1. Context Clues
CSI: Context Scene Investigators use clues to solve mysteries of meaning

2. Objectives for Unit Be able to define context in terms of vocabulary
Learn six types of context clues: definition, restatement, comparison-contrast, example, description, and clue words
Apply various types of context clues to determine proper vocabulary and the meaning of words
Create sentences and paragraphs that use context clues to aid other readers in understanding the meaning of difficult words
Evaluate the effectiveness of others’ use of types of context clues

3. Essential Question
How can we comprehend the unknown by studying the environment around it?

4. Unit Questions
Why would writers give clues to the meaning of difficult and essential words?
How do you predict which pieces in a puzzle go where?
How are words in a sentence and pieces of a puzzle metaphorically similar?

5. Content Questions
In the end, you’ll be able to answer the following questions:
What does context mean?
What are context clues and what is their purpose?
What are common types of context clues?

6. Definition
CONTEXT: the other words and sentences that are around an unfamiliar word.

7. For Instance
Jeremy wouldn’t stop talking in class.

8. For Instance
Jeremy wouldn’t stop talking in class. Again, as I tried to teach, he incessantly chattered.

9. For Instance
Jeremy wouldn’t stop talking in class. Again, as I tried to teach, he incessantly chattered. When I asked him to stop, he would not.

10. For Instance
Jeremy wouldn’t stop talking in class. Again, as I tried to teach, he incessantly chattered. When I asked him to stop, he would not. I was annoyed at first, but because he wouldn’t desist, I became infuriated and yelled at him.

11. Read the Following
Inhibitions keep people from partaking in new activities. These people embark, or take on, nothing unless they already know they can culminate the activity. Completing the task is paramount, or important, to them. However, if someone can encourage them and give them the tenacity to forego the task, people with inhibitions can obliterate their fears, making them non-existent

12. The Research
“The subject matter of a passage is interrelated and the text is often redundantly structured. To help readers, writers often give definitions or extensive clues within the text when a new word appears” (Yu Shu Ying, Aquiring Vocabulary through a Context-based Approach)

13. Definition
The author provides the definition of the word to help understanding.
Ex: I hate to see people in a destitute state. They are so poor.
Those who are destitute are defined as poor.

14. Restatement
The author restates the meaning of the words in other terms
Ex: Frantic people, or people in an excited state, are often hyper and worry a lot.
The “or” statement restates that frantic people are excited people

15. Comparison/Contrast These clues come in two forms:
Either synonyms or comparisons are given for the word or…
Antonyms or contrasts are given for the word

16. Synonym
The author provides a synonym, a word that means the same or almost the same as another, to help readers understand a word.
Ex: The happy, ecstatic times we spent together were documented in my autobiography.
This helps us understand that ecstatic is similar to happy.

17. Antonym
The author provides a word or description of opposite meaning to help understanding.
Ex: Bob tolerated Ann, but Kyle found her unbearable.
Based upon opposite meanings tolerated is the opposite of unbearable which is bearable or being able to put up with someone.

18. Description
The author includes descriptions to help the reader understand.
The play culminated and the actors took a bow, the curtain closed, and the people headed for the doors.
Based on the descriptive actions of what happens when a play ends, we know that culmination means end or finish.

19. Examples
The author gives examples that help the reader understand the unknown word.
Ex: Everyone said Mark was benevolent. He gave money to the poor, he contributed to over forty charities, and he gave clothes to the homeless.
The actions in the second sentences are examples of benevolent acts, and they help the reader to see that it means giving or generous.

20. Cue Words
The author gives various words that serve as hints to the meaning of a word.
Ex: She was a flirtatious strumpet who was shunned by virtuous members of the community for making money in such a immoral way
Flirtatious, shunned by virtue, and immoral money making all cue or give hints to the meaning of strumpet as a prostitute.