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Maybe you are in the middle of an exam and suddenly come across a word that makes absolutely no sense. This is usually a cue for most people to panic if a dictionary is not handy. But don’t worry! There are several steps you can take to help you figure out the meaning of a word without a dictionary.

1
Read the entire sentence. It can be very frustrating to have your reading interrupted by an unknown word. If you are in the middle of an exam or an assignment for school or work, it can also be very stressful. If you can’t reach for a dictionary, take other steps to figure out what the word means.
- Your first step is to go back and re-read the entire sentence. You probably lost track of what your were reading when you stumbled upon the new word.
- Think about the content of the sentence. Do you understand the sentence without using the new word? Or is it incomprehensible?
- Try underlining the unknown word. This will help you separate it from the rest of the sentence.
2
Identify words you do understand. You can often use other words in the sentence to help you define the unknown word. Think about what else is happening in the sentence. Hopefully, this will help you figure out whether the unknown word is a noun, verb, or adjective.
- For example, maybe you are looking at a sentence that says, «It was a very sultry day in the middle of the summer.» You probably understand each word except for «sultry».
- Think about what you know about the summer. It is likely that «sultry» has something to do with weather.
- Maybe your biology exam has this sentence, «Many members of the canine family are predators, looking for other animals to eat.» You can surmise that «predators» prey on other animals.
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3
Look for illustrative examples. Once you have examined the other words in that sentence, you can move on. Start looking at the sentences that follow the unknown word. An author will often give descriptions that can help you figure out the meaning of an unknown word.^[1]
- For example, take the sentence, «It was a very sultry day in the middle of summer.» It could be followed by the sentence, «The heat and humidity made it appealing to sit in the shade and drink lemonade.»
- You can now more confidently define «sultry». The descriptive words such as «heat» and «humidity» are further clues that it is a description of the weather.
- Sometimes, the descriptive examples will be right in the original sentence. For example, it could say, «Sultry days are so damp and hot.»
4
Think logically. Sometimes, the context clues will not be as clear. You will have to use logic to figure out the word. You can also use experience, or prior knowledge, of the topic.^[2]
- For example, maybe a sentence says, «In the antebellum South, many plantation owners kept slaves.» It is likely that «antebellum» is the unknown word.
- The sentence itself does not offer many clues. However, the following sentences are, «But after the Civil War, slavery was outlawed. This was a major change between the two periods.»
- Think about what you know now. You are reading information about two different time periods, right? Before the Civil War and after the Civil War.
- You can now make a pretty logical assumption about the word «antebellum». Based on your experience and reading the following sentences, you know it probably means «before the war».
5
Use other context clues. Sometimes an author will offer other types of clues. Look for restatement. This is where the meaning of the word is restated in other words.
- Here is an example of «restatement»: «The pig squealed in pain. The high-pitched cry was very loud.»
- You can also look for «appositives». This is where an author highlights a specific word by placing a further description between two commas.
- This is an example of the use of an appositive: «The Taj Mahal, which is a massive white marble mausoleum, is one of the most famous landmarks in India.
- You may not know the words «Taj Mahal», but the use of appositives makes it clear that it is a landmark.

1
Look for a prefix. Etymology is the study of the meanings of words. It also looks at the origins of words, and how they have changed over time. By learning about etymology, you can find new ways to define unknown words without using a dictionary.
- Start by looking at each part of the word in question. It is very helpful to look to see if the word has a common prefix.
- Prefixes are the first part of the word. For example, a common prefix is «anti».
- «Anti» means «against». Knowing this should help you figure out the meanings of words such as «antibiotic» or «antithesis».
- «Extra» is a prefix that means «beyond». Use this to figure out words such as «extraterrestrial» or «extracurricular».
- Other common prefixes are «hyper», «intro», «macro» and «micro». You can also look for prefixes such as «multi», «neo» and «omni».
2
Pay attention to the suffix. The suffix are the letters at the end of the word. There are several suffixes in the English language that are common. They can help you figure out what kind of word you are looking at.
- Some suffixes indicate a noun. For example, «ee» at the end of the word almost always indicates a noun. Some examples are «trainee» and «employee».
- «-ity» is also a common suffix for a noun. Examples include «electricity» and «velocity».
- Other suffixes indicate verbs. For example, «-ate». This is used in words such as «create» and «deviate».
- «-ize» is another verb suffix. Think about the words «exercise» and «prioritize».
3
Identify root words. A root word is the core word, without a prefix or suffix. Most words in the English language come from either a Latin or Greek root word.^[3]
- By learning common root words, you can begin to identify new words more easily. You will also be able to recognize words that have had a prefix or suffix added.
- An example of a root word is «love». You can add many things to the word: «-ly» to make «lovely».
- «Bio» is a Greek root word. It means «life, or living matter». Think about how we have adapted this root word to become «biology», «biography», or «biodegradable».
- The root word mater- or matri- comes from the Latin word mater, meaning mother. By understanding this root, you can better understand the definitions of words like matron, maternity, matricide, matrimony, and matriarchal.

