Use context to identify the meaning of a word

Key Notes :

Understanding Context:

• Definition: Context is the surrounding words or sentences that help explain the meaning of a word.
• Example: In the sentence “The cat sat on the mat,” the context helps us understand that “mat” means a piece of fabric on the floor.

Identifying Clues:

• Look at Pictures: Sometimes pictures next to a word can give hints about its meaning.
• Example: If there is a picture of a dog next to the word “bark,” the picture helps us know “bark” means the sound a dog makes.

Contextual Words:

• Same Sentence: Words around the unfamiliar word can help explain what it means.
• Example: “The teacher told us to be quiet because it was a noisy classroom.” Here, “noisy” means a lot of sound.

Making Predictions:

• Guessing Meaning: Try to guess the meaning of a word based on the context.
• Example: “She put on her coat because it was very cold.” We can guess that “cold” means a low temperature.

Using Familiar Words:

• Relate to Known Words: Use words you already know to help figure out new words.
• Example: If you know “cat” and see the word “kitten,” you can guess a “kitten” is a baby cat.

Simple Strategies:

• Identify Keywords: Look for words or phrases in the sentence that describe or explain the unknown word.
• Use Synonyms: Sometimes, words in the sentence mean the same thing as the unknown word.
• Ask Questions: Think about what the sentence is talking about. Does the unknown word fit into that idea?

Examples in Practice:

• Sentence Example: “The cat was very fluffy and soft.”
  • Unknown Word: Fluffy
  • Context Clues: The sentence describes the cat. If a cat is fluffy and soft, “fluffy” means that the cat has a lot of soft fur.
• Sentence Example: “The sun was shining brightly, and the sky was clear and blue.”
  • Unknown Word: Shining
  • Context Clues: The sentence talks about the sun and describes it with “brightly.” “Shining” means that the sun is giving off light.

let’s practice!