Virginia SOL 6.RV.1.B
The Standard
Use context and sentence structure to determine multiple meanings of words and clarify the meanings of unfamiliar words and phrases.
Virginia Standards of Learning for English · Vocabulary Development and Word Analysis
Teacher's field guide
What This Standard Means
What Students Need to Do
- Students use nearby details and sentence patterns to figure out what a word or phrase means. They compare possible definitions when a word has more than one meaning.
What Mastery Looks Like
- Students select a meaning that fits the surrounding ideas and the word’s grammatical role. They explain which words, phrases, or sentence patterns support their choice.
Common Misconceptions
- Students may choose the most familiar definition even when it does not fit the sentence. They may rely on one nearby word and ignore grammar, tone, or clues across the passage.
How to Assess It
- Give students: “After writing a rough draft, Luis felt a cold draft under the door.” Ask them to define each use and underline supporting clues.
Lesson moves
Ways to Teach It
Give pairs sentence strips containing the same word in different contexts, then have them sort and label each meaning.
Ask students to explain how changing “light” from a noun to an adjective changes its meaning in two sample sentences.
Play Context Clue Detective by revealing one sentence at a time until teams can define the highlighted word and defend their answer.
Have students examine a menu, advertisement, or game instructions and annotate unfamiliar words using nearby clues and sentence structure.
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Printable 6.RV.1.B Worksheet
A ready-to-print activity worksheet aligned to 6.RV.1.B, with an answer key for the teacher on its own page. No account needed.
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Related Standards
- 12.RV.1.B
Use context and sentence structure to clarify the meanings of words and phrases.
- 9.RV.1.B
Use context and sentence structure to clarify the literal and figurative meanings of words and phrases.
- 11.RV.1.B
Use context and sentence structure to clarify the meanings of words and phrases.
- 10.RV.1.B
Use context and sentence structure to clarify the literal and figurative meanings of words and phrases.
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