1
Keep notes. If you can increase the size of your vocabulary, you will find yourself less likely to encounter unknown words. There are several steps you can take to effectively build your vocabulary. For example, you can start by writing notes.
- Every time you encounter an unfamiliar word, write it down. Then later, when you have access to a dictionary, you can look it up for a precise definition.
- Keep a small pack of sticky notes with you while you read. You can write the unfamiliar word on a note and just stick it on the page to return to later.
- Start carrying a small notebook. You can use it to keep track of words that you don’t know and new words that you have learned.
2
Utilize multiple resources. There are a lot of tools that you can use to help you build your vocabulary. The most obvious is a dictionary. Purchase a hard copy, or book mark an online dictionary that you find useful.
- A thesaurus can also be very helpful. It will give you synonyms for all of the new words you are learning.
- Try a word of the day calendar. These handle desk tools will give you a new word to learn each day. They are available online and at bookstores.
3
Read a lot. Reading is one of the best ways to increase the size of your vocabulary. Make it a point to read each day. Both fiction and non-fiction will be helpful.
- Novels can expose you to new words. For example, reading the latest legal thriller will likely expose you to some legal jargon you’ve never heard before.
- Read the newspaper. Some papers even have a daily feature that highlights language and explores the meanings of words.
- Make time to read each day. You could make it a point to scroll through the news while you drink your morning coffee, for example.
4
Play games. Learning can actually be fun! There are many enjoyable activities that can help you to build your vocabulary. Try doing crossword puzzles.
- Crossword puzzles are a great way to learn new words. They will also stretch your brain by giving you interesting clues to figure out the right word.
- Play Scrabble. You’ll quickly learn that unusual words can often score the most points.

Add New Question

Question

Is there a list of prefixes/suffixes, or a simple etymology handbook, that I can obtain from the Internet or someplace else?

I’m sure there are many! Check websites like Amazon, Barnes and Noble, or other booksellers who might sell grammar handbooks. You could also try checking your local book stores.
Question

How does one find out and understand the formation of words?

If you can recognize the prefixes, suffixes, and anything else that might alter the root word, then you’ll know how the root is being altered. For example, ‘amuse’ is made up of ‘a’ as in ‘not’ and ‘muse’ referring to ponderous thought. Even if you don’t recognize the root ‘muse’ because it’s a more archaic term, you know that the ‘a’ inverses it’s meaning.
Question

How can I know the exact meaning of a word using dictionaries from many leanings given?

Substitute each meaning into the sentence where you encountered the word, and see which definition makes the most sense within the context of that sentence.

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Keep a notebook. This could be useful if you come across a word that you want to learn later, if you want to list any words that share suffixes or prefixes (both of which are known as «roots», which also include anything that goes into the middle.)
Read etymology dictionaries. They are found online and presumably in bookstores if you look hard enough.
Make your own notes in your personal English notebook to remember important points later on.

References

About This Article

Article SummaryX

To understand a word without a dictionary, try re-reading the entire sentence to see if the context helps you to find out what the word means. If it’s unclear, try to figure it out by thinking about the meaning of the words you’re familiar with, since the unknown word might have a similar meaning. Additionally, look for common prefixes in words, such as «anti,» which means against, or «extra,» which means beyond. Next, check the following sentences for clues, such as the topic the word is related to. Alternatively, keep a list of unknown words so you can check them in a dictionary at a later date. For tips on how to identify root words and how to learn words by doing crossword puzzles, read on!

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How to Guess What a Word Means

Need to know what a new word means now? Did you know the English language has over 1,000,000 words? Yet the average adult learner has a vocabulary of only 40,000-50,000 words. With so many words out there, how can you learn them all? There are various strategies that you can learn which will help you to deduce what a word means. Yes, you could just look them up in an English dictionary; but, studies show that you most likely won’t remember the word after a while. However, by making your brain figure it out, a trail of understanding is left and you are more likely to remember the meaning, thus improving your vocabulary!

Perhaps you are taking a standardized test and are being asked about particular words. These strategies will help you immensely! We also provide some example sentences to help find the meaning of the word needed or of any individual words you need help with.

Context — If the word is used in a sentence, look at the other words and see if they give you clues to the word’s meaning. This may help to guess, at least, part of the word’s meaning.

EX. «‘Proximal’ refers to points on the body that are close to the torso, as opposed to ‘distal.

Given the context of the sentence, we can see the word «opposed» which means «to be opposite of.» If ‘proximal’ is opposite of ‘distal’ we can conclude that the word distal likely is used to refer to parts of the body that are far from the torso, like fingers. At this point, you can look in the dictionary to check our guess. You can also look at similar antonyms or synonyms for meaning of the new or unfamiliar words as well. While most English words act as idioms, the meaning of a word can be tricky if you are learning English or are learning more advanced words. Collocations can also help in the word meaning process by using context clues to find the correct answer or meaning to the word’s meaning.

STRUCTURE- Probably the most important skill when it comes to understanding words. The internal structure of words is called morphology. Morphology consists of morphemes—which are minimal units of meaning, rules for combining them into words, and rules for pronouncing the resulting words. For this article, we will keep it simple and go over a few key things.

Using your understanding of morphology helps you break down a word into smaller pieces so that you can guess what it means. For example, let’s use a nonsense word, say, POIB.

*What would POIB-able mean? (Capable of being POIBed)

*What is the word class of POIB-able? (Adjective)

*So, what is the word class of POIB? (Verb)

This exercise is to show how we can make some assumptions about the word we don’t know simply by how it is used in the sentence and what affixes are attached to it (affixes are a type of morpheme). This is how we can tell the word’s word class: noun, verb, adjective, adverb, etc.

MORPHEME- A morpheme may be a word or less than a word. (EX. nation, re-, -al). Morphemes cannot be broken down into smaller units.

TYPES OF MORPHEMES- Prefixes, Suffixes, Infixes, Plurals, Possessives, and base(root) words.

**Free morphemes are words that can stand on their own and have meaning.

For example, «nation» does not require a prefix or a suffix attached to it to make sense. It’s a word by itself.

**Bound Morphemes cannot stand on their own and must be attached to another morpheme to create a word.

For example, «dental»= dent + al. Together they make a word, but neither «dent» nor «al» are words themselves. All affixes are boundmorphemes. Some base (root) words are bound.

