Florida Teacher Certification Examinations (FTCE) Subject Area Practice Test

What vocabulary skill would a student use while analyzing the sentence about the boy hitting the tall ball bat?

1. Synonym identification

2. Use of context clues

3. Antonym recognition

4. Root word analysis

The correct answer is: Use of context clues

The choice of context clues as the vocabulary skill used in analyzing the sentence about the boy hitting the tall ball bat is appropriate because context clues involve looking at the surrounding words and sentences to determine the meaning of unfamiliar terms. In this particular sentence, students can infer the meaning of "hitting" and "tall" based on the context in which they appear, helping them to understand the actions and descriptions without needing to reference an external dictionary. Context clues can include synonyms, antonyms, examples, or even explanations that support comprehension. For instance, if the student encounters a word or phrase they’re unfamiliar with, they can derive meaning through the overall situation being described, such as physical actions and objects involved, like "boy," "hitting," and "bat." In contrast, while synonym identification involves recognizing words with similar meanings and antonym recognition focuses on words with opposite meanings, neither is applicable in the context of analyzing the particular sentence as effectively as using context clues would be. Root word analysis entails breaking down complex words into their constituent parts, which may not be directly related to understanding the meaning of the sentence itself. Thus, relying on context clues is the most relevant skill for comprehending the sentence in question.