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Reading / Vocabulary / Grade 4 / rv401

Use Contrast and Examples as Word Clues

Infer word meanings from nearby contrasts and examples.

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Look for clues such as but, unlike, or for example. Substitute a possible meaning into the sentence and check whether the whole sentence still makes sense.

Worked example

'The first plan was rigid, but the second could change easily.' The contrast suggests rigid means inflexible, not colorful or fast.

1. 'The path was narrow; unlike the wide road, it had room for only one walker.' What does narrow mean?
2. 'The box was fragile, so Tess carried it carefully to avoid breaking it.' What does fragile mean?
3. 'Omar was reluctant at first, but later he eagerly joined in.' What does reluctant mean?
4. 'The supplies were abundant: every shelf held more than we needed.' What does abundant mean?
5. 'Their designs were identical; even the smallest details matched.' What does identical mean?