AFFIXES — anything that is added to a base (root) word. Determine how the affix affects the base (root) word it is attached to.

*Examples of affixes that change word class (i.e. from a verb to adverb)-er, -ly, -al, -y, -ish

*Examples of affixes that add to meaning of the base (root) word.anti-, omni-, re-, -s, -ed, dis-

***There are only about 75 prefixes in English. There are less suffixes. Memorize them.

Now that you understand what a morpheme is. The next step is to take your word and try to break it down into morphemes. Let’s use the word «predetermined» as our example. Predetermined= pre + determine + ed

We may know that the base (root) word ‘determine’ means to decide; the prefix ‘pre’ means before, and the suffix ‘ed’ is used to mean the past tense of a verb.

Therefore, «predetermined» would mean to have already decided the outcome of something before it happened.

Another example: quadruped = quadru + ped, meaning four feet. Both «quad» and «ped» are bound morphemes that must be attached to another morpheme to create a word.

KNOW YOUR ROOTS — Sometimes after you break down your word, you still may not know the meaning because you don’t know what the base (root) word means. Let’s say that you didn’t know the above root word «ped» was a Greek origin word meaning ‘feet.’ How could you try to guess what it meant?

*Think of other words you know that have «ped» in them?

What do these words have in common?

EX. pedestal, pedal, pedestrian, millipede

You guessed it, FEET!

With the strategies above you can usually guess what a word means. If you are taking a test, use what you’ve assumed about the word to help with the process of elimination. Looking at word lists can also help in the meaning process.

Happy vocabulary building!

There are a few things that can help you estimate the meaning of a word, even if you have never read or heard it before. If you are taking a standardized test and will be asked about particular words, if you are learning English or if you just want to expand your vocabulary these strategies will help you immensely. Use the words around the unfamiliar word to help you guess the meaning, or use your knowledge of suffixes and prefixes to help you estimate the meaning of the new word. By figuring out the meaning of a new word, you may be more likely to remember the meaning and the new word.

Sound out the unfamiliar word if you are reading it. A word that seems unfamiliar at first may be a word you already know once you hear it out loud.

Look at the other words in the sentence to see if they give you clues to the new word’s meaning. This is called «context,» and may help you guess at part of the word’s meaning. For example, «proximal» refers to points on the body that are close to the torso, as opposed to «distal.» Here you can see the words «opposed to» which mean «to be opposite.» If «proximal» is the opposite of «distal,» you can conclude that the word «distal» likely is used to refer to parts of the body that are far from the torso such as fingers.

Break the new word down into its smallest parts. These small parts are called «morphemes.» A morpheme may be a word or less than a word. For example, «nation,» «re-,» and «-al» are all morphemes. Morphemes cannot be broken down into smaller units. There are many types of morphemes including prefixes, suffixes and root words. Free morphemes are words that can stand on their own and still have meaning. For example, «nation» does not require a prefix or a suffix attached to it to make sense. It’s a word by itself. Bound morphemes cannot stand on their own and must be attached to another morpheme to create a word. For example, the «s» in the word «dogs» is a bound morpheme. Without the word «dog,» the «s» has no meaning.

Learn about the structure of English words. English words have their roots in Greek, Latin and Germanic languages. Sometimes after you break down your word, you still may not know the meaning because you don’t know what the root word means. For example, let’s say you read the word «millipede.» There are two roots in this word. The root word «ped» is a word of Latin origin meaning «feet.» You can guess what it means by thinking of other words that have the root «ped.» You might think of «pedestal,» «pedal» and «pedestrian.» From these words, you can guess that your new word has something to do with feet. You might guess that «mille» has something to do with «million,» and you’d be on the right track. It means «thousand,» but in this word just means «many.» So, a millipede is something with many legs. If you check your dictionary, you will find that a millipede is an insect with many legs. This means you guessed most of the meaning of the word simply from looking at the root words.

Learn English affixes. Anything that is added to the beginning or end of a root word is an affix. Affixes include suffixes, prefixes and pluralization. Knowing the affixes can help you determine how the affix affects the root word it is attached to. Some affixes change the word class, for example from a verb to adverb. These include affixes like «-er,» «-ly» and «-ish.» Some affixes add to the meaning of the root word. These include affixes like «anti-,» «re-» and «-ed.» While it may take some time to learn them all, by breaking words down into morphemes you will begin to recognize which are affixes and which are roots. For example, let’s use the word «predetermined» as an example. «Predetermined» is made up of the prefix «pre,» the root «determine» and the suffix «ed.» You may know that the root word «determine» means to decide, the prefix «pre» means before and the suffix «ed» is used to mean the past tense of a verb. Therefore, «predetermined» means to have already decided the outcome of something before it happened.

Tip

Read. The more you read, the more words you will know, without even realizing it. Keep your dictionary on hand, so you can check your guesses.

Источник

Other forms: meanings

Meaning is what a word, action, or concept is all about — its purpose, significance, or definition. If you want to learn the meaning of the word meaning, you just need to look it up in the dictionary.

Meaning represents something’s intent or purpose. That something can be a book, a conversation, a television show, or life itself (as in, «the meaning of life»). When you read a poem, you try to figure out the author’s intended meaning by interpreting the words he has chosen. For example, if a poet describes love as «a prison,» you might interpret the meaning as his feeling confined by his love.

