Use the Clues to Find the Meaning!

Lesson Plan - Get It!

Audio:

• What do you do when you are reading and come across a word you don't know?

• Do you skip over it and keep reading?

No! It is important to understand all the words in a text!

When you are reading and come across a word you don't know, there are ways to determine its meaning.

You can always stop reading and look the word up in a dictionary, but that will distract you from the text.

Sometimes, the author will tell you directly what the word means. If not, you can look for context clues to the word's meaning.

Context clues are hints you can find around the word you do not know to figure out what it means yourself.

• How can you do that?

Here are some ways to use context clues.

1. First, read the words around the word you do not know. Ask yourself what you think the word must mean based on those other words.

2. If you are still unsure, read the whole sentence with the word you do not know.

3. It is even more helpful to read the whole sentence before the one with the new word.

4. Sometimes, you may even want to read a sentence or two after the one with the word you do not know.

For more tips on how to use different types of clues in a text, watch the video below.

When reading, you can use context clues to understand any word you do not know.

However, two common types of words pop up while reading. Take a look at those!

When you are ready to try using context clues, head over to the Got It? section!