Majalah Ilmiah Unikom, Vol.5, hlm.

GUESSING 57—64 MEANING

WORD IN READING COMPREHENSION

Bidang Humaniora

GUESSING WORD MEANING

IN READING COMPREHENSION

IIS KURNIA

Jurusan Sastra Inggris

Universitas Komputer Indonesia

Many of non - native students, the Indonesian students in this case, when they are
reading an English article or textbook often think that they have to stop and look
up in the dictionary the meaning of each unfamiliar word they find. This may be a
useful way to develop their vocabulary, but it is absolutely inefficient in reading
comprehension. The students perhaps will spend a great amount of time to read
even a very simple paragraph. They don’t realize that they also often come across
many unfamiliar words when they read an article or textbook written in their
mother language (Indonesian), but they continually keep on reading. The students
are not expected to know all words in English texts. By guessing words meaning
the students will be able to figure out the meanings of words without consulting the
dictionary.

Guessing word meanings.

INTRODUCTION a great deal on their teacher. They become

We have to face the truth that there are many
Indonesian students who graduated from
secondary school, even from universities,
who still have difficulties in reading English
journals or textbooks. Based on our experi-
ence, there are many Indonesian students
who read word by word and they stop read-
ing when they find some difficult words.
They believe that they can interpret the text
if they understand every word. They are also
translating while they are reading. In fact,
good readers do not read word by word but
read groups of words and they try to guess
the difficult words.
Actually, in our country students still depend
the passive reader; they only answer the
questions when the teacher asks them. In
academic situation the students are expected
to be active readers. One of the reason is
that the students are going to read a lot of
texts written in Bahasa Indonesia or English.
The text can be from journals, newspapers,
or textbooks.
There are many common techniques that can
be mastered by the learners in improving
their skill in reading comprehension, but
only one that will be discussed in detail in
this article; that is guessing word meaning.
Some techniques in reading comprehension
are:

Alamat koespondensi pada Iis Kurnia, Jurusan Sastra Inggris Universitas Komputer Indonesia, Jalan Dipati Ukur 114,
Bandung 40132.

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1. Scanning
Scanning is very fast reading. When the
learners scan, they skip over many words.
They have to look for some information as
quickly as they can.
Scanning is especially important for improv-
ing the learners’ reading. Many of learners
try to read every word. If they learn to scan,
they can learn to read and understand faster.
2.Guessing Word meaning
As we read English textbook for college
courses, we may find many words that are
unfamiliar words to us. Don’t expect we will
know all words in our texts. By guessing
word meanings we will be able to figure out
the meanings of words without consulting a
dictionary. This skill will be explained later
in detail.
3. Previewing and predicting
When we preview, we look for information.
We can make guess about what is in the
book. When we make guesses like this, we
are predicting.
Previewing and predicting help learners read
faster and understand better. This is because
we are already thinking about what we will
read. We should always preview and predict
before we read.
4. Learning to look for the topic
What is topic? A topic is a word or phrase (a
few words) which tells what something is
about. For example, a friend may ask you . “
what is this book about?” your friend doesn’t
want to know everything about the book. He
or she just wants to know the topic.
The topic is the key to understanding what
we read. It also helps us remember.
For example: we may find a series of the
following words
Table of contents index title page
chapters cover page
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It is very clear that the topic of the series
words above is book
5. Understanding Paragraphs
What is paragraph? A paragraph is a group
of sentences. All the sentences in a para-
graph are about one topic. The topic and the
main idea are important. They help learners
to understand meaning quickly, and they
help us remember what we read.
6. Finding the pattern of organization
Patterns are important. We use them to help
us understand and remember. In fact, with-
out patterns we couldn’t live! For example,
we know the pattern of our home- we can
find things in dark. And we also have a time
pattern in our daily lives- we do not have to
decide every day when to have our meals
and when to look for the mail. We follow the
usual patterns.
In languages there are patterns, too, but each
language has different patterns. To read well
in English, you must be able to find the pat-
terns used in English. They will help you
understand and remember what you read.
There are four patterns of organiza-
tion:
a. Listing
The writer gives a list of examples or
reasons.
Signal words for the listing pattern
First, and, one, some, second, too, other,
many, third, also.etc
b. Time order
the writer gives information in time
order
for example : Wars in American
history:
1776- American revolution
1812- war of 1812
1861- civil war
1914- World War I
c. Cause and effect
 GUESSING WORD MEANING IN READING COMPREHENSION
The writer shows how one thing can
cause another
Big snowstorm (cause)-----------
school is closed (effect)
d. comparison
The writer shows how two things are
alike and how they are different
7. Skimming
Speed is often important when we are read-
ing. We may have a lot to read but not much
time. For this kind of reading we usually do
not want to now and remember everything.
We only want to find out something about
the book or article. We can do this by skim-
ming.
We may want to skim ;
• newspaper or magazine articles.
• Book covers in a bookstore
• Library books
• Mystery, detective, or other novels.
Skimming for point of view
Skimming is helpful when we want to find
out quickly about the writer. We may want
to find out what the writer thinks about
something. This is the writer’s point of
view.
GUESSING WORD MEANING
Using Affixes (Prefix and Suffix)
to guess vocabulary
It is often possible to guess the meaning of
the unfamiliar words if we understand the
way words in English are generally formed.
Affixes
Prefix stem suffixes
Many English words are made up of a com-
bination of three words elements: a prefix, a
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stem, and a suffix. According to the Oxford
Dictionary, A prefix is syllable, e.g. pre- or
un-, placed in front of a word to change its
meaning. a word element placed at the be-
ginning of a root or stem. Stem or root is a
word element, often taken from Latin or
Greek, that serve s a base to which other
element are added to modify the root itself.
The stem will not be specifically discussed
in this article.
Suffix is the word element that is attached to
the end of a root or word. Both prefixes and
suffixes change the meaning of the root and
form a new word. For Example: The root
word “act”. The word will change in form,
meaning and function when different pre-
fixes and suffixes are added.
“ act” Action, actor, actress, acting,
active, actively, acted, activate, react, deacti-
vate,
reaction, reactor, activity.
The series of the words above shows us that
by using the affixes one root word of “act”
can be changed in various meanings and
forms.
Prefixes
The definition of Prefix according to the
Oxford Dictionary is syllable, e.g. pre- or
un-, placed in front of a word to change its
meaning. Pre- means ‘before’; a prefix,
therefore, is what comes before the stem. It
usually changes the meaning of the word.;
for example, the prefix un- changes a word
to the negative. Unpredictable means not be
able to be predicted., unruly means not easy
to control, unsightly means not pleasant to
look at.
Another example is the prefix bi -, which
has the meaning of two or twice. It can be
find in the words like bilateral ; the defini-
tion according to Oxford Dictionary is be-
tween two side; bilingual means speaking
or using two language .
We have already seen how suffixes change
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the parts of speech of word. Let us now Prefixes of Size

