We could say it was potent, and let the reader feel its power land. A little word, but it carries weight. Magnifique.

One potent argument changed the minds of the whole jury.

Benny's word

adverb

Fluently. This one is mine, and I love coaching it. Fluently is an adverb, which means it tells you HOW an action is done: it is done smoothly, in one flowing stream, with no stumbling and no effort showing. She speaks French fluently. He reads the hard chapter fluently. The word comes from the same place as fluid, a thing that flows. Here is your coaching tip: when your reader needs to feel how easy and smooth an action was, do not just say she read well. Tell them she read fluently, and let them hear the words glide. Make it sharper, and this adverb is how you do it.

After months of practice, she reads the whole passage fluently, without a single stumble.

Benny's word

adverb

Typically. Another of mine, and a useful one to keep in your kit. Typically is an adverb that tells you HOW often or HOW usually something happens: in the ordinary way, the expected way, the way you would bet on. Rain typically falls in April. The store typically opens at nine. It points to the pattern, the thing that is true most of the time. Here is your coaching tip: when you want your reader to know something is the norm and not a surprise, reach for typically. It sets up the pattern, so that when you break it, the surprise lands harder. You can do better than usually, and typically is how.

The team typically meets on Fridays, though this week they gathered early.