Transcript Vocabulary in Context Context Clues

Vocabulary in Context
Context Clues
Mrs. Ramsey/Ford
Lovinggood Middle School
What is Vocabulary in
Context
• Vocabulary in context means using
clues found in the sentence or
paragraph you are reading to figure
out the meaning of a word you are not
familiar with.
• Here's how it works.
What would you say if someone asked you
what the word culpable means?
• Just thinking of the meaning of the word
might be difficult for you. But if you saw
the word in a sentence, you would be more
likely to know what it means.
See if you can figure out the
meaning.
• After the automobile accident,
police must try to determine who is
culpable. The party who is not to
blame is not charged with any
offense. Culpable means:
• a. believable b. hurt c. to blame
Explanation
• Culpable means "to blame." Choices a
and b may work in the first sentence,
but the second sentence eliminates
them as possibilities. The phrase
"the party who is not to blame"
makes it clear that culpable means
"to blame."
Context Clues help in 3 ways.
• 1. Context clues will save you time when you are
reading, since you won't have to stop and look
up every new word you read.
• 2. Context clues will improve your
understanding of what you read, since you will
know the meaning of more of the words you are
reading.
• 3. Context clues will expand your vocabulary,
because you will be learning the meanings of
many new words. When you see these words
more than once, they will become a part of your
reading vocabulary.
Types of Context Clues
• 1. Examples
• 2. Synonyms/Definitions
• 3. Antonyms/Contrast Clues
• 4. General Sense or Implied
Meaning
• 5. Part of Speech
Examples
• A difficult word may be followed by examples
that will reveal what the word means.
• The examples often follow signal words such as
for example, including, for instance, such as, to
illustrate or e.g.(which means "for example").
• Adversities such as poverty, poor grades, and a
weak family background can be overcome with
hard effort.
• Pungent odors, including those from a lemon,
garlic, and ammonia, can cause allergic reactions
in some people.
Synonyms/Definitions
• Synonyms are words that
have similar meanings. For
example, the words club,
organization, and
association are synonyms they all mean about the
same thing.
• A good detective tries to
corroborate statements
made by witnesses.
Sometimes statements can
be confirmed by
interviewing witnesses
separately.
• The terms corroborate
and "confirm" are
synonyms. The second
sentence is a restatement
of the first sentence, and
"confirm" is used in place
of "corroborate."
Antonyms
• Antonyms are words
• Instead of alleviating the
with opposite meanings.
situation, Mark's
• For example, summer is
explanation of why he was
the opposite of winter;
two hours late for his date
soft is the opposite of
hard.
only made things worse.
• When authors use
• The sentence tells us that
antonyms as context
Mark's explanation made
clues, the opposite
things worse. The opposite
meaning of an unknown
of making things worse is
word is provided.
making things better.
• Antonyms are often
signaled by words such
as unlike, but, however,
instead of, in contrast,
and on the other hand.
General Sense or Implied
Meaning
• Careful reading
and your personal
experiences can
help determine the
meaning of words
when no examples,
synonyms or
antonyms are
present.
• Because he was
hit from behind,
Ray was unable
to identify his
assailant.
Parts of Speech
• Sometimes
• Jake’s story was
preposterous. No
knowing the part
one would ever
of speech of the
believe he really
unknown word or
went sky diving
the words
over the weekend.
around the
unknown word
can give clues to
the word’s
meaning.
3,2,1, Practice
3-Things you have learned.
2-Questions you still have.
1-Item you need clarified.