Context Clues ( Reading material for students)

This ppt is aimed to make students understand context clues

1. CONTEXT CLUESCONTEXT CLUES
BYBY
Mrs. EvansMrs. Evans

2. Concept map
WHAT ARE CONTEXT CLUES?
Context
Clues

3. How Do You Guess The How Do You Guess The
Meaning Of An Meaning Of An
Unfamiliar Word?Unfamiliar Word?
There are words or phrases around an There are words or phrases around an
unfamiliar word that can help you unfamiliar word that can help you
understand the meaning of a new word.understand the meaning of a new word.
These words and phrases are called These words and phrases are called
context cluescontext clues.  . 
If you learn how to use these clues, If you learn how to use these clues,
you can save yourself a trip to the you can save yourself a trip to the
dictionary, increase your vocabulary, and dictionary, increase your vocabulary, and
improve your reading comprehension.  improve your reading comprehension. 

4. CONTEXT CLUESCONTEXT CLUES
THERE ARE DIFFERENT TYPES OF
CONTEXT CLUES:

Definition
Restatement or Synonym
Contrast or Antonym
Comparison
Example
List or Series
Cause and Effect
Description or Inference

5. DEFINITIONDEFINITION
The unknown word is equated to a The unknown word is equated to a
more familiar word or phrase; more familiar word or phrase;
usually a form of usually a form of to beto be is used. is used.
EXAMPLES:EXAMPLES:
****EntomologyEntomology isis the study of insects. the study of insects.
****ArchaeologyArchaeology isis the scientific study of prehistoric the scientific study of prehistoric
cultures by excavation of their remains. cultures by excavation of their remains.

6. RESTATEMENT ORRESTATEMENT OR
SYNONYMSYNONYM
The meaning is usually right after the The meaning is usually right after the
unfamiliar word and often separated from unfamiliar word and often separated from
the rest of the sentence with commas, the rest of the sentence with commas,
dashes, or parentheses; dashes, or parentheses; sometimessometimes, or , or
that isthat is, or , or in other wordsin other words is used. is used.
EXAMPLESEXAMPLES::
**Meat eatersMeat eaters, , that arethat are carnivorescarnivores, are at the top of , are at the top of
the food chainthe food chain..
*The *The goslingsgoslings----those those fuzzy baby geesefuzzy baby geese----waddled waddled
after their mother.after their mother.
*She enjoyed *She enjoyed biologybiology ((the study of living thingsthe study of living things))..

7. CONTRAST ORCONTRAST OR
ANTONYM ANTONYM
The unfamiliar word is shown to be different from
or unlike another word, and is often an opposite;
but, however, although, otherwise, unless,
instead, on the contrary, on the other hand,
while, never, no, or not may be used to signal
contrast.
EXAMPLE:EXAMPLE:
**Mike’s parrot was Mike’s parrot was loquaciousloquacious, , butbut Maria’s said Maria’s said
very littlevery little..

8. COMPARISONCOMPARISON
The unfamiliar word is shown to be the The unfamiliar word is shown to be the
same as or like another word; same as or like another word; too, like, as, too, like, as,
similar to,similar to, or or in the same wayin the same way may be may be
used to signal the comparison.used to signal the comparison.
EXAMPLE:EXAMPLE:
*My brother is *My brother is enthralledenthralled by birds by birds similarsimilar
toto the way that I am the way that I am fascinatedfascinated by by
insects.insects.

9. EXAMPLEEXAMPLE
The unfamiliar word is cleared up by The unfamiliar word is cleared up by
giving an example; giving an example; for instancefor instance, , such assuch as, ,
and and for examplefor example may be used as signals. may be used as signals.
EXAMPLE:EXAMPLE:
*The archeologist found different *The archeologist found different amuletsamulets, , such such
asas a a rabbit’s footrabbit’s foot and and bags of herbsbags of herbs, near the , near the
ancient altar.ancient altar.