Definitions of meaning

noun

the message that is intended or expressed or signified

“What is the
meaning of this sentence?”

synonyms:

import, significance, signification

see moresee less

types:

show 20 types…

hide 20 types…

lexical meaning

the meaning of a content word that depends on the nonlinguistic concepts it is used to express

grammatical meaning

the meaning of a word that depends on its role in a sentence; varies with inflectional form

symbolisation, symbolization

the use of symbols to convey meaning

sense, signified

the meaning of a word or expression; the way in which a word or expression or situation can be interpreted

connotation, intension

what you must know in order to determine the reference of an expression

referent

something referred to; the object of a reference

burden, core, effect, essence, gist

the central meaning or theme of a speech or literary work

intent, purport, spirit

the intended meaning of a communication

lesson, moral

the significance of a story or event

nicety, nuance, refinement, shade, subtlety

a subtle difference in meaning or opinion or attitude

overtone

(usually plural) an ulterior implicit meaning or quality

point

a brief version of the essential meaning of something

acceptation, word meaning, word sense

the accepted meaning of a word

antecedent

the referent of an anaphor; a phrase or clause that is referred to by an anaphoric pronoun

denotatum

an actual object referred to by a linguistic expression

designatum

something (whether existing or not) that is referred to by a linguistic expression

bottom line

the decisive point

crux, crux of the matter

the most important point

rallying point

a point or principle on which scattered or opposing groups can come together

talking point

an especially persuasive point helping to support an argument or discussion

type of:

content, message, subject matter, substance

what a communication that is about something is about
noun

the idea that is intended

“What is the
meaning of this proverb?”

synonyms:

substance

see moresee less

types:

show 8 types…

hide 8 types…

semantics

the meaning of a word, phrase, sentence, or text

implication, import, significance, subtext

a meaning that is not expressly stated but can be inferred

strain, tenor

the general meaning or substance of an utterance

undercurrent, undertone

a subdued emotional quality underlying an utterance; implicit meaning

denotation, extension, reference

the most direct or specific meaning of a word or expression; the class of objects that an expression refers to

reference

the relation between a word or phrase and the object or idea it refers to

connotation

an idea that is implied or suggested

drift, purport

the pervading meaning or tenor

type of:

idea, thought

the content of cognition; the main thing you are thinking about
adjective

rich in significance or implication

“a
meaning look”

synonyms:

pregnant, significant

meaningful

having a meaning or purpose

DISCLAIMER: These example sentences appear in various news sources and books to reflect the usage of the word ‘meaning’.
Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Vocabulary.com or its editors.
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Introduction

The forgoing covers understanding (guessing the meaning of) new words and simple phrases

Firstly, you should know that context is information, ideas or clues given in the sentence, and other sentences in the paragraph or text as a whole. Clues from the whole text come from: the title, subheadings, the main topic, thesis statement and topic sentences.

Example of context:

He hated all animals and insects, so he was really rattled when his found a sea of ants in his bedroom.

From the context, from he hated all animals and insects you can guess rattled means not happy, upset or scared.

To understand a text you will probably need to understand some new vocabulary. But did you know you can get meaning of new words from the passage your are reading, or looking more closely at the word itself? It is a very important and useful skill to be able to glean (get) meaning of new words from context and other clues. This way you will not need to look up every word you don’t know. If reading is easier for you you will probably read more and learn more.

You can learn new vocabulary from the context (the words and sentences nearby) together with other clues. But you will need to look carefully for the clues. When you find them you will probably be able to guess correctly the meaning of pronouns, new words or new phrases.

You may use a dictionary to find the mean of some words. For all of the following exercises, YOU MAY NOT USE A DICTIONARY, A TRANSLATOR OR ASK ANYONE to help find the meaning of the underlined words.

The reading component (part) of your exam will include questions that ask the meaning of new words (and pronouns within the text). You will need to use context and other clues. So understanding how to find the clues, and practicing the skill of getting meaning from context (i.e. background or other information) will help in the exam. During your exam, you will not be able to ask anyone about vocabulary or use a translator app or dictionary during your exam. So you should practice getting meaning from context. Do the quizzes on this page.

IMPORTANT! You will need to be able to find the meaning of new words or phrases (words or phrases that do not appear in your textbook, the exam specification or the exam vocabulary list)

Look at this example:

“Ahmed made a new acquaintance yesterday. That is just like him. He is always meeting new people.“

What does “made a new acquaintance” mean?

Choose a. or b. below. Use the clue (in red) to help you.

a. made an appointment

b. met someone for the first time.

The correct answer is b.

You need to use various clues to help understand new words. The following can help you get the meaning of a new word:

knowing the part of speech (noun, verb, adjective…)
knowing the meaning of prefixes and suffixes
looking for context clues, like background or other information in the text
you will also need to use you general knowledge

PART 1 – Using part of speech to help get meaning of new vocabulary

What are parts of speech?

Parts of speech include noun, verb, adjective and adverb.

Click here to review parts of speech https://www.englishclub.com/grammar/parts-of-speech-table.htm . If you need some practice to help you understand parts of speech, go here: https://helpyourselfenglish.wordpress.com/parts-of-speech/

Using part of speech as a clue to meaning.

Look at the part of speech. Is the word a verb (e.g. write), noun (e.g.pen) or adjective (nice)? The part of speech will give you a big clue as to the meaning of the new word. Then look at the sentences around the new word for more clues as to the meaning.

Example 1 -verb

The Prince motioned with his hand for everyone to sit down.

You might guess motioned is a past tense verb, because it ends in ed and it comes after the subject (the Prince). The Prince did something, He did some kind of action. You can see he used his hand. Maybe he wrote something. Maybe he picked something up. However, from the clue with his hand for everyone to sit down you might guess he moved, or waved his hand, to show (or signal) that he wanted everyone to sit down. So motioned means waved or signaled.

Example 2 -noun

All his friends loved the taste of Stilton. They ate every last bit. The Prince would not eat it.He hated blue cheese.

