Vocabulary plays an important role in the reading process and greatly influences reading comprehension. If a reader does not know or cannot decipher the meaning of words, he or she will not comprehend the text. Using word parts and context clues will help readers to make meaning while reading.

Parents,

Below, you will find lists of the thirty most commonly used prefixes, root words, and suffixes as well as flash cards that you can use to practice with your children.

Context clues are hints the author gives to help define unfamiliar words or phrases. The clues might appear in the same sentence as the unfamiliar word/phrase or somewhere else within the text (e. g. next sentence, another paragraph, etc.). Four types of context clues are listed within the chart below.