Context clues

Welcome Grade 9 students!

Context Clues

Types of Context Clues

Objectives of the lesson

This lesson will help you:

• determine the different types of context clues (definition,

synonym/restatement, antonyms);

• arrive at the meaning of words through context clues; and

• define unknown words through context clues.

Directions: Read the sentences carefully. Encircle the letter of the best

meaning for the underlined word as it is used in context.

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1. My sister said, “I just freed myself from a very loquacious history

professor. All he seemed to want was an audience.”

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• A. grouchy

• B. pretentious

• C. talkative

• D. worried

2. Many years before, Caesar’s men had tried and failed to invade Britain.

No doubt this contributed to the xenophobia of the Romans. They were

cautious about strangers who entered their country.

• honesty

• fear of foreigners

• kindness

• tubbornness

3. The prisoners liberated from the Nazi death camp were so emaciated

that they looked like skeletons.

• A. well and fit

• B. extremely hungry

• C. healthy and fleshy

• D. abnormally thin and weak

4. Instead of grimace, Crystal had a big smile on her face.

• A. grin

• B. frown

• C. mask

• D. smirk

5. She was an agile dancer, although her partner was quite clumsy.

• A. quiet

• B. nimble

• c. shy

• D. stiff

Context clues are hints or “clues” to the meaning of a word that are quite literally

hidden in plain sight.

• Context clues are hints in the passage, paragraph or individual sentence

  that can tell you the meaning of a word you are not familiar with. Sometimes even the title of

  a piece or the illustrations that come with it offer context clues, as well.

Context clues can be classified into four types:

• synonym or restatement clues,

• antonym or contrast clues,

• definition or explanation clues,

• and general or inference clues.

Remember

Context Clues are the hints writers use to help readers understand unfamiliar words. These hints or clues may appear within the same sentence with the word it refers or through looking at antonyms, definitions or explanations or a general inference on how the word is used in a sentence. In order to improve and widen your vocabulary, it is necessary that you learn to recognize context clues when reading.

Check Your Understanding

Directions: For each underlined word, use the context clues or words that surround it to find its meaning. Write the underlined word and its meaning and identify what type of context clue is used in the sentence.

Example A: I was really hungry, and the pear I ate did not appease my hunger.

Answer: appease- to fulfill or satisfy; General or inference clue

6. The bird sang from the bough of the tress. Then the bird hopped to another

branch and sang some more.

7. Nikola Tesla was an enigmatic figure. His inventions contribute to many of the

modern conveniences that we use to this day.

8. This is a clandestine operation. It is extremely important that no one discovers

what you’re doing!

9. The signal from the cable is too strong for our television. We’ll have to use a filter

to attenuate it.

10.Martha is a curator, a person who is responsible for looking after a museum’s

collection.

6. The bird sang from the bough of the tress. Then the bird hopped to another

branch and sang some more.

7. Nikola Tesla was an enigmatic figure. His inventions contribute to many of the

modern conveniences that we use to this day.

8. This is a clandestine operation. It is extremely important that no one discovers

what you’re doing!

9. The signal from the cable is too strong for our television. We’ll have to use a filter

to attenuate it.

10.Martha is a curator, a person who is responsible for looking after a museum’s

collection.