Using Context to Identify the Meaning of a Word 📚✨
When you come across a tricky word while reading, you can use the context to figure out what it means. Context means the words and sentences around the unknown word. By looking at these, you can understand the meaning even if you’ve never seen the word before. This is called using context clues, and it helps you become a better reader.
What Are Context Clues? 🔍
Context clues are hints the writer gives in the sentence or nearby sentences to help explain a difficult word. There are different types of context clues you can spot:
- Synonyms: These are words that mean the same or almost the same as the tricky word.
- Antonyms: These show the opposite meaning, which can help you understand the word.
- Explanations: Sometimes the sentence explains the word in a different way.
- Examples: The sentence might give examples to help explain the word.
How to Use Context Clues 🧠💡
- Read the whole sentence carefully. Don’t just look at the word, look at the whole sentence or even the sentences before and after it.
- Look for clues like “or,” “which means,” or “like.” These sometimes introduce explanations or synonyms.
- Check if there are any words that show contrast such as “but,” “however,” or “although.” They can show antonyms.
- Use what you know about the topic and the words around the tricky word to guess the meaning.
Examples of Using Context Clues 📝
- The colossal, or very large, statue towered over the square.
Here, “or very large” is a synonym clue that explains “colossal.” - Unlike his brother, who is very shy, Sam was outgoing and loved to talk.
The phrase “unlike his brother” helps you understand that “outgoing” means not shy—it’s an antonym clue. - She was ecstatic, which means she was extremely happy, about winning the prize.
The phrase “which means” gives a clear explanation of “ecstatic.” - The animal is nocturnal, like owls and bats, which are active only at night.
The words “like owls and bats” provide examples to help define “nocturnal.”
Tips for Using Context to Find Word Meanings 🗝️
- Always read the whole sentence or even surrounding sentences to get the full context.
- Look for punctuation marks like commas or brackets that might show explanations.
- Remember that sometimes the clue is in the next sentence, not just the one with the tricky word.
- Practice by trying to guess the meaning before looking it up in a dictionary.
By practising using context clues, you will understand more words and enjoy reading more stories and information! 🌟
20 Examination-Style Questions with Answers on Using Context to Identify Meaning 🧩✏️
Here are 20 questions for Year 6 students to practise using context to identify the meaning of a word. These questions use multiple choice, short answer, and sentence completion formats to help you learn in different ways.
Multiple Choice Questions 📝
- Choose the meaning of the word “ancient” in the sentence below:
“The ancient tree had stood in the forest for hundreds of years.”
a) New
b) Very old
c) Small
d) Broken
Answer: b) Very old - What does “glimmered” mean in this sentence?
“The stars glimmered softly in the night sky.”
a) Shone faintly
b) Vanished
c) Moved quickly
d) Made noise
Answer: a) Shone faintly - In this sentence, what does “sturdy” mean?
“The sturdy bridge was strong enough to hold heavy trucks.”
a) Weak
b) Strong
c) Small
d) Slow
Answer: b) Strong - What does “gloomy” mean in the sentence:
“The room was gloomy because the curtains were closed.”
a) Bright and cheerful
b) Dark and dull
c) Colourful
d) Noisy
Answer: b) Dark and dull - What is the meaning of “whispered” in the sentence?
“She whispered a secret to her friend.”
a) Yelled loudly
b) Spoke quietly
c) Laughed
d) Sang a song
Answer: b) Spoke quietly
Short Answer Questions ✍️
- What does “drought” mean in the sentence?
“The drought caused the crops to dry up and die.”
Answer: A long period without rain. - Explain the meaning of “delightful” in this sentence:
“The cake was so delightful that everyone wanted more.”
Answer: Very pleasing or enjoyable. - What does “scurry” mean in the sentence?
“The mouse scurried across the floor to hide behind the cupboard.”
Answer: To move quickly with small, hurried steps. - What is meant by “barely” in this sentence?
“He barely made it to the bus before it drove away.”
Answer: Almost not; just enough. - What does the word “brisk” mean in this sentence?
“They took a brisk walk through the park on a cool morning.”
Answer: Quick and energetic.
Sentence Completion Questions 📝
- The word “fragile” means ______________ because the vase broke easily.
Answer: easily broken or delicate - “The wizard’s spell was ______________ because it made the frog turn into a prince.” (Magic or real)
Answer: magic - The word “immense” means very ______________ as the mountain was huge.
Answer: large or big - Because it was such a “bustling” market, there were many ______________.
Answer: people or buyers and sellers - The word “curious” means ______________ because the cat kept looking around everything.
Answer: eager to learn or interested
Mixed Format Questions 🧩
- Choose the best meaning of “ancient” from these options: old, modern, young. Use the sentence “The ancient castle stood on the hill.”
Answer: Old - Find the meaning of “exhausted” in this sentence: “After running the race, she felt completely exhausted.”
Answer: Very tired - Complete the sentence using the word “peculiar”:
“His strange and peculiar taste in music made everyone ______________.”
Answer: curious or confused - What does the word “predict” mean in the sentence?
“The weather forecast predicted rain tomorrow.”
Answer: To say what will happen in the future. - Explain the meaning of “vanished” in this sentence:
“The magician vanished from the stage in an instant.”
Answer: Disappeared suddenly.
Use these questions to practise using context clues in sentences to figure out the meaning of tricky words. This skill helps improve your reading and understanding. Keep looking carefully at the words around a new word to guess what it means! 🌟📖