All his friends loved the taste shows that it is something that can be eaten. it’s food and it’s a a noun. He hated blue cheese tells you what kind of food it is. So Stilton is a kind of blue cheese.

Example 3-adjective

He sat down at the end of an enormous table. He joined the other 29 people already seated.

Enormous is an adjective (it comes before the noun, it describes the noun). It describes the table. From this sentence enormous might mean big, long, small, old etc. You will also need to look for other clues to get closer to the meaning of enormous. You might guess from the sentence He joined the other 29 people already seated that enormous means big.

Example 4-adverb

Everyone seated at the huge table waited for the prince to begin the feast. He reluctantly started to eat. It was blue cheese. He hated blue cheese.

Reluctantly is an adverb as it describes the verb. The word reluctantly refers to how the person is eating. He might might be eating quickly, slowly, or without pleasure (enjoyment). Again, you will also need to look for other clues to get closer to the meaning. You might guess from the sentences It was blue cheese. He hated blue cheese that the Prince did not want to eat the cheese. He did not like blue cheese, so he ate it unwillingly, without enjoyment. .

Example 5-noun phrase

The Mark Dyson website lists (shows) his many amazing innovations. They include a driverless flying car, a solar (sun) powered motorbike and a smartphone that never needs charging.

“His many amazing innovations“ is a noun phrase. Noun phrases usually contain an adjective+noun and often other words too. The examples: driverless flying car, a solar (sun) powered motorbike and a smartphone that never needs charging suggest (give the idea) that innovations are new products (man-made things) never seen before.

Noun phrase practice quiz: http://www.englishgrammar.org/noun-phrases-exercise/

Example 6 – phrasal verb (idiomatic, and there is no literal sense)

“His bedroom was so messy. Has he tidied and cleaned his room yet?” asked his aunt. His mother replied (said) “Yes, it’s not messy now. He had been very busy with important college work, so he didn’t get around to it until last night.

Get around to (something) is a phrasal verb. It means do, as you might have guessed. The clues are: it’s not messy now and until last night.

Example 7 – phrasal verb (there is a literal and a idiomatic sense) Is he shooting off bullets? It the example in bold literal or idiomatic?

You’ve missed him. He went five minutes ago. He said “sorry”. He had to shoot off on urgent business.

Shoot off here is not literal. There is nothing being shot. It means leave quickly. The clue is: on urgent business.

Example 8 -passive verb

A car came around the bend much too fast, lost control, span (went) across the road and smashed head-on into David’s car. He was injured in the crash. He broke both arms and both legs.

“Was injured” is a passive verb. Was+verb+ed shows something happened to him. He did not do the injuring. In a crash a person can get cut, get hurt (damaged), be helped or be killed. An injury is something that can happen to you in a crash. Can you guess what injured means? The examples He broke both arms and both legs show he was hurt, so injured means hurt.

(

PART 2 – Using prefixes, roots and suffixes for meaning of new vocabulary.

This is only and introduction.

You can get an idea of the meaning of a new word if you look at the prefix, root and suffix.

helpful: ful is the suffix and it shows the word in an adjective.

disable (verb): dis is the prefix. Dis means no/not/make not. So if a programme on you computer has been disabled is is not working.

revisiting: visit is the root: Re means again. Ing here shows it is a progressive (continuous) verb

The prefix or suffix changes the meaning of a word. For example, the PC is disconnected from the Internet has the opposite meaning to the PC is connection to the Internet

Go here for a more detailed explanation, more examples, and quizzes (Scroll down to prefixes, roots and suffixes). https://helpyourselfenglish.wordpress.com/reading-longer-words/

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PART 3 – Six kinds of context clues.

Framework clues:

That guy always makes us laugh. His stories are hilarious.

What does hilarious mean?

The background clue, that guy always makes us laugh, shows he’s a funny guy. So what kind of stories does he tell?

What dies hilarious mean? Choose the best answer:

a..scary, b. very funny, c.true

The answer is: b. funny

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Definition, example and framework clues

Here we look at three types of clues: definition, example and framework clues. The clues are shown in italics.

Definition clue (in blue), example clue (in green) and framework clue (in red).

A bungalow is a one story (level) house.
Amphibious animals live part of their life in/on water and part on land.
There are many kinds of furniture. For example, tables, chairs, bookcase and sofa.
Carnivores such as lions, tigers, snakes and birds of prey (eagle, falcon etc.) …
Our cat Timmy left home for 6 months. I think it was upset because we got another cat. We had thought Timmy would like the company of another cat, it seems he didn’t. When Timmy returned he would not let us touch him. He had turned a little feral.
The winner of the gold medal was so strong against his weaker opponents. He was omnipotent.

NOTE: with many framework clues you will also need to draw on your general knowledge. To help find the meaning of feral it helps to know that house cats can sometimes behave like wild cats.

Ex.1. Find the meaning of the underlined words from the examples above

bungalow = a. low house b. tall house c. nice house
amphibious = a. not clear b. land+water animal c. lays eggs
furniture = a. only chairs b. kind of food c. movable things used to make a room or building OK for living or working
carnivore = a. insect eaters b. meat eater c. does not eat meat
feral = a. wild b. happy c. dangerous
omnipotent = a. weak b. powerful c. dangerous

Acknowledgements:

5 and 6 Retrieved (and adapted) from http://examples.yourdictionary.com/examples-of-context-clues.html

Answers:

6. powerful 5. wild 4. meat eater 3. movable things used to make a room or building OK for living or working 2. land+water animal 1. low house

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Punctuation, contrast and comparison clues

We now look at three more different kinds of context clues: punctuation clues, contrast clues, comparison clues.

Punctuation clues

1. There are many kinds of deciduous trees, ones that lose their leaves each season.

2. The subconscious mind, or part of the mind of which one is not fully aware, often control the way we feel and act.(exercise coming soon).

