Rhetorical structure refers to the content and organization of a text as a whole. Some common rhetorical structure are description of a person, place, and narrative (telling a story in chronological order).
You can identify it by asking ourselves some questions like: How does the author organize his or her main ideas? and What is the author's purpose for writing?
If you can identify the rhetorical structure of a text, it will help you when you summarize it. To summarize it, you can follow some key points:
1. retell the main idea of a text
2. narrate briefly as possible as you can
3. write it down in your own word
Collocations
Learning common collocations will help you use words the way native English speakers do. For example, English speakers say take action, not do action. There are other examples like rise demand, not build demand and meet the challenges, not do the challenges.
Prefix
pre: before
predict, preface, prefigure
per: through
perfect, perceive, perforate
ac-: to
accommodate, accede, access
de: down, away from
deforest, delete, decrease
sc: negative
scare, scaffold, scald
en: in, within, emphasis
enamor, enact, enable
re: back, again, against, intense
recall, reheat, rehabilitation
Suffix
-ion: act, process, state, condition
discussion, suggestion, deletion
-ing: form the present participle and adjectives
touching, charming, promising
-able: capable of, fit for, tend to be
valuable, considerable, eatable
-ly: stands for the adverb suffix (ending)
friendly, lovely, elderly
Root
ge: birth, beginning (stage)
generate, gender, gene
duc: lead, pull
induce, deduce, produce
ped: walking, step
pedestrian, pedal, peddle
Idiom
behind bars: in prison
You will be behind bars for your crimes very soon.
pass the bar: pass the test to become a lawyer
He finally made it to pass the bar.
Confer
spectator: refers to whom comes to see something
audience: the group of people who have gathered to watch or listen to something (a play, concert, somebody speaking, etc.)
Note
we don't say "help our economy" in English, but say "increase our economy growth".
Words of the day
5/30
1. exasperate [v.] /ɪgˈzasp(ə)reɪt/
definition: Irritate intensely; infuriate
origin: mid 16th century: from Latin exasperat- 'irritated to anger', from the verb exasperare (based on asper 'rough').
sentence: This futile process exasperates prison officers.
part of speech: exasperatedly [adv.]
2. shuck [v.] /ʃʌk/
definition: Remove the shucks from maize or shellfish
origin: late 17th century: of unknown origin.
sentence: This dish contains oysters shucked and drained and wrapped in bacon slices and baked for 10 minutes in a hot oven.
part of speech: shucker [n.]
3. agile [adj.] /ˈadʒʌɪl/
definition: Able to move quickly and easily
origin: late Middle English: via French from Latin agilis, from agere 'do'.
sentence: They are so agile when they move, thanks to their abundance of elastic muscles.
part of speech: agilely [adv.] agility [n.]
4. clandestine [adj.] /klanˈdɛstɪn/
definition: Kept secret or done secretively, especially because illicit
origin: mid 16th century: from French clandestin or Latin clandestinus, from clam 'secretly'.
sentence: She deserved better than these clandestine meetings.
part of speech: clandestinely [adv.] clandestinity [n.]
5. illicit [adj.] /ɪˈlɪsɪt/
definition: Forbidden by law, rules, or custom
origin: early 16th century: from French, or from Latin illicitus, from in- 'not' + licitus
sentence: Drugs are illegal and illicit because they do incredible harm and no good whatsoever.
part of speech: illicitly [adv.] illicitness [n.]
6/2
1. cumbersome [adj.] /ˈkʌmbəs(ə)m/
definition: Large or heavy and therefore difficult to carry or use; unwieldy
origin: late Middle English (in the sense 'difficult to get through'): from cumber + -some.
sentence: The other possibility was that they were about to carry something heavy or cumbersome out of the room.
part of speech: cumbersomely [adv.] cumbersomeness [n.]
2. fringe [v.] /frɪn(d)ʒ/
definition: Decorate (clothing or material) with a fringe
origin: Middle English: from Old French frenge, based on late Latin fimbria, earlier a plural noun meaning 'fibres, shreds'.
sentence: This frame has a leather mat and hanging strap, and is fringed with scrap yarn.
part of speech: fringeless [adj.] fringy [adj.]
