CONTEXT CLUES

Context clues are hints found within a sentence, paragraph, or

passage that a reader can use to understand the meanings of new or
unfamiliar words.
Learning the meaning of a word through its use in a sentence or
paragraph is the most practical way to build vocabulary, since a dictionary is
not always available when a reader encounters an unknown word.
A reader must be aware that many words have several possible meanings. Only by being
sensitive to the circumstances in which a word is used can the reader decide upon an appropriate
definition to fit the context.
A reader should rely on context clues when an obvious clue to meaning is provided, or
when only a general sense of the meaning is needed for the reader’s purposes. Context clues
should not be relied upon when a precise meaning is required, when clues suggest several
possible definitions, when nearby words are unfamiliar, and when the unknown word is a
common one that will be needed again; in these cases, a dictionary should be consulted.

There are several different types of context clues. Some of them are:

1. DEFINITION / DESCRIPTION CLUE

The new term may be formally defined, or sufficient explanation may be given within the
sentence or in the following sentence. Clues to definition include “that is,” commas,
dashes, and parentheses.
Examples:
a. His emaciation, that is, his skeleton-like appearance, was frightening to see.
“Skeleton-like appearance” is the definition of “emaciation.”
b. Fluoroscopy, examination with a fluoroscope, has become a common practice.
The commas before and after “examination with a fluoroscope” point out the definition
of “fluoroscopy.”
c. The dudeen – a short-stemmed clay pipe – is found in Irish folk tales.
The dashes setting off “a short-stemmed clay pipe” point out the definition of “dudeen.”
2. EXAMPLE CLUES
Sometimes when a reader finds a new word, an example might be found nearby that helps
to explain its meaning. Words like including, such as, and for example, point out example
clues.
Examples:
a. Piscatorial creatures, such as flounder, salmon, and trout, live in the coldest parts of
the ocean.
“Piscatorial” obviously refers to fish.
b. Celestial bodies, including the sun, moon, and stars, have fascinated man through the
centuries.
“Celestial” objects are those in the sky or heavens.
 c. In the course of man’s evolution, certain organs have atrophied. The appendix, for
example, has wasted away from disuse.
“Atrophied” means “wasted away.”
3. SYNONYM RESTATEMENT CLUE
The reader may discover the meaning of an unknown word because it repeats an idea
expressed in familiar words nearby. Synonyms are words with the same meaning.
Examples:
a. Flooded with spotlights – the focus of all attention – the new Miss America began her
year-long reign. She was the cynosure of all eyes for the rest of the evening.
“Cynosure” means “the focus of all attention.”
b. The mountain pass was a tortuous road, winding and twisting like a snake around the
trees of the mountainside.
“Tortuous” means “winding and twisting.”
4. CONTRAST / ANTONYM CLUE
Antonyms are words with opposite meanings. An opposite meaning context clue
contrasts the meaning of an unfamiliar word with the meaning of a familiar term. Words
like “although,” “however,” and “but” may signal contrast clues.
Examples:
a. When the light brightens, the pupils of the eyes contract; however, when it grows
darker, they dilate.
“Dilate” means the opposite of “contract.”
b. The children were as different as day and night. He was a lively conversationalist, but
she was reserved and taciturn.
“Taciturn” means the opposite of a “lively conversationalist.”
5. MOOD / TONE CLUE
The author sets a mood, and the meaning of the unknown word must harmonize with the
mood.
Examples:
a. The lugubrious wails of the gypsies matched the dreary whistling of the wind in the
all-but-deserted cemetery.
“Lugubrious,” which means “sorrowful,” fits into the mood set by the words “wails,”
“dreary,” and “deserted cemetery.”
6. EXPERIENCE CLUE
Sometimes a reader knows from experience how people or things act in a given situation.
This knowledge provides the clue to a word’s meaning.
Examples:
a. During those first bewildering weeks, the thoughts of a college freshman drift back to
high school where he was “in,” knew everyone, and felt at home. A feeling of
nostalgia sweeps over him.
b. She walked away from her closet and quickly slipped a jersey over her head. She
smoothed it into place over her hips, added a belt, glanced at the mirror, and left for
work.

