Guessing the meaning of a word from context

Last updated: 15/11/2023
Contributor: Stephen Mitchell
Guessing the meaning of a word from context
Main Subject
Key stage
Category
Developing vocabulary: Understanding new words
Resource type
Student activity
Game/quiz

A PowerPoint presentation with tips for how students can identify the meanings of unfamiliar words through clues provided by their context. 

The presentation includes:

  • strategies for understanding new words
  • a warm-up quiz featuring five words which can be guessed from their context
  • a short quiz based on a selection of 10 challenging words – the ultimate contest! 

Ideal for giving students the confidence to encounter and decipher new vocabulary when reading independently or for preparing students for unseen texts in an exam context.

All reviews

Have you used this resource?

This is a really good idea- it seems so simple but I had never thought of it myself! The slides are clear and ready for use. I think it would be suitable for any ks3 but I will be using it with lower ability, letting them work together.

Charlotte Quinney

01/03/2021

5

09/07/2020

Thanks Helen.
I wasn't able to remove highlighted answers, but that says more about my Powerpoint
game. Excellent resource, thank you.

Daniel Brooke

28/05/2020

Hi DB, thank you for your interest in using this resource. This PowerPoint presentation was designed for use in the classroom, so the animation reveals the correct answer by highlighting it, which is why on the slides it looks like all the answers have been revealed. If you'd like to remove the green rectangles, then you can do this on the 'Home' tab by dragging each box of answers out of the way and then deleting them, before replacing the answers. I hope this helps. Kind regards, Helen

Helen Stacey, Teachit English Editor

26/05/2020

This is a really good idea- it seems so simple but I had never thought of it myself! The slides are clear and ready for use. I think it would be suitable for any ks3 but I will be using it with lower ability, letting them work together.

Charlotte Quinney

01/03/2021

5

09/07/2020

Thanks Helen.
I wasn't able to remove highlighted answers, but that says more about my Powerpoint
game. Excellent resource, thank you.

Daniel Brooke

28/05/2020

Hi DB, thank you for your interest in using this resource. This PowerPoint presentation was designed for use in the classroom, so the animation reveals the correct answer by highlighting it, which is why on the slides it looks like all the answers have been revealed. If you'd like to remove the green rectangles, then you can do this on the 'Home' tab by dragging each box of answers out of the way and then deleting them, before replacing the answers. I hope this helps. Kind regards, Helen

Helen Stacey, Teachit English Editor

26/05/2020

Would be excellent but the answers are highlighted, so useless as a student exercise.

Daniel Brooke

24/05/2020

Fabulous resource

Valerie Long

02/05/2020

5

22/04/2020

english

t froese

22/01/2020

5

26/08/2019

5

07/04/2019