Friday, February 1, 2008
Vocabulary
Sometimes when you are reading, you come across a word that you do not know. When this happens, what do you do? How do you figure out its meaning? What unfamiliar word(s) did you encounter in a book and how did you figure out the meaning? Be sure to include the title of the book, author, and the unfamiliar word(s). (CT Standard: Vocabulary: analyze the meaning of words and phrases in context.)
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
56 comments:
When I find a word that I do not know, I put it into my Writer's Notebook along with the page number and book and then, when I am done reading I look it up and go back to the page to see if it makes more sense now. Or, I read the sentence or paragraph again to see if there are "clues" to figure out the meaning of it.
(Anika K.)
When I come across a word that I don't know, I read the word again and think of some definitions that would be close to it. Then, I read the sentences before and after it to see how the mood of the paragraph is and figure out what the word is trying to describe. From there, I usually have the right definition in mind. However, if I don't, I ask someoneabou it or look in the dictionary.
(Gabby Shkreli)
If I do understand a word, I reread the sentence three times over. If that does not work, I ask a friend, or my mom. Incase that does not work I look the word up in the dictinary.
---- Gabrielle Ferraina---- =] =)
When I read a word that I don't know or understand, I reread the sentence before it and after it. This gives me "text clues" about what the word might mean. If this does not work, then I will usually look it up in the dictionary or ask someone.
-Steph B.
When I come across a word I do not know, I first read around it to see if I can figure it out. If that doesn't work, I look in a dictionary or ask my parents, to find the meaning of the word. In the book I am reading called The Penultimate Peril, by Lemony Snicket, I found the word distraught which means sad and upset. I found this out by looking at the context clues in the book.
When I am reading a challenging book with unfamiliar words, I usually use context clues to help me figure out the definition. I don't like to stop in the middle of a book to get up and look for a dictionary, so I use the sentences around the word to discover it's meaning. I try to think of a word
that I would put in it's place, and then see if the unfamiliar word coud be a synonym.
(Sarah M.)
If I find a word I don't know in a book, I write it in the authors words and phrases section of my writers notebook. Then I try finding out the definition by reading the sentence it's in and that usually works.
When I come across a word that I dont know then I somtimes put that word into my authors words and phrases section in my notebook. when I am finished reading I either go look it up in the dictonary, then i go back to that specific sentence and I re-read itt and i make sure now that I know what the author was trying to say.
Lia V:]
When I come across a word I don't know, I read the sentence and try to figure out the meaning. If I still don't know what the word means I put it in my Writer's Notebook so I can look at it later.
(caroline r.)
When I come across a word I don't understand, I ask someone else for the meaning or I look up the definition in the dictionary. There haven't been any or many words in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows that I don't understand. In addition, I learn vocabulary on my own so that helps.
Stephen D.
While I am reading I come across many unfamiliar words but they intrigue me. I write them down on a sticky note and stick it to the front of my book. When I am finished I look at all the words and see if I can figure out what they mean. If I can't then I go to the dictionary. Sometimes I don't understand the definition that the dictionary gives me. Then I ask a teacher. After that if I understand it after that then I write it down in my Writers Notebook, with the actual and the one that I got from the teacher. That way I know the technical and the explained definition for later use.
Lizzie T. Period 1-3
when I get stuck and I don't know a word then I usually write the word down and the page number,then I go back to it and I look it up in a dictionary.Sometimes I read the sentence before or after it to try to figure out what it means.
{Melissa B.}
While reading a biography titled Abraham Lincoln, The Freedom President by Susan Sloate I found many heavy vocabulary words. One example was in Lincoln's speech called the Gettysburg Address. "...But in a larger sense, we cannot dedicate-we cannot consecrate-we cannot hallow-this ground". I got many clues from before and after the heavy vocabulary to get a feeling of its meaning.
Jessica C
When I am reading and I come across a word that I don't know, I uusually read the text before and after it to give me clues of what it may mean. Another thing that helps me determine the meaning of the word is to look at the way that it is used. For example, I would look at it to see if its a noun, adjective, verb, ect. An example of a word that I didn't know the meaning of was the word quell. This word was in the book Dial L for Loser by Lisi Harrison. I didn't know what it meant so I looked it up in the dictionary and found the definition of it and saw that it was used as a verb. Sometimes if I don't know the definition of a word I record the word or sentence in my Writer's Notebook.
