CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.9-10.4d

ELAGrades 9–10Vocabulary 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 make an initial guess about a word or phrase using clues in the sentence or passage. They check that meaning in context or with a dictionary, then revise it if needed.
What Mastery Looks Like: Students state a reasonable meaning, point to context evidence, and select the dictionary sense that fits. They revise their first answer when the evidence shows a better meaning.
Common Misconceptions: Students may choose the first familiar definition even when it does not fit the sentence. They may also ignore part of speech, nearby clues, or meanings used only in idioms.
How to Assess It: Give this exit ticket: “The council reached a tentative agreement, but members warned that details could change.” Define “tentative,” cite one context clue, and confirm your answer with a dictionary.

Lesson moves

Give pairs context cards and dictionaries; students underline clues, predict each bold word’s meaning, check it, and revise their answer.
Ask students to explain in writing: Which context clue best supports your inferred meaning, and what dictionary detail confirms it?
Play Definition Detective: teams choose the dictionary sense that fits a sentence and earn a point only when they cite context evidence.
Have students inspect an unfamiliar phrase in a news headline, infer its meaning, then verify it with a reputable dictionary.

Free download

A ready-to-print activity worksheet aligned to CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.9-10.4d, 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.

Mastery here sets students up for these next.

Keep exploring

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