Using Context Clues

Context Clues You can use the structure of a sentence to help you figure out what unknown words mean. Be sure to read the whole sentence and examine it for clues to determine what the unknown word means.

Questions After you read the sentence containing the unknown word, ask yourself the following questions: What does the sentence mean? Are there clues about the unknown word in the sentence? Hint: sometimes clues are scattered throughout the paragraph, not just a single sentence.

Synonym Clues The unfamiliar word may be similar to another word that is used in or around the sentence. Example: The man was burly and muscular. What does burly mean?

Antonym Clues The unfamiliar word may be the opposite of another word that is used in or around the sentence. Example: I detest liver, but I love steak. What does detest mean?

Cause-and-effect clues The unfamiliar word has a causal relationship with another word or phrase that is used in or around the sentence. Example: Jon worked assiduously in high school and got into a good college as a result. What does assiduously mean?

Context Clue Alerts Synonyms Antonyms Cause &Eff. And but because Both yet as a result likewise instead of since Also even though led to Such as however after while therefore

Example Laura is very friendly, she greeted all of her guest with an amiable smile. What does amiable mean? What clues in the sentence helped you determine its meaning?