Context clues

Context clues are hints that an author gives to help define a difficult or unusual word
within a book. The clue may appear within the same sentence as the word to which
it refers or it may follow in the next sentence. Because most of our vocabulary is
gained through reading, it is important that we are able to recognize and take
advantage of context clues.

Types of context clue

There are at least four kinds of context clues that are quite common:

1. Synonym (or repeat context clue): An author will use more than one word that
means the same thing. For example, there may be a complex word followed by
a restatement using a simpler word in the same or following sentence: Felipe is
a miser. He’s always been cheap.

2. Antonym (or contrast context clue): The text may include a word or words that
have the opposite meaning, which can reveal the meaning of an unknown
term: Stella has always dressed flamboyantly. I’ve never seen her wear a dull
color.

3. Explanation (or a definition context clue): An unknown word is explained within

the sentence or in the sentence immediately after: On Friday, we visited
the arboretum, a garden dedicated to the exhibition of trees and plants.

4. Specific example (or an example context clue): The text provides one or more
examples used to define the term: The children were able to observe
several crustaceans, including crabs, lobsters, and shrimp.

There may also be word-part context clues in which a common prefix, suffix, or
root will suggest at least part of the meaning of a word.

A general sense context clue lets the reader puzzle out a word meaning from
whatever information is available and this is the most common kind of context clue.

The relationships between words are not directly obvious and instead implied.
Others describe context clues in three ways:

1. Semantic or meaning clues: When reading a story about cats, good readers
develop the expectation that it will contain words associated with cats, such
as tail, purr, scratch, and whiskers.

English Course _UniRovuma, Angoche EL III Lecturer: Rui ABILIO, MA Cdt

2. Syntactic or word order clues: The order of the words in a sentence can
indicate what part of speech a missing word must be (for example, a verb).

3. Picture clues: From an early age, beginning readers are taught to look at
illustrations to help with the identification of a word.

Prefix

A prefix is a word part that is placed in front of a base word. Common prefixes
include pre, bi, and anti. A prefix usually changes the meaning of the base word.

Structure: Prefix + word =New word

Hyphens with Prefixes

A prefix is usually added directly to the base word, but there are several cases where a
hyphen is needed.

Rule 1: Hyphenate the word when you add a prefix to a proper noun or a numeral.
E.g. un-American

Rule 2: Hyphenate the word when you add the prefix ex meaning former.
E.g. ex-president

Rule 3: Hyphenate after the prefix self.

E.g. self-respect

Rule 4: Hyphenate to separate two A’s, two I’s, or other letter combinations that might
cause misreading or mispronunciation.
E.g. Anti-intellectual

Rule 5: A hyphen may be used to separate two E’s or two O’s to improve readability or
prevent mispronunciation.
E.g. de-emphasize

Rule 6: A hyphen is sometimes used after the prefix re to prevent misreading or

confusion with another word.
E.g. re-cover vs. recover

English Course _UniRovuma, Angoche EL III Lecturer: Rui ABILIO, MA Cdt