Guessing Word Meanings from Context
CEFR Level B1Lesson Goals
In this lesson, you will learn and practice the powerful active listening strategy of using context to guess the meaning of unfamiliar words.
Don't Panic When You Hear a New Word!
You will not always know every word you hear in a conversation—and that's okay! A powerful skill is to use the other words in the sentence as clues to guess the meaning. This is called using context.
For example, if you hear, "The traffic in Siem Reap was terrible this afternoon, the roads were completely congested," you can use the clue "terrible traffic" to guess that congested means "full of cars and very slow."
Key Tip: Listen for Three Types of Clues
When you hear a new word, listen carefully to the words and sentences around it. They often provide three types of clues:
- Definitions or Explanations: The speaker might explain the word right after they say it. (e.g., "We need to find a viable solution, one that is practical and can actually work.")
- Examples: The speaker might give examples that show the meaning. (e.g., "I enjoy many different beverages, such as green tea, coffee, and fruit juice.")
- Synonyms or Antonyms: The speaker might use a word with a similar meaning (synonym) or an opposite meaning (antonym). (e.g., "She was very gregarious; she was not shy at all.")
Practice Activities
Listen to the examples in the audio player. Use the context clues to guess the meaning of the bolded word.
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Guessing an Adjective
"We stayed at a new hotel last weekend. I couldn't believe the size of the swimming pool. It was enormous! It took me five whole minutes to swim from one side to the other. It was the biggest pool I have ever seen."
Based on the context, what does "enormous" mean?
Show Answer
Answer: C. The clues "biggest pool I have ever seen" and "five minutes to swim" tell you that enormous means very large.
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Guessing a Noun
"When I study, I need to have everything on my desk. I have my books, my pens, and always a hot beverage. Usually, I drink a cup of green tea or sometimes a coffee to help me stay awake."
Based on the context, what is a "beverage"?
Show Answer
Answer: B. The examples "green tea" and "coffee" are clues that a beverage is something you drink.
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Guessing a Verb
"I was supposed to have a meeting at 3 PM, but the traffic was terrible... I knew I would be very late, so I had to call my client and postpone our meeting until tomorrow."
Based on the context, what does "to postpone" mean?
Show Answer
Answer: B. Because the speaker was late, they had to move the meeting. The clue "until tomorrow" shows it was moved to a later time.
Vocabulary
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Strategy (noun) [យុទ្ធសាស្ត្រ]
A careful plan for achieving a particular goal.
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Context (noun) [បរិបទ]
The words and sentences around a word that help to explain its meaning.
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Unfamiliar (adjective) [ដែលមិនធ្លាប់ស្គាល់]
Not known or recognized.
Your Mission
It's time to be a word detective in the real world!
- The News Article Challenge: Find an English news article online (e.g., from the BBC or VOA). Find one word you don't know. Before you use a dictionary, read the full sentence and write down your guess for the meaning. Then, check the dictionary to see how close you were.
- Active Listening Practice: Listen to an English podcast or watch a short talk on YouTube. When you hear a new word, don't stop listening. Instead, pay close attention to the next one or two sentences. Did the speaker give you clues to help you understand?