Comprehension Strategies - 3 Level Guides - 'Hidden' Question Stems

'Hidden Questions' are those you can answer by using clues in the text combined with knowledge you already have.

How to Use this Guide:

- when running a Guided Reading Session have these question stems next to you and formulate appropriate questions as you see a context
- hand these question stems to your group and ask them to generate questions for the other group members
- have other groups answer the questions.

Working Out Word Meaning from Clues in Text

- Have a guess at the meaning of '..... word.....' Use the clues given in the text before this word & in the next one or two sentences.
- I wonder what this word could mean? (Take an ‘educated guess’)

What clues from the text support this inference?
- We can assume '..... word.....' means (insert meaning ) because …
- We can conclude '..... word.....' means (insert meaning) because of what clues from the text?
- How do you know ‘… word…’ means (insert meaning) ?
- In this sentence the word (insert word) most likely means...
a) … insert definition…
b) … insert definition…
c) … insert definition… because...

- What could the word (insert meaning) mean given (action) & (action) have happened.
- Show me the part of the text that leads you to infer this word means (insert meaning) .
- What clues in the text lead you to make this inference?
- (Insert word) has three meanings in the dictionary. Which is the most appropriate meaning here?

- From the ‘contextual clues’ (hints in the text) what could (insert word) mean?
- Can you see any smaller words in the bigger word that might give you a hint. e.g.‘emotion’ in ‘emotive’.

Huge Hint!!! Read past the word to get more clues!!!

- What clues in this paragraph point you to a possible meaning for this word?
- I feel there isn't enough information here to predict the meaning of this word. Would you agree? What is our next course of action?
- Is it crucial that we understand the meaning of this word? Why?
- Will I/we lose a significant amount of meaning from the text if I don't know this word?
- Substitute a similar word & see if the sentence makes sense i.e. use a synonym for the unknown word.
- What should I/you think about to infer the meaning of this word?
- What is happening in the text that might give me/us a clue about the word’s meaning?
- What are people saying, doing or feeling that might give us a clue about the words meaning?
- What context clues led you to your definition?
- Read this passage and underline all of the words that provide clues to the meaning of the word (insert word)