FINDING AND

EXPLORING MEANINGS

Course Learning Outcomes

• Identify appropriate meaning of words as used in context

• Identify meaning of words with prefixes and suffixes

Looking at examples

a) Four verbs that are used with it.b) Two professional groups that you could go

to for advice.c) Two expressions that mean ‘some advice’

Finding the correct meaning

Some words in the dictionary have more than one meaning. This is depending upon how the word is used in a sentence.

Match sentences a-f with meanings 1-6 in the menu.

a)Sonar detects distance by sound waves bouncing off an object.b) My bank charged RM50 for the cheque that bounced.c) My emails keep bouncing.d) He came bouncing into the classroom.e) The car bounced along the rough road.f) The ball bounced off the crossbar into the goal.

Finding the correct entry

Some words in the dictionary have more than one entry. That is because the word can belong to different word class / parts of speech.

1. How many entries are there for the word limp?

2. In which word classes is the word limp used?

4. In which meaning of which entry for limp do you find the following examples:

a) Syed walks with a slight limp.

b) He was limping slightly.

c) This is a limp effort.

d) The ship is limping towards the island.

e) She has limp and lifeless hair.

Finding the correct entry( HOMOGRAPHS )

Some words in English have the same spelling but two different meanings and pronunciation.

Decide the meaning and pronuncition of each sentence below.

1) The southern wind brought moist air

from the sea.3) Don’t forget to wind

the clock up.4) The workers wind

string around the spool.

5) Trouble will ensue if wind of this scandal gets out.

Identifying meanings with Affixes

A letter or groups of letter added to the beginning or end of a word to change its meaning and parts of speech.

Prefixes are added to the beginning of an existing word in

order to create a new word with a different meaning.

word prefix new word

happy un- unhappy

cultural multi- multicultural

work over- overwork

space cyber- cyberspace

market super- supermarket

Suffixes are added to the end of an existing word. The addition of a suffix often changes a word from one word class to another.

word suffix new wordsharp -en sharpenapply -ion applicationchild -ish childishemail -er emailer

COLLOCATIONS

Words that are frequently used together and often occur with other words (their collocations.)

In this extract you can see typical collocations formed with the word head. These are shown in bold.

1) What does an out-side chance

mean?

2) What does a big chance mean?

3) Find the adjectives that collocate with chance.