When I am reading a book and come across a word that I don’t understand, I usually re-read the sentence. I think re-reading the sentence is a good strategy because it helps you find clues or other words in the sentence that will help you define the word. Another thing I do is think of a synonym of the word and replace it with the word. If that still doesn’t make sense then in go ask a teacher.
(Firdaus K.)
When I come accross a word I do not know, the first thing I do is read around for context clues. If that dosen't work I look in a dicctionary or ask my parents, to find out the meaning of the word. One unfamiliar word I came accross while reading The End, by Lemony Snicket, was facilitator. I found out it was someone who helps other people make dicisions by reading the context clues.
(Daniel J)
When I find a word that I do not know the meaning of I will use context clues. To use context clues you read the sentence before the word or after the word, and try to figure out what it means. If even this technique doesn't work then I will look for a comparison in a different part of the book that matches with the scene or mood of it.
(Chris H.)
When I am reading a book and happen upon a word that I do not know, I try to guess what the word means by reading on in the sencence. But, if I still don't know what it means, I usually write it down and ask one of my friends or my mom. And in the case which they don't know what it means, I go to dictionary.com and look up the word. One example of a vocabulary word that I didn't know too well when I read it was the word prude. So first I thought of what it could be, then I went straight to dictionary.com. Then I went to go ask my friends and my mom.
(Tara O'Halloran)
When I'm reading a book with challenging vocabulary I use context clues to help me. If I still can't figure it out I will look itn up. Sometimes if like the meaning of the word I'll put it in the "Authors Words and Phrases" section.
-Marisa I
When I am reading a book and do not know the meaning of a word, I tend to reread the sentence. If I still do not understand, I look at words around it and guess a possible definition to see if it works. Usually, the same words are used more than once in a book, so when I am unsure, it is important that I figure it out.
-ALIM.-
When I find a word that I don't know I usually read the sentence or paragraph over a couple of times until I have a pretty good idea what the definition is. If I really cannot figure it out, I get to a good place to stop reading and look it up on www.dictionary.com or in an actual dictionary. But, if I don't have access to either one I will ask a friend, teacher, or parent what they think the word means. I often come to words that I don't know if I am reading a more challenging novel, but usually I can figure it out if I use these strategies.
When I stumble across a word that I don't know, I read the rest of the sentence to see if there may be other clues to what it means. I find this technique to be very helpful because most of the time the author will explain what the word means in further detail as I read on. When I still don't know what the word means I end up looking the word up in the dictionary or going onto dictionary.com.
When I come across a word that I don't know in my book, I write down the word in my Author's Words and Phrases section of my Writer's Notebook. I go back into the text and read the whole page over again to see if I could possibly make up a definition. Then, I look the word up in the dictionary and see if my guess came close. Sometimes, I think of a way to remember the word and definition.
Recently in a book I just read, called Night, I came across the word "sanctity". The next day, i logged the word down in my Writer's Notebook . The definition was not in the dictionary, so i read the page and the paragraph especially, very carfully. I came up with "calm, serene" as my defintion. I got that because it was talking about how he and Yossi and Tibi would hum Hewbrew songs about the Gentle waters or the Jordan River and the "majestic sanctity of Jerusalem." It seemed to fit because of the gentle waters of the Jordan River so I figured okay... its calm....serene...peaceful. I am still not sure if it even means those words I said.
When I find a word, that I cannot decipher, I read the sentence over a couple of times. After that, I usually read the sentences around it. If those strategies do not work, I ask somebody around me that has good knowledge. If this person does not know, I will get a dictionary and look it up, or go to www.dictionary.com.
( Luke M )
When I find a word I don't know I first write down somewhere so I'll put it in my writer's notebook or I just write it in my writer's notebook. Then I reread the paragraph and look for clues on what the word might mean. If I still can't figure the word out I usually ask someone what they think and then I look it up in a dictionary.
Hannah ♥j☺y
Whenever I find a word in a book that I do not know, I would usually finish the sentence I am on first, then if I cannot guess the meaning, then I read the next sentence. When that doesn't work, then I look it up in the dictionary.