consider some prefixes, their usual meaning,
and how they change the meanings of Eng- Prefix Meaning Examples
lish words. Semi- Half, partly Semiconductor
Prefixes
Study these tables Equi- Equal Equidistant

Negative Size Location Time Number Maxi- Big Maxicomputer

and a n d
Positive order Micro- Small Microcomputer
Un- Semi- Intrer- Pre- Mono-
Mini- Little Minicomputer
Non- Mini- Super- Ante- Bi-
Macro- Large Macroeconomies
In- Micro- Trans- Fore- Hex- Mega- Megabyte

Dis- Ex- Post- Oct- Prefixes of Location

Re Extra- Multi- Prefix Meaning Examples

Inter- Between, among Interface, interactive

Negative and Positive Prefixes
Negative Prefixes Super- Over Supersonic

Trans- Across Transmit, transfer

Prefix Meaning examples
Ex- Out Exclude, extrinsic
Un- unpunched
Extra- Beyond Extraordinary
In- incomplete
Sub- Under Subschema
Im- not, not good Impossible
enough Infra- Below Infra-red
Il- Illegal
Peri- Around Peripheral
Ir Irregular, irrelevant

Non- Not connected non impact

with Prefixes of Time and Order
Mis- Bad, wrong Mispronounce
Prefix Meaning Examples
Dis- Opposite feelings Disagree
Opposite action Disconnect Ante- Before Antecedent
Pre- Prefix
Anti- Againsrt Antisocial Prime- First Primary, primitive

De- Reduce, reverse Demagnetize, de- Post- After Postdated

code
Under- Too little Underestimate Retro- Backward Retroactive

Re- Do again Reorganize

Over- Too much Overheat

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 GUESSING WORD MEANING IN READING COMPREHENSION

Prefixes of Number - er - en - ic
Prefix Meaning Examples - ist - ify - ical
- ness - ish
Semi- Half Semicircle
- ive
Mono- One Monochromatic
Noun – Forming - Suffixes
Bi- Two Binary
SUFFIX MEANING EXAMPLES
Tri- Three Triangle
- ance S t a t e Performance
Quad- Four Quadruple - ence Quality of indepenence
- er, or a person who progammer, opera-
Penta- Five Pentagon a thing which tor
compiler, accumu-
Hex- Six Hexadecimal lator

