Understanding Words

from Context Clues

Meeting 2
 What is Context ?
The words surrounding the unknown word that help
determine the meaning of the unknown word.

 Phobias, such as fear of heights, fear of water, or fear of being in

confined spaces are difficult to eliminate.
 Ballet students appear so lithe; they are so flexible and attractive.
 The gentleman was portly, but his wife was thin.
 Context Clues
 SYNONYM
 After a time, glaciers, or slowly moving rivers of ice, formed over many
parts of the Earth.
 ANTONYM
 Joe was reluctant to take the job of team captain. However, Billy was
eager for the chance to be the team captain.
 EXAMPLES
 Nocturnal creatures, such as bats and owls, have highly developed senses
that enable them to function in the dark
 Limitation
Contexts might be used to reduce the
number of possible meanings.

Context clues only give the

immediate/general definition for that
particular context (seldom lead to a
precise, complete definition).
our uncle was a zooter, a wanderer who never homeless
could stay in one place. person, nomad
unlike his brother, who is truly a handsome ugly
person, howard is quite crupled.
the asian sog, like other apes, is specially
adapted for life in trees.
monkeys
in this company the diligent employees are
promoted, but the fluzhy ones are encouraged lazy
to leave.
today i had to deal with one drekk after
another. i couldn’t find my car keys, i dropped a
bad luck,
bowl of soup at lunchtime, and my computer mishap
crashed twice.