Context Clues
and
Word Part
Strategies
www.VocabGal.com
Kit
3 Steps
to Find the Meaning of an Unknown Word
STEP 1: Break the word into smaller parts. Look for the parts of
the word you know.
Submersible ➞ sub mersible
What does the word sub make you think of?
• Subway
You can investigate even further by asking, “Do subways and submarines
have anything in common?”
• Both used for transportation and traveling from one point to another.
• Both are underground.
STEP 2: Look for the context clues. What do they tell you?
“Explorer, the submersible watercraft, sank deeper into the ocean.”
From the passage clues we know that:
• Submersible is describing a feature of the watercraft.
• The watercraft can travel deep into the ocean.
STEP 3: Use your background knowledge.
I know a sub or submarine travels underwater.
The passage says, “. . . sank deeper into the ocean.”
Answer: You can conclude that submersible means
a vessel or vehicle that is capable of traveling and
operating underwater.
www.VocabGal.com • www.SadlierSchool.com • Toll Free 800-221-5175
and Sadlier ® are registered trademarks of William H. Sadlier, Inc. Copyright ©2017 by William H. Sadlier, Inc. All rights reserved. May be reproduced for education use (not commercial use).
• Submarine
VOCABULARY STRATEGY: Using Context
The context of a word is the printed text of which that word is part. By studying
the word’s context, we may find clues to its meaning. We might find a clue in
the immediate or adjoining sentence or phrase in which the word appears; in
the topic or subject matter of the passage; or in the physical features—such
as photographs, illustrations, charts, graphs, captions and headings—of a
page itself.
The Vocabulary in Context, Vocabulary for Comprehension, and Choosing
the Right Meaning exercises that appear in the Units, the Reviews, and Final
Mastery Test provide practice in using context to decode unfamiliar words.
Three types of context clues appear in the exercises in this book.
A restatement clue consists of a synonym for or a definition of the
missing word. For example:
a. arrogant
b. disarming
c. fervent
d. legendary
In this sentence, overbearing is a synonym of the missing word, arrogant, and acts
as a restatement clue for it.
A contrast clue consists of an antonym for or a phrase that means the
opposite of the missing word. For example:
“It seems to me that the coach is even-tempered,” I said,
“But many of my teammates find the coach (irascible, porous).”
In this sentence, even-tempered is an antonym of the missing word, irascible. This
is confirmed by the presence of the word but, which indicates that the answer
must be the opposite of even-tempered.
Copyright © by William H. Sadlier, Inc. All rights reserved.
An inference clue implies but does not directly state the meaning of the
missing word or words. For example:
patient had lost a lot of weight in a short period of
The
and he kept up his usual busy
time, but his energy was
schedule.
a. abashed . . . calamitous
b. judicious . . . bountiful
In this sentence, there are several inference clues: (a) the phrase had lost a lot of
weight suggests gaunt; (b) the words kept up his usual busy schedule suggest the
word unflagging. These words are inference clues because they suggest or imply,
but do not directly state, the missing word or words.
7
8008-0_SEC_007-011_FM [P];7.indd 7
www.VocabGal.com • c. resolute . . . whimsical
d. gaunt . . . unflagging
www.SadlierSchool.com • 5/14/12 3:32 PM
Toll Free 800-221-5175
and Sadlier ® are registered trademarks of William H. Sadlier, Inc. Copyright ©2017 by William H. Sadlier, Inc. All rights reserved. May be reproduced for education use (not commercial use).
, overbearing king refused to hear the poor workman’s
The
plea.
WORD STRUCTURE: Greek and Latin Roots
VOCABULARY STRATEGY: Word Structure
One important way students build vocabulary is to learn the meaning of word parts
One
important
way students
build vocabulary
to learn
the meaning
of word
parts
that make
up many
English words.
These wordisparts
consist
of prefixes,
suffixes,
that
words.
word
partsand
consist
prefixes,
suffixes,
and make
roots,up
or many
basesEnglish
(see the
list of These
common
Greek
Latinof
roots
below.)
A useful
and
roots,
bases. A useful
strategyoffor
the is
meaning
an unknown
strategy
foror
determining
the meaning
andetermining
unknown word
to “takeofapart
the word
word
is to about
“take apart”
the word and think about the parts.
and think
the parts.