3. ornamental [adj.] /ɔːnəˈmɛnt(ə)l/
definition: Serving or intended as an ornament; decorative
sentence: Their walk had led them to a large ornamental fountain, and Fenikkusu sat upon its lip.
part of speech: ornamentalism [n.] ornamentalist [n.] ornamentally [adv.]
4. porcelain [n.] /ˈpɔːs(ə)lɪn/
definition: A white vitrified translucent ceramic; china
origin: mid 16th century: from French porcelaine, from Italian porcellana 'cowrie shell', hence 'chinaware' (from its resemblance to the dense polished shells).
sentence: The unusually fine clay yielded a porcelain china that was translucent with a glass-like finish.
part of speech: porcellaneous [adj.]
5. vitrify [v.] /ˈvɪtrɪfʌɪ/
definition: Convert (something) into glass or a glass-like substance, typically by exposure to heat
origin: late Middle English: from French vitrifier or based on Latin vitrum 'glass'.
sentence: Glazes and paintings on pottery are vitrified by firing in the furnace.
part of speech: vitrifaction [n.] vitrifiable [adj.] vitrification [n.]
6/3
1. translucent [adj.] /transˈluːs(ə)nt/
definition: (Of a substance) allowing light, but not detailed shapes, to pass through; semi-transparent
origin: late 16th century (in the Latin sense): from Latin translucent- 'shining through', from the verb translucere, from trans- 'through' + lucere 'to shine'.
sentence: The thick, translucent slices were encased in a light batter that was appropriately oily.
part of speech: translucence [n.] translucency [n.] translucently [adv.]
2. interrogate [v.] /ɪnˈtɛrəgeɪt/
definition: Ask questions of (someone) closely, aggressively, or formally
origin: late 15th century: from Latin interrogat- 'questioned', from the verb interrogare, from inter- 'between' + rogare 'ask'.
sentence: He plays with the wording of questions or suddenly interrogates me about my private life.
part of speech: interrogator [n.]
3. stature [n.] /ˈstatʃə/
definition: A person’s natural height
origin: Middle English: via Old French from Latin statura, from stare 'to stand'. The sense 'importance' dates from the mid 19th century.
sentence: Colley has the height and physical stature to cause problems in any defence.
part of speech: statured [adj.]
4. crawl [v.] /krɔːl/
definition: Move forward on the hands and knees or by dragging the body close to the ground
origin: Middle English: of unknown origin; possibly related to Swedish kravla and Danish kravle.
sentence: I leaned forward, crawling on my knees to a bottle of beer resting on the desk next to the door.
part of speech: crawlingly [adv.] crawly [adj.]
phrase: make someone's skin crawl: Cause someone to feel an unpleasant sensation resembling something moving over the skin, as a symptom of fear or disgust
5. lag [v.] /lag/
definition: Fail to keep up with another or others in movement or development
origin: early 16th century (as a noun in the sense 'hindmost person in a game, race, etc.', also 'dregs'): related to the dialect adjective lag (perhaps from a fanciful distortion of last, or of Scandinavian origin: compare with Norwegian dialect lagga 'go slowly').
sentence: They waited for Tim who was lagging behind.
part of speech: lagger [n.]
1. exasperate [v.] /ɪgˈzasp(ə)reɪt/
definition: Irritate intensely; infuriate
origin: mid 16th century: from Latin exasperat- 'irritated to anger', from the verb exasperare (based on asper 'rough').
sentence: This futile process exasperates prison officers.
part of speech: exasperatedly [adv.]
2. shuck [v.] /ʃʌk/
definition: Remove the shucks from maize or shellfish
origin: late 17th century: of unknown origin.
sentence: This dish contains oysters shucked and drained and wrapped in bacon slices and baked for 10 minutes in a hot oven.
part of speech: shucker [n.]
3. agile [adj.] /ˈadʒʌɪl/
definition: Able to move quickly and easily
origin: late Middle English: via French from Latin agilis, from agere 'do'.
sentence: They are so agile when they move, thanks to their abundance of elastic muscles.
part of speech: agilely [adv.] agility [n.]
4. clandestine [adj.] /klanˈdɛstɪn/
definition: Kept secret or done secretively, especially because illicit
origin: mid 16th century: from French clandestin or Latin clandestinus, from clam 'secretly'.
sentence: She deserved better than these clandestine meetings.
part of speech: clandestinely [adv.] clandestinity [n.]
