1. Clues in Sentences InvestigationContext Clues!Brought to you by Ms. Walsh

2. Sometimes when we are reading, we dont know what aword means! What do we do?Just like a detective, we have to use clues! There arewords or phrases around unfamiliar words that can helpus understand the meaning of a word.These words or phrases are called context clues.Learning how to use these clues can help us understandthe meaning of the word, help us to understand thereading, improve our vocabulary and save us from usingGoogle or the dictionary! 3. We Make Guesses Based on theInformation We Know!Lets Try It 4. I'll tell you aboutthe career that I chose;it definitely keeps meon my toes.I've been practicing sincea very young age.Now I travel aroundand perform on the stage.I'm graceful and pretty,but I'm also real strong.My body is thinand my legs are quite long.I often wear pinkand love satin and lace.Watch me twirl, flit and flutterall over the place. 5. A Ballerina! 6. Hot Shot!Who Am I?A lot of kids thinkthat they want to be me.Danger 's my best friendand my enemy.When I'm summoned to dutyI'm often alarmed.Still, I help lots of peoplestay safe and unharmed.I wear a cool hatand a raincoat and boots.Which I'd much rather wearthan some stuffy old suits.My truck makes loud noiseswhen I drive down the street.It's a lot of fun but Istill take lots of heat. 7. A Pipe DreamWho Am I ?If it has to do with water,then it has to do with me.I will fix your sink or toiletfor a rather hefty fee.I carry a big toolboxand my name is on my chest.(Thats so that I can advertisethat my skills are the best!)So if theres hair stuck in your drain,or your toilets overflowing,Or if your pipes are frozenor your basement walls are bowing,I am the one to calland though this sounds a bit insane,I know Ive done a good jobwhen it all goes down the drain. 8. Getting ThereWho Am I ?My career is really taking offbut there's more to it than that.For I can take you far awayin 30 minutes flat.You can sit beside the windowand look at the ants below.From here, the earth looks all the same,no matter where you go.My future is up in the air.My hopes remain sky high.Most people are beneath me,cuz I'm quite a lofty guy.Of course, sometimes I have to keepmy feet firm on the ground.Like when I'm home,or when somebody's luggage can't befound. 9. Context Clues are words that say, Stop - donttouch that dictionary! The definition of theword you dont know is right here in the text! Context Clues - Information a reader can getfrom the reading that helps show what a wordor group of words means. Like in a mystery, you have to use the clues tofind the answer! 10. Some Types of Context CluesSynonym A synonym, or word with the same meaning, is used in thesentence.My opponent's argument is fallacious, misleading plain wrong.Antonym A word or group of words that has the opposite meaning revealsthe meaning of an unknown term.Although some men are loquacious, others hardly talk at all.Explanation The unknown word is explained within the sentence or in asentence immediately preceding.The patient is so somnolent that she requires medication to helpher stay awake for more than a short time.Example Specific examples are used to define the term.Celestial bodies, such as the sun, moon, and stars, are governedby predictable laws. 11. LETS LOOK AT SOME MORE TYPES OF CONTEXT CLUES:DefinitionRestatement or SynonymContrast or AntonymComparisonExampleList or SeriesCause and EffectDescription or Inference 12. The unknown word is explained by using amore familiar word or phraseEEXXAAMMPPLLEESS::****EEnnttoommoollooggyy iiss tthhee ssttuuddyy ooff iinnsseeccttss..****AArrcchhaaeeoollooggyy iiss tthhee sscciieennttiiffiicc ssttuuddyy ooffpprreehhiissttoorriicc ccuullttuurreess bbyy eexxccaavvaattiioonn ooff tthheeiirrrreemmaaiinnss.. 13. Examples: His emaciation, that is, his skeleton-likeappearance, was frightening to see. The dudeen a short-stemmed clay pipe isfound in Irish folk tales. 14. The meaning is usually right after the unfamiliarword and often separated from the rest of thesentence with commas, dashes, or parentheses;sometimes, or that is, or in other words is used.EEXXAAMMPPLLEESS::**MMeeaatt eeaatteerrss,, tthhaatt iiss ccaarrnniivvoorreess,, aarree aatt tthheettoopp oofftthhee ffoooodd cchhaaiinn..**TThhee ggoosslliinnggss----tthhoossee ffuuzzzzyy bbaabbyy ggeeeessee----wwaaddddlleedd aafftteerr tthheeiirr mmootthheerr..**SShhee eennjjooyyeedd bbiioollooggyy ((tthhee ssttuuddyy ooff lliivviinnggtthhiinnggss)).. 15. Examples: Flooded with spotlights the focusof all attention the new MissAmerica began her year-long reign.She was the cynosure of all eyes forthe rest of the evening. The mountain pass was a tortuousroad, winding and twisting like asnake around the trees of themountainside. 16. The unfamiliar word is shown to be the same as orlike another word; too, like, as, similar to, or in thesame way may be used to signal the comparison.EEXXAAMMPPLLEE::**MMyy bbrrootthheerr iiss eenntthhrraalllleedd bbyy bbiirrddss ssiimmiillaarrttoo tthhee wwaayy tthhaatt II aamm ffaasscciinnaatteedd bbyyiinnsseeccttss.. 