Using Context Clues

You will always meet a word you do not know — on the test and in life. The good news is that you rarely need a dictionary. The words around the unfamiliar one usually tell you what it means, if you know how to look.

Context clues are hints in the surrounding words and sentences that reveal the meaning of an unfamiliar word. Writers often build in a definition, an example, or a contrast nearby. Reading the whole sentence — not just the hard word — lets you figure out the meaning without stopping.

Types of Context Clues

Most helpful clues fall into three types. A definition clue explains the word right in the sentence: “The arid, or extremely dry, desert stretched for miles” tells you arid means dry. An example clue gives instances that reveal the meaning: “Citrus fruits, such as oranges, lemons, and limes, are rich in vitamin C” shows you what citrus fruits are. A contrast clue uses an opposite, often signaled by words like “but,” “however,” or “unlike”: “Unlike his talkative sister, Ben was taciturn” tells you taciturn means quiet. When you hit an unknown word, scan for these signals. The sentence was usually written to help you, and one of these three clues is often sitting right beside the word.

Putting Clues to Work

Finding a clue is only half the job; the other half is testing your guess. Once the context suggests a meaning, reread the sentence with your guess in place to see if it makes sense. If “taciturn” means quiet, then “Unlike his talkative sister, Ben was quiet” reads smoothly — your guess holds. If the sentence turns into nonsense, adjust. For example, if you guessed that “arid” means green, “the extremely dry, green desert” would clash, warning you to try again. This habit matters on the test because answer choices are designed to tempt you with a wrong meaning. Trust the sentence over your first hunch, plug in each choice if you must, and pick the one that keeps the sentence sensible.

Watch: A Short Video Lesson

Khan Academy gives a clear overview to go with this lesson:

A Routine for Using Context Clues

1. Read the whole sentence, not just the unfamiliar word.
2. Look for a definition, an example, or a contrast nearby.
3. Guess a meaning based on the clue.
4. Reread with your guess in place to check that it fits.

Practice

1. What are context clues?
2. What does a definition clue do?
3. What signal words often mark a contrast clue?
4. In “citrus fruits, such as oranges and lemons,” what type of clue is used?
5. After you guess a meaning, what should you do?
6. Why should you trust the sentence over your first hunch?

Answers

1. Hints in surrounding words that reveal an unfamiliar word’s meaning.
2. It explains the word right in the sentence.
3. “But,” “however,” or “unlike.”
4. An example clue.
5. Reread the sentence with your guess in place to check the fit.
6. Wrong answer choices are designed to tempt you with a false meaning.

Where This Fits in Your RLA Prep

Context clues power your work on multiple-meaning words and word replacement and tone. See every topic on the Language Arts Prep Hub.

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