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Guessing the Meaning of words from the Context

Compiled by T. Reawadee Anghcuan

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Internal Context Clues

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The word trichromatic can be divided into three parts: its prefix, root, & suffix.

Prefix - tri - (“three”)Root - chrome (“color”)

Suffix - atic (“characteristic of”)

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These word parts have specific meanings that, when added together, can help you determine the meaning of the entire word.

Example: The students thought the book was incomprehensible.

in = not comprehen = to understandible = able to do something; also changes this word from verb to adjective

incomprehensible = not able to understand

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Internal Context Clues: Affixes and Roots

Many words in the English language are made up of words parts called prefixes, roots, and suffixes.

✦Prefixes- word part added to beginning of a root or

word: preheat

✦Suffixes- word part added to the end of a word or

root and usually changes the word’s part of speech:

cloud (n) cloudy (adj)

✦Roots-Word parts that carry the basic or core

meaning of a word: scrib/script = write scribble

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Appear at the beginning of words and alter the meaning of the root.

Ex: add the prefix re- to the word “read” reread (to read again).

Ex: add the pre- to the word “reading” prereading (before reading).

Ex.: add the suffix post- to the word “reading” postreading (after reading).

Prefixes

• Prefixes modify the lexical meaning of the root;

• the simple word and its prefixed derivative usually belong to the same part of speech.

• The group of class-changing prefixes is rather small, e.g.: be- (belittle, befriend), de- (defrost, descale).

Negative prefixes• Negative prefixes

give negative, reverse or opposite meaning

a- (apolitical, asexual) de- (destabilise, deselect) dis- (disapprove, disinvest) il- (before l: illegal)

im-(before p,b,m: imbalance)

in-(inadequate)

ir-(before r: irresponsible)non- (non-economic, non-profit)un- (unacceptable, undemocratic)

Non-negative prefixes IDegree, measures or size: hyper- (hyper-creative, hyperactive); over- (overestimate, overcompensate); semi- (semiskilled, semi-annual); super- (super-dominant, supercharged); ultra- (ultra-conservative, ultra-secret)

Repetition or possibility: em-(before p,b,m)/en- (embark, enclose)

Time, place, order relation: ex- (ex-employer, ex-tenant); inter- (inter-office, inter-government); post- (post-budget, post-election); pre- (pre-delivery, pre-budget)

Non-negative prefixes II1) Number and numeral relation: bi- (bilateral,

bilingual); multi- (multi-dimensional, multi-media); uni- (unilateral, unisex)

2) Attitude, counteraction: anti- (anti-EEC, antiestablishment); auto- (autodial, autonomy); counter- (countercharge, counteroffer); pro- (pro-business, pro-liberal)

3) Pejoration: mis- (miscalculation, mismanage); pseudo- (pseudo-creativity, pseudo-democratic)

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Suffixes are word endings that often change the part of speech of a word:

Adding the suffix y to the noun cloud forms the adjective cloudy.

Cloudy means “resembling clouds; overcast with clouds; dimmed or dulled as if by clouds.”

Suffixes

1 Noun-forming suffixes-age (passage, marriage, mileage…); -ance/-ence (assistance,

predominance, correspondence…); -dom (freedom, kingdom…)

-ee (employee, referee…); -eer/er (engineer, profiteer, manager…); -ess (manageress, heiress…)

-ist (economist…) -hood (adulthood, singlehood…) -ing (building, meaning…) -ion/-sion/-tion/-ition/-ation (production, conclusion,

realisation…) -ism (consumerism, perfectionism…) -ment (agreement, investment…) -ness (effectiveness…) -ship (ownership…) -ty/-ity (productivity, prosperity…) -ure/-ture (procedure, expenditure…)

2 Adjective-forming suffixes

-able/-ible (manageable, permissible)-al/-tal/-ial/-tial (economical, statistical)-ant/-ent (redundant, dependent)-ary (monetary, inflationary)-ate/-ete (accurate, complete)-ful (dutiful, powerful)-ish (snobbish, reddish)-ive (effective, extensive)-less (effortless, powerless)-like (businesslike, lifelike)-ly (costly, orderly)-ous/-ious (ambiguous, nutritious)-some (troublesome, worrisome)-y (sexy, worthy)

3 Verb-forming suffixes

-en (brighten, moisten)-ify/-fy (intensify, qualify)-ize/*-ise (rationalize, advertise, stabilize)

______________________________*‘ize’ is often used in American English (maximize) as an

alternative spelling of ‘ise’ in British English (maximise).

