Educators, please click here to request a desk copy.

Key Features

The Words-in-Context Approach. Students learn new words by encountering them in meaningful contexts, not through rote memorization.

Abundant Practice. Each book is packed with activities, exercises, unit reviews, and tests that prompt students to interact closely with each new vocabulary word.

Appealing Content. Dull materials discourage learning. Our books avoid that. Each features high-interest passages students will want to read.

Standards Aligned. TP’s Vocabulary Series is a comprehensive, research-based approach to vocabulary instruction aligned with the Common Core Standards for Vocabulary in Grades 5-12. Each book in the series presents vocabulary words in multiple contexts, giving students ample practice in determining “the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text.” In addition, the words-in-context approach requires students to actively figure out definitions though analysis using explicit or inferred meaning—a benchmark of the Common Core.* Looking for a Common Core aligned program to improve students’ vocabulary for success in school and beyond? With TP's Vocabulary Series, you've got it. *Common Core Standards RL.6.4, 7.4, 8.4, 9-10.4, 11-12.4

Relevant Words. Words from the series were drawn from word frequency lists with alignment to state standards and standarized tests. The aim: to equip students with words they need to know.

Affordability. Full version vocabulary books teach 300 key words/word parts and are priced at $12.90 each. Short Versions teach 200 words and cost $10.90 each. Bundles of long version books + Vocabulary Plus are value-priced at just $17.90; bundles of short version books + Vocabulary Plus are value-priced at just $15.90.

Outstanding Supplements. Free supplements include:

• Placement Test. The TP Vocabulary Placement Test is made up of 100 multiple-choice items drawn from Townsend Press vocabulary books. A student's score on this test may be used to determine which TP vocabulary book would be most beneficial to that student. Free and available online or in print. 
• Instructor's Edition. Instructor's Editions for all of the vocabulary books are available to teachers with a class adoption of 20 or more students. They are identical to the student books except that they contain answers to all of the activities and tests.
• Instructor's Manual and Test Bank. Available as a PDF for each Vocabulary Series book, the Instructor's Manual and Test Bank contains the Vocabulary Placement Test as well as a pretest and a posttest for the book and for each of its units. It also contains teaching guidelines, suggested syllabi, answer keys, and an additional mastery test for each chapter and unit. Free to educators with an approved account in the Learning Center.
• The Learning Center. Free to educators with an approved account, the Learning Center is a digital learning environment that provides resources to accompany the Vocabulary Series. It includes PowerPoints, assessments, and much more!

Digital Options. This textbook can be bundled with Vocabulary Plus, a powerful online vocabulary-building program that brings ALL the content of our famously clear, user friendly, Vocabulary Series directly to your tablet, smartphone, or computer. Download a complete brochure to learn more, or visit our Learning Center.

*Note: Students must have a paid subscription to access Vocabulary Plus materials. Click here to learn more about subscription options, including discounted digital/textbook bundles.

New Features include:

• Hundreds of new items
• Photos added to chapter readings
• Updated digital content
• Contemporary design
• Broader, universal appeal for a wide range of readers
• Resequenced chapter and test items

