Unlocking Unknown Words
Aligned to L.11-12.4 — Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts.
What this lesson teaches
Meet an unfamiliar word by working the evidence in order — context clues in the sentence, then the Greek or Latin roots and affixes inside the word, then a reference to confirm. For multiple-meaning words, let the surrounding subject decide which sense applies.
Worked example
Facing 'the treaty was untenable,' a reader sees 'un-' (not) plus a root shared with 'tenant' and 'retain' (to hold), infers 'unable to be held,' and confirms it means 'not defensible' — the parts predicted the meaning before the dictionary settled it.
Practice questions
- Take an unfamiliar word in a sentence and state your best guess from context alone.
- Break the word into affixes and roots and revise your guess based on the parts.
- Explain how you would confirm the meaning and how you would choose between two senses of a multiple-meaning word.
Watch the lesson
Every lesson comes with a video taught in English and Spanish — the same video the QR code in the printed workbook opens.
▶ Watch this lessonEn español
Descifrar Palabras Desconocidas
Enfrenta una palabra desconocida trabajando la evidencia en orden — las pistas del contexto en la oración, luego las raíces griegas o latinas y los afijos dentro de la palabra, y después una referencia para confirmar. Para palabras con varios sentidos, deja que el tema alrededor decida cuál aplica.
Ejemplo: Ante 'el tratado era insostenible', un lector ve 'in-' (no) más una raíz compartida con 'sostener' y 'sostén', infiere 'que no se puede sostener' y confirma que significa 'no defendible' — las partes predijeron el significado antes de que el diccionario lo fijara.
More Language lessons
Teach this lesson today
An AI tutor that guides with questions instead of just giving answers — all K–12 core subjects, every child in the family.
Start free — no card required