Context clues

Identifying contextual definition

 Enable the readers to identify unfamiliar words through inferences provided by the verbal text
 Allow the reader to read with little loss of fluency and a minimum frustration
Example:
Unemployment was very high during the depression of the 1930s
Depression sometimes refers to sadness and dejection, but in this context depression refers to ‘a
period of economic decline’.
 Words unfamiliar to you may often have meanings stated in or suggested by context. To use
context to locate or infer word meaning you will have les need to use a dictionary when you
read.
Recognizing Restatements and Examples as Context Clues
Text clues
Stated Meaning – the meaning of a word is stated in context.
 Synonyms: words which have the same meaning as the unknown word in a given
sentence. There may be signals which identify the presence of synonym. They are: “or, that
is, called, as well as, commas (,), dashes (-), and colours”.
 After seeing the picture of the starving children, we felt compassion or pity for their
suffering.
 In New Orleans, people drink a strong coffee served in demitasse or half size cups
 Punctuation mark signal words: , commas, ‘appositive, ( ) parentheses,
---- dashes , ; semicolon : colon
 Fluoroscopy, examination with a fluoroscope, has become a common practice.
 The dudeen – a short-stemmed clay pipe – is found in Irish folk tales
 Antonyms: words which have the opposite meaning of the unknown words in a given
sentence. Signals which identify the presence of antonym are: “instead, although, but, yet,
and however”.
 Bill was thin but his brother was obese  thin x obese = fat
 Dad gave credence to my story, but mom’s reaction was one of total disbelief
 Definition clues: The meaning of the unfamiliar word may be found in the same sentence
or passage. Definitions may be indicated by these signals: “is called, which is, means,
commas (,), dashes (-), parentheses ().”
 A thermometer, an instrument used to measure temperature, is useful.
 Your receptive vocabulary is the words you know when you read or listen
 The masterpieces of great painters stimulate the tactile sense, or sense of touch; they
may appear to be rough, slippery, or soft.
 When you write papers for your college courses, take care that you do not plagiarize –
present the words or ideas of others as though they are your own
 Visual

1
 Peggy had an exultant look on her face.
In the example, the picture and its caption that is close to the sentence helps the reader
understand that "exultant" means great joy.

 Example: "such as," "including," "for instance" , "for example." like, for instance, is / are.
 Many animals have mottled coast, such as the leopard, the ocelot, and the giraffe.
 Some animals are omnivores. Bears, for instance, eat whatever meat or plants they
can find.
 Comparison signal words: Like(wise, also identical, resembling, as, in the same way,
similar to, related, similarly
 My brother is enthralled by birds similar to the way that I am fascinated by insects.
 His hypothesis was that the thatch in the roof was as likely to burn as any other
straw.
 Cause & effect: signal words
signal words for “cause”
Because, bring about, contributed to, due to, the reason for, give rise to, led to, on account
of, created by, since, given that, while, as, whereas, as a result of.
signal words for “effect”
As a result, consequently, hence, so, therefore, for this reason, outcome, finally, then,
effect, thus, after, accordingly, subsequently
 Because Aminah was a negligent babysitter, his younger brother wandered off and fell
into the river.
 The horse was so fatigued that he collapsed before he finished.
Implied Meaning: - the meaning of a word is not stated in context, it may be implied.
 Experience clues: the meaning of the unfamiliar word is obtained through the readers’
experimental background.
 The ground was shaking and the buildings were falling. It was an earthquake.
 Summary: an unknown word summarizes an idea that precedes or follows it. Reader
refers to the idea in order to obtain the meaning of unknown word.
 The room was completely disheveled. Chairs were overturned and pillows were thrown
on the floor.
 Those who enjoy belonging to clubs, going to parties, and inviting friends to their homes
for dinner are gregarious.
 Murderers are usually incarcerated for longer period of time than robbers are.