Use Sentence Position and Function to Define Words
Practice using a word's position and grammatical job in a sentence to figure out its meaning. Quick interactive quizzes provide instant feedback to help sixth graders master this essential reading skill.
Practice quizzes
Practice at the expected level for this grade.
10 questions · Multiple choice
10 questions · Multiple choice
10 questions · Multiple choice
10 questions · Multiple choice
10 questions · Multiple choice
What to know
When you find an unfamiliar word, look at its job in the sentence. Is it acting like a noun (a person, place, or thing), or is it a verb (an action)? For example, in the sentence "The energetic puppy began to frolic in the grass," the word frolic comes after "began to," which tells us it must be an action word. Since the puppy is energetic, we can guess frolic means to play or run around!
Frequently asked questions
What are word position and function clues?
Why is this skill introduced in Grade 6?
How do these quizzes help my student?
What is a common mistake kids make with syntax clues?
Why Word Function Clues Matter in Grade 6
In sixth grade, students encounter increasingly complex literature and informational texts. When they come across an unfamiliar word, they cannot always rely on direct definitions or simple context clues. By analyzing a word's position and grammatical function, students can determine if the word is acting as a noun, verb, adjective, or adverb. This structural analysis helps them narrow down potential meanings and keeps their reading flow uninterrupted.
Strategies for Home and Classroom Practice
Encouraging active reading is the best way to reinforce this skill. You can support your student with these simple strategies:
- Identify the Parts of Speech: Ask your child to determine what job the mystery word is doing in the sentence.
- Substitute Familiar Words: Replace the unknown word with a common word that has the same grammatical function to see if the sentence still makes sense.
- Look at Neighboring Words: Pay attention to nearby words like articles (a, an, the) or prepositions, which signal what type of word comes next.
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