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Grade 1 English Language Arts · Level 4, Understand Information and Grow Vocabulary

Use Context to Learn a Word

Use sentence-level context as a clue to the meaning of an unknown or multiple-meaning word or phrase.

How the lesson starts: Use Context to Learn a Word

1. Detective Dash

   Hi! This is Dash. Dash is a detective dog. Dash sniffs out new words. Is a word new to Dash? He sniffs the words around it. Those words are clues!

2. A clue in the sentence

   Listen. The pup was tiny, so small it fit in a cup. What does tiny mean? Sniff the clue. So small it fit in a cup. Tiny means very small!

3. Dash thinks out loud

   Listen. Dash was soaked. Water dripped from his fur. First, find the new word. Soaked. Next, find the clue. Water dripped from his fur. Guess. Very wet! Try it. Dash was very wet. Yes! Watch out. Very sleepy would not fit the clue.