Inferring meaning from context

There are a number of clues which you may be able to use to help you work out the meaning of an unfamiliar word:

The context in which it is used

• Visual clues: a picture in a book or film footage in a TV news broadcast may help you.

• Your own background knowledge about a situation: for example, if you already know
that there has just been an earthquake in Los Angeles, then you will find it easy to
understand the word 'earthquake' when you hear a news broadcast about it.

• The immediate context (other words around the unfamiliar word): these may make the
meaning absolutely clear: 'Suzanna picked one tall yellow gladiolus to put in her new
crystal vase.' Even if you have never seen or heard the word 'gladiolus', it will probably
be obvious to you from the context that it is a type of flower.

• Grammatical clues in the context: it is not difficult to understand that 'superstitious'
must be an adjective in the sentence 'Marsha is very superstitious.' or that 'gingerly' is
an adverb in 'Jackie tiptoed gingerly down the stairs.'

Similarity to other words you already know in English

A large number of words in English are made up of combinations of other words. You may never have seen the word 'headscarf’, for example, but the meaning is easy to work out from its two components.

Structure

A prefix or suffix may give you a clue, for example.

Similarity to a word you know in your own (or some other) language

If your first language is of Latin or of Germanic origin, you will come across many words in English that resemble words in your own language. However, English has taken many words from many other languages too. So make use of any other languages you know. But remember that some words are false friends - they sound as if they mean the same but in fact they have a different meaning. (A good dictionary will give lists of false friends for a lot of European languages.)

 

Explaining unknown words

The following expressions can be useful when you are trying to explain what a word or

expression means:

It's (a bit) like (a chair)...

It's something you use for (painting pictures /cleaning the kitchen floor...)

It's a kind of (bird /musical instrument/ building…)

It must /could be...

It will not be possible to work out the meanings of all the unfamiliar words that you come across but remember that you do not need to understand every word in a text in order to understand the whole text. When it is crucial to know a meaning, use the clues suggested in this unit and make a guess before checking the dictionary.

 

 

Exercises

Look at the following text. Before you read it, see if you know what the underlined words

Mean.

A tortoise is a shelled reptile famed for its slowness and longevity. The Giant Tortoise of the Galapagos may attain over 1-5 metres in length and have a lifespan of more than 130 years. Smaller tortoises from Southern Europe and North Africa make popular pets. They need to be tended, carefully in cool climates and must have a warm place in which they can hibernate.

 

Which of the underlined words can you guess from the context or using any other clues?

 

2) Use the context to work out what the underlined words mean. Explain them using one or other of the expressions from the previous page.

 

1) Above the trees at the edge of the meadow, a buzzard hangs for a moment on the wind
before soaring towards the hills.

2) According to some sources, the water vole is one of the most rapidly declining creatures
in Britain and a new survey is now being carried out to determine how serious the
threat of extinction really is.

3) Using a large chisel the police broke through the front door and surprised the robbers.

4) We ate a delicious chicken and noodle soup from a big tureen and enjoyed several
bowls each.

5) When the soup is ready, ladle it into six warmed bowls.

6) We often used to walk up to the cliff top where we would clamber over the farmer's
gate and go right to the edge where the view was better.

7) Some people get really ratty when they haven't had enough sleep.

3) Use your knowledge of other basic English words to help you work out the meanings of the underlined words and expressions. Rewrite them using simpler words or explanations
for the underlined words and phrases.

1) It says on the can that this drink is sugar-free.

2) More and more shops now have their own special store cards and offer you a discount
if you use one of them.

3) I find Mo a very warm-hearted person.

4) I've been up to my eyes in work ever since I got back from holiday.

5) We walked down a tree-lined street towards the station.

6) The little boys were fascinated by the cement-mixer.