5. illicit [adj.] /ɪˈlɪsɪt/
definition: Forbidden by law, rules, or custom
origin: early 16th century: from French, or from Latin illicitus, from in- 'not' + licitus
sentence: Drugs are illegal and illicit because they do incredible harm and no good whatsoever.
part of speech: illicitly [adv.] illicitness [n.]
6/2
1. cumbersome [adj.] /ˈkʌmbəs(ə)m/
definition: Large or heavy and therefore difficult to carry or use; unwieldy
origin: late Middle English (in the sense 'difficult to get through'): from cumber + -some.
sentence: The other possibility was that they were about to carry something heavy or cumbersome out of the room.
part of speech: cumbersomely [adv.] cumbersomeness [n.]
2. fringe [v.] /frɪn(d)ʒ/
definition: Decorate (clothing or material) with a fringe
origin: Middle English: from Old French frenge, based on late Latin fimbria, earlier a plural noun meaning 'fibres, shreds'.
sentence: This frame has a leather mat and hanging strap, and is fringed with scrap yarn.
part of speech: fringeless [adj.] fringy [adj.]
3. ornamental [adj.] /ɔːnəˈmɛnt(ə)l/
definition: Serving or intended as an ornament; decorative
sentence: Their walk had led them to a large ornamental fountain, and Fenikkusu sat upon its lip.
part of speech: ornamentalism [n.] ornamentalist [n.] ornamentally [adv.]
4. porcelain [n.] /ˈpɔːs(ə)lɪn/
definition: A white vitrified translucent ceramic; china
origin: mid 16th century: from French porcelaine, from Italian porcellana 'cowrie shell', hence 'chinaware' (from its resemblance to the dense polished shells).
sentence: The unusually fine clay yielded a porcelain china that was translucent with a glass-like finish.
part of speech: porcellaneous [adj.]
5. vitrify [v.] /ˈvɪtrɪfʌɪ/
definition: Convert (something) into glass or a glass-like substance, typically by exposure to heat
origin: late Middle English: from French vitrifier or based on Latin vitrum 'glass'.
sentence: Glazes and paintings on pottery are vitrified by firing in the furnace.
part of speech: vitrifaction [n.] vitrifiable [adj.] vitrification [n.]
6/3
1. translucent [adj.] /transˈluːs(ə)nt/
definition: (Of a substance) allowing light, but not detailed shapes, to pass through; semi-transparent
origin: late 16th century (in the Latin sense): from Latin translucent- 'shining through', from the verb translucere, from trans- 'through' + lucere 'to shine'.
sentence: The thick, translucent slices were encased in a light batter that was appropriately oily.
part of speech: translucence [n.] translucency [n.] translucently [adv.]
2. interrogate [v.] /ɪnˈtɛrəgeɪt/
definition: Ask questions of (someone) closely, aggressively, or formally
origin: late 15th century: from Latin interrogat- 'questioned', from the verb interrogare, from inter- 'between' + rogare 'ask'.
sentence: He plays with the wording of questions or suddenly interrogates me about my private life.
part of speech: interrogator [n.]
3. stature [n.] /ˈstatʃə/
definition: A person’s natural height
origin: Middle English: via Old French from Latin statura, from stare 'to stand'. The sense 'importance' dates from the mid 19th century.
sentence: Colley has the height and physical stature to cause problems in any defence.
part of speech: statured [adj.]
4. crawl [v.] /krɔːl/
definition: Move forward on the hands and knees or by dragging the body close to the ground
origin: Middle English: of unknown origin; possibly related to Swedish kravla and Danish kravle.
sentence: I leaned forward, crawling on my knees to a bottle of beer resting on the desk next to the door.
part of speech: crawlingly [adv.] crawly [adj.]
phrase: make someone's skin crawl: Cause someone to feel an unpleasant sensation resembling something moving over the skin, as a symptom of fear or disgust
5. lag [v.] /lag/
definition: Fail to keep up with another or others in movement or development
origin: early 16th century (as a noun in the sense 'hindmost person in a game, race, etc.', also 'dregs'): related to the dialect adjective lag (perhaps from a fanciful distortion of last, or of Scandinavian origin: compare with Norwegian dialect lagga 'go slowly').
sentence: They waited for Tim who was lagging behind.
part of speech: lagger [n.]
