CONTEXT CLUES
BENCHMARKS:
Elementary
LA.A.1.2.3 Uses simple strategies to determine meaning and increase vocabulary for
reading, including the use of prefixes, suffixes, root words, multiple
meanings, antonyms, synonyms, and word relationships.
Middle
L.A.A.1.3.2 Uses a variety of strategies to analyze words
and text, draw conclusions, use context and word structure clues, and recognize
organizational patterns.
High School
L.A.A.1.4.2 Selects and uses
strategies to understand words and text, and to make and confirm inferences
from what is read, including interpreting diagrams, graphs, and statistical
illustrations.
DEFINITION:
Context clues are the hints provided
in text, which lead the reader to meanings of words. Context clues come in
several categories, as many as ten, but there are five that are most commonly
used. They are Definition, Synonym, Antonym, Example,
and Mood.
Context Clues in Meanings
When readers come across an unfamiliar word, they often
look in different places in the text for clues to the meaning. These clues can
be found before, within, or after the sentence with the unfamiliar word. Also,
there are signal words associated with the context clues. These signal words
will point out the type of context clue being used. Once the reader is able to
identify the type of context clue being used, then the meanings of unfamiliar
words become clear.
Types of Context Clues and Their Signal Words
Definition
The verb "to be" is a signal indicating that the definition of the word may be in the sentence. A form of the verb "to be" is located between the unfamiliar word and its meaning.
A carnivore is an animal that feeds only on meat.
The word "or" is a signal word indicating that the definition is in the sentence.
A biographer, or one who writes about people's lives, is an example of an author.
Synonym
The word "like" is a signal word indicating synonym which means there is a word of similar meaning in the sentence.
The harlequin, like the circus clown, was a fool who loved to perform.
Antonym
The word "but" is a signal word indicating antonym which means there is a word of opposite meaning in the sentence.
Jerry is very clumsy, but his sister Jenny is adroit.
Example
"Such as," "for instance," and "for example" indicate examples.
The student was suffering from anxiety. For example, when he first saw the test, he began to tremble.
Mood
Mood uses metaphors to paint a picture of a setting or feeling.
The image of children eating garbage and worms showed how despoiled life becomes in the face of starvation.