-Ryan Lei
When I am writing and I do not know a word first I read it again. If that does not work I ask someone sitting next to me. Then if that does not work I go to the dictionary.
(Raja BS)
If I see a word I don't know I am eager and curious to find out what it means right away. Or else, i feel like i'm missing something in the book. So, I write it down and as soon as possible, look it up. There are many different ways that I do this. first of all, a dictionary. That's the simplest and easiest for me. Or, if i'm on the computer I go straight to
www. dictionary.com
(sarah e.)
A lot of times when I don’t know a word I write it down. Then I try thinking about the sentence that it was in and what it might be or what it might have to do with. I think that it is good to do this because then it allows you to think more about what you are reading. If I really don’t know what it is or if I want to see if my guess was close, I look in a dictionary. Also it might sometimes help if I'm writing a piece to use the word once i know what it is. (EMILY K.)
when i read a word that i don't know the meaning of I usually read the text before and after the sentence. Then if that doesn't work then I ask an adult about that specific word. The last thing that I do is look it up in a dictionary
when I find a word I don’t know I usually read the sentences around it for "text clues" and if that doesn’t work I write the word on a sticky note and when I go to school I put it in my writers note book. I then look up the word in the dictionary or ask someone. I usually ask my mom because she has read most of the hard books I read like shogun which has many tricky words.
when I find a word I don’t know I usually read the sentences around it for "text clues" and if that doesn’t work I write the word on a sticky note and when I go to school I put it in my writers note book. I then look up the word in the dictionary or ask someone. I usually ask my mom because she has read most of the hard books I read like shogun which has many tricky words.
-Michael c.
I already posted how I find out the definition of a word that i don't know and come across. Now, I am posting an example of one of the words I came across. I am currently reading Project Paris by Lisa Barham. Many of the words I stumble upon in my book are slightly challengening, including posterity. I wrote the word on a piece of paper so I could refer to it after I was finished reading. once I was done, I took my dictionary and look it up. The word meant succeding generations. I had no clue that it meant there. There we no text clues in the paragraph or even the page to help me.
(Alessandra C)
When I come across a word I don't know the meaning of then I usually reread the sentence at least 2 times and try to replace the word with a word I know. If that doesn't help then I write it down and after I am done reading, I go look it up in a dictionary.
(Vicky A.)
When I come across a word I do not recognize in my novel, I look around for context clues and try to make a inference on what the definition is. If that doen't work, to the dictionary I go to find it so I could better understand what I am reading.
(Derek P.)
When I come across a word I don't know I first look at the word to see if another word I know is in the word. Seconde I read the words around it to see if it will give me any hints. Lastly I ask someone for help like my mom, a friend, or a teacher or I look in the dictonary.
When I come across a word I don't know I first look at the word to see if another word I know is in the word . Seconde I read the words around it to see if it will give me any hints. Lastly I ask someone for help like my mom, a friend, or the teacher or look in the dictonary.
(Kate V.)
When I am reading and I come across a word that I am not familiar with, I read the sentences before the sentence with the word in it. Next, I read the sentence with the word in it and then I read the sentence after the unfamiliar word. If I still can't decipher the word then I put it in my writer's notebook with a question mark reminding me to ask Mrs. Marusa, or I stop reading and I look up the word in the dictionary.
When I find a word in a book that I do not know, I try to figure out what it means by looking at the text and try to figure it out by myself. If I can't I will look it up in the dictionary.
---> Stephen O.
When I find a word that i do not recognize, I naturally re-read the paragraph. I try to decipher the meaning by reading the surrounding text. If that does not work, I look up the word in the dictionary.
~ Josh K.
When I come across a word that I don’t know I read what is before and after it to try to figure it out. This method usually helps and you don’t have to stop reading and go pick up a dictionary or anything like that. It is just what we do on the CMT’s with the DRP, which means Degrees of Reading Power. I found a hard word in the book,”Someone Like You.” This book is by Sarah Dessen. The hard word that I came across was vengeance. But because I re-read the text again and looked from any hints that I could get just by doing that, and it worked. Vengeance means anger or out of revenge. (Kaitlyn O.)
