Willy Rose N. Oliva BSIT 1-2

When you come across a word you don't know, dont stop reading. You can often figure out the meaning of an unfamiliar word by using the words around it. The surrounding sentence or paragraph is known as the context.CONTEXT CLUES Are clues that the author gives to help define a difficult or un-unusual word. These clues appear within the same sentence as the word to which it refers, or they may follow in a preceding sentence. A context clue is also a source of information about a word that helps the readers understand the word. This word or phrase offers insight, either indirectly or directly. Because most of your vocabulary is gained through reading, it is important that you be able to recognize and take advantage of context clues.Using context clue means to figure out what words mean by how they are used in the sentence or paragraph where they appear. There are several different context clues you can use to help you figure out unfamiliar words. Authors often use punctuation clues to help the readers. Punctuation clues might include commas, dashes or parenthesis.Types of Context CluesThere are at least four kinds of context clues that are quite common.Authors may use word clues such as synonym words with almost the same meaning or antonym words opposite in meaning- near the unfamiliar term.Synonym- word or phrase with the same meaning.Example: Most castles had high walls and were surrounded a water-filled wall called a moat.Antonym- word or phrase with the opposite meaning.Example: Jerry is very clumsy, but his sister Jenny is adroit.Example- specific examples are used to define the term. Writers use words like: such as, for instance. and for example.Example: Celestial bodies, such as the sun, moon and stars, are governed by predictable laws.Explanation- The unknown word is explained within the sentence or in a sentence immediately preceding.Example: The patient is so somnolent that she requires medication to help her stay awake for more than a short time.

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Examples of Context Clues:1. Most castles had high walls and were surrounded a water-filled wall called a moat. Synonym2. Jerry is very clumsy, but his sister Jenny is adroit. Antonym3. Celestial bodies, such as the sun, moon and stars, are governed by predictable laws. - Example4. The patient is so somnolent that she requires medication to help her stay awake for more than a short time. ExplanationActivity 1 Read the following sentences and define the bolded word based on the context clue. Then identify which of the four types of clues is used.

1. The girl who used to be very vociferous doesnt talk much anymore.2. Pedagogical institutions, including high school, kindergartens, and colleges, require community support to function efficiently.3. He was so parsimonious that he refused to give his own sons the few pennies they needed to buy pencils for schools. It truly hurt him to part with his money.4. His pertinacity, or stubbornness, is the cause of most of his trouble.5. Rather than be involved in clandestine meetings, they did everything quite openly.6. Ecclesiastics, such as priests, ministers, and pastors, should set models of behavior for their congregants.7. The girl was churlish- rude, sullen and absolutely ill-mannered.8. Because the conflagration was aided by wind, it was so destructive that every building in the area was completely burned to the ground.

Activity 2 Read each sentence below and encircle the closest meaning type of context clue that helps you define the meaning of the key term.

1. Emotionally disturbed people may be troubled by morbid thoughts. For instance, they may often think about suicide or murder.disturbingdealing with death psychological ill scary2. Joan loves to buy exotic foods: vegetables and herbs from China, spices from India, olives from Greece, and cheeses from France.expensiveseasonings rare from other places3. At first, the surgery seemed to be successful. But several hours later, the patients condition began to deteriorate, and it continued to worsen over the next few days.disturbingsurprise everyonechange decay or decline4. Raul is an indulgent father. For instance, he lets his daughter stay up late as she liked and never insists that she does her homework.lazy and caringstupid and kindstrict and meanlenient and tolerant5. Languages evolve over time, as you can see if you open a page of The Canterbury Tales, written about six hundred years ago by the English poet Chaucer. It is barely recognizable as English today.developage increase complexity repress6. The decision Veronica made to study instead of going out for pizza with her friends was prudent. She got an A on the exam, while her friends all got Ds.anti-social careful and wiseselfish calculating7. Ivan