Word Meaning

Word Meaning

2 Strategies to figure out word meaning:

• Context Clues

• Word parts (prefix, suffix, roots)

Context Clues!

When you don’t know the meaning of a word in a sentence, you can look around the word for context clues. You can also look inside the word for familiar prefixes, suffixes, base words, and roots

Luna didn’t want to conform to other people’s ideas, or be like everyone else. Instead, she wanted to express her own ideas, even if no one agreed with her. 

Look around the word conform for context clues to what it might mean!

Open Ended

What context clues did you see in the sentence?

This example had 2 context clues

• Definition/Similarity: “be like everyone else, or conform”

• Contrast: “Instead, she wanted to express her own ideas.”

Word Parts

You can also look inside an unknown word to figure out what it means. Look for familiar prefixes, suffixes, base words, and roots.

Open Ended

con-form

What do you know about the prefix con- and the base word form?

Open Ended

Your turn! Use strategies to figure out the meanings of the underlined words.

Note: Not every strategy will work with every word.

Shayna’s brother was so predictable when they played hide-and-seek. He always hid in the closet, trying to make himself as compact as possible. When she opened the door, she could hear him breathing, even though he thought he was inaudible.