Vocabulary

Using Context Clues

Have you ever read something and come across a word you

don’t know?

What do you do?

•Don’t just ignore it !!!!

•Don’t just read on!!!!

There are SOOOOOO many

benefits to having a strong

vocabulary…• 1.) When speaking, you can use the most precise word and you speak eloquently (sound sophisticated!)

• 2.) When you are writing, you have a better variety of words to choose from and can have the best and most precise vocabulary word (note- word choice is a writing trait often graded!!!)

• 3.) While reading, you understand the words you encounter

• 4.) When people speak to you, you understand all the words they state

• 5.) Higher scores on tests (SAT, ISATs,ACTs, etc.)

Instead of ignoring it,

there is a VERY helpful way to discover the

word’s meaning…

Through Context Clues…

Context Clues are located AROUND the mystery vocabulary word• What you may not realize is there are

words AROUND the vocabulary word

that can help you make an EDUCATED

guess on what the vocabulary word

really means.

• Let’s practice using a word we know…

Let’s try the word:

Courage

What is the meaning of Courage?

Definition: The state of mind that enables you to face danger

with confidence and bravery

Let’s read this

sentence and pull

out the CONTEXT

CLUES that would

have helped me IF

I didn’t know what

COURAGE

meant…

“The soldier, that

was full of courage,

jumped off the

amphibian tank and

ran up the hill of

sand. Bullets were

flying past him, but

he kept running

with the focus of

getting to his

enemy and

defending his

country.”

What were some of the context clues?

• “The soldier, that was full of courage, jumped off the amphibian tank and ran up the hill of sand. Bullets were flying past him, but he kept running with the focus of getting to his enemy and defending his country.”

• Soldier; tank

• ran up the hill of sand

• Bullets were flying

• kept running

• getting to his enemy

• defending his country.”

Now, let’s try another sentence

with a word we may NOT know…

Remember to look for the helpful

context clues….

“By March, she came to

an epiphany and even

yelled- “Ah Ha!” in the

store when she

suddenly realized the

answer to the riddle.”

What do you think “Epiphany”

means? What context clues

helped you draw that conclusion?

Epiphany means: A sudden

realization; a moment of clarity

• “By March, she came to an epiphany and even yelled- “Ah Ha!” in the store when she suddenly realized the answer to the riddle.”

• Context Clues:

• “Ah Ha!”

• suddenly realized

Let’s do one more…• “The impudent student rolls his eyes

at his peers and talked back to his teachers. Also, his parents did not know what to because he often swore at them and never obeyed house rules.”

• What could impudent mean?

• What context clues helped make such an educated guess?

Impudent mean: offensively bold and

disrespectful. • “The impudent student frequently rolled his

eyes at his peers and talked back to his teachers. Also, his parents did not know what to because he often swore at them and never obeyed house rules.”

• Context Clues that helped…• rolled his eyes

• talked back • Swore

• never obeyed

Now- • In your groups, we are going to give you

a sentence with a vocabulary word.

• Read the sentence and pull out the context clues that help you predict the definition of the word.

• After you make a prediction, use the dictionary to confirm the definition.

• Then, create a Vocabulary Illustration (will show you now on the document camera)