Using

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Using
Context
Clues

• by Yvonne Bradley
• Martin City Middle School

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Types of Clues

• Writers often help readers with unfamiliar words
  by giving clues through the use of
• punctuation marks (commas or dashes)
• signal words (that clarify)
• or
• whole sentences before or after the word which
  form a context that can help define the
  unfamiliar word.

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Punctuation Marks

• Commas, dashes, and parentheses are sometimes
  followed by a word or words that have the same
  meaning, a short definition, or an example, to
  help the reader.

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Commas, Dashes, and Parentheses

• Examples
• Stealthily, slowly and secretly, he crept up on
  his victim.
• At 300 well take a brief intermission--- a
  short break---and get some refreshments.
• The incinerator (which is the place we burn our
  trash) was causing the air to heat up.

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Signal Words

• These words signal a definition, example, or
  synonym or, such as, for example, which is,
  especially, like, that is, and in other words.

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Signal Words
Examples (notice the signal words) The boy stood
there stolidly or with little emotion or
movement. The girl cried in anguish, like a dying
animal. Enunciation is extremely important in a
speech. In other words, you must always speak
clearly to be understood.
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Context of the Text
When a reader encounters an unfamiliar word,
he/she must use all of the clues around the word
to figure it out. These are the context clues.

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Context of the Text
Example The students were exhilarated when
their football team won the championship game.
They celebrated, laughing and cheering, all
night. What does exhilarated mean? What are the
clues in the sentence that tell you this?
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Practice Using Context Clues

• Copy the following sentences in your journal.
  Write a definition or synonym for each underlined
  word. Circle the clues in the text that helped
  you guess the meaning of the word.

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1. The indigenous (native) animals of this area
are at risk due to the new construction. 2. His
indisposition made him turn down the invitation.
He was truly sick that day. 3. Her words were
really lyrical, her friends thought she could
become a poet. 4. The first class to secede, or
break away, from the school group was the fifth
grade class.
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5. The genre, such as fiction, should be labeled
on your book report. 6. She was of an
indeterminate--hard to identify--age. 7. He is a
skeptic, he doesnt believe anything until you
can prove it to him. 8. The impudent child got
scolded by her parents for her rudeness to her
brother.
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9. His help was incalculable, without his
countless efforts we couldnt have done what we
did. 10. The luminous light brightened our path
so well that we easily found our way out.
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Answers
1. Native or natural to that area clues are the
parentheses ( ) around the synonym. 2. Illness
clue is the word sick. 3. Poetical clue is the
word poet. 4. Separate or break away clue is
the word or before a synonym.
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Answers continued
5. Type of writing Clues are the words such as
followed by an example. 6. Hard to identify or
determine clues are the dashes before and after
the synonym. 7. A person that doesnt believe
easily clues are the words/phrases believe and
until you can prove it. 8. Rude clue is the
word rudeness.
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Answers continued
9. So much it cant be measured, immeasurable
clue is the word countless. 10. Bright clues
are light and brightened.