Download Context Clues

Context Clues
Unlocking the meanings of words
What are context clues?
• Context – the circumstances in which
something can be fully understood.
• We use context clues to help determine the
meanings of unfamiliar words when we
encounter them in a text.
Strategy One: Roots
• The root of a word can help provide a clue of
its origin and meaning
– Find the root
– Connect the meaning of that root to other words
in the sentence.
– Ex. Divination
Strategy Two: Prefixes and Suffixes
• The beginning and ends of words often hold
clues to their meaning.
– Ex. Antiestablishment
– Ex. Happless
Common Prefixes
anti- against
de- opposite
dis-* not, opposite of
en-, em- cause to
fore- before
in-, im- in
in-, im-, il-, ir-* not
intermid- middle
mis- wrongly
non- not
over- over
pre- before
re-* again
semi- half
sub- under
super- above
trans- across
un-* not
under- under
antifreeze
defrost
disagree
encode, embrace
forecast
infield
injustice, impossible
between interact
midway
misfire
nonsense
overlook
prefix
return
semicircle
submarine
superstar
transport
unfriendly
undersea
Common Suffixes
-able, -ible can be done
-al, -ial having characteristics of
-ed* past-tense verbs
-en made of
-er comparative
-er, one who
-est comparative
-ful full of
-ic having characteristics of
-ing* verb form/ present participle
-ion, -tion, act, process
-ation, ition
-ity, -ty state of
-ive, -ative, -itive adjective form of a noun
-less without
-ly* characteristic of
-ment action or process
-ness state of, condition of
-ous, -eous, -ious possessing the qualities of
-s, -es* more than one
-y characterized by
comfortable
personal
hopped
wooden
higher
worker, actor
biggest
careful
linguistic
running
occasion, attraction
infinity
plaintive
fearless
quickly
enjoyment
kindness
joyous
books, boxes
happy
Strategy Three: Surrounding Words
• Words that accompany unfamiliar words can
often give a clue to what this word means.
• Nouns are modified by adjectives
• Verbs, Adjectives, and Adverbs are modified
by Adverbs.
• Nouns often follow prepositions
Strategy Four: Substitutions using
antonyms and synonyms.
• Step One: Identify and roots, prefixes, or
suffixes.
• Step Two: Insert another word that means the
same thing (synonym) in place of the suffix,
prefix, or root.
• Step Three: Insert a word that means the
opposite (antonym) in place of the suffix,
prefix, or root.
– Ex. Antinationalistic