Prefix
bi-
Meaning
two
Sample Words
bicycle
com-, con-
together, with
compatriot, contact
de-, dis-
lower, opposite
devalue, disloyal
fore-, pre-
before, ahead of time
forewarn, preplan
il-, im-, in-, ir,
non-, un-
not
illegal, impossible, inactive,
irregular, nonsense, unable
in-, im-
in, into
inhale, import
mid-
middle
midway
mis-
wrongly, badly
mistake, misbehave
re-
again, back
redo, repay
sub-
under, less than
submarine, subzero
super-
above, greater than
superimpose, superstar
tri-
three
triangle
Following is a list of common suffixes. Knowing the meaning and grammatical
function of a suffix can help students determine the meaning of a word.
Noun Suffix
-acy, -ance, -ence,
-hood, -ity, -ment,
-ness, -ship
Meaning
state, quality, or
condition of, act or
process of
Sample Nouns
adequacy, attendance,
persistence, neighborhood,
activity, judgment,
brightness, friendship
-ant, -eer, -ent, -er,
-ian, -ier, -ist, -or
one who does or
makes something
contestant, auctioneer,
resident, banker, comedian,
financier, dentist, doctor
-ation, -ition, -ion
act or result of
organization, imposition,
election
Verb Suffix
-ate
Meaning
to become, produce,
or treat
Sample Verbs
validate, salivate, chlorinate
-en
to make, cause to be
weaken
-fy, -ify, -ize
to cause, make
liquefy, glorify, legalize
T36
8029-5_TED_T12-T40_FM.indd
T36 B
Vocabulary
Workshop, Level
www.VocabGal.com • www.SadlierSchool.com • Toll Free 800-221-5175
7/28/11 3:30 PM
1
and Sadlier ® are registered trademarks of William H. Sadlier, Inc. Copyright ©2017 by William H. Sadlier, Inc. All rights reserved. May be reproduced for education use (not commercial use).
Copyright © by William H. Sadlier, Inc. Permission to duplicate classroom quantities granted to users of Vocabulary Workshop.
Following is a list of common prefixes. Knowing the meaning of a prefix can help
students determine the meaning of a word in which the prefix appears.
Adjective Suffix
-able, -ible
Meaning
able, capable of
Sample Adjectives
believable, incredible
Adjective
Suffix
-al,
-ic,
-able, -ible
Meaning
relating
to,
characteristic
able, capable of
of
Sampleromantic
Adjectives
natural,
believable, incredible
-ful,
-ive, -ous
-al, -ic,
full
of, given
relating
to, to,
marked
by
characteristic
of
beautiful,
protective,
natural, romantic
poisonous
-ish,
-like -ous
-ful, -ive,
like,
resembling
full of,
given to,
marked
lacking, by
without
foolish,
childlike
beautiful,
protective,
poisonous
careless
Greek Root
-auto-astr-, -aster-, -astro-bio-
Meaning
self
star
life
Sample Words
autograph
astral, asteroid, astronaut
biography
-auto- chrono-chron-,
-bio-cosm-,
-cosmo-
self
time
life
universe,
order
autograph
chronic,
chronological
biography
microcosm, cosmopolitan
-chron-, -cryptchrono-cryph-,
-cosm-,-demo-cosmo-dem-,
time
hidden,
secret
universe, order
people
chronic, chronological
apocryphal,
cryptographer
microcosm,
cosmopolitan
epidemic,
democracy
-cryph-, -crypt-dia-dem-,-dox-demo-dog-,
hidden, secret
through,
across, between
people
opinion, teaching
apocryphal, cryptographer
diameter
epidemic, democracy
dogmatic,
orthodox
-dia-gen-dog-, -dox-gnos-
through,
across,
race,
kind,
origin,between
birth
opinion,
teaching
know
diameter
generation
dogmatic, orthodox
diagnostic
-gen- -graphy-,
-graph-,
-gram-gnos-
race, kind, origin, birth
write
know
generation
graphite,
autobiography,
telegram
diagnostic
-log-,
-logue-graph-,
-graphy-,
-gram-lys-
speech,
word, reasoning
write
logic,
dialogue
graphite,
autobiography,
telegram
analysis
-log-, -logue-metr-,
-meter-lys-micro-
break down
speech, word, reasoning
measure
break down
small
measure
form,
shape
-metr-, -meter-morph-micro-naut-morph--phone-,
-phon-,
-phono-naut-phon-, -phone-,
-phono-
small
sailor
form, shape
sound,
voice
sailor
sound, voice
metric, kilometer
amorphous
microchip
nautical
amorphous
phonics,
telephone,
phonograph
nautical
phonics, telephone,
phonograph
T37
T37
8029-5_TED_T12-T40_FM.indd T37
7/28/11 3:30 PM
Vocabulary Workshop, Level B
2
www.VocabGal.com logic, dialogue
metric,
kilometer
analysis
microchip
• www.SadlierSchool.com • Toll Free 800-221-5175
and Sadlier ® are registered trademarks of William H. Sadlier, Inc. Copyright ©2017 by William H. Sadlier, Inc. All rights reserved. May be reproduced for education use (not commercial use).