4 Adverb forming suffixes

-ly (frequently, perfectly)*-ward/-wards (windward, backward, homewards)-wise (vote-wise, percentage-wise) _

________________________________ *Words formed with ‘ward’ can usually be used as either

adverbs or adjectives words formed with ‘wards’ are mainly used as adverbs (e.g. westward, westwards).

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Roots carry the basic or core meaning of a word.

Knowing and using word roots can help you figureout the meaning of words you don’t recognize.

Root dic/dict = means “tell or say,” then you know that:

Dictate = means to speak for someone to write down.

Diction = means wording or manner of speaking.Dictionary = is a book that “tells” what words

mean.

Roots

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How many words can you create from the word roots in the middle circle by combining other words parts with them?

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Not counting the English base word “establish,” how many prefixes and suffixes are there in the word below?

antidisestablishmentarianism

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Root Word Definition Example

am, amor love, liking amiable, amorous

aud hear, listen audio, auditorium

bio life biography, biology

cycl wheel, circular

bicycle

geo earth geography, geology

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port to carry portable, transportscrib/script to write describe, manuscriptspect to see/ watch/ observe prospect, respect, specimenvac empty vacate, evacuatehydr water hydrogen, hydrant, hydroplanechron time chronological, synchronize, chronicle, chronictherm heat thermometer, thermostat, thermosbene good/ good benefit, benign, beneficialgeo earth, ground, soil geography, geologyphoto light photograph, telephoto, photocopytract pull, drag tractor, attract, subtract, traction

Root Definition Examples

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Prefixes and suffixes quiz 1. What is the meaning of the word prefix? A) a word within a word B) a group of letters put before a root word which changes its meaning C) a group of letters put at the end of a root word which changes its meaning

2. What does the word unhurt mean? A) hurt badly B) hurt C) not hurt

3. If you take away the prefix from disagree, the root word is agree. A) True B) False

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4. If you add the prefix ‘un’ to the word wrap, what is the correct spelling of the new word? A) unwrapp B) unrap C) unwrap

5. What do you do if you reread a book? A) don't read it B) read it again C) read it for the first time

6. A suffix is a group of letters that you add to the start of a root word. A) True B) False

7. Which of the following is a suffix? A) pre B) un C) ed

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8. Which of the following is not a suffix? A) ful B) ing C) re

9. Which suffix can you add to the end of cook to make a new word? A) ing B) ful C) est

10. Which suffix can you add to the word peace to make a new word? A) ing B) ful C) est

11. Which of these is the correct spelling? We had a ... A) disagreement B) dissagreement C) disagrement

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12. Which of these is the correct spelling? That dress is very... A) colourfull B) colorful C) colourful

13. The word pre-war means? A) before the war B) during the war C) after the war

14. What does the word tireless mean? A) always feeling tired B) never feeling tired C) feeling less tired than someone else

15. If you wanted to say someone is not helpful, which word would you use? A) inhelpful B) unhelpful C) helpfulless

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16. If you wanted to compare two bags of shopping, what would you say? A) this one is lightest than that one B) this one is lighted than that one C) this one is lighter than that one

17. If you heard that a band had re-formed, what would this mean? A) formed again B) formed for the first time C) formed for the last time

18. Which of these words means 'not sure' A) undone B) uncertain C) dissure

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19.If you take away the prefix and the suffix, what is left of the word 'unemployed'? A) unemployed B) employed C) employ

20. Which suffix can you not add to the root word box to make a new word? A) ful B) ing C) es

21. What prefix would you add to the word 'finished' to show that there is still some work to be done? A) un B) dis C) mis

22. What suffix would you add to the word 'air' to show that a room is very stuffy? A) ed B) ful C) less

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23. What prefix would you add to the word 'view' to indicate that you see something before other people do? A) re B) pre C) dis

24. What suffix would you add to the word 'blame' to show you have done nothing wrong? A) ness B) less C) ed

25. Which two suffixes have the same meaning? A) ful and less B) less and ness C) s and es

26. Which of these words can not be made into another word by adding the prefix 'sub'? A) way B) marine C) book

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27. Which of these prefixes means below? A) under B) pre C) over

28. What does the prefix do to the word 'cooked' in this sentence? “The pies were precooked.” A) It tells you you need to cook the pies. B) It tells you the pies need cooking again. C) It tells you the pies have already been cooked.

