3.2 Inferring Word Meanings
3.2 Inferring Word Meanings
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Determine the meaning of unfamiliar words using context clues
During Reading
Determine the meaning of unfamiliar words using context clues
During Reading
When good readers encounter an unfamiliar word, they use context clues to help them determine its meaning.1
Context clues are hints in a story that help readers understand the meanings of unfamiliar words. Good readers examine the sentences around an unfamiliar word to find clues.1
Context clues help us understand the text: By understanding context, readers can grasp the overall message of the text more effectively.
They build our vocabulary knowledge: Context clues give hints around a word that help readers guess its meaning without needing a dictionary.
You may check your inferred meanings on the websites below:
Glossary
Context clues - Hints in the text that help you figure out the meaning of an unfamiliar word
Unfamiliar word - A word you do not know or have not seen before
Determine - To find out or decide something
Vocabulary - The words we know and understand
Infer - To make a good educated guess using clues or information
Summary:
Summary:
Context clues are hints within a text that help us determine the meaning of unfamiliar words.
We use context clues to help us continue to understand the text we are reading.
To infer word meanings we may identify the following clues:
Inference: An educated guess
Definition: Gives the meaning of the word
Example: Samples such as a list or scenario
Antonym: A word that has an opposite meaning
Synonym: Another word with the same meaning
Extension/Further Reading:
To read more about five different types of context clues that can help you figure out the meaning of new words, click here.
As an extension activity, you can make a flap book with definitions and examples of each type of context clue. This is a fun way to remember how context clues work and practice using them with different examples. Refer to the image given below:
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