1. Explanation Context Clues

2. Context clues Words or phrases that help to identify an unfamiliar word or phrase by providing clues near or next to the word This lesson will focus on Explanation Context Clues

3. Explanation Context Clues The writer provides an explanation of the unfamiliar word through the use of – commas, dashes, or parentheses – a phrase that explains the word’s meaning – a direct explanation of the meaning of a word

4. Explanation Context Clues Can appear before the unfamiliar word Can appear as one or more separate sentences after or nearby the unfamiliar word Similar to a definition clue; however, longer than a definition

5. Examples Martha imperceptibly mixed vegetables into the brownies; that is, it could not be tasted, seen, or smelled. Jerry carried the cask, a large barrel that holds liquids, and he placed it on the table in front of him. Mermaids, mythical and beautiful creatures that live under the sea and gain legs while on land, appear throughout this tale.

6. Examples The Dodo bird has become extinct. They have completely disappeared from the Earth. Travis arrived in Trinidad prepared for Carnival: a highly celebrated event in which the participants wear extravagant costumes and dance and party in the streets until the early morning.