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English · Reading comprehension

New word in context

Work out a word's meaning from around it.

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What does 'work out a word from context' mean?

Sometimes you read a new word you do not know. You can use the other words around it to guess its meaning. The nearby sentences give you clues. This is called working out a word from context.

Why is this skill useful?

You will not know every word in every book you read. If you stop to look up every word, reading becomes slow and boring. Using context clues helps you keep reading and understand the story. You get better at it with practice.

What kinds of clues can you find?

Look for words that mean the opposite or the same. Check if the sentence explains or describes the new word. See what is happening in the story. Think about what would make sense. All these clues help you guess the meaning.

What if you guess wrong?

That is okay! Keep reading. If your guess does not fit later sentences, try again. Good readers change their guesses when they learn more. Guessing and checking is part of reading.

Worked examples

  1. 1. The dog was famished after the long walk. He ate his dinner in seconds. What does 'famished' mean?

    1. Read the sentence with the new word: The dog was famished after the long walk.
    2. Read the next sentence for clues: He ate his dinner in seconds.
    3. Think what makes sense: If he ate very quickly, he must have been very hungry.
    4. So 'famished' means very hungry.

  2. 2. The ancient castle had stood for hundreds of years. Its old stone walls were crumbling. What does 'ancient' mean?

    1. Find the new word: ancient.
    2. Look for clues nearby: hundreds of years, old stone walls.
    3. These words tell us the castle is very old.
    4. So 'ancient' means very old.

  3. 3. Mia was elated when she won the race. She jumped and cheered with joy. What does 'elated' mean?

    1. Spot the word you do not know: elated.
    2. Check what happened: Mia won the race.
    3. See what she did: jumped and cheered with joy.
    4. So 'elated' means very happy or joyful.

Try it yourself

The tiny kitten was timid around strangers. It hid under the sofa whenever visitors came. What does 'timid' mean?

Ready to test yourself?

Take a short topic test — every question maps to a syllabus point so you’ll see exactly which parts you’ve mastered.