| L.A.A.1.2.3. |
|
|
|
|
Context clues are the words, phrases and sentences that help you understand the meaning of a word you don't know. Pictures can give you context clues, too.
|
|
The underlined words are context clues that help you understand what migrate means.
As winter approaches, some birds begin to migrate. Many fly south to warmer weather.
|
|
|
|
|
A prefix is a letter or word part you add to the beginning of a base word or root word. The prefix makes a new word by changing the meaning of the base or root.
|
|
|
The prefix un means not. If you add un to happy, the new word means not happy.
|
|
|
|
|
A suffix is a letter or word part you add to the end of a base word or root word. The suffix makes a new word by changing the meaning of the base or root.
|
|
|
The suffix ful means full of. If you add ful to the end of joy, the new word means full of joy.
|
|
|
|
|
The most important thing to know about root words or base words is that both of these terms refer to the part of a word that gives you the word's basic meaning. You add prefixes and suffixes to root words or base words to make new words.
|
|
Most root words cannot stand alone. In the word animal, the root anima means life.
Base words can stand alone. In the word disappears, the base word is appear.
|
|
|
|
|
A synonym is a word that means the same or almost the same as another word.
|
|
The bus will depart at 9:00 p.m.
Leave is a synonym for depart: the bus will leave at 9:00 p.m.
|
|
|
|
|
An antonym is a word that means the opposite or almost the opposite of another word.
|
|
Small is the opposite of large, so small is an antonym for large.
Little and tiny are also antonyms for large.
|
|
|
|
|
Homophones are words that sound the same but have different spellings and meanings.
|
|
The words by, buy, and bye all sound the same, but these homophones have different spellings and meanings:
*by means near
*buy means to pay for something
*bye means farewell
|
|
|
|
|
A word that has multiple meanings is a word that has more than one definition.
|
|
|
The word fly has multiple meanings. It can mean a small insect. The word fly can also mean to travel through the air.
|
|
|
|
|
A compound word is a word created by putting two words together. The new word must make sense.
|
|
If you put butter and fly together, you make the compound word butterfly.
If you put dog and house together, you make the compound word doghouse.
|
|
|
|
|
You make a contraction by putting two words together and replacing some of the letters with an apostrophe.
|
|
I couldn't go to the movie. (Couldn't is a contraction for could not.)
They've won the game. (They've is a contraction for they have.)
|
|
