The five types of context clues

1. Definition/ Explanation clues

Sometimes a word’s or phrase’s meaning is explained immediately after its use.

Example

‘’Serendipity, which is the occurrence and development of events by chance in a happy or

beneficial way.’’

2. Synonyms/ Restatement

Sometimes a hard word or phrase is said in a simple way.

Example

It turned out to be serendipity when I missed attending a flag-raising ceremony, since this is where
I met a man like a ray of sunshine that shined upon my gloomy room.

Explanation: Because the sentence says that I missed attending the flag-raising ceremony and met
a man serendipity, then it must be an unintended or happy accident.

3. Antonym/ Contrast

Sometimes a word or phrase is clarified by the presentation of the opposite meaning

somewhere close to its use look for signal words when applying context clues.

Example

I liked the man that I met serendipity, but my friend likes the man that broke my heart.

Explanation: The signal word but informs the reader that an opposite thought is going to be
stated.

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 4. Inference/General Context Clues

Sometimes a word or phrase is not immediately clarified within the same sentence.
Relationships, which are not directly apparent, are inferred or implied. The reader must look for
clues within, before, and after the sentence in which the word is used.

Example

I liked the man that I met serendipity. I feel the happiness, excitement, and nervousness when
I’m around him.

Explanation: In the sentence, the words “liked,” “happiness,” “excitement,” and nervousness
give the idea that I am in love with the man that I met.

5. Punctuation

Readers can also use clues of punctuation and type style to infer meaning, such as quotation
marks (showing the word has a special meaning), dashes, parenthesis or brackets (enclosing a
definition), and italics ((showing the word will be defined.

Example

I met my husband serendipity, or by a happy accident, in the story of my life.

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