7. ANALYSIS OR STRUCTURE CLUE

The parts used to construct a word can be direct clues to meaning. Knowledge of
prefixes, roots, and suffixes can aid a reader in using this type of context clue. Learning
one word part can add dozens of words to a reader’s vocabulary. The power of word parts
lies in the ability to combine the roots and affixes with the context in which a word is
used to discover the author’s meaning.
Examples:
a. The story is incredible.
The root cred means “to believe,’ and the prefix in means “not.” Therefore, if a story
is incredible, it is unbelievable.
b. The somnambulist had to be locked in his bedroom at night for his own safety.
If a reader knows the meaning of ambular (walk) and somn (sleep) and sees
the sentence, the reader may realize that a “somnambulist” is a sleepwalker.
8. INFERENCE CLUE
Sufficient clues might be available for the careful reader to make an educated guess at the
meaning.
Example:
a. She told her friend, “I’m through with blind dates forever. What a dull evening! I was
bored every minute. The conversation was absolutely vapid.”
“Vapid” means “uninteresting.”
9. CAUSE AND EFFECT CLUE
The author explains the reason for or the result of the word. Words like “because,”
“since,” “therefore,” “thus,” “so,” etc. may signal context clues.
Example:
a. She wanted to impress all her dinner guests with the food she served, so she carefully
studied the necessary culinary arts.
“Culinary” means “food preparation.”
 CONTEXT CLUES -- PRACTICE EXERCISES

EXERCISE I: Circle the letter of the best meaning for the underlined word as it is used in
context.

1. My brother said, “I just freed myself from a very loquacious history professor. All
he seemed to want was an audience.”
a. pretentious
b. grouchy
c. talkative
d. worried

2. There is no doubt that the idea of living in such a benign climate was appealing. The
islanders seemed to keep their vitality and live longer than Europeans.
a. tropical
b. not malignant
c. kind
d. favorable

3. It is difficult to imagine a surfeit of talent in one individual, yet Leonard Bernstein

simply does not have the time to make complete use of his talent as conductor,
performer, writer, and lecturer.
a. excess
b. variety
c. superiority
d. lack

4. There is a large demand all over the United States for plants indigenous to the
desert. Many people in Arizona have made a good business of growing and
selling cacti and other local plants.
a. native
b. necessary
c. foreign
d. alien

5. After the Romans left, a millennium and a half passed before people again lived in
such comfort. Churchill wrote, “From the year 400 until the year 1900 no one had
central heating and very few had hot baths.”
a. a decade
b. many years
c. 1000 years
d. a century
 CONTEXT CLUES -- PRACTICE EXERCISES

6. Many years before, Caesar’s men had tried and failed to invade Britain. No
doubt this contributed to the xenophobia of the Romans. They were cautious
about strangers who entered their country.
a. honesty
b. fear of foreigners
c. kindliness
d. stubbornness

7. Such are the vicissitudes of history. Nothing remains the same. Three hundred years
of peace ended in darkness and confusion.
a. evils
b. mistakes
c. changes
d. rules

8. The purpose of the psychiatrist is to mitigate the suffering of the patient.

a. make milder
b. beautify
c. increase
d. banish

9. We knew he couldn’t hold out much longer, because he had been doomed from the
beginning. One night he met his ineluctable fate.
a. forgotten
b. inevitable
c. hidden
d. unhappy