29. What does the prefix 'dis' do to the word appeared in this sentence? “The cat disappeared before her very eyes.” A) It tells you that the cat appeared bigger than before. B) It tells you that the cat vanished. C) It tells you that the cat appeared to be further away.

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30. What does the suffix 'ful' do to the word house in this sentence? “She had a houseful that weekend.”

A) It tells you that her house was empty that weekend. B) It tells you that her house was a mess that weekend. C) It tells you that she had lots of people staying in her house that weekend.

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Direction: Answer the following question.

1. Identify the meaning of the root word underlined within the following word: description A. mix B. move C. write D. close

2. We sat in a semicircle and watched the instructor at the front of the room. What does the word semicircle mean in the sentence above? A. full circle B. two circles C. small circle D. half circle

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3. Civilizations of people lived before historical records were written down. What word describes this time period? A. prehistoric B. posthistoric C. unhistoric D. antihistoric

4. Cara could easily recognize her grandfather in the old family portrait by the famous Dutch painter. She said it was a good likeness of him. What does the word likeness mean in the

sentence above? A. sanctuary B. similarity C. skill D. guard

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5. One ingredient of soil is rock, the root dur means crumbled into tiny pieces. Rock is the most durable stuff in the natural world. So what causes it to crumble? Weather, for one thing— wind, rain, changes of temperature. The breakdown doesn’t happen overnight, but over a duration of thousands of years.

A. to crumble B. to break C. to last

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6. Students will convene at 7:00 p.m. for the graduation ceremony.

A. practice saying their speechesB. come together, assemble C. rehearse outside

7. The detective inspected the crime scene. A. looked at or examined closelyB. photographed in detailC. wrote up reports about

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8. For her audition, she sang a song she wrote herself. A. a trial performance at which judges see a

person’s work B. a trial performance at which judges praise a person’s work C. a trial performance at which judges hear a person’s work

9. When his visa expired, he was deported. A. forced to leave a country B. invited to remain in the country C. required to hand deliver proof of citizenship

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10. She tried to look cheerful even though she felt dejected.

A. spoken about in an unkind wayB. downcast; in low spiritsC. viewed as believable

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External Context Clues

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What are Context Clues? Context clues consist of words in a sentence

or paragraph that enable readers to reason out the meaning of unfamiliar words. (Context is whatever surrounds something else. Words appear in the context of a sentence.)

Ask yourself, What would this word have to mean in order to make sense in this sentence?

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Types of Context Clues

Definition or synonym cluesContrast cluesExample cluesRepetitionSituations

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Definition or Synonym ClueThe author defines the word or gives a synonym.Signals:

--phrases such as the term, is defined as, means, is known as, etc.

--a definition following a comma, colon, or dash, or enclosed in parentheses, brackets or dashes

--a term or definition in special print--synonyms introduced by or, in other words, that is,

is also known as, by this we mean, etc.

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Definition or Synonym ClueExamples:

- Mah Jong and Chi Far are popular games in Hong Kong. Chi

Far is a Chinese numbers game played mostly by maids and

working class housewives.

- I need a file for my work because it is needed to rub the rust out.

A file is an instrument used for rubbing something to be a good

shape.

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1) Some ancient European families used the unicorn (in old

stories, a horse – like creature with one long horn) for their

symbol.

2) Many scientists are now studying bionics --the field of

science which uses information about the functioning of

biological systems to help solve engineering problems.

3) The number of climbers, tourists and trekkers (people

who are interested in long distance walking) in Nepal has

now reached one million a year.

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Contrast CluesThe author includes a word or phrase that is the opposite of the word whose meaning you are trying to figure out. The meaning will be the “opposite of the opposite.”

