Chapter 1: Determining the Meaning

of an Unfamiliar Word
through Context
 How can you determine the meaning
of unfamiliar words?

© 2008 McGraw-Hill Higher Education Chapter 1: Determining the Meaning of an Unfamiliar Word 2
 Context Clues
Context clues consist of words in a sentence
or paragraph that enable readers to reason
out the meaning of unfamiliar words. (Context
is whatever surrounds something else. Words appear in the
context of a sentence.)
Ask yourself, What would this word have to
mean in order to make sense in this
sentence?

© 2008 McGraw-Hill Higher Education Chapter 1: Determining the Meaning of an Unfamiliar Word 3
 Five Types of Context Clues
• Definition or synonym clues
• Contrast clues
• Example clues
• General sense of the sentence
• Clue from another sentence

Each type of clue has certain “signals.”

© 2008 McGraw-Hill Higher Education Chapter 1: Determining the Meaning of an Unfamiliar Word 4
 Definition or Synonym Clue
• The author defines the word or gives a synonym.
• Signals:
--phrases such as the term, is defined as, means, is
known as, etc.
--a definition following a comma, colon, or dash, or
enclosed in parentheses ( ), brackets [ ] or dashes
--a term or definition in special print such as bold
print, italics, or color.
--synonyms introduced by or, in other words, that is,
is also known as, by this we mean, etc.
© 2008 McGraw-Hill Higher Education Chapter 1: Determining the Meaning of an Unfamiliar Word 5
CONTEXTUAL ANALYSIS (cont.)
 Example 2:
The White House announced today that it
plans to lower taxes.
(White House = the president who occupies
the White House)

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 Contrast Clues
• The author includes a word or phrase that is the
opposite of the word whose meaning you are
trying to figure out. The meaning will be the
“opposite of the opposite.”

• Signals:
--Words such as but, however, on the other hand,
nevertheless, yet, in contrast, and some . . .others
--Opposite words (e.g., men and women; Democrats
and Republicans; ancient and modern)

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CONTEXTUAL ANALYSIS (cont.)

Example 1:
A few advertisers are unscrupulous, but most are
honest.
 Example Clues
• Consist of one or more examples that are
used to illustrate the meaning of the
unfamiliar word. The example is not the
definition, but it is a clue to it.
• Signals:
--Examples are typically introduced by for
example, to illustrate, for instance, and such
as
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CONTEXTUAL ANALYSIS (cont.)

Example 1:
Many Americans include too many servings
of potatoes, rice, pasta, bread, and other
carbohydrates in their diet.
 General Sense of the Sentence
• Call on your prior knowledge to help you
figure out the meaning of the unknown
word.
• Signals:
--None, so remember to ask yourself, “What
would this word have to mean in order to
make sense in this sentence?”

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CONTEXTUAL ANALYSIS (cont.)
 Clues from Another Sentence
• There may be helpful clues or information
in a sentence that precedes or follows the
one that contains the unfamiliar word.

• Signals:
-- None, so be sure to ask yourself, “What
would this word have to mean in order to
make sense in this sentence?”

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 Example 1:
That comedian has a ribald sense of humor.
Two television networks have canceled his
show because viewers complained about his
lewd language and vulgar jokes.

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 The Edge:
Pointers from the Coach
• Test your definition. Substitute your definition in
the sentence. Does it make sense?
• Some “context clues” can be misleading since
context clues do not always provide perfect clues
to an unfamiliar word’s meaning. When you are
“using the context,” you are making an educated
guess.
• Context clues may not always be complete. Even
so, if you look a word up in the dictionary, the
context will help you determine which definition
you need--the one that makes sense in the
sentence.
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 The Edge (continued)
• Be sure you understand the definition or
synonym given in a sentence.
• If context clues prove inadequate, you
should use other ways to determine the
meaning of the unfamiliar word or term.
• Use word structure clues (word parts) to
confirm the educated guess you made from
context clues.
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 The Edge (continued)
• Learning a word in context helps you
remember its definition.
• Pay attention to specialized or technical
terms because professors will ask you their
definitions on tests.

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