Context Clues The context of a word is

* Context Clues

*The context of a word is made up of three main things: * The sentence that contains the word and possible clue words * The surrounding sentences (the paragraph) * The passage and its meaning *The words and information in these sentences are clues to the unfamiliar word’s meaning. *

Nora’s clothing, with its high neckline and low hem length, gave her a demure appearance. A. B. C. D. Daring Playful Modest Dress *

*A high neckline and low hem length definitely don’t scream daring to most people, so you can eliminate A. *One wouldn’t say that they are playful either, so you can eliminate B. *Dress doesn’t make sense, since the sentence is about a dress. *The best choice here is C: modest. *

*Define the word frugal. *Because Cassady was frugal with purchases, *Read the sentence. she usually had a few dollars left in her wallet at the end of the week. *I must pay special attention to the word frugal. *

*Notice how the word is used. *Frugal is a quality of Cassady. It is an adjective because it describes a noun. *I should look for an answer choice that is an adjective. *

*Look for clues in the sentence. *Clues are “purchases, ” “dollars, ” and “left. ” *The clues have to do with money – having money left after buying things. *

*Decide what you think the word means. *Based on the clues, frugal could mean “cheap. ” *I’ll substitute cheap in the sentence in place of frugal. *Yes, it makes sense. *

*Look for an answer choice matching your definition. * The answer choices are: a) Frightened b) Thrifty c) Impulsive d) Rich * Cheap isn’t among the choices, but thrifty most closely relates to the meaning I’m looking for. I’ll choose B. *

*Context clues in paragraphs work exactly the same way: * Read the sentence, then read the entire paragraph again. * Notice how the word is used. * Look for clues in the paragraph. * Decide what you think the word means. * Look for an answer choice matching your definition. *