What is the role of vocabulary in reading comprehension?

• A. Vocabulary knowledge supports comprehension.
• B. Vocabulary is irrelevant to comprehension.
• C. Vocabulary only helps with spelling.
• D. Vocabulary is only about speaking.

Answer: (A)

Knowing word meanings is essential for understanding what text says. When readers recognize and understand the words they encounter, they can follow the ideas, see how sentences relate, and build a coherent picture of the story or information. Vocabulary acts as the gateway to comprehension: if many words are unknown, understanding each sentence becomes a puzzle and the overall meaning starts to unravel. This isn’t just about speaking or spelling—it's about grasping what words mean and how they fit into sentences and ideas. In early learning, teachers expand vocabulary through read-alouds, explicit word teaching, and providing rich, varied contexts so kids encounter words often and in different uses. With stronger vocabulary, children can predict, infer, and connect concepts more easily, leading to deeper comprehension.