Focus on Vocabulary: Use Context Clues
When you see a word you don’t know, it helps to look at how it is written in context. These are called context clues. There are several types of context clues. Signal words can help you recognize them.
A restatement repeats the same idea in different words.
| EXAMPLE | A sports physician, or doctor, helps athletes stay healthy. |
A definition defines the new word.
| EXAMPLE | A nutritionist is someone who studies how food helps people stay healthy. |
An example names things that explain the new words.
| EXAMPLE | Aerobic exercises, such as swimming and biking, are good ways to stay healthy. |
| Helpful Signal Words |
|---|
| is called |
| is someone |
| like |
| or |
| such as |
How the Strategy Works
When you come to a word you don’t know, use these steps to figure out its meaning.
1. Notice how the word is used in a sentence.
2. Look for signal words to help identify clues.
3. Decide if the clue is a restatement, a definition, or an example.
4. If you cannot find any clues, look up the word in the dictionary.
Use the strategy to figure out the meaning of the underlined words.
REMEMBER You can use context clues to help you figure out the meaning of an unknown word.