1. What to do when you don’t know the meaning of a word.
Context clues
What to do when you don’t know the meaning of a word.

2. What are context clues? Context clues help you figure out unknown words in your reading.
How do I use context clues? As a reader, look for text information in the surrounding sentences and combine that with your background knowledge to help you make your best guess as to what the word might mean.

3. How to Use Context Clues
Get a CLUE!
How to Use Context Clues
Circle the unknown word.
UnderLine important parts of the text that might tell you about the word meaning (definition, synonym, antonym).
Understand the main idea of the paragraph in which the unknown word is located.
Explain, in your own words, the meaning of the paragraph using the information you circled and underlined.
Now use the information you have learned to make your best guess about the meaning of the word.

4. What are context clues? Context clues help you figure out unknown words in your reading.
What are the types of context clues that I should look for?

5. Context Clue Strategies
#1: Definition or Restatement
#2: Synonym
The meaning of the vocabulary word is in the sentence itself. Many times the word follows a comma and the word or (,or).
EXAMPLE: He was elated, or excited, and happy when he won the spelling bee.
The sentence uses a synonym, or similar word to help explain the meaning of the vocabulary word.
EXAMPLE: He was elated and feeling very happy when he won the spelling bee.

6. Context Clue Strategies
#3: Antonym /Opposite/Contrast
#4: Example or Explanation
Clue #3:
The sentence uses a word with an antonym, or the opposite meaning to define the unknown word.
EXAMPLE: He was not sad or disappointed when he won the spelling bee. In fact, he was elated!
#4:
This type of context clue uses examples to help the reader infer the meaning of the vocabulary word.
EXAMPLE: He was smiling and jumping up and down when he was announced as the spelling bee champion. Since he worked so hard to study, he was elated to have won the competition.

7. Context Clue Strategies
#5: Text Features
Clue #5:
The text features (title, heading, pictures & captions, fact boxes, illustrations, etc…) may help you understand the topic and the unknown word.
EXAMPLE: Use the photo to help you understand the word.
She was elated when she won the spelling bee.