Looking for Looking for Context Clues? Context Clues?

Context Clues – What Are They?

• Context clues are bits of information from the text that, when combined with prior knowledge, allow you to decide the meaning of unknown words in the story or article you are reading.

• As a reader you must act similar to a detective and put together clues from sentences surrounding an unknown word in order to make an intelligent “guess” as to what the definition of a word is.

Context Clues – How Do They Help You Read New Words?

• Textbook writers and authors include words or phrases to help their readers understand the meaning of a new or difficult word.

• These words or phrases are built into the sentences around the new or difficult word. By becoming more aware of the words around a difficult word, readers can make logical guesses about the meanings of many words.

Types of Context CluesTypes of Context Clues

Authors use many different types Authors use many different types of context clues when writing of context clues when writing texts. Three of these types are:texts. Three of these types are:

Direct definition context cluesDirect definition context cluesSynonym context cluesSynonym context cluesAntonym context cluesAntonym context clues

Direct definition context cluesDirect definition context clues are words are words that say, “Stop - don’t touch that dictionary. that say, “Stop - don’t touch that dictionary. The definition of the word you don’t know is The definition of the word you don’t know is

right here in the text!" right here in the text!"

EXAMPLES:EXAMPLES:

There are many There are many theoriestheories, , oror ideasideas, , about what about what made the Ice Ages happen.made the Ice Ages happen.

In this sentence the word “ideas” tells us that In this sentence the word “ideas” tells us that theoriestheories are different thoughts people have about are different thoughts people have about something.something.

After a time, After a time, glaciersglaciers, , or slowly moving rivers or slowly moving rivers of iceof ice, , formed over many parts of the Earth.formed over many parts of the Earth.

In this sentence the words “slowly moving rivers In this sentence the words “slowly moving rivers of ice” tell us what of ice” tell us what glaciersglaciers are. are.

Synonym context cluesSynonym context clues are words around a are words around a difficult word that mean the same or nearly the same difficult word that mean the same or nearly the same

as the word. as the word.

EXAMPLES:EXAMPLES:

After seeing the picture of the starving children, we After seeing the picture of the starving children, we felt felt compassioncompassion or pity for their suffering. or pity for their suffering.

In this sentence the word “pity” tells us that In this sentence the word “pity” tells us that compassioncompassion means to have understanding for.means to have understanding for.

Mary Mary admonishedadmonished her students and they knew they her students and they knew they were in hot water for their actions.were in hot water for their actions.

In this sentence the words “in hot water” tell us that In this sentence the words “in hot water” tell us that admonishedadmonished means cautioned or scolded. means cautioned or scolded.

Antonym context cluesAntonym context clues are words around a difficult are words around a difficult word that mean the opposite or nearly the opposite word that mean the opposite or nearly the opposite

as the word. as the word.

EXAMPLE:EXAMPLE:

Joe was Joe was reluctantreluctant to take the job of captain of the to take the job of captain of the team. He was afraid that the time it would take team. He was afraid that the time it would take would hurt his grades. On the other hand, Billy was would hurt his grades. On the other hand, Billy was eager for the chance to be the team captain.eager for the chance to be the team captain.

In this sentence the words “on the other hand” and In this sentence the words “on the other hand” and “eager” tell us that Billy feels the opposite of Joe, “eager” tell us that Billy feels the opposite of Joe, therefore, therefore, reluctantreluctant means uncertain or cautious. means uncertain or cautious.

Now it is your turn to be a detective and follow

the clues!

Use what you have learned about context clues to complete the activity on the next 8 slides.

Context Clues Practice ActivityContext Clues Practice ActivityYour friend Maria has moved to a new country and is Your friend Maria has moved to a new country and is

learning a new language. Read what she wrote in learning a new language. Read what she wrote in her diary and see if you can figure out the meaning her diary and see if you can figure out the meaning

to the underlined words.to the underlined words.

Dear Diary,Dear Diary,I overslept this morning and I missed the I overslept this morning and I missed the

metrometro. So my host family had to take me to school in . So my host family had to take me to school in the the LaSalle.LaSalle. We stopped at Mickey D’s and they We stopped at Mickey D’s and they bought me bought me take awaytake away. I had to eat. I had to eat very quickly, and very quickly, and I barely cameI barely came to school. I almost missed the to school. I almost missed the opening bell. When I got to school, I realized I had opening bell. When I got to school, I realized I had forgotten myforgotten my planner, planner, a calendar in which we write a calendar in which we write all our assignments and homework. all our assignments and homework.

Unfortunately, it was “show your work” day, and Unfortunately, it was “show your work” day, and the director chose our class to inspect. I thought I the director chose our class to inspect. I thought I was a post toastee, and was certain that I would lose was a post toastee, and was certain that I would lose my classmates points.my classmates points.

