CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.11-12.4c
The Standard
Consult general and specialized reference materials (e.g., dictionaries, glossaries, thesauruses), both print and digital, to find the pronunciation of a word or determine or clarify its precise meaning, its part of speech, its etymology, or its standard usage.
Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts
Teacher's field guide
What This Standard Means
What Students Need to Do
- Students choose a reference source that matches their question about a word. They verify pronunciation, grammar role, word history, exact meaning, and accepted use, then record the source.
What Mastery Looks Like
- Students select the right reference for a specific question and use entry features accurately. They choose the context-fitting meaning, explain word history, and apply the word correctly.
Common Misconceptions
- Students often assume every synonym in a thesaurus can replace the original word. They may choose the first definition listed or ignore labels for formality, field, region, and grammar.
How to Assess It
- Give students the word “disinterested” in a sentence. Ask them to use two references to record its meaning, part of speech, usage note, and source.
Lesson moves
Ways to Teach It
Set up four stations with a print dictionary, thesaurus, glossary, and etymology site; students build a word profile for an assigned term.
Have students compare dictionary entries for “literally,” then write which meaning fits two provided sentences and defend each choice with entry evidence.
Play a reference relay where teams draw a word card, choose the best source, and report one requested detail accurately.
Give students a college email draft with misused words; they use usage notes to correct each word and explain the revision.
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Printable L.11-12.4c Worksheet
A ready-to-print activity worksheet aligned to CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.11-12.4c, with an answer key for the teacher on its own page. No account needed.
PDF, US Letter, prints cleanly in black and white.
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