1. Context Clues:
You Be the Detective

2. Context Clues – What Are They?
Context clues are bits of information from the text that, when combined with prior knowledge, allow you to decide the meaning of unknown words in the text you are reading.
As a reader, you must act similar to a detective and put together clues from sentences surrounding an unknown word in order to make an intelligent “guess” or INFERENCE as to what the definition of a word is.

3. There are Four Types:
Inference
Synonym Context Clues
Antonym
Direct Definition

4. Inference: When the author uses clues within the sentence to let you know what an unfamiliar word means.
Think about Hannah Brencher’s (TED TALK) use of the word “crooked.”
“I would leave them all over the city – crooked into cafes and libraries and coat pockets.”
The words surrounding crooked let you know that she meant hidden.

5. Context Clues: When authors use clues to provide you with the meaning of an unknown word.
● Often Use a synonym, for example: Ms. Tyson was irate, very angry, with the class for throwing garbage all over the floor.
● Can write more than one sentence if needed. For example: Ms. Tyson was irate because the class threw garbage all over the floor. She was so angry that fire was coming out of her ears.

6. The first review on the Harry Potter movie was favorable
The first review on the Harry Potter movie was favorable. Many people attended and enjoyed the movie. Some people even saw the movie three times! a. negative b. uncertain c. positive d. clear

7. 2. Her quiet, timid ways made us guess at her true feelings about the story because she kept her ideas to herself and never spoke in the class. a. shy b. boisterous c. kind d. seriously

8. 3. He was found running down the street after curfew, and his parents were penalized. The ticket read: "Illegally in the streets at 1:00A.M." Now he would have to pay the ticket with his own money a. crooked b. fined c. delicate d. informed

9. Context Clues: When authors use clues to provide you with the meaning of an unknown word.
● Often Use an antonym, for example: Ms. Tyson