The document provides information about strategies for determining the meaning of unknown words in TOEFL reading comprehension passages. It discusses using structural clues like punctuation, restatement, and examples to identify definitions within a passage. It also explains how to determine meanings from word parts and from the context provided. Specific word endings that indicate a word's grammatical function, like noun, verb, and adjective endings, are outlined as another strategy.

1. Vocabulary Questions

2. SKILL 8
Find Definitions from Structural Clues

3. When being asked to determine the meaning of a word in the
Reading Comprehension section of TOEFL test:
The passage provides information about the meaning
of the word.
There are structural clues to tell you that the
definition of a word is included in the passage.

4. How to Identify?
What is … ?
What is the
meaning of … ?
What is true
about … ?

5. Type of Clues
Punctuation
• comma, parentheses, dashes
Restatement
• or, that is, in other words, etc.
Examples
• such as, for example, etc.

6. SKILL 9
Determine Meanings from Word Parts

7. A Short List of Word Parts
PART
MEANING
EXAMPLE
PART
MEANING
EXAMPLE
CONTRA
(against)
Contrast
DIC
(say)
Dictate
MAL
(bad)
Malcontent
DOMIN
(master)
Dominant
MIS
(error)
Mistake
JUD
(judge)
Judgment
SUB
(under)
Subway
MOR
(death)
Mortal
DEC
(ten)
Decade
SPEC
(see)
Spectator
MULTI
(many)
Multiple
TERR
(earth)
Territory
SOL
(one)
Solo
VER
(turn)
Divert
TRI
(three)
Triple
VIV
(live)
Revive

8. SKILL 10
Use Context to Determine
Meanings of Difficult Words

9. Example:
A line in the passage:
… The barges headed across the lake …
The question:
A “barge” is probably which of the following?
A. A train
B. A plane
C. A bicycle
D. A boat

10. Not being
expected to know
the meaning of
“barge”
Instead,
understand from
the context
It is probably a
type of BOAT
The “barge” went
across a lake

11. How to Identify?
What is the meaning … ?
Which of the following is closest
in meaning to … ?
The word is a difficult word, one
that you probably do not know.

12. SKILL 11
Use Context to Determine Meanings
of Simple Words

13. Example:
A line from the passage:
… He put his answer this way …
The question:
The word “put” is closest in meaning to which of the following?
A. Placed
B. Set
C. Expressed
D. Handed

14. You have to understand that “put” is a normal, everyday word.
You will NOT be asked to give the regular meaning of a normal,
everyday word.
The primary meaning of “to put” is to place, answer A is incorrect.
You cannot place an answer or set an answer or hand an answer.

15. Word Endings
Word endings in English often tell
you how a word is used
grammatically in English.
If you recognize a word ending on
a word that you do not know, you
can tell how the word should be
used grammatically.

16. Noun (Thing) Endings
-ism socialism
-ment government
-nce excellence
-ty beauty
-ness sadness
-age marriage
-ion information
-ship friendship
Noun (Person) Endings
-er employer
-ist tourist
-or actor
-cian musician

17. Adjective Endings
-ent excellent
-ive destructive
-ant important
-ous dangerous
-ful careful
-al natural
-ic economic
-able capable
-less careless
-ible possible
Verb Endings
-en soften
-ize memorize
-ate populate
-ify notify

18. Heighten
Desertification
Speechless
Forgetful
Submissive
Tremendously
Imperialism
Nocturnal
Liability
Effusively
Establishment
Counselor
Cashier
Impertinent
Civic
Columnist
Impertinently
Sensitize
Aggravate
Togetherness
Ambiance
Glamorous
Pharmacist
Justification
Vintage
Craftsmanship
Interpretive
Statistician
Manageable
Personify