17. The unfamiliar word is shown to be different from orunlike another word, and is often an opposite; but,however, although, otherwise, unless, instead, on thecontrary, on the other hand, while, never, no, or not may beused to signal contrast.EEXXAAMMPPLLEE::**MMiikkeess ppaarrrroott wwaass llooqquuaacciioouuss,, bbuutt MMaarriiaassssaaiidd vveerryy lliittttllee.. 18. Examples: When the light brightens, the pupils ofthe eyes contract; however, when itgrows darker, they dilate. The children were as different as dayand night. He was a livelyconversationalist, but she was reservedand taciturn. 19. The unfamiliar word is cleared up by giving anexample; for instance, such as, and for example maybe used as signals.EEXXAAMMPPLLEE::**TThhee aarrcchheeoollooggiisstt ffoouunndd ddiiffffeerreenntt aammuulleettss,, ssuucchhaass aa rraabbbbiittss ffoooott aanndd bbaaggss ooff hheerrbbss,, nneeaarr tthheeaanncciieenntt aallttaarr.. 20. Examples: Piscatorial creatures, such as flounder, salmon, andtrout, live in the coldest parts of the ocean. Celestial bodies, including the sun, moon, andstars, have fascinated man through the centuries. In the course of mans evolution, certain organshave atrophied. The appendix, for example, haswasted away from disuse. 21. The unfamiliar word is included in aseries of related words that give anidea of the words meaning.EEXXAAMMPPLLEE::**NNoorrtthh AAmmeerriiccaann pprreeddaattoorrss iinncclluuddee ggrriizzzzllyybbeeaarrss,, ppuummaass,, wwoollvveess,, aanndd ffooxxeess.. 22. The meaning of an unfamiliar wordis signaled by a cause-and-effectrelationship between ideas in thetext.EEXXAAMMPPLLEE::**DDuuee ttoo aa ddeeaarrtthh ooff tteerrmmiitteess,, tthhee aaaarrddvvaarrkkssttaarrvveedd ttoo ddeeaatthh.. 23. The meaning of an unfamiliar wordcan be inferred from the descriptionof a situation or experience.EEXXAAMMPPLLEE::**TThhee mmoonnkkeeyyss vvoocciiffeerroouuss cchhaatttteerr mmaaddeemmee wwiisshh II hhaadd eeaarrpplluuggss.. 24. Example: She told her friend, Im through with blinddates forever. What a dull evening! I was boredevery minute. The conversation was absolutelyvapid. 25. Example:She wanted to impress all her dinner guests withthe food she served, so she carefully studiedthe necessary culinary arts. 26. Sometimes its important to look at the worditself to find the meaning. Many words aremade up of common parts. If you know the meaning of part of a word,you might be able to guess the meaning. Words are often made up of prefixes, suffixesand root or base words. By studying prefixes, suffixes and root/basewords we can build our vocabulary. The history of a word tells us a lot about whatit might mean! Many words have Greek,Latin or French origins! 27. Examples:The story is incredible.The root cred means to believe, and the prefix in- meansnot. Therefore, if a story is incredible, it is unbelievable.The somnambulist had to be locked in his bedroom at night forhis own safety.If a reader knows the meaning of ambular (walk) and somn(sleep) and sees the sentence, the reader may realize that asomnambulist is a sleepwalker. 28. Read each sentence or paragraph and find the correct answer.1. The archeologist carefully removed the ttoommee from itsancientresting place and proceeded to read the pages related tomarriage inancient Greece. WWhhaatt ddooeess tthhee wwoorrdd ttoommee pprroobbaabbllyy mmeeaann??a. Pen b. weapon c. book d. sausage2. The Navajo language is an unwritten language of extremecomplexity with no alphabet or symbols, and is spoken onlyonthe lands of the Navajo Nation in the American Southwest.DuringWorld War II a Navajo code was created for the U.S. Navy.Thiscode was vviirrttuuaallllyy undecipherable to anyone except Navajospeaking persons. WWhhaatt ddooeess tthhee wwoorrdd vviirrttuuaallllyy pprroobbaabbllyymmeeaann?? 29. 3. Lakes occupy less than two percent of the Earths surface, yetthey help ssuussttaaiinn life. For instance, lakes give us fish to eat, irrigatecrops, and generate electrical power. What does the word ssuussttaaiinnprobably mean?a. support b. obstruct c. prolong d. destroy4. The ancient Greeks ppiioonneeeerreedd many of the kinds ofwriting weconsider standard today. They wrote speeches, plays,poems,books about science and learning, long histories of thethingsthat happened to them. WWhhaatt ddooeess tthhee wwoorrdd ppiioonneeeerreeddpprroobbaabbllyymmeeaann?? 30. 5. Fifty-five mostly pprroommiinneenntt, male delegates attended thePhiladelphia Convention in 1787. About seventy-five percentof the delegates had served in Congress and others wereimportant people in their home states. These men are oftenreferred to as the Framers of the Constitution. What does theword pprroommiinneenntt probably mean?a. unimportant b. unknown c. common d. important6. Bats that eat fruit and nectar spread seeds and helpflowersgrow. Without bats many important plants would nottthhrriivvee. WWhhaattddooeess tthhee wwoorrdd tthhrriivvee pprroobbaabbllyy mmeeaann??a. flourish b. die c. wither d.deteriorate 31. Its time for you to practice using context clues! Youll be given some practice sheets to complete. Work with a partner to see if you can use theclues to solve the case! Good luck detectives!