Focus on Vocabulary: Use Context Clues for Unfamiliar Words
On-page clues to the meaning of a word are called context clues. There are several different kinds of context clues.
| Type of Clue | What It Does | Signal Words | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| Definition clue | Explains the word directly in the text | is, are, was, called, refers to, means | Slavery refers to people owning other people and forcing them to work. |
| Restatement clue | Gives the meaning in a different way, usually after a comma | or | American slaves were emancipated, or freed, in 1865. |
| Synonym clue | Gives a word or phrase that means almost the same thing | also, like | Like other farm workers, the laborers picked cotton. |
| Antonym clue | Gives a word or phrase that means almost the opposite of the word | but, unlike | Enslaved people, unlike free people, cannot leave their jobs. |
| Example clue | Gives an example of what the word means | for example, including, such as | When slaves ran away, they faced punishment, such as beatings. |
How the Strategy Works
When you read, you may come to a word that you don’t know. Look for context clues to help you figure out the meaning.
1. Read the words nearby, and look for signal words.
2. Predict what the word means.
3. Try out your predicted meaning to see if it makes sense.
Use the strategy to figure out the meaning of each underlined word.
Strategy in Action
“ I see the word or after monitored. It could be a signal word for a restatement clue. Monitored could mean ’watched.’ That makes sense.”
REMEMBER You can use context clues to figure out the meanings of unfamiliar words.