VOCABULARY BUILDING

STRATEGIES

“When in doubt, use the dictionary”.

There are three common strategies to guess the meanings of the unknown, unfamiliar and new words.

1. Meanings through word formation2. Meanings through definitions3. Meanings through contextual clues

MEANINGS THROUGH WORD FORMATION

1. A Prefix is a letter or group of letters added to the beginning of a root word to change its meaning.

2. A Suffix is a letter or group of letters added to the end of a root word to change its meaning.

The word ‘UNIMAGINABLE’. The root word is ‘IMAGE’ The Suffix is ‘ABLE’ adds on the meaning

can be imagined. The Prefix is ‘UN’ changes the meaning of the

word to cannot be imagined.

MEANING THROUGH WORD FORMATION

3. Compound wordsA word can by formed by joining two or more words. The new word is called a Compound

word.

A compound word can be made up of two nouns

(bookshelf) or a verb and noun (turncoat) or an adjective and noun (greenhouse) or a verb and preposition (walkover).

MEANING THROUGH DEFINITIONS

A definition tells you what a thing is and what it does.

A Chronometer is defined as an instrument for telling the time.

Morphine is a drug used to relieve pain. A Convict may be defined as a person who is

sent to prison for committing a crime. A Stalactite is a limestone deposit hanging

from the roof of a cave.

MEANINGS THROUGH DEFINITIONS

A definition identifies the class or group of things to which the term belongs. It also tells the special feature of the term, i.e. what makes it different from other things in the same class.

Term Class Special Feature

Piano is defined as musical instrument that has a key board.

MEANINGS THROUGH CONTEXTUAL CLUES To discover the meaning of a word through its

context.

There are four basic steps to guess the meanings of the words.

1. Find out what parts of speech the unknown word it belongs.

2. Pick out contextual clues of two types: Opposites and Associations.

3. Find a connection between opposites and association.

4. Make an intelligent guess at the meaning of word.

THE END