Drag and drop the different strategies to complete the gap fill below.

Objects to move

  • common knowledge and the title
  • identify its part of speech
  • signal a relationship between the different parts of the same sentence or other sentences.
  • prefix, root and suffix.
  • definition, explanation, synonym or restatement
  • positive, negative or neither.
  • previous sentences or the ones after


1. Consider
    as a guide in narrowing down the guesses of unknown words.
    2. Look at the unknown word and
      . Is it a noun, verb, adjective or adverb? Knowing this information will help you to establish what its role is in the sentence.
      3. Look at the sentence to locate any words that
        . Sometimes, for example, the relationship is signaled by a linking word such as 'while, however or but', which show a contrast. This contrast can then help you think logically about the meaning.
        4. Break down the word into parts if it is possible e.g. look at its
          . This will help you to understand the part of speech and possibly its meaning.
          5. Look for a
            .
            6. Decide if the word is
              .
              7. Look at the
                . They often give useful information/clues to help you work out the meaning.