Vocabulary in Context Drill 1

Vocabulary in Context Drill 1

Context Clues

Context clues are words or phrases within a sentence or passage that give readers hints about the meaning of a new or unfamiliar word. Understanding context clues is an important reading skill, as it helps readers to understand the meaning of words and how they fit into the overall meaning of a text. In this blog post, we'll look at the types of context clues and some strategies for using context clues to improve reading comprehension.

Types of context clues:

1. Definition context clues: These are words or phrases that provide a definition or explanation of a new word. For example, "The cat chased the mouse, which is a small rodent that lives in homes and eats cheese." In this sentence, the phrase "which is a small rodent that lives in homes and eats cheese" provides a definition for the word "mouse."
2. Synonym context clues: These are words or phrases that provide a synonym or similar meaning for a new word. For example, "The marathon runner ran the race in record time, which means he completed it faster than anyone else ever has." In this sentence, the phrase "which means he completed it faster than anyone else ever has" provides a synonym for the phrase "record time."
3. Antonym context clues: These are words or phrases that provide an antonym or opposite meaning for a new word. For example, "The cat chased the mouse, which is the opposite of being chased." In this sentence, the phrase "which is the opposite of being chased" provides an antonym for the verb "chased."
4. Example context clues: These are words or phrases that provide an example of a new word. For example, "The cat chased the mouse, which is just one example of how cats hunt." In this sentence, the phrase "which is just one example of how cats hunt" provides an example of the verb "chase."

Strategies for using context clues:

1. Look for context clues in the sentence or passage. Pay attention to words or phrases that provide definitions, synonyms, antonyms, or examples of new words.
2. Use the context clues to make a guess about the meaning of the new word.
3. Check your guess by rereading the sentence or passage and considering the context clues again.
4. Use a dictionary or thesaurus to confirm the meaning of the new word if necessary.

By understanding the types of context clues and using strategies to use context clues, you can improve your reading comprehension and better understand the texts you read.