Context

Clues
 ✏Context Clue
✏Definition

Building
✏Synonyms
✏Restatement
✏Contrast
Word ✏Explanation
✏Examples
Awareness ✏Inference
 What is Context?

Most Americans can speak only one

________. Europeans, however,
________ several. As a result,
Europeans think ________ are
unfriendly and unwilling to
communicate with them.

Try to figure out the missing words.

 What is Context?

Most Americans can speak only one

language. Europeans, however, speak
several. As a result, Europeans think
Americans are unfriendly and
unwilling to communicate with them.

How did you do? How did you figure

out the missing words?
 What is Context?

Use the words

surrounding the unknown
word to help determine
the unknown word’s
meaning.
Context Clues: Definition

✏ Unknown word is defined

immediately following its
use
✏brief definition, synonym, or
restatement using punctuation-
commas, parentheses or dashes.

✏ “Be” verb shows the two

ideas are the same. X = Y
Example: Tony noticed that the wallabies at the
zoo looked like kangaroos.

Example: Many people have phobias, such as fear

of heights, a fear of water, or a fear of confined
spaces.
 Synonyms

✏A writer often choose a

more familiar word or
words with the same
meaning to make the
difficult word
understandable
✏example
Ballet students appear so lithe;
they are so limber and flexible.

The cataract was spectacular;

the steep waterfall dropped
abruptly eighty feet.
 Restatement

✏Close to a synonym,
restatement differs in
that a difficult word is
usually restated in a
simpler form—usually set
of by commas.
The poetry was sublime, lofty
and moving, and brought
tears to my eyes.

The village was depopulated,

most of the residents dead or
moved, but the livestock
remained untouched.
 Contrast
✏Antonym, a word of
opposite meaning (notice
the restatement)
✏Contrast clue words:
but, however, in
contrast to, on the
other hand
The gentleman was portly,
but his wife was thin.

The mayoral candidate

praised the town council,
but the mayor deprecated
it.
 Explanation

✏ Similar to a definition clue

✏ Generally longer than a
definition
✏ Usually found in one or more
different sentences
 Context Clues:
Explanation
The chrome is beginning to corrode. It
shows signs of pitting and of being
eaten away gradually.

It was a martial parade: signs of the

military were everywhere. Everyone
was in uniform; guns, cannon and tanks
were on display, and jets flew
overhead.
 Context Clues:
Explanation

NOTE: Sometimes the explanation is

presented first.

The puppy was a complete bother

and an annoyance to all the
neighbors. It was a continual
nuisance.
 Example

✏Examples that the reader may

know to help explain a new
and unfamiliar concept or term
✏Note the punctuation clues:
commas or hyphens
✏Signal words—such as, for
example, for instance, to
illustrate, specifically
Legumes, such as peas
and beans, produce pods.

Forest floors are frequently

covered with fungi—molds,
mushrooms, and mildews.
 Inference

✏Use reasoning and prior

knowledge
✏Your experiences provide
common-sense clues to the
meaning of a word
✏This context clue is often a
little harder to spot.
Since Reginald was nervous, he
brought his rabbit foot talisman
with him to the exam.

His alibi was upheld when John’s

friends offered personal testimony,
letters of documentation, and
three videotapes showing that he
was present at the party.
Limitations of Context Clues

1. Context clues only give the

immediate definition for that
particular context.
2. Context clues seldom lead to a
precise, complete definition.
3. Sometimes the passage will not
contain clues to the meaning of the
unfamiliar word.
 Applying What You
Have Learned
✏ Can you define the ✏ He seemed quite
unfamiliar word? free and easy
with a few
✏ Name the context friends, but at
clue that helped you. large parties he
was quite
✏ What was the signal inhibited.
word that helped?
 Applying What You
Have Learned
✏The definition of the unfamiliar
word is “controlled, restrained.”

✏The context clue was contrast.

✏The signal word was “but.”

 Applying What You
Have Learned
✏ Can you ✏ Embassies typically
define the
follow well-
unfamiliar
word? established
protocols, or
✏ Can you accepted
name the procedures, for
specific seating guests at a
context clue government
that helped dinner.
you?
 Applying What You
Have Learned

✏The definition of protocol is a set

of rules or procedures.

✏The context clue is “definition,”

with some help from the
commas – restatement
 Applying What You
Have Learned
✏ Can you define ✏ Corona refers to
the unfamiliar the outermost part
word? of the sun’s
atmosphere.
✏ Can you name
✏ Facets-small flat
the specific
surfaces at
context clue
different angles-
that helped
bring out the
you?
beauty of a
diamond.
 Applying What You
Have Learned

✏First: context clue is a straight

definition.

✏Second: context clue is

definition—restatement. Notice
the punctuation helps.
 Applying What You
Have Learned
✏ Can you define ✏ Most condiments,
the unfamiliar such as pepper,
word? mustard and
catsup, are used to
✏ Can you name improve the flavor
the specific of foods.
context clue
that helped
you?
 Applying What You
Have Learned
✏A condiment is a flavor enhancer
used to spice up foods.

✏The context clue was an

example clue. Notice the signal
phrase—such as.
 Applying What You
Have Learned
✏ Can you define ✏ Some city
the unfamiliar dwellers are
word? affluent; others
live in poverty.
✏ Can you name
the specific
context clue
that helped
you?
 Applying What You
Have Learned
✏The definition of affluent is
“rich, wealthy.”

✏The context clue is contrast.

Thank you
so much!