TYPES OF CONTEXT CLUES

 

·         Definition / Explanation Clues

-         When the author provides a direct definition or explanation to better understand a word.

 

Example

Melinda is a curator, a person who is responsible for looking after a museum’s collection.

 

The underlined group of words is the definition of the word “curator”. This gives the reader easy understanding on what is read.

 

·         Restatement / Synonym Clues

-         When the author uses words similar in meaning to give a hint on the meaning of another word.

 

Example

Jeremy was sent to the haberdashery to find a new suit. He needed one for the school dance.

 

“Suit” is the synonym for “haberdashery”. North American’s usually use haberdashery to refer to men’s clothing however, for the British, it may simply refer to items used for sewing. The context above would tell you that he is looking for clothing and not sewing materials.

 

·         Contrast / Antonym Clues

-         When the author uses another word opposite in meaning to hint the meaning of another word.

 

Example

The gentleman was portly, but his wife was thin.

 

Looking at the statement it is easy to tell that the gentleman is fat because it gives a contrast introduced by the conjunction “but” to mean that the wife has an opposite appearance. Thus portly, which means fat and round, is the opposite or antonym of thin. The antonym “thin” gave away the hint.

 

·         Inference / General Context Clues

-         When the author provides descriptions or situations only to hint the meaning of an unfamiliar word.

Example

The monkey’s vociferous chatter made me wish I had earplugs.

 

You only wish you had earplugs when you don’t want to hear the noise happening all around, therefore “vociferous” could only mean “noisy, loud or you could even add annoying to it”. That is inference or a conclusion taken from the situation “made me wish I had earplugs”.

 

·         Cause and Effect

-         When the author only provides a situation and the result of such to hint the meaning of a difficult word.

 

Example

Since no one came to the first meeting, attendance for the second one is mandatory for all staff.

 

You can guess the meaning of mandatory as a product of the situation “no one came to the first meeting”. So since no one came for the first one, it is going to be stricter for the second call, hence attendance becomes mandatory, in other words everyone is already obliged to come whether they like it or not.