Contrast clues

3. Peter was obese, but now he isn’t very overweight, just he should lose some more weight to be healthy.

4. John was studious, while his brother Paul did not study at all.

Comparison clues

5. Taking out the garbage was an onerous task; likewise (similarly), washing dishes can be a hard job.

6. The unsubstantial story was as if (like) she were retelling a dream.

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Exercise 1

Find the meaning/synonym of the underlined words in the 6 sentences above.

deciduous = a. leaves fall b. choosing c. tall
subconscious = a. awake b. asleep c. unaware
studious = a. does not study b. smart c. studies hard
onerous = a. difficult b. easy c. for somone esle to do
obese = a. very thin b.very sporty c. fat
unsubstantial = a. short/small b. weak/thin c. long/tall

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Answers:

unsubstantial = b. weak/thin obese = c. fat

onerous = a. difficult studious = c. studies hard

subconscious = c. unaware deciduous = a. leaves fall

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Acknowledgements:

5. adapted from http://www.eslteachersboard.com/cgi-bin/lessons/index.pl?read=1141

6. adapted from http://edhelper.com/language/Context_Clues605.html

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Context clues summary

These are the types of clues that will help you (there are 6 in all):

framework based clue (the meanings of surrounding words, background information you find in the text, your experience and common sense).
punctuation clues.
definition clues.
contrast clues.
comparison clues.
example clues.

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Exercise 2.a

What kind of clue is given? The words in bold show the kind of clue.

The seasonal wind of the Indian Ocean and southern Asia is a monsoon.
Nicotine, a coloruless and oily drug in tobacco, stains the teeth of chain smokers.
My sister is extremely neat in appearance while she is slovenly in her housekeeping.
Birds are oviparous; similarly, fish and reptiles lay eggs that hatch outside of the body.
Various means (ways) of conveyance–for example, cars, subways, and ships are used worldwide.
The angry driver shouted vehemently during his fight with the other driver.

Acknowledgment

Retrieved from: http://www.eslteachersboard.com/cgi-bin/lessons/index.pl?read=1141

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Answers

6. Framework based clue 5. Example clue 4.Comparison clue

3. Contrast clue 2. Punctuation clue 1 Definition clue

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Exercise 2.b

Find the meaning or synonym of the underlined words in Ex 2a. Choose the closest meaning.

monsoon = type of tree, type of weather, name of a sea, area between Indian Ocean and Southern Asia
nioctine = a brand of cigarette, engine oil, a drug, a kind of tobacco
slovenly = neat, untidy, housekeeper, good
oviparous = egg layer, dangerous, can fly, eats eggs
conveyance = escalator, conveyor belt, manufacture, transport
vehemently = strongly, weakly, slowly, kindly

Answers

6. strongly 5. transport 4. egg layer 3. untidy 2. a drug 1. type of weather

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Meaning of phrasal verbs from context

Common phrasal verbs with multiple meanings

What do the words in bold mean? Choose the best answer.

1.The plane will take off in 30 minutes. You should go to the boarding gate now

a. imitate (copy) b.get off the ground c. remove d. leave.

2.You must be warm in that jacket.Why don’t you take it off?

a. imitate (copy) b.get off the ground c. remove d. leave

3.So you want to talk about your idea for combating (fighting) terrorism. I can give you twenty minutes of my time now if that OK, but I have been asked to be ready to take off at a moment’s notice. If there is an emergency, I may have leave quickly and see the chief officer.

a. imitate (copy) b.get off the ground c. remove d. leave

4. When I was young I liked to run through the fields.

a. move fast across b.start and continue until the end c.put a knife in someone d. give information about

5. I need to run you through the new fire safety regulations (rules).

a. move fast across b.start and continue until the end c.put a knife in someone d. give information about

6. The German soldier was determined (set) to kill me. Since had no bullets left, he tried to run me through. I managed to shoot him before it was too late.

a. move fast across b.start and continue until the end c.put a knife in someone d. give information about

Answers

1. b. get off the ground 2. c. remove 3 d. leave

4. a. move fast across 5. d. give information about 6. c.put a knife in someone

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Meaning of phrasal verbs using the 6 types of context clues

What do the words in bold mean? Choose the best answer.

1.Framework clue

I’m not sure right now how we can fix (resolve) this. You damaged my car, but I’m sure we can work something out.

a. remove something b. find a resolution (agreeable result) c. fix (repair) the car together

2.Definition clue

I will not put up with your bad behavior. I will not tolerate (accept) it.

a. endure (stay with) b. increase c. resist (fight)

3. Examples clue

Person A “I must get on top of my homework”

Person B.”Why not (I suggest) do the most important homework tonight? I will stay and help you. Forget about any homework where there are no grade points at stake (to be awarded). Then make sure you do one hour homework every night.”

a. to gain control of a difficult situation b. climb on top of homework books c. get the highest possible grade

4. Comparison clue

Andy stands up for himself. He similar to his brother Jack. Jack can and will defend himself with words if he needs to.

a. stand up tall b. never asks others to stand up c. defend with words

5. Contrast clue

I though he’d grown out of going drifting. It seems he hasn’t. He’s like a teenager, he goes drifting almost every night.

a. become wiser b. stopped, due to being older or wiser c. become too fat or tall to fit

6. Punctuation clue

“Why are you sitting watching boring TV every night, ignoring your problem? You really need to visit the doctor, Maria. Why put it off again?” Putting important things off, delaying necessary action or response, can cause pain and stress. It can even damage your health.

a. switch off the TV b. cancel an appointment c. delaying action

Answers: 1. b. 2. a. 3. a 4. c. 5. b 6.c.

