How to Deal with Unknown Words in a Reading Exam
You’re reading a passage in an exam, and suddenly… There it is: a big, unfamiliar word you’ve never seen before.
Don’t panic! It’s totally normal to see unfamiliar words in reading tests like IELTS, Cambridge, or school exams. The good news is that you don’t need to understand every word to get the correct answer.
Here are innovative ways to deal with unknown words—without losing marks or confidence.
🧠 1. Don’t Stop Reading
The biggest mistake? Staring at the word and trying to guess its meaning for too long.
Keep going! Focus on the main idea of the sentence or paragraph. Often, you can understand the meaning even if one word is missing.
Example:
“The boy was absolutely ecstatic when he saw the surprise.”
You may not know the word 'ecstatic,' but from the context (surprise), you can guess it means pleased.
🔍 2. Look at the Clues Around It
Use context clues — the words that precede and follow the unknown word. Ask yourself:
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Is it a positive or negative word?
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What verbs or adjectives are near it?
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Can you replace it with a guess word?
Example:
“She felt reluctant to join the group because she didn’t know anyone.”
Clue: “didn’t know anyone” → reluctant = not eager/unsure.
🛠️ 3. Break the Word into Parts
Some words have prefixes or suffixes that give hints.
- Un.../Im.../Ir.../Il.../Mis.../Non.../Dis... are all negative. That is probably all you need.
- ...less is also negative and, therefore, will help give you an idea of the meaning
⏩ 4. Skip It and Come Back Later
If the word isn’t in a question and it’s not stopping your understanding, just move on.
When you finish the passage, you might:
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See the word again in another sentence.
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Understand it better with the whole picture
Time is essential in reading exams—use it wisely.
❓ 5. Use Logic in Multiple Choice
For question types like True/False, multiple choice, or gap fill:
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Focus on the keywords in the question.
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Match ideas, not exact words.
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Watch out for traps like absolute words (always, never)
You don’t need to know the difficult word if you can match the correct idea.
🔚 6. Remember: You Don’t Need 100%
Even top-level students don’t understand every single word. Exams test your reading skills, not your vocabulary knowledge.
If you can:
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Understand the main idea.
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Find key details
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Match meaning from context
→ You’re doing great.
💬 Final Tip
After the exam, write down any unknown words you remember. Look them up, learn them, and use them in your own sentences. That way, next time, you will be familiar with them.
❓ Comprehension Questions
Answers at the end
Answer in complete sentences:
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Why is it acceptable to encounter unfamiliar words in a reading exam?
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What should you do if you see a problematic word in the middle of a sentence?
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What are “context clues”?
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What do prefixes like “un-” or “mis-” help you do?
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Why is it a good idea to skip a word and return to it later?
🧩 Vocabulary Practice
Choose the best meaning for the bold word:
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The weather was unpredictable today; it changed every hour!
a) Easy to guess
b) Difficult to guess
c) Very cold -
“He felt overwhelmed by homework and didn’t know what to do.”
a) Excited
b) Bored
c) Stressed and confused -
“They misunderstood the instructions and failed the task.”
a) Understood correctly
b) Understood wrongly
c) Read quickly
✅ Answer Key
Comprehension Answers (Suggested):
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Because you don’t need to know every word to understand the meaning and answer questions.
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Keep reading and try to understand the whole sentence. Don’t stop at the unknown word.
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Context clues are words around the unknown word that help you guess its meaning.
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They help you guess the meaning of the word by showing something like “not” or “can be.”
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Because you may understand it better later, or realise it’s not needed to answer the question.
Vocabulary Answers:
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b) Difficult to guess
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c) Stressed and confused
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b) Understood wrongly
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