---
title: "Reading and Vocabulary in a New Language"
description: "Read and understand words, phrases and short passages in a new language; enjoy its stories, songs and poems; and broaden vocabulary by working out new words from familiar material and checking them in"
canonical: https://lightmysky.com/learn/languages/reading-and-vocabulary-in-a-new-language-mt_chlXo6jI0U
source: https://lightmysky.com/learn/languages/reading-and-vocabulary-in-a-new-language-mt_chlXo6jI0U.md
retrieved: 2026-10-19
---

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# Reading and Vocabulary in a New Language

Read and understand words, phrases and short passages in a new language; enjoy its stories, songs and poems; and broaden vocabulary by working out new words from familiar material and checking them in a dictionary

Subject: Languages · Area: Language Learning · Ages 7 to 11
Page: https://lightmysky.com/learn/languages/reading-and-vocabulary-in-a-new-language-mt_chlXo6jI0U

## Ready when they can

- Read short familiar sentences in the new language and show understanding (e.g. matching captions to the right pictures)
- Work out an unfamiliar word from surrounding words or a lookalike English word (e.g. guessing 'chocolat' means chocolate)
- Use a bilingual dictionary to find or check a word (e.g. looking up an animal name for a poster)

## Lesson: Reading and Vocabulary in a New Language

When you read in a new language, you will not know every word, and that is fine. Look at the words around it, the picture next to it, and any words that look like English. Often you can work out the meaning without stopping.

*(drawing: Follow these steps when you meet a word you don't know.)*

**Example.** Ana reads a French story and sees the word 'chocolat'. It looks like the English word chocolate, and the sentence is about a bakery, so she guesses it means chocolate. She checks a dictionary and she is right.

**Example.** Leo sees three pictures of animals with French captions under them. He reads 'Le poisson nage' and looks for the matching picture. He picks the swimming fish, because 'poisson' looks close to 'fish' and the sentence is about swimming.

**Tip.** If a guess does not feel certain, look the word up in a bilingual dictionary. It only takes a moment, and then you know for sure.

**Recap.** You don't need every word: use clues and lookalikes to guess, then check a dictionary when you want to be sure.

## Practice

8 questions on this page, each with its working shown.

## Needs first

- [Using a Dictionary to Check Spellings](https://lightmysky.com/learn/english/using-a-dictionary-to-check-spellings-mt_6W5zzDIGZH)
- [Listening and speaking in a new language](https://lightmysky.com/learn/languages/listening-and-speaking-in-a-new-language-mt_iXtqoIfjHb)
- [Reading fluently](https://lightmysky.com/learn/english/reading-fluently-mt_ZhvwM6LMBL)

## Opens up

- [Cognates and False Friends](https://lightmysky.com/learn/languages/cognates-and-false-friends-mt_5UdrDnwYCD)
- [Writing in a New Language](https://lightmysky.com/learn/languages/writing-in-a-new-language-mt_aq8JZdKD3m)
- [Building a Word Bank That Sticks](https://lightmysky.com/learn/languages/building-a-word-bank-that-sticks-mt_gGV99k0ZpI)
- [Writing Systems: Sound, Syllable and Symbol](https://lightmysky.com/learn/languages/writing-systems-sound-syllable-and-symbol-mt_kUaS9WiVY0)