Septem Seven September - ation the act of execution

- tion
Oct- Eight Octal
- ist a person who analyst, typist
Dec- Ten Decimal - yst
- ness condition of cleanliness
Multi- Many Multiprogramming, - ion action state conversion
multiplexor - ing activity multiplexing
- ment state, action measurement
- ity state, electricity
Other Prefixes - ian quality electrician
Prefix Meaning Examples - ism pertaining to magnetism
condition/ state
Pro- For Program domain/ condi-
- dom tion freedom
Auto- Self Automatic - ship condition/ state relationship, part-
nership,
Co- Together Coordinate - ary
binary
Neo- New Neoclassical
Verb – Forming – Suffixes
Pan- All Pan-American

SUFFIX MEANING EXAMPLES

Suffixes
- ize Computerize
A suffix is what is attached to the end of - ate automate, activate,
- fy To make calculate
the stem. It has been explained above that
- en simplify
prefixes usually change the meaning of the harden, widen
word. Suffixes, on the other hand, change
the word from one part of speech to another. Adverb – forming - Suffix
For example, - ly added to the adjective SUFFIX MEANING EXAMPLES
quick gives the adverb quickly. Let us now
consider some suffixes and their usual mean- - ly In the manner of elect roni call y,
ings. logically
comparable
SUFFIXES
NOUNS VERBS ADJECT ADVERBS
- ance - ize - able - ly
- ence - ate - ible
- or - fy - less

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Adjective – Forming - Suffixes

in a sentence, that is, by looking at its con-
text. Understanding words through context
SUFFIX MEANING EXAMPLES
will be helpful in reading process. There are
- al logical some common ways in guessing difficult
- ar Have the quality circular words by context:
- ic of automatic electri-
- ical cal
1. Using a short definition with a verb
Capable of being comparable di- “to be”
- able visible e.g. A catlass is a short curved
- ible sword.
Like, full of dangerous
religious
2. Using Appositives
- ous Characterized by e.g. Mercury, the silver-coloured
- ious Without helpful metal used in thermometers, is usu-
Like colorful ally in a liquid form.
careless 3. Using Clauses
-ful Having childish
Quality of e.g. Airships, which are cigar-
- less To make or do punched shaped, steerable balloons, have
- ish interactive many uses, such as filming, advertis-
programming ing and entertainment
- ed processing
- ive 4. Using Punctuations
- ing e.g. In laser printing, the greater the
number of dpi (dots per inch), the
higher the quality of the image pro-
duced.
USING CONTEXT TO GUESS 5. Using Contrasts
WORD MEANING e.g. The bite of garter snake, unlike
that of the deadly cobra, is benign.
Building a powerful vocabulary means more 6. Using Synonyms (Usually expressed
than learning new words. It means learning in a word “or”)
new ways to think about words. In the previ- e.g. The husky, or sled dog, of the
ous subject, we can guess the word meaning North is a hardly breed.
by learning how most English words are 7. Using Examples
formed (prefix-root-suffix) in the following e.g. Percussion instruments, such as
matter you will learn some thinking skills drums, cymbals and tambourines,
that will help you guess the meaning of un- were the preferred instruments in the
known words. study.

Using the context to guess unknown words CONCLUSION

What is the context?
According to Miculecky and Jeffries (1998),
context is the sentence or sentences around a
word. You can often guess the meaning of
words you do not know by using the context.
Guessing meaning from context
Students sometimes learn to guess a word
they don’t know by looking at how it is used
Recognizing affixes and knowing their usual
meanings can be valuable when the students
meet new words. When the learners come
across irreparable, for example, they might
analyze it something like this. The prefix ir-
(meaning not), the stem repar (from the
verb ‘repair’), and the suffix –able (meaning
‘possible to’ or ‘not capable of being’). The
whole word, irreparable, means impossible
to repair, or not capable of being repaired.

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 GUESSING WORD MEANING IN READING COMPREHENSION
Another example, the word unmagnetize
might be analyzed in the following way : the
prefix un- (meaning not), the stem magnet
(noun), and the suffix –ize (meaning ‘to be
or make like). The meaning of the whole
word is not to be or not to make like the
magnet.
Using stems and affixes in this way will not
always tell us the exact meaning of an un-
known word. It will often help the students
guess the approximate meaning, however.
The learners will be able to see from the
context whether their guess is correct or not,
and will not have to stop to consult a diction-
ary if it looks right.
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REFERENCES
Arnaudet, M.L. & Barret, M.E. (1984). Ap-
proaches to academic reading and writ-
ing. Englewood Cliffs, N.J.: Prentice
Hall.
Blake, K.A. (1989). College reading skills.
New Jersey: Prentice Hall.
Grellet, F. (1981). Developing reading
skills. New York: OUP.
Mikulecky, B.S & Jeffries, L. (1998). Read-
ing power. New York: Addison Westley
Longman.
Mullen, N.D. & Brown, C.P. (1987). Eng-
lish for computer science. Oxford:
Walton Street.
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