Context Clues

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Context Clues

• Mack Gipson, Jr.
• Tutorial and
• Enrichment Center

Gayla S. Keesee Education Specialist
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Building Word Awareness

• Context Clues
• Definition
• Synonyms
• Restatement
• Contrast
• Explanation
• Examples
• Inference

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What is Context?

• Most Americans can speak only one ________.
  Europeans, however, ________ several. As a
  result, Europeans think ________ are unfriendly
  and unwilling to communicate with them.
• Try to figure out the missing words.

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What is Context?

• Most Americans can speak only one language.
  Europeans, however, speak several. As a result,
  Europeans think Americans are unfriendly and
  unwilling to communicate with them.
• How did you do? How did you figure out the
  missing words?

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What is Context?

• Use the words surrounding the unknown word to
  help determine the unknown words meaning.
• Phobias, such as fear of heights, water, or
  confined spaces are difficult to eliminate.

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Context Clues Definition

• A chemical bond is a strong force that holds two
  or more atoms together.
• A dialect is a form of speech from a specific
  region.

• Unknown word is defined immediately following its
  use
• brief definition, synonym, or restatement using
  punctuation-commas, parentheses or dashes.
• Be verb shows the two ideas are the same. X
  Y

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Synonyms

• A writer often choose a more familiar word or
  words with the same meaning to make the difficult
  word understandable

Ballet students appear so lithe they are so
limber and flexible. The cataract was
spectacular the steep waterfall dropped abruptly
eighty feet.
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Restatement

• Close to a synonym, restatement differs in that a
  difficult word is usually restated in a simpler
  formusually set of by commas.

The poetry was sublime, lofty and moving, and
brought tears to my eyes. The village was
depopulated, most of the residents dead or moved,
but the livestock remained untouched.
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Contrast

• Antonym, a word of opposite meaning (notice the
  restatement)
• Contrast clue words but, however, in contrast
  to, on the other hand

• The gentleman was portly, but his wife was thin.
• The mayoral candidate praised the town
  council,but the mayor deprecated it.

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Explanation

• Similar to a definition clue
• Generally longer than a definition
• Usually found in one or more different sentences

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Context Clues Explanation

• The chrome is beginning to corrode. It shows
  signs of pitting and of being eaten away
  gradually.
• It was a martial parade signs of the military
  were everywhere. Everyone was in uniform guns,
  cannon and tanks were on display, and jets flew
  overhead.

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Context Clues Explanation

• NOTE Sometimes the explanation is presented
  first.
• The puppy was a complete bother and an annoyance
  to all the neighbors. It was a continual
  nuisance.

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Example

• Examples that the reader may know to help explain
  a new and unfamiliar concept or term
• Note the punctuation clues commas or hyphens
• Signal wordssuch as, for example, for instance,
  to illustrate, specifically

• Legumes, such as peas and beans, produce pods.
• Forest floors are frequently covered with
  fungimolds, mushrooms, and mildews.

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Inference

• Use reasoning and prior knowledge
• Your experiences provide common-sense clues to
  the meaning of a word
• This context clue is often a little harder to spot

• Since Reginald was nervous, he brought his rabbit
  foot talisman with him to the exam.
• His alibi was upheld when Johns friends offered
  personal testimony, letters of documentation, and
  three videotapes showing that he was present at
  the party.

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Limitations of Context Clues

• Context clues only give the immediate definition
  for that particular context.
• Context clues seldom lead to a precise, complete
  definition.
• Sometimes the passage will not contain clues to
  the meaning of the unfamiliar word.

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Applying What You Have Learned

• He seemed quite free and easy with a few friends,
  but at large parties he was quite inhibited.

• Can you define the unfamiliar word?
• Name the context clue that helped you?
• What was the signal word that helped?

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Applying What You Have Learned

• The definition of the unfamiliar word is
  controlled, restrained.
• The context clue was contrast.
• The signal word was but.

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Applying What You Have Learned

• Can you define the unfamiliar word?
• Can you name the specific context clue that
  helped you?

• Embassies typically follow well-established
  protocols, or accepted procedures, for seating
  guests at a government dinner.

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Applying What You Have Learned

• The definition of protocol is a set of rules or
  procedures.
• The context clue is definition, with some help
  from the commas restatement

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Applying What You Have Learned

• Corona refers to the outermost part of the suns
  atmosphere.
• Facets-small flat surfaces at different angles-
  bring out the beauty of a diamond.

• Can you define the unfamiliar word?
• Can you name the specific context clue that
  helped you?

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Applying What You Have Learned

• First context clue is a straight definition.
• Second context clue is definitionrestatement.
  Notice the punctuation helps.

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Applying What You Have Learned

• Most condiments, such as pepper, mustard and
  catsup, are used to improve the flavor of foods.

• Can you define the unfamiliar word?
• Can you name the specific context clue that
  helped you?

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Applying What You Have Learned

• A condiment is a flavor enhancer used to spice up
  foods.
• The context clue was an example clue. Notice the
  signal phrasesuch as.

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Applying What You Have Learned

• Some city dwellers are affluent others live in
  poverty.

• Can you define the unfamiliar word?
• Can you name the specific context clue that
  helped you?

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Applying What You Have Learned

• The definition of affluent is rich, wealthy.
• The context clue is contrast.

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Applying What You Have Learned

• Can you define the unfamiliar word?
• Can you name the specific context clue that
  helped you?

• The wallabies at the zoo looked like kangaroos.

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Applying What You Have Learned

• A wallaby is a small kangaroo.
• The context clue could be example or inference.