If I am ever reading a book and theres a word that I don't know, I usally read the sentence or two. when I do that i can usally figure out what it means, without asking anybody else. When ever I find a word that i don't know I put it in my Writer's Notebook.
-Scarlett S.
Every once in a while I come accross words that I don't know. I normally read the paragraph that contains the words again, then the following few sentences. Once that's done, I'm usually able to understand the word, because there are usually clues that give me hints to what the difinition is. If that doesn't work, however, I ask a friend or a parent. If they don't know, then I look it up on google or in the dictionary.
--Chloe G.
When I find a word that I do not know then i get my writers notebook and later, if i find the meaning intentionally or accidentally, i write it in my notebook right beside to the word. My gems section is where i write it but i have different parts to it. For example, I have adjectives, verbs and other things.
(tiffany)
In the book "It Dosen't Take A Hero" by General Norman H. Schwartsiknoph I found the word hogtied in the book. I didn't understand this word but by the sentence it was in I found out that this word ment that he was stuck. (Jake T.)
When I find a word that I don't know I do the following. I first try to find a word in the word that I might know. I will also put it in my writer's note book. I also ask my parents if I am stuck finding out what the word means. The last thing that I do is look up th eword in the dictionary.
(Justin L.)
When I have found word that I do not know, I would read it untill I can creat a similar definition to it. If that had ever fail, I would alwase look it up online or on a dictionary.
-Dante H.
Currently, I am reading the book Eclipse by Stephanie Meyer. When I find unfamiliar words in my reading, I usually read the sentence over again and substitute the unfamiliar word with words that would make sense. One word that I didn't know the meaning to was xenophobia. When I used the strategy of reading the sentence, I couldn't find the meaning. When this happens, I just look the word up on www.dictionary.com.
(-S.A.R.A.H.B.-)
When I find a word I don't know in a book then I will read the sentence before and after it. After doing this I can usually figure out what it means. Otherwise I skip over the word. Most of the time, the word won't be that important, and it will not matter.
-Courtney G
Every time I read a book there is at least one new word that I don’t know what it means. When this happens I ether read before it again and after it. By doing this I’m hoping to find hints to what the word means. Sometimes I won’t be able to find the answer in the text. At this point I ask my parents . . . . But, usually they haven’t even heard of the word. This leaves me one more choice the Dictionary. Luckily the dictionary always has an answer!
(RACHEL L.)
When I find a word that I don’t understand, I put that word in my writer’s notebook along with the page number and the book title. After I do that, I read the sentence three or four times over until I understand it. If I still don’t understand the word, I look it up in the dictionary.
♥Deja Smith ♥
When I find a word that I don't understand I see how it is used in the senctence. If I can't find it out that way I write it down in my writer's notebook and go in the dictionary afterwards.
Parker R.
When I find a word I do not know, I put it in my writer's notebook in a section I created called "Words I don't know". I try to figure out what these words mean by using context clues. These clues are from the sentences and words around the word I don't know. In the book "And Then There Were None," I have found many words I don't know like asphyxiation (suffocating). Then I use context clues to figure it out but if that doesn't work I go straight to the dictionary.
( Finn Cohane )
What I normally do when I come across a word that I don't know, I try to look for clues in the text. To do that, you read the sentences before and after it and try to make an educated guess on what the word actually is. If I have absolutely no idea what it means, I just go to a dictionary.
Whenever I don't know a word, I see if there are any words within it that I know the meaning of. If I don't see any words within the word then I look at the sentance to see if could figure from using words from the sentance. Lastly, if I still don't know the meaning I go to the dictionary and look the word up. An example of this is when I was reading "Beautiful Jim Key," by Mim Eichler Rivas. "May 1889, foaling time in Bedford County, was marked by the kind of raucous explosion of nature that the season was known for." In that sentance I didn't know the definition of raucous. I tried all my techniques and I couldn't find the definition so went to the dictionary. It said that it ment loud and rowdy.
-Gabrielle Fignar-
when ever i find a word that i dont know in a book that i am reading i look it up in my dictionary and record the word and the definition down in the gems sections of my writers notebook. this way when ever i have writer's block i can go to my gems section and get a knew word.
Post a Comment