Copyright © by William H. Sadlier, Inc. Permission to duplicate classroom quantities granted to users of Vocabulary Workshop.
-less
-ish, -like
like, resembling
foolish, childlike
A base or root is the main part of a word to which prefixes and suffixes may be
-less Many
lacking,
without
careless
added.
come
to English
from Latin. Knowing
Greek and Latin roots
Greek
androots
Latin
Roots
can help students determine the meaning of a word.
A base or root is the main part of a word to which prefixes and suffixes may be
toalEnglish
Iadded.
n the BuMany
ildingroots
with come
Classic
Roots sfrom
ectioLatin.
ns of tKnowing
his book Greek
studenand
ts wiLatin
ll learroots
n more
can help
students
determine
meaning
a word.
about
some
of these
Latin andthe
Greek
rootsofand
about the English words that
derive from them.
In the Building with Classical Roots sections of this book students will learn more
about some
and Greek roots and about
the English
words that
Greek
Root of these Latin
Meaning
Sample
Words
derive-aster-,
from them.
-astr-,
-astrostar
astral, asteroid, astronaut
city, state
police, metropolis
-scop-, -scope-
watch, look at
microscopic, telescope
-tele-
far off, distant
television
-the-
put or place
parentheses
Latin Root
-cap-, -capt-, -cept-,
-cip-
Meaning
take
Sample Words
capitulate, captive, concept,
recipient
-cede-, -ceed-,
-ceas-, -cess-
happen, yield, go
precede, proceed, decease,
cessation
-cred-
believe
incredible
-dic-, -dict-
speak, say, tell
indicate, diction
-duc-, -duct-, -duit-
lead, conduct, draw
educate, conduct, conduit
-fac-, -fact-, -fect-,
-fic-, -fy-
make
faculty, artifact, defect,
beneficial, clarify
-ject-
throw
eject
-mis-, -miss-, -mit-,
-mitt-
send
promise, missile, transmit,
intermittent
-note-, -not-
know, recognize
denote, notion
-pel-, -puls-
drive
expel, compulsive
-pend-, -pens-
hang, weight, set aside
pendulum, pension
-pon-, -pos-
put, place
component, position
-port-
carry
portable
-rupt-
break
bankrupt
-scrib-, -scribe-,
-script-
write
scribble, describe, inscription
-spec-, -spic-
look, see
spectator, conspicuous
-tac-, -tag-, -tang-,
-teg-
touch
contact, contagious, tangible,
integral
-tain-, -ten-, -tin-
hold, keep
contain, tenure, retinue
-temp-
time
tempo
-ven-, -vent-
come
intervene, convention
-vers-, -vert-
turn
reverse, invert
-voc-, -vok-
call
vocal, invoke
T38
8029-5_TED_T12-T40_FM.indd T38
7/28/11 3:30 PM
Vocabulary Workshop, Level B
www.VocabGal.com • www.SadlierSchool.com • Toll Free 800-221-5175
3
and Sadlier ® are registered trademarks of William H. Sadlier, Inc. Copyright ©2017 by William H. Sadlier, Inc. All rights reserved. May be reproduced for education use (not commercial use).
Copyright © by William H. Sadlier, Inc. Permission to duplicate classroom quantities granted to users of Vocabulary Workshop.
-pol-, -polis-