8/12 What is a context clue?

8/12 What is a Context Clue

I can define and identify a context clue

I can identify the 5 types of context clues

I can practice determining the meaning of unknown words

A context clue helps the reader to determine the meaning of the unknown word in a sentence by providing one of the 5 types of supports ( clues)

You have to pretend you are a detective to search or investigate what the unknown word might mean.

Let's be a DETECTIVE!

The girl was elated when she heard the news.

Replace the word with a new word that makes the most sense in the sentence.

Open Ended

What word can you replace ELATED with that makes the most sense?

Open Ended

If I tell you the News she was elated about was winning a brand new car. What would you replace the word ELATED with?

The girl was ELATED when she heard the news that she had won a brand new car.

Inference

Most authors will NOT use inference as the clue for a new word

But, remember an inference is an educated guess based on the information you have or know.

Definition

The clue will NOT be a definition unless immediately after the word there is a comma (,) with the word or and the actual definition.

Example:

The conspicuous, or easily noticed person wore a purple wig and large sunglasses

Examples

The author uses examples of the unknown word to help you.

Example: She hums continuously, or all the time, and it annoys me.

The example in this sentence explains how you feel by hearing her hum.

The meanind of the word hum is...

Antonyms

The author will use an antonym ( a word that means the OPPOSITE of the unknown word later in the sentence)

Example: "You look pretty content about it, not like you're all bent out of shape at all," he noted

The meaning of the word content means...

Synonyms

The author will use a synonym ( a word that means the SAME as the unknown word later in the sentence)

Example: The annual bazaar is scheduled for the last day of school. It's always a fun festival.

The word bazaar means....

Multiple Choice

The sweltering, or very hot weather made the baseball game very uncomfortable. We tried using paper fans, but it didn't help much.

What is the meaning of the word sweltering?

• rainy

• windy

• stormy

• very hot

Multiple Choice

Which clue did the author use?

The sweltering, or very hot weather made the baseball game very uncomfortable. We tried using paper fans, but it didn't help much.

• Inference

• Definition

• Example

• Antonym

• Synonym

Multiple Choice

The dish was bland, or dull. It did not taste like anything

• A. tasteless

• A. delicious

• A. strong

• A. smelly

Multiple Choice

What type of clue did the author use?

The dish was bland, or dull. It did not taste like anything

• inference

• Definition

• example

• antonym

• synonym

Multiple Choice

Tuesday was Moira's first day in the new school. She was

confused by the endless hallways and was often lost. By Friday, however, her bewilderment had ended.

• A. sadness

• B. confusion

• C. shyness

• D. interest

Multiple Choice

You can use context clues when you need to find the ___________ of words.

• meaning

• pronunciation

• spelling