Which is the first step for verifying the meaning of a word using context clues?

1. identify the word's part of a speech and find synonyms in a thesaurus
2. Substitute the definition of the word you have decided on in the sentence to see if it makes sense
3. Use a dictionary to find the definition of the word.
4. Look for words and phrases surrounding the word that give clues about the word's meaning

4. Look for words and phrases surrounding the word that give clues about the word's meaning

The first step for verifying the meaning of a word using context clues is to look for words and phrases surrounding the word that give clues about its meaning. This step is crucial because the context in which a word is used can provide valuable information about its intended definition. By examining the words and phrases before and after the word in question, you can gather contextual clues that help in determining the meaning of the word in that specific context. This method is often effective when trying to infer the definition of a word without relying solely on a dictionary.

The first step for verifying the meaning of a word using context clues is to look for words and phrases surrounding the word that give clues about the word's meaning.