Understanding Context Clues

What are context clues?

• Words that rhyme with the word in question

• Hints in the surrounding text that help determine the meaning of a word

• A definition provided in the dictionary that explains the exact meaning

• Words that sound similar to the word in question

Which of the following is an example of using a synonym as a context clue?

• "The dessert was delectable, even though she was stuffed."

• "The weather was cold, but not freezing."

• "She was cheerful, although slightly tired."

• "The cake was very dry, like sandpaper."

What does 'connotation' refer to in the context of understanding a word’s meaning?

• The associated feelings readers have with a word

• The literal dictionary definition

• The spelling of the word

• The opposite meaning of the word

If a passage describes a situation as 'grim' using negative words, which of the following words would likely fit in the passage?

• Cheerful

• Miserable

• Neutral

• Uncertain

How can identifying antonyms help in understanding context clues?

• They provide a definition of the word

• They contrast the word with an opposite meaning, giving hints about its definition

• They repeat the word multiple times to solidify its meaning

• They provide examples of the word with several different descriptions

What is the primary strategy to use when you encounter an unfamiliar word in a passage?

• Skip the word and move on

• Guess based on the first letter of the word, since it will match an answer

• Look up the word in a dictionary immediately

• Use context clues from the surrounding sentences to infer the meaning

In a context clue question, if the passage has a positive tone, which type of word should you most likely choose?

• A word with a neutral connotation

• A word with a positive connotation

• A word with a negative connotation

• A word that is ambiguous

Which type of context clue is being used in the following sentence: "The artifact was pristine, in perfect condition despite its age."

• Synonym

• Antonym

• Example

• Definition

Why is it important to read the entire passage before answering a context clue question?

• To find out if there are more difficult words later

• To find the word directly in a dictionary and look up a synonym

• To understand the overall tone and context, which can help with the meaning of the word

• To count how many times the word appears - repeated words have more weight

Which of the following is a question stem associated with "Words in Context" questions on the SAT®?

• "What is the main idea of the passage?"

• "How does the author develop their argument in the passage?"

• "Which of the following best describes the tone of the passage?"

• “As used in the text, what does the word ‘_______’ most nearly mean?”