CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.3.4a
The Standard
Use sentence-level context as a clue to the meaning of a word or phrase.
Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts
Teacher's field guide
What This Standard Means
What Students Need to Do
- Students use the words and details around an unfamiliar word to figure out its likely meaning. They explain which parts of the sentence gave them the clue.
What Mastery Looks Like
- Students infer a reasonable meaning for an unfamiliar word by using details in the sentence. They point to specific words or phrases that support their meaning and check that it makes sense.
Common Misconceptions
- Students may choose a meaning based on one nearby word instead of the whole sentence. They may also confuse a familiar-looking word with the unknown word or give a meaning that does not fit the sentence.
How to Assess It
- Give students this exit ticket: “The puppy was famished, so it quickly ate every bite of food.” Ask them to define “famished” and underline two context clues.
Lesson moves
Ways to Teach It
Place mystery objects in bags, describe each object in a clue-filled sentence, and have students infer the meaning of one unfamiliar describing word.
Ask students to explain what “drowsy” means in “Mia felt drowsy, so she yawned and closed her eyes,” citing sentence clues.
Play Context Clue Match by pairing cards with unfamiliar words, clue-filled sentences, and meanings, then checking whether each set makes sense.
Read a short weather report with one unfamiliar word, then use the surrounding sentence to determine what families should wear or carry.
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Printable L.3.4a Worksheet
A ready-to-print activity worksheet aligned to CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.3.4a, with an answer key for the teacher on its own page. No account needed.
PDF, US Letter, prints cleanly in black and white.
Download the worksheetLearning progression
Where This Standard Sits
Before This Standard
If students are struggling here, check these first.
What This Unlocks
Mastery here sets students up for these next.
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Related Standards
- CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.8.4a
Use context (e.g., the overall meaning of a sentence or paragraph; a word's position or function in a sentence) as a clue to the meaning of a word or phrase.
- CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.6.4a
Use context (e.g., the overall meaning of a sentence or paragraph; a word's position or function in a sentence) as a clue to the meaning of a word or phrase.
- CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.1.4a
The 1st Grade version of this standard.
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