Word List

abrasive
adept
admonish
adroit
advocate
ambiguous
a-, an-
analogy
anima
annihilate
ante-, anti-
antipathy
antithesis
arch-, archy
assimilate
attrition
atrophy
auspicious
austere
autonomy
belligerent
ben-, bene-
berate
bibl-, biblio-
bolster
bureaucratic
charlatan
chide
chron, chrono-
-cian, -ian
-cide
circumvent
clandestine
coalition
cohesive
collaborate
commensurate
complement
connoisseur
connotation
conspiracy
constituent
contention
contingency
contrite
corroborate
criterion
culmination
de-
dec-
decorum
demeanor
denunciation
deplore
depreciate
deprivation
deride
derogatory
despondent
detriment
dexterous
diabolic
dilapidated
discreet
discretion
disparity
disseminate
dissident
dissipate
distraught
diverge
docile
dorm
dormant
duc, duct
-ee
egocentric
emanate
emancipate
embellish
emulate
-en
encompass
entrepreneur
equivocate
eradicate
esoteric
espouse
estrange
euphoric
exacerbate
exhilaration
exhort
exonerate
exorbitant
expedite
extenuating
extra-
extricate
fabricate
facetious
facilitate
facsimile
fastidious
fid
flamboyant
flout
foible
forestall
fortuitous
fraudulent
fritter
germane
gregarious
grievous
grotesque
heinous
hierarchy
hoist
holistic
homo-
homogeneous
idiosyncrasy
illicit
imminent
impeccable
impede
impending
imperative
impetuous
implement
impromptu
inadvertent
inane
incapacitate
inclusive
incongruous
indigenous
indiscriminate
indolent
infallible
inference
inherent
innocuous
innuendo
inquisitive
insidious
insinuate
instigate
integral
interrogate
intuition
inundate
irreparable
irrevocable
-ism
ject
jurisdiction
juxtapose
lethargy
liability
liaison
liber, liver-
log-, logue
lucid
macabre
magnanimous
mandate
masochist
maudlin
mesmerize
metamorphosis
meticulous
misconstrue
miss, mit
mitigate
mort
nebulous
nonchalant
notorious
nov
noxious
objective
oblivious
obsequious
obtrusive
oct-, octo-
omnipotent
opportune
optimum
orthodox
ostentatious
ostracize
-ous
pan-
panacea
paramount
perfunctory
permeate
phil-, phile
pinnacle
placebo
platitude
plight
poly-
precarious
precipitate
predisposed
preposterous
presumptuous
prim, prime
proficient
prognosis
proliferation
prolific
promiscuous
propensity
provocative
quandary
rancor
raucous
rebuke
recourse
recrimination
rect
redeem
regress
reinstate
reiterate
rejuvenate
relegate
relinquish
replete
reprehensible
repudiate
repugnant
resilient
reticent
retribution
retrospect
robust
rudimentary
sanction
scenario
scoff
scrupulous
sedentary
sensory
sham
solace
solicitous
sordid
spontaneous
sporadic
squelch
standardize
staunch
stigma
stint
stringent
subordinate
subsidize
subversive
superficially
superfluous
sur-
symmetrical
sym, syn
synchronize
tantamount
tempo, tempor
ten
tenacious
tenet
tenuous
terse
transgress
travesty
tumult
turbulent
ubiquitous
unassuming
unilateral
unprecedented
utilitarian
utopia
validate
vehement
venerate
ver
verbose
vicariousvindicate
vit, viv
voc, vok
vociferous
vol
yen
zealot
zenith

 

Common Core State Standards Fulfilled by TP's Vocabulary Series

Looking for a Common Core-aligned program to improve students' vocabulary for success in school and beyond? With TP's Vocabulary Series, you've got it.

TP's Vocabulary Series is a comprehensive, research-based approach to vocabulary instruction aligned with the Common Core Standards for Vocabulary in Grades 4–12. Each book in the series presents vocabulary words in multiple contexts, giving students ample practice in determining "the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text." In addition, the words-in-context approach requires students to actively figure out definitions though analysis using explicit or inferred meaning—a benchmark of the Common Core. (For a complete listing of the CCSS, please visit www.corestandards.org.

The TP Vocabulary Series fulfills the following Common Core State Standards:

College and Career Readiness Anchor Standards: R.4 and L.4–6

Grade-Level Standards: RF.4.3, 5.3

RL.4.4, 5.4, 6.4, 7.4, 8.4, 9–10.4, 11–12.4

RI.4.4, 5.4, 6.4, 7.4, 8.4, 9–10.4, 11–12.4

L.4.4–6, 5.4–6, 6.4–6, 7.4–6, 8.4–6, 9–10.4–6, 11–12.4–6

For more than two decades, the TP Vocabulary Series has helped millions of students learn the words they need for success in the classroom—and beyond. You be the judge of whether our effective, affordable series can work for your students, too.

Supplementary Materials

Advancing Vocabulary Skills includes the following supplements:

Placement Test. The TP Vocabulary Placement Test is made up of 100 multiple-choice items drawn from Townsend Press vocabulary books. A student's score on this test may be used to determine which TP vocabulary book would be most beneficial to that student. Free and available online or in print.



 

An Instructor's Edition. Instructor's Editions for all of the vocabulary books are available to teachers with a class adoption of 20 or more students. They are identical to the student books except that they contain answers to all of the activities and tests.


 

A combined Instructor's Manual and Test Bank. Available as a PDF for each Vocabulary Series book, the Instructor's Manual and Test Bank contains the Vocabulary Placement Test as well as a pretest and a posttest for the book and for each of its units. It also contains teaching guidelines, suggested syllabi, answer keys, and an additional mastery test for each chapter and unit. Free to educators with an approved account in the Learning Center.
 

The Learning Center. Free to educators with an approved account, the Learning Center is a digital learning environment that provides resources to accompany the Vocabulary Series. It includes PowerPoints, assessments, and much more! Along with these free materials, the Learning Center also hosts Vocabulary Plus, a comprehensive subscription-based word-building program that brings all the content of our vocabulary text to students' fingertips. Learn more here.
 

Print supplements can be obtained quickly by calling Townsend Press toll-free at (800) 772-6410, by sending a fax on school letterhead to 1-800-225-8894, or by e-mailing Customer Service at cs@townsendpress.com.