Meaning from Context

What are we learning today?

You will guess the meaning of a new word from the sentences around it.

Explanation

Do not stop when you see a new word. Keep reading. Look at the sentences before and after the word. A clue can be:

• an explanation, such as "That means ..."
• an example
• a contrast with "but"
• a word from the same family

Examples

1. "The sun doesn't come up until January. That means it's dark for 65 days." The second sentence explains the first.
2. "Some species are in danger. ... endangered species." The word "endangered" is from the same word family as "danger".
3. "The path was muddy, so my shoes were dirty." Muddy means dirty with mud.

Remember!

• Read the sentences around the new word.
• Your guess must fit the text.

Check yourself

1. What clue explains the sentence about the sun and January?
2. What do you do if you do not know a word?