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Meaning of passives from context

What do the words in bold mean? Choose the best answer.

1. Contrast clue

Tea is harvested all year round, whereas outdoor grown oranges are available for picking only half the year.

a. brought in from the fields b. drunk or eaten c. planted out in the fields

2. Comparison clue.

After Bonzo, Emma’s dog, did so much damage to her Mum’s new villa, it was confined to the garden for a month. Emma was made to stay somewhere too, in her room, for the whole weekend. Her mother was angry with for not exercising the dog enough.

a. destroyed b. made to stay c. made smaller

3. Framework clue

We are staying with my parents, while our house is being renovated. It was looking old and tired. It really needs a lot of work done. Their place (house) has plenty (lots) of space and lots of spare bedrooms.

a. returned to a new condition b. made bigger c. made safer

4. Punctuation clue

We went back to see the old house I used to live in as a child. I was disappointed. It‘d been demolished, flattened and swept away, like it had never existed.

a. imaginary b. returned to a new condition c. pulled down

5. Examples clue

was snatched

6. Definition clue

were forgiven

Answers:

1.a. brought in from the fields 2. b. made to stay 3.a. returned to a new condition

4.c. pulled down

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Quick Practice

Exercise 1

Find the meaning/synonym of the underlined words.

Another component, or part, of blood is red blood cells.
Kangaroos, opossums, and other marsupials usually carry their young in a pouch.
Bob hiked the forests of Maine in October because he wanted to see the fall foliage.
In contrast to how stiff it got in the refrigerator, the dough became pliable when the baker rolled it out.
Bees and flowers have a symbiotic relationship; in other words, they each help the other to survive.
A megalopolis is an enormous city.
Somnambulism, or sleepwalking, can be dangerous.

Quiz:

component = a. person b. computer c. part
marsupials = a. insects b. flightless birds c. animals that usually carry their young in a pouch
foliage = a. trees b. leaves c.branches
pliable = a. hard as iron b. strong/unbreakable c. soft/bendy
symbiotic = a. simple medicine b. living things helping each other to live c. like a machine
megalopolis = a. small town b. medium sized city c.very big city
somnambulism = a. ambulance b. walking in one’s sleep c. not many

Answers:

7. walking in one’s sleep 6. very big city 5. living things helping each other to live. 4. soft/bendy 3. leaves 2. animals that usually carry their young in a pouch 1. part

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Exercise 2

Find the meaning of underlined word in each sentence.

1. Mark is obsessed with dogs; he likes them better than people!

A. preoccupied B. excited about

2. Roger is obnoxious, just like his dog that never stops barking.

A. encouraging B. unpleasant

3. No one comes into my yard because my dog is vehement about protecting us.

A. fierce B. sweet

4. Joel is ambivalent about dogs, he can’t decide whether he wants one or not. A. unhappy B. unsure

5. Aaron asked if he could have a dog, but his parents rejected the idea.

A. refused B. liked

6. My dog Sparky needs constant reassurance because he is so insecure.

A. lacking confidence B. lacking security

7. We think George will be a good dog trainer because he has so much composure.

A. experince B. patience

8. Harvey doesn’t like other dogs. He is so antisocial.

A. not social B. overly social

9. Spot never gets sick because he has an extremely healthy constitution. A. thinking B. physical state

10. I was very dissatisfied when Fluffy failed dog obedience. A. pleased B. not pleased

Answers:

1. A 2.B 3.A 4.B 5.A 6. A 7. B 8.A 9. B 10.B

Acknowledgement:

Adapted from: http://www.englishworksheetsland.com/grade2/readfoundation/9/4mansbest.pdf

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More quick practice

http://www.softschools.com/quizzes/language_arts/context_clues/quiz1539.html

http://www.proprofs.com/quiz-school/story.php?title=word-meaning-wwwrhlschoolcom

http://www.sheppardsoftware.com/dynamic_multiple_choiceB2.html

https://www.quia.com/quiz/3804250.html

http://highered.mheducation.com/sites/0073123587/student_view0/chapter3/context_clues__exercise_1.html

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Reading Passages

Banana Smoothies

Find the meaning of the bold words

Banana smoothies first appeared in the 1930s. Since then, they have become very popular across the world. Not only is the banana smoothie delicious, but it has many of the nutrients our bodies need to function (work / be well).

Banana smoothies are made from fresh bananas using an electric blender. The fresh fruit gives it that chunky but creamy look. The ice keeps it cool in the hot summer heat. Bananas have a lot of healthy carbohydrates which makes them a perfect food for athletes and people with active lifestyles.

Smoothies help to give energy after a difficult workout. Doctors recommend bananas to who have heart problems and high blood pressure, as they lower the risk of stroke and heart attacks. Another good thing about this wonderful fruit is that it protects against depression and keeps you in a good mood. Banana smoothies, when mixed with yogurt and other fruits like apples or mangos, protect you from stomach ulcers and help your digestive system.

Bananas are a low-calorie food; there are about 100 calories in a medium sized banana. They make you feel full, so if you eat a banana, you will avoid snacking between meals. This is beneficial because it helps you to reach your weight loss goals. But make sure you don’t put sugar in your smoothie. Bananas are sweet enough

they (in paragraph 1) = A. people B. nutrients C.banana smoothies
nutrients (in paragraph 1) = A. things within food you need in order to live B. banana smoothies C. yellow fruit
it ( (in paragraph 2) = A. electric blender B. a smoothie C. ice
risk (in paragraph 3) = A. bananas B. chance C. impossible
depression (in paragraph 3) = A. good heath B. low mood C. high spirits (mood)
ulcers (in paragraph 3) = A. stomach sores B.bad people C.sugar
digestive system (in paragraph 3) = A. parts of the body that help you breathe B. banana smoothies C. parts of the body that help change food to energy.
beneficial (in paragraph 4) = A. low-calorie B. sweet tasting C. helpful

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Answers:

8. beneficial (in paragraph 4) = helpful

7. digestive system (in paragraph 3) = parts of the body that help change food to energy

6. ulcers (in paragraph 3) = stomach sores

5. expression in paragraph 3) = low mood

4. risk (in paragraph 3) = chance

3. it ( (in paragraph 2) = a smoothie

2. nutrients (in paragraph 1) = things within food you need in order to live

1. they (in paragraph 1) = banana smoothies

Acknowledgement: adapted from KSU exam preparation material.

