ELC121 Listening | Predicting Meaning
When you are listening, it is not compulsory to know the meaning of every word in the text. Do not
be panic or become frustrated if there are many unknown words in the listening text. Focus only on
words that are important for comprehension of the text. You can use several strategies to help you
predict vocabulary from the text and decode meaning of the words.
Guessing or Predicting Vocabulary from Context
1. Definitions
The unknown word that you hear may be defined in the next sentence (s). It may
be restated or illustrated further.
Example:
I am always prudent with my monthly expenses in that I spend my money with
lot of caution and care when buying items for my studies as well as food and
transport.
2. Examples
You may find examples to support the meaning of word.
Example:
Many students like to procrastinate doing their assignments on time and spend
the whole day playing computer games, chatting with friends or browsing social
networking sites, instead of spending time on their books.
3. Synonyms
The synonym is a very useful clue, when you are able to find the meaning of the
word by listening to another word with the same meaning.
Example:
Ruth is an amiable girl and is friendly with everyone.
4. Antonyms
These are words with the opposite meaning to the unknown word.
Example:
My rich uncle is really modest about his wealth and does not boast about his
properties and investments to anyone.
5. Comparisons and parallels
Comparisons or parallels are clues which show that two or more things are alike.
When you listen, pay attention to words such as like, similar, similarly, as well as,
both and likewise, as they indicate comparisons between two things or ideas.
Example:
A sponge is very absorbent. Likewise, as soft cloth can also soak up a lot of water.
6. Contrast
In showing contrasts, words such as however, yet, on the other hand, instead of,
but, while and although are used to show opposite meanings of unknown
vocabulary.
Example:
Although many old people abhor change, they do like and enjoy new experiences
in their lives.
(‘Abhor is the opposite of ‘like and enjoy’, and it means ‘dislike’)
7. Connotations
For many words, knowing the positive or negative connotations of the word is
sufficient to help you guess the general meaning, without the need to know the
exact meaning, as the main goal of listening to a text is for comprehension.
Example:
The problem of oil pollution is aggravated by the presence of many other toxic
materials in the seas. (Negative connotation for the word ‘aggravated’.)
Herbal medicines use natural substances and can stimulate the body’s own
healing power. (Positive connotation for the word ‘stimulate.’)
8. Malay language parallels
Another useful strategy is to recognize English words which are also used in
Malay language, with the use of suffixes.
Example:
English
emotion
session
imagination
fantasy
party
initiative
Malay
emosi
sesi
imaginasi
fantasi
parti
inisiatif
English
alternative
effective
academic
drastic
ticket
ironic
Malay
alternatif
efektif
akademik
drastik
tiket
ironis
9. Affixes
Recognising affixes, such as prefixes and suffixes can help you to decode the
meaning of some words
Example:
Negate meaning: un-, dis--, mis-, -less, mal-, -ill, de-, imunable, unhelpful, disagree, disrespect, mismanage, misuse, useless, tasteless,
malfunction, malnutrition, ill-effects, ill-prepared, demerit, defrost, impossible,
impractical
Show repetition: reredo, replay
Dual/two : bi
bicultural, bifocal
Many: multi-, polymultipurpose, multistorey, polyglot
10. Fragmenting
Some compound words can be digressed further and broken up into smaller
parts to understand their meaning.
Example
Within: with + in
Newborn: new + born
However, do remember that this rule may not work all the time as many
compound words give distorted meanings when the words are broken up.
Example
Honeydew : honey + dew
Heartthrob : heart + throb
Butterfly : butter + fly
Daydream : day + dream
Predicting the Speaker’s Communicative
During the listening activity, we can also predict the speaker’s purpose or intention for
communicating a message or thought. For example, an announcement on avoiding low lying
areas during the monsoon season is intended to warn the listeners (the public) about the
dangers of heavy rain which can cause floods. Advertisements on the radio or televisions are
mean to persuade listeners or viewers to use the products and services which are
advertised.
The tone and vocabulary used help us to determine the purpose of communication. The
speaker’s communicative purpose can be:
To inform
To explain
To educate
To warn
To remind
To persuade
To entertain
To advise