Identifying Unknown Words

Grade 745 minutesL.8.4Determine or clarify the meaning of unknown and multiple-meaning words or phrases based on grade 8 reading and content, choosing flexibly from a range of strategies.

Learning Objective

I can determine the meaning of unknown words or phrases by using context clues, analyzing word parts, and consulting reference materials.

Practice Questions

This lesson includes 7 practice questions to reinforce learning.

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1. Explain what "context clues" are and why they are useful when trying to understand the meaning of a new word or phrase.

2. The video mentions that dictionaries are not always the best tool for understanding a word. Why is this the case? Give an example (different from the one in the video) of a word that can have different meanings depending on the context.

3. Imagine you read the sentence: "The arid landscape stretched out before them, a seemingly endless expanse of sand and rock." What does "arid" mean in this sentence? What context clues helped you determine the meaning?

...and 4 more questions

Educational Video

What Is a Context Clue? - Reading Strategy for Middle School

Miacademy & MiaPrep Learning Channel

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