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Improving Your English

Find the meaning of the bold words

Today, millions of people want to learn or improve their English but it is difficult to find the best method. Is it better to study in Britain or America or to study in your own country?

The advantages of going to Britain seem obvious. Firstly, you will be able to listen to the language all the time you are in the country. You will be surrounded completely by the language wherever you go. Another advantage is that you have to speak the language if you are with other people. In Italy, it is always possible, in the class, to speak Italian if you want to and the learning is slower.

On the other hand, there are also advantages to staying at home to study. You don’t have to make big changes to your life. As well as this, it is also a lot cheaper than going to Britain but it is never possible to achieve the results of living in the UK. If you have a good teacher in Italy, I think you can learn in a more concentrated way than being in Britain without going to a school.

So, in conclusion, I think that if you have enough time and enough money, the best choice is to spend some time in the UK. This is simply not possible for most people, so being here in Italy is the only viable option. The most important thing to do in this situation is to maximise your opportunities: to speak only English in class and to try to use English whenever possible outside the class.

Retrieved from http://www.esl-lounge.com/student/reading/3r1-learn-english-reading.php

method → school, language, teacher, way.
obvious → impossible to see, difficult to see or understand, easy to see, difficult
surrounded → everywhere around, surprised, not next to, speaking
advantages → bad things, good things, difficult things, easy things
achieve → not get, get, stop, give away
concentrated → focused, confused, diffiult, relaxing
viable → easy, workable, legal, clear
situation → urgent, place or circumstances, emergency, exam or test
maximise your opportunities → improve your accent, avoid mistakes by not trying, make the most of your chances, learn Italian

Answers

method → way.
obvious → easy to see or understand
surrounded → everywhere around
advantages → good things
achieve → get
concentrated → focused
viable → workable
situation → place or circumstances
maximise your opportunities → make the most of your chances

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When the Ground Shakes

Use a dictionary to find the meaning of these words (if you don’t know them already): panic, hurricane, flood, surge, earthquake, obstacles, regardless, approach, distressing

Find the meaning of the bold words without a dictionary

Earthquakes are often devastating, killing people and destroying buildings. One of the most important things to remember when calamity strikes (hits) is not to panic. A panicky person cannot think clearly. A person who panics cannot maneuver through the obstacles presented by a disaster, such as a tornado or hurricane. Each kind of disaster requires a different action. For example, a tornado requires (needs) people to go to the center of a building (preferably a room with no windows) or a basement and to cover their heads. A hurricane, on the other hand, requires evacuation because the storm surge can flood areas. If the storm surge rises too high, people will be stranded on rooftops and unable to get to safety. In the event of an earthquake, people should get outside or stand in doorways for protection. Seismic activity causes the ground to shake and buildings to come toppling down in some cases. Regardless of the kind of natural disaster, a calm approach will allow you to think things through and act appropriately for the situation.

Adapted from

Click to access ccslh_g6_lv_8_3b_link3.pdf

Exercise: choose the correct or closest meaning if there is no correct meaning.

devastating → exciting, enormous, highly destructive or damaging, ground shaking.

calamity → damaging or distressing event, memorable or important event, earthquake, death

maneuver → destroy completely, move around, plan ahead. live dangerously

evacuation → drying out, patience, courage, moving out

stranded → can’t understand, can’t move, can’t communicate, living

seismic → rescure, building, hurricane, earthquake

toppling → falling, slowly, eventually, gently

appropriately → in a fitting way , not exactly correctly, without panic, proceeding (going) cautiously

Answers:

devastating → highly destructive or damaging

calamity → damaging or distressing event

maneuver → move around

evacuation → moving out

stranded → can’t move

seismic → earthquake

toppling → falling

appropriately → in a fitting way

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Источник

meaning of the word — перевод на русский

The precise meaning of the word «desert» is a waterless, barren wasteland.

Точное значение слова «пустыня» — это безводная, бесплодная пустошь.

When you want to know the meaning of a word, don’t look inside yourself, look at the uses of the word in our way of life.

Если вы хотите узнать значение слова, не копайтесь в себе, посмотрите, как мы употребляем слова в повседневной жизни.

And the meaning of the word is just the way it’s used in a particular language game.

Значение слова — это то, как оно используется в конкретной языковой игре.

I’ve learned the meaning of the word which neither Laska nor Kuba will ever comprehend.

Понял значение слова, которого ни Ляска, ни Куба никогда не поймут.

The meaning of the word never changed.

Значение слова не изменилось.

Показать ещё примеры для «значение слова»…

Doesn’t know the meaning of the word.

Он не знает такого слова.

Oh, he doesn’t know the meaning of the word.

О, он не знает такого слова.

I had to ask because I don’t know the meaning of the word.

Я должен был спросить, потому что я не знаю такого слова.

Do you understand meaning of word «agility»?

не понимает слово «живость»!

Know the meaning of the word punishment?

Вы знаете слово «Наказание»?

Показать ещё примеры для «такого слова»…

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