Decoding New Vocabulary

What are context clues?  Information from the text that, when combined with prior knowledge, help the reader decipher the meaning of an unknown word.

Types of Context Clues  Definition  Synonym  Antonym  Example

Definition  The meaning of the vocabulary word is in the sentence itself Etymology, which is the study of the origin of words, finds many teachers taking the bull by its horns when unraveling the mysteries of vocabulary studies.

Synonym  Word(s) with similar meanings are used in the sentence Lou felt as though she had been sent to the doghouse when Louisa admonished her for fighting at school. “sent to the doghouse” means to be punished

Antonym  Word(s) with opposite meanings are used in the sentence It was your duplicity that caused me to break up with you! Had you been honest, I wouldn't have felt the need.

Example  Examples help the reader infer the meaning of the new word Celestial bodies, such as the sun, moon, and stars, are governed by predictable laws.

How to find context clues  Pay attention to punctuation - dashes and commas can provide important clues  Notice key words such as “or” and “that is” – they can give hints to a word’s meaning  Look out for the location of the word – being near a noun or verb can help determine the part of speech

How to Make a Word Map vocab word context clue type of clue definition

Example Word Map annals won’t find… but… mythology antonym chronological records; historical accounts