10. A combination of fog and industrial smoke, called smog, has vitiated the air in and
around many big cities.
a. concentrate
b. fill up
c. replace
d. contaminate
 CONTEXT CLUES -- PRACTICE EXERCISES
EXERCISE II: In the space provided, write a synonym for each underlined word as it is
used in context.
1. His lucid lectures, along with his clearly presented explanations, made him a popular
professor.
_____________________
2. Their vociferous chatter made me wish I had ear plugs.
_____________________
3. He was so impudent to his mother that I would have punished him if he talked to me that
way.
_____________________
4. The Russians are skillful at sending cryptic messages, open to many interpretations.
Our State Department spends days puzzling over their meanings.
_____________________
5. The Great Flood of Noah’s day was caused by incessant rain that fell for 40 days and
nights.
_____________________
6. The students who arrived late told the teacher an implausible story about stopping to
watch a UFO.
_____________________
7. After spending three weeks in the hospital, I had a surfeit of daytime TV programming.
_____________________
8. The prisoners liberated from the Nazi death camp were so emaciated that they looked like
skeletons.
_____________________
9. Bob decided to be prudent and call ahead for reservations, instead of just showing up.
_____________________
10. The ambiguity of Joe’s directions made it almost impossible to find his house.
_____________________
11. The job candidate’s background was impeccable – good references and many years
of experience, but the company did not give her the job.
_____________________
12. The tranquilized grizzly bear was lethargic enough for the scientists to safely examine his
teeth and tattoo his ears.
_____________________
Making Inferences
DIRECTIONS: Read the following passage. Combine details from the text with your own
knowledge and experience to make inferences about setting, character, and plot.
Adrian wiped her sweating hands on her skirt and immediately checked to be sure she
hadn’t stained the shimmering fabric. Through the thick curtain she heard the audience
murmuring. Although she could not yet see them, her ears told her it must be a packed
house. She’d dreamed of this moment all her life, spent years training her body to move
gracefully in rhythm with the music. The final weeks leading up to tonight had been
especially trying, and Adrian had the blisters and calluses to prove it. They were carefully
hidden, of course, under delicate satin slippers with ribbons that encircled her ankles. The
first notes of the opening number were hanging in the air as Adrian quickly took her place
center stage. She took a deep breath, as she’d been taught, and tried to send all of the
negative emotions out of her body as she slowly exhaled. The curtains parted.

2. Setting – What can you infer about the time and place?

What evidence did you What experience/knowledge do What inference can you make
find in the text? you already have about this topic? about the setting?

+ =

c. Character – What can you infer about how the character feels?

What evidence did you What experience/knowledge do What can you infer about
find in the text? you already have about this topic? the character’s feelings?

+ =

3. Plot – What can you infer that the character is doing?

What evidence did you What experience/knowledge do What can you infer that the
find in the text? you already have about this topic? character is doing?

+ =
 Making Inferences
Corey counted the tickets in his hand one more time. Three left, he thought. If he used two for the
carousel, he would still have one to buy popcorn. Earlier that day a carnie had asked Corey if he’d be
willing to help out in exchange for ten red tickets. Now, Corey’s back ached, and his boots were grimy
with the smelly stuff that once covered the petting zoo floor–but it had all been worth it. Already Corey
had swapped some of his tickets to see a magician make a lady disappear, and he had ridden high into
the air on a Ferris-wheel – while eating the tastiest caramel apple imaginable. He could see the yellow
and white lights of the Ferris-wheel turning slowly in the distance, and he remembered how small the
nearby town had looked from that great height. Calliope music from the carousel roused him, and
Corey remembered the tickets in his hand. He raced toward the sound.

2 Setting – What can you infer about the time and place?
What evidence did you What experience/knowledge do What inference can you make
find in the text? you already have about this topic? about the setting?

+ =

6. Character – What can you infer about how the character feels?

What evidence did you What experience/knowledge do What can you infer about
find in the text? you already have about this topic? the character’s feelings?

+ =

10. Plot – What can you infer that Corey did to earn the tickets?

What evidence did you What experience/knowledge do What can you infer that Corey
find in the text? you already have about this topic? did to earn the tickets?

+ =

Bonus Activity: Make a prediction about what Corey

will do next. What clues in the text helped you predict?
PREDICTING OUTCOMES

Predicting outcomes means that you are able to foretell or logically speculate what will happen
in the future. For example, if you see a bunch of storm clouds in the sky moving towards you, it
is logical for you to predict that a possible outcome might be that it will rain in the near future.
This is an example of predicting outcomes. While you can certainly predict outcomes in fictional
texts such as stories (sometimes by using the pictures) you can predict outcomes for just about
any text type...so long as you take the time to think about what you have read in order to make
some logical guesses about what might happen next.