10. LIST OR SERIESLIST OR SERIES
The unfamiliar word is included in a The unfamiliar word is included in a
series of related words that give an series of related words that give an
idea of the word’s meaning.idea of the word’s meaning.
EXAMPLE:EXAMPLE:
*North American *North American predatorspredators include include grizzly grizzly
bearsbears, , pumaspumas, , wolveswolves, and , and foxesfoxes..

11. CAUSE AND EFFECTCAUSE AND EFFECT
The meaning of an unfamiliar word The meaning of an unfamiliar word
is signaled by a cause-and-effectis signaled by a cause-and-effect
relationship between ideas in therelationship between ideas in the
text.text.
EXAMPLE:EXAMPLE:
**Due toDue to a a dearthdearth of termites, of termites, the aardvark the aardvark
starved to deathstarved to death..

12. DESCRIPTION ORDESCRIPTION OR
INFERENCEINFERENCE
The meaning of an unfamiliar wordThe meaning of an unfamiliar word
can be inferred from the descriptioncan be inferred from the description
of a situation or experience.of a situation or experience.
EXAMPLE:EXAMPLE:
*The monkey’s *The monkey’s vociferousvociferous chatter chatter mademade
me wish I had earplugs.me wish I had earplugs.

13. CONTEXT CLUESCONTEXT CLUES
PRACTICE PRACTICE
Read each sentence or paragraph and circle Read each sentence or paragraph and circle
the correct answer.the correct answer.
1.The archeologist carefully removed the tometome from its ancient
resting and proceeded to read the pages related to marriage in
ancient Greece. What does the word What does the word tometome probably mean? probably mean?
a. Pen b. weapon c. book d. sausage
2.The Navajo language is an unwritten language of extreme
complexity with no alphabet or symbols, and is spoken only on
the lands of the Navajo Nation in the American Southwest. During
World War II a Navajo code was created for the U.S. Navy. This
code was virtuallyvirtually undecipherable to anyone except Navajo
speaking persons. What does the word What does the word virtuallyvirtually probably mean? probably mean?
a. Pleasant b. almost c. never d. always

14. CONTEXT CLUESCONTEXT CLUES
PRACTICE PRACTICE
Cont.Cont.
3. Lakes occupy less than two percent of the Earth’s surface, yet
they help sustainsustain life. For instance, lakes give us fish to eat, irrigate
crops, and generate electrical power. What does the word What does the word sustainsustain
probably mean? probably mean?
a. support b. obstruct c. prolong d. destroy
4. The ancient Greeks pioneeredpioneered many of the kinds of writing we
consider standard today. They wrote speeches, plays, poems,
books about science and learning, long histories of the things
that happened to them. What does the word What does the word pioneeredpioneered probably probably
mean?mean?
a. complicated b. developed c. destroyed d. explored

15. CONTEXT CLUESCONTEXT CLUES
PRACTICE PRACTICE
Cont.Cont.
5. Fifty-five mostly prominentprominent, male delegates attended the
Philadelphia Convention in 1787. About seventy-five percent of
the delegates had served in Congress and others were important
people in their home states. These men are often referred to as
the Framers of the Constitution. What does the word What does the word prominentprominent
probably mean?probably mean?
a. unimportant b. unknown c. common d. important
6. Bats that eat fruit and nectar spread seeds and help flowers
grow. Without bats many important plants would not thrivethrive. WhatWhat
does the word does the word thrivethrive probably mean? probably mean?
a. flourish b. die c. wither d. deteriorate

16. CONTEXT CLUESCONTEXT CLUES
MORE PRACTICEMORE PRACTICE
Read the passage Read the passage
ARMADILLOS and and
complete the chart:complete the chart:
AparaApara
AridArid
BuoyantBuoyant
CarrionCarrion
DwindledDwindled
NocturnalNocturnal
PlacentaPlacenta
SparseSparse
WordWord Definition Context ClueContext Clue Type ofType of
context cluecontext clue

17. THE ENDTHE END
QUESTIONS?QUESTIONS?