Context Clues Practice Context Clues Practice ActivityActivity

Someone from the first row shuttled their Someone from the first row shuttled their planner covertly across the classroom to me. planner covertly across the classroom to me. They wanted me to They wanted me to flim-flamflim-flam the director, by the director, by passing someone else’s planner off as my own, so passing someone else’s planner off as my own, so we wouldn’t receive demerits.we wouldn’t receive demerits.

The director was only a few seats away, and The director was only a few seats away, and rapidly approaching, so I had to think rapidly approaching, so I had to think chop-chop chop-chop wiki-wikiwiki-wiki what to do? I remember what they what to do? I remember what they taught me about character at my old school, and taught me about character at my old school, and being caught as a liar at my new school would be being caught as a liar at my new school would be terrible; I we would be thought of badly. I put the terrible; I we would be thought of badly. I put the planner away and told the director that I was new planner away and told the director that I was new to the school and had forgotten my planner. to the school and had forgotten my planner.

Context Clues Practice Context Clues Practice ActivityActivity

The Director handed me my planner and The Director handed me my planner and said not to worry about it, my host said not to worry about it, my host babushkababushka found it on the backseat of the Lasalle.found it on the backseat of the Lasalle.

My babushka is my host Dad’s Mom. I My babushka is my host Dad’s Mom. I guess honesty is the best policy.guess honesty is the best policy.

Well, I better go to bed soon. I don’t Well, I better go to bed soon. I don’t want to wake up late again and miss my want to wake up late again and miss my metrometro!!

Until tomorrow,Until tomorrow,MariaMaria

DirectionsDirections

It’s time for some detective work. It’s time for some detective work. Take each word from Maria’s Take each word from Maria’s diary that is written in her new diary that is written in her new language and use the context language and use the context clues in the text to figure them clues in the text to figure them out!out!

Let’s begin…Let’s begin… What could the word What could the word metrometro mean? mean?

►The sentences tell me that she missed the The sentences tell me that she missed the metro and her host family had to take her metro and her host family had to take her to school. It must be a bus or train. What to school. It must be a bus or train. What do you think it is?do you think it is?

What could the word What could the word LaSalleLaSalle mean? mean?►The sentence tells me that Maria was The sentence tells me that Maria was

taken to school in the family’s LaSalle. taken to school in the family’s LaSalle. What do you think it is?What do you think it is?

►The most logical guess would be a type of The most logical guess would be a type of transportation.transportation.

Cadillac LaSalleCadillac LaSalle

May the force be with May the force be with you..you..

What could the phrase What could the phrase take-awaytake-away mean? mean?►The sentences tell me that she had to eat very The sentences tell me that she had to eat very

quickly. I am guessing she had to eat while they quickly. I am guessing she had to eat while they were driving to school. What do you think it were driving to school. What do you think it means?means?

►The most logical guess would be food “to go”.The most logical guess would be food “to go”.

What could the phrase What could the phrase barely camebarely came mean? mean?►The sentence tells me that she almost missed The sentence tells me that she almost missed

the opening bell. What do you think it means?the opening bell. What do you think it means?►The most logical guess would be she just arrived The most logical guess would be she just arrived

at school as the bell was ringing.at school as the bell was ringing.

You’re doing terrific…keep You’re doing terrific…keep going!going!

What could the word What could the word planner planner mean?mean?►The sentence tells me it is a calendar they write The sentence tells me it is a calendar they write

all of their assignments and homework in? What all of their assignments and homework in? What do you think it is?do you think it is?

►The most logical guess would be an “Agenda”.The most logical guess would be an “Agenda”.

What could the phrase What could the phrase flim-flamflim-flam mean? mean?►The sentences tell me that Maria was going to The sentences tell me that Maria was going to

pass someone else’s planner off as her own. pass someone else’s planner off as her own. What do you think this expression means?What do you think this expression means?

►The most logical guess would be that it means The most logical guess would be that it means to trick someone into believing something that is to trick someone into believing something that is untrue.untrue.

Almost there…Almost there…

What could the phrase What could the phrase chop-chop wiki-chop-chop wiki-wikiwiki mean? mean?►The sentences tell me that the director The sentences tell me that the director

was rapidly approaching, so it must was rapidly approaching, so it must mean to hurry up. What do you think it mean to hurry up. What do you think it means?means?

And, lastly a And, lastly a babushkababushka, is a grandmother., is a grandmother.

You did it!• You have successfully

completed a study on context clues!

• Go out into the world and see what you can do with your new knowledge of how to decode words!