CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.11-12.4d

ELAGrades 11–12Vocabulary Acquisition and Use

The Standard

Verify the preliminary determination of the meaning of a word or phrase (e.g., by checking the inferred meaning in context or in a dictionary).

Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts

Teacher's field guide

What Students Need to Do: Students infer what an unfamiliar word or phrase means from its context. They check a dictionary or other reference, then confirm or revise their first interpretation.
What Mastery Looks Like: Students make a sensible first guess using nearby details. They confirm or revise that guess with a dictionary and explain why the selected meaning fits the context.
Common Misconceptions: Students may choose the first dictionary definition without checking whether it fits the sentence. They may also treat a reasonable guess as final or ignore tone, connotation, and word form.
How to Assess It: Give students a short paragraph with one bold word. Ask them to infer its meaning, check a dictionary, and explain which definition best fits the paragraph.

Lesson moves

Give pairs context cards and dictionary entries, then have them match each bold word to the definition that fits its sentence.
Ask students to explain when a dictionary definition might be accurate but still wrong for a particular sentence.
Play Definition Detective, where teams earn points by choosing and defending the best dictionary meaning for each mystery word.
Compare a headline and article using the same word, then check whether the word carries the same meaning in both places.

Free download

A ready-to-print activity worksheet aligned to CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.11-12.4d, with an answer key for the teacher on its own page. No account needed.

PDF, US Letter, prints cleanly in black and white.

Learning progression

If students are struggling here, check these first.

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