Grade 6 · Sentences, Words and Talk · Sentence Control
Context Clues and Word Parts
Use four kinds of context clue.
Learning objectives
- Use four kinds of context clue
- Break a word into prefix, root and suffix
- Verify a meaning with a dictionary entry
AERO English Language Arts alignment
AERO.ELA.6.L.4
Determine or clarify the meaning of unknown and multiple-meaning words using context, word parts and reference materials. Grade 6 / MYP 1 emphasis: work with one text or a clear pairing, with modelled evidence, sentence starters and short structured responses.
AERO.ELA.6.L.6
Acquire and use accurately grade-appropriate general academic and domain-specific words and phrases, gathering vocabulary knowledge independently. Grade 6 / MYP 1 emphasis: work with one text or a clear pairing, with modelled evidence, sentence starters and short structured responses.
AERO.ELA.6.SL.4
Present claims and findings with relevant evidence, sound reasoning, appropriate eye contact, adequate volume and clear pronunciation. Grade 6 / MYP 1 emphasis: work with one text or a clear pairing, with modelled evidence, sentence starters and short structured responses.
MYP criteria
- Criterion A — Analysing
- Criterion D — Using language
ENGAGE
Be a Word Detective
Imagine that you are reading a report about Al Zubarah and meet the word “maritime”. You do not need to stop immediately or guess blindly. Nearby words may reveal the meaning. Parts inside the word can also help, and a dictionary can confirm your thinking. In this lesson, you will practise four kinds of context clue, examine prefixes, roots and suffixes, and verify meanings carefully. These strategies will help you read academic and subject-specific texts more independently.
Think about it
- What do you usually do when you meet an unfamiliar word?
- What useful word parts can you recognise in “reusable”?
EXPLORE
Read the Evidence Around the Word
Fieldwork at Al Zubarah
At Al Zubarah, researchers examine the remains of a maritime settlement, a community whose work and travel were closely connected to the sea. Fresh water was scarce; in other words, supplies were limited and had to be used carefully. Archaeologists study permanent features, such as stone walls, rather than temporary shelters that can be moved. They also record navigational instruments, including compasses and direction markers, which helped people follow routes.
On especially hot days, an uncovered work area can become uninhabitable—too harsh for people to remain there safely. An organised team therefore plans short survey periods and carries reusable water containers. These containers can be used again, reducing waste during repeated visits. Careful preparation makes the fieldwork manageable, not impossible: researchers divide large jobs into smaller tasks, label finds clearly and rest in shaded spaces. By reading the explanations and contrasts around unfamiliar words, you can reconstruct meaning much as an archaeologist reconstructs a site from evidence. Then you can check whether your first idea is accurate.
Read like a detective
Underline words near each unfamiliar term. Look for explanations, similar meanings, contrasts and examples.
Think about it
- Which nearby phrase explains the meaning of “maritime”?
- How does the contrast with “temporary” help you understand “permanent”?
- What do the parts re-, use and -able suggest about “reusable”?
EXPLAIN
Three Tools for Finding Meaning
A context clue is information near an unfamiliar word that helps you infer its meaning. Read the whole sentence and, when necessary, the sentences around it. Do not rely on one nearby word without checking that your meaning makes sense in the passage.
| Clue type | What to notice | Example from the extract |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | The meaning is stated directly, often after a comma, dash or phrase such as “meaning”. | “Maritime settlement, a community whose work and travel were closely connected to the sea” |
| Synonym or restatement | A similar meaning is repeated using different words. | “Scarce; in other words, supplies were limited” |
| Contrast or antonym | An opposite idea appears after words such as unlike, but, not or rather than. | “Permanent features ... rather than temporary shelters” |
| Example | Specific examples show what the unfamiliar word includes. | Navigational instruments include compasses and direction markers. |
Modelled inference
I think “permanent” means lasting or not intended to be moved. My evidence is “rather than temporary shelters that can be moved”. The contrast shows that permanent features remain in place.
Word parts provide another source of evidence. A prefix comes before a root, the root carries the central meaning, and a suffix comes after the root. Not every word contains all three parts, so only divide a word where the parts have a real meaning.
- reusable = re- + use + -able
- re- means again.
- use is the root and carries the central meaning.
- -able means capable of or suitable for.
- Therefore, reusable means capable of being used again.
- uninhabitable = un- + inhabit + -able, meaning not suitable or safe to live or remain in.
| Dictionary information | What it tells you |
|---|---|
| scarce, adjective | The word describes a noun or condition. |
| Available only in a small amount; not easy to obtain | This definition matches “supplies were limited”. |
| Example: Fresh water was scarce. | The example shows the word used in a complete sentence. |
Verify rather than replace
First infer a meaning from the passage. Then check a dictionary entry and select the definition that fits the sentence. “Scarce” means limited or difficult to obtain; it does not mean completely absent.
MYP_PRACTICE
Build an Evidence Record
Return to the Al Zubarah extract and create a short vocabulary evidence record. You will identify each context clue, analyse two words into meaningful parts and compare one inference with a dictionary entry. Use complete sentences so that your reasoning is clear and accurate.
- Find one example of each clue type: definition, synonym or restatement, contrast, and example.
- For each word, copy the exact phrase that provides evidence for its meaning.
- Break “reusable” and “uninhabitable” into prefix, root and suffix.
- Write an inferred meaning for “uninhabitable”, then compare it with the supplied dictionary entry.
- Finish with one accurate sentence using either “scarce” or “reusable”.
EXIT_TICKET
Before you close this lesson
Think about it
- Which kind of context clue helped you most today, and why?
- How can a dictionary confirm or correct an inferred meaning?
Watch
Where do new words come from? - Marcel Danesi
TED-Ed · 5 min
Discover how borrowing, combining, shortening, and invention add new words to English.
Before you watch: Where do you think new English words come from?
- Which process for creating words did you find most interesting?
- Identify a recent word and explain how it may have entered the language.
Watch
Why is there a "b" in doubt? - Gina Cooke
TED-Ed · 5 min
Use the history of the word "doubt" to see how spelling can preserve a word's origins.
Before you watch: Why might a word contain a letter that speakers no longer pronounce?
- What does the spelling of "doubt" reveal about its history?
- How can etymology help you understand unfamiliar vocabulary?
Interactive practice · word evidence record
Context and Word-Part Evidence Record
Use the extract and the supplied entry to record evidence for meaning. Label each clue precisely, divide the target words into meaningful parts and write short explanations in complete sentences.
Check your answer
Task
Complete the record without guessing from the unfamiliar word alone.
Items
Sentence frames
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Your answer
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Key vocabulary
- context clue
- Information near a word that helps you work out its meaning.
- prefix
- A meaningful word part added to the beginning of a root.
- root
- The main word part that carries the central meaning.
- suffix
- A meaningful word part added to the end of a root.
Practice questions
0/3 correct
Level 1 · Criterion A
Which kind of context clue explains “scarce” in the extract?
Level 1 · Criterion A
Which option correctly divides “reusable” into prefix, root and suffix?
Level 2 · Criterion A
The dictionary defines “scarce” as “available only in a small amount; not easy to obtain”. Which statement best verifies the meaning used in the extract?
MYP criterion tasks
Level 2 · Criterion A
What does “permanent” mean in the extract? Quote or closely refer to the evidence that supports your inference.
Level 3 · Criterion D
Write one accurate sentence about outdoor fieldwork using “uninhabitable”. Then explain how its prefix, root and suffix support the meaning.
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