Directions: Read the following passages. Determine what event is likely to occur next. Explain your
answer using textual evidence.
Vince Thunder waved to the crowd one more time before he put on his motorcycle helmet. The crowd
cheered uproariously. Vince looked down the ramp and across the 17 school busses that he was about to
attempt to jump. It was a difficult trick and everything would need to go right for him to nail it. His cape
blew in the wind. As Vince hoped on his motorcycle and started down the ramp, he noticed something that
he had not seen before. There was large oil slick at the end of the ramp. He attempted to stop the bike, but
it was too late. He had already built up too much momentum...

3. What event is most likely to occur next? ________________________________________________

4. What evidence from the text supports your prediction?

Rex sat at the mouth of the alley and chewed the bone that he had found by the dumpster. It was a meaty
bone that had belonged to a larger animal, perhaps a state fair prize winning pig. Rex was attracted to
the bone by its strong scent. Apparently, he was not the only one who could smell it. He heard the jangle
of tags behind him and turned to see a larger dog. Rex released the bone and began growling at the other
dog. The other dog began growling at Rex. The two dogs inched toward one another, maintaining eye
contact. Each began growling louder as the other approached within striking distance...

d. What event is most likely to occur next? ________________________________________________

e. What evidence from the text supports your prediction?

John sat in the classroom and drew pictures of the Tatakai Fighting Warriors in his notebook while his
teacher lectured about biology or something. He didn't really know for sure. The last thing he
remembered her saying was that there would be a test tomorrow. His heart jumped. He went home to
study for the test, but he was soon drawn to his Game Box. He played Tatakai Fighting Warriors long
into the night. When his alarm clock rang the next day, he was too tired to hit the snooze button, so he let
it beep for about 20 minutes before he got up and went to school. As she had promised, the teacher has
prepared a test. She reviewed the testing procedures and directions with the class and then passed out the
test. John looked at his test and scratched his head...
4. What event is most likely to occur next? ________________________________________________

5. What evidence from the text supports your prediction?

Angela threw the bedspread over the bed and fussed with it until it was free of wrinkles. She dusted her
dresser and straightened the knickknacks. As she was leaving the room, she noticed that a picture frame on
the nightstand was slightly crooked. She went back into the room and straightened the picture frame. She
examined her bedroom one more time and gave it a satisfied nod, and then she went to vacuum the living
room. As she was running the vacuum, her three-year-old son Jason walked into Angela's bedroom. He
was drinking a glass of grape juice and playing with his cars. Angela's bedspread fell as he raced his cars
off the bed. While hitting an imaginary jump with his cars, he bumped into the nightstand and knocked
over Angela's picture frame. Then, while he lined his cars up at the starting line of a pretend race, he kicked
over the grape juice and it spilled all over Angela's white carpet. Jason didn't notice. After Angela finished
vacuuming the living room, she tied the cord around the vacuum and went to return it to her bedroom...

3 What event is most likely to occur next? ________________________________________________

4 What evidence from the text supports your prediction?

Lance didn't cook much but he wanted to do something nice for his wife's birthday, so he decided to make
her dinner. He was preparing a meal of steak and potatoes by following a recipe that he had found on the
Internet. He put the steaks on the grill on low heat and quartered the potatoes. Then he threw the potatoes
in a skillet with a little bit of oil and cooked them over medium heat. After browning the potatoes, he
grabbed the skillet by the metal handle and put it into the oven at 400 degrees. Twenty minutes later he
grabbed the steaks off of the grill and began preparing the plates. The last thing that he needed to do was
take the potatoes out of the oven. He thought about using a potholder to remove the pan, but didn't want to
bother with getting one out of the drawer. He reached into the hot oven, his hand nearing the metal handle
of the skillet. He wrapped his hand around the handle and clenched tightly...

7. What event is most likely to occur next? ________________________________________________

8. What evidence from the text supports your prediction?