F IVE T YPES OF C ONTEXT C LUES Reading SOL Preparation.

FIVE TYPES OF CONTEXT CLUESReading SOL Preparation

1. RESTATEMENT/SYNONYM CLUE

The meaning of a word or phrase is revealed by a simple restatement or synonym.

Example: The remote site was far away from our current

location.

1. RESTATEMENT/SYNONYM CLUE The meaning of a word or phrase is revealed

by a simple restatement or synonym. Example:

The remote site was far away from our current location.

The sentence provides a synonym, far away, for the adjective remote.


Pay attention to the punctuation in sentences. Commas and hyphens can give away the meaning of a word.

Examples: The dilapidated building, neglected and rundown, was

condemned by city officials. A glossary – much like a dictionary – provides definitions

of words.


Pay attention to the punctuation in sentences. Commas and hyphens can give away the meaning of a word.

Examples: The dilapidated building, neglected and rundown, was

condemned by city officials. A glossary – much like a dictionary – provides

definitions of words. The commas and hyphens in these sentences contain

synonyms for the terms.

2. DEFINITION/DESCRIPTION CLUE

The meaning of a word or phrase is revealed by an explanation immediately following the word or phrase.

Example: The city holds a bazaar, or market, every other

Saturday.

2. DEFINITION/DESCRIPTION CLUE The meaning of a word or phrase is revealed

by an explanation immediately following the word or phrase.

Example: The city holds a bazaar, or market, every other

Saturday. The meaning of the noun bazaar can be

found in the appositive, market. An appositive always follows the word it explains or identifies and is set off with commas in a sentence.



Example: Baleen whales filter and eat plankton,

microscopic animal and plant life found in water.



Example: Baleen whales filter and eat plankton,

microscopic animal and plant life found in water.

The meaning of plankton can be found in the phrase immediately following it.

3. CONTRAST/ANTONYM CLUE

The meaning of a word or phrase is revealed by a statement of the opposite meaning.

Words like although, however, and but may signal contrast clues.

Example: We wanted to contribute to the project, not

take away from it.




Example: We wanted to contribute to the project, not

take away from it. The word not signals that the verb

contribute is an antonym for take away from. Therefore, the reader knows it means add to.




Example: When the light brightens, the pupils of the eyes

contract; however, when it grows darker, they dilate.




Example: When the light brightens, the pupils of the eyes

contract; however, when it grows darker, they dilate.

The word however signals that the verb dilate is an antonym for contract. Therefore, the reader knows it means get bigger.

4. INFERENCE/GENERAL CONTEXT CLUE

Sufficient clues might be available for the careful reader to make an educated guess at the meaning.

The meaning of a word or phrase may be revealed elsewhere in the text, not within the sentence containing the word. Relationships, which are not directly apparent, are inferred or implied.

Example: The haberdashery was Lou’s favorite place. He loved

shopping for nice suits. The people who worked there were so friendly and helpful.

4. INFERENCE/GENERAL CONTEXT CLUE Sufficient clues might be available for the

careful reader to make an educated guess at the meaning.

The meaning of a word or phrase is revealed elsewhere in the text, not within the sentence containing the word. Relationships, which are not directly apparent, are inferred or implied.

Example: The haberdashery was Lou’s favorite place. He

loved shopping for nice suits. The people who worked there were so friendly and helpful.

The meaning of the noun haberdashery is inferred by the information in the next two sentences: it is a place to buy nice suites and is staffed by helpful people, i.e. it is an upscale clothing store.



Example: She told her friend, “I’m through with blind dates

forever. What a dull evening! I was bored every minute. The conversation was absolutely vapid.”



Example: She told her friend, “I’m through with blind dates

forever. What a dull evening! I was bored every minute. The conversation was absolutely vapid.”

The meaning of the word vapid is inferred by the information in the previous two sentences: it was a dull evening and she was bored, so it means uninteresting.

5. TONE/MOOD AND SETTING CLUE

The author sets a mood, and the meaning of the unknown word must harmonize with the mood.

The meaning of a word or phrase is revealed by the actions or setting.

Example: The hostile dog barked at everyone and

everything in sight. He even thought a piece of trash was an enemy, so he barked at it, too.


The meaning of a word or phrase is revealed by the actions or setting.

Example:The hostile dog barked at everyone and

everything in sight. He even thought a piece of trash was an enemy, so he barked at it, too.

The meaning of the word hostile is shown by the dog’s actions, which are unfriendly and aggressive.



Example: The lugubrious wails of the gypsies matched

the dreary whistling of the wind in the all-but-deserted cemetery.



Example: The lugubrious wails of the gypsies matched

the dreary whistling of the wind in the all-but-deserted cemetery.

Lugubrious, which means sorrowful, fits into the mood set by the words wails, dreary, and deserted cemetery.

F IVE T YPES OF C ONTEXT C LUES Reading SOL Preparation.

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