6/4
1. mediocre [adj.] /ˌmiːdɪˈəʊkə/
definition: Of only average quality; not very good
origin: late 16th century: from French médiocre, from Latin mediocris 'of middle height or degree', literally 'somewhat mountainous', from medius 'middle' + ocris 'rugged mountain'.
sentence: He is an enthusiastic if mediocre painter.
part of speech: mediocrely [adv.]
2. perpetuate [v.] /pəˈpɛtʃʊeɪt/
definition: Make (something) continue indefinitely
origin: early 16th century: from Latin perpetuat- 'made permanent', from the verb perpetuare, from perpetuus 'continuing throughout'
sentence: A monument to perpetuate the memory of those killed in the war.
part of speech: perpetuance [n.] perpetuation [n.] perpetuator [n.]
3. guttural [adj.] /ˈgʌt(ə)r(ə)l/
definition: (Of a speech sound) produced in the throat; harsh-sounding.
origin: late 16th century: from French, or from medieval Latin gutturalis, from Latin guttur 'throat'.
sentence: It seemed the werewolf was on the verge of talking, but all that escaped its throat was a guttural growl.
part of speech: gutturally [adv.]
4. purge [v.] /pəːdʒ/
definition: Rid (someone) of an unwanted feeling, memory, or condition
origin: Middle English (in the legal sense 'clear oneself of a charge'): from Old French purgier, from Latin purgare 'purify', from purus 'pure'.
sentence: Bob had helped purge Martha of the terrible guilt that had haunted her.
part of speech: purger [n.]
5. blunt [adj.] /blʌnt/
definition: (Of a cutting implement) not having a sharp edge or point
origin: Middle English (in the sense 'dull, insensitive'): perhaps of Scandinavian origin and related to Old Norse blunda 'shut the eyes'.
sentence: Use a really sharp knife. A blunt knife will ‘bruise’ the onion and let more juices out, therefore more tears.
part of speech: bluntly [adv.] bluntness [n.]
6/5
1. colonel [n.] /ˈkəːn(ə)l/
definition: A rank of officer in the army and in the US air force, above a lieutenant colonel and below a brigadier or brigadier general.
origin: mid 16th century: from obsolete French coronel (earlier form of colonel), from Italian colonnello 'column of soldiers', from colonna 'column', from Latin columna. The form coronel, source of the modern pronunciation, was usual until the mid 17th century.
sentence: Some of these officers are now lieutenant colonels and colonels in the Army Reserve.
part of speech: colonelcy [n.]
2. trail [v.] /treɪl/
definition: Draw or be drawn along behind someone or something
origin: Middle English (as a verb): from Old French traillier 'to tow', or Middle Low German treilen 'haul a boat', based on Latin tragula 'dragnet', from trahere 'to pull'. Compare with trawl. The noun originally denoted the train of a robe, later generalized to denote something trailing.
sentence: I sighed as Pitcher waddled along, trailing slightly behind the others sometimes rushing to catch them up.
phrases: at the trail: With a rifle hanging balanced in one hand and (in Britain) parallel to the ground.
trail one's coat: Deliberately provoke a quarrel or fight.
3. infrastructure [n.] /ˈɪnfrəstrʌktʃə/
definition: The basic physical and organizational structures and facilities (e.g. buildings, roads, power supplies) needed for the operation of a society or enterprise
origin: early 20th century: from French
sentence: It is easy to integrate into existing wired networks and standard enterprise computing infrastructures.
part of speech: infrastructural [adj.]
4. clout [v.] /klaʊt/
definition: Hit (someone or something) hard
origin: Old English clūt (in the sense 'a patch or metal plate'); related to Dutch kluit 'lump, clod', also to cleat and clot. The shift of sense to 'heavy blow', which dates from late Middle English, is difficult to explain; possibly the change occurred first in the verb (from 'put a patch on' to 'hit hard').
sentence: If anyone clouts the ball harder than the midfielder you would not want to be on the receiving end.
phrase: ne'er cast a clout till May be out: Do not discard your winter clothes until the end of May.
5. cajole [v.] /kəˈdʒəʊl/
definition: Persuade (someone) to do something by sustained coaxing or flattery
origin: mid 17th century: from French cajoler.
sentence: He hoped to cajole her into selling him her house.
part of speech: cajolement [n.]
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