Signals:--Words such as but, however, on the other hand,

nevertheless, yet, in contrast, and some . . .others--Opposite words (e.g., men and women; Democrats

and Republicans; ancient and modern)

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Contrast Clues1) One plate of rice usually suffices for me, but one plate isn’t

enough for my husband.

a. much b. enough c. a little d. a few

2) My library at home is quite sparse; the central library,

however, has a lot of books.

a. large b. full c. few in number d. interesting

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Example CluesConsist of one or more examples that are used to illustrate the meaning of the unfamiliar word. The example is not the definition, but it is a clue to it.Signals:

--Examples are typically introduced by for example, to illustrate, for instance, and such as

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Example Clues1) The street is crowded with conveyances of all descriptions, such

as buses, bicycles, cars and automobiles.

a. transportation b. bus terminal

c. convenience d. comfort

2) Iran is trying to restore many of its ancient buildings. For

example, Persepolis—Iran’s oldest building---is being partially

rebuilt by a group of Italian experts.

a. destroyed b. partially rebuilt

c. ruined d. wiped up

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Repetition

Repetition is the occurrence of using words which have

occurred before. There are several kinds of repetition where

words or certain phrases are repeated for a stronger emphasis

by the author and they refer to the meaning of

aforementioned

words.

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Repetition

1) He’s such a mournful person that just being around him makes

me sad, too.

a. happy b. sad c. glad d. big

2) Many ships have vanished during hurricanes. All crews have

disappeared and have never been found.

a. disappeared b. broke c. threw d. appeared

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Situations

Situations refer to the consideration whathappen or will happen in that situation andcondition. The simple way for this technique is to find out some key words that can indicatethe action in the sentence.

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Situations

1) She walks briskly to class so that she wouldn’t be late.

a. slowly b. quickly c. fortunately d. comfortably

2) During the winter, having to take a cold shower makes me shiver

all over.

a. sleep b. shake c. cry d. warm

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The Edge:Pointers from the Coach

Some “context clues” can be misleading since context clues do not always provide perfect clues to an unfamiliar word’s meaning. When you are “using the context,” you are making an educated guess.Context clues may not always be complete. Even so, if you look a word up in the dictionary, the context will help you determine which definition you need--the one that makes sense in the sentence.

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Be sure you understand the definition or synonym given in a sentence.If context clues prove inadequate, you should use other ways to determine the meaning of the unfamiliar word or term.Use word structure clues (word parts) to confirm the educated guess you made from context clues.Learning a word in context helps you remember its definition.

The Edge (continued)

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QUIZ

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1. AuraContext: The cottages are built of

wonderful honey-toned stone, and the whole village exudes an aura of charm and relaxed timelessness.What does it meanWhat gives it away?

Definition:

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2. EncourageContext: Squeaky can’t believe that

schools encourage things like the Hansel and Gretel pageant when there are better things students can do. What does it mean? What gives it away?

Definition:

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3. GlockenspielsContext: The band members play

glockenspiels, drums, and flutes. What does it mean? What gives it away?

Definition:

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4. GratefulContext: Squeaky thinks people just

aren’t grateful, or thankful, to each other. What does it mean? What gives it away?

Definition:

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5. InfuseContext: When Mrs. Flowers read aloud,

she could infuse the words with great meaning. What does it mean? What gives it away?

Definition:

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6. IlliteracyContext: Mrs. Flowers said we should be

understanding of illiteracy because many slaves were not taught how to read or write. What does it mean? What gives it away?

Definition:

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7. IntolerantContext: Mrs. Flowers was intolerant of

rudeness and ignorance; she simply ignored those kinds of people. What does it mean? What gives it away?

Definition:

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8. ProdigyContext: Cynthia Procter acts as if she’s a

prodigy or genius. What does it mean? What gives it away?

Definition:

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9. UptightContext: When they walk down the street,

Squeaky’s antics make her mother uptight and uncomfortable. What does it mean? What gives it away?

Definition:

Referenceshttp://dusithost.dusit.ac.th/~sompoet_pan/pdf/Interac2.pdf

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highered.mheducation.com/sites/dl/free/0073513474/.../Ch1_PPT.ppt

http://www.floridaipdae.org/dfiles/resources/videos/handouts/RLA_ContextClues_Handout.pdf

http://www.upm.ro/gidni/GIDNI-01/Lds/Lds%2001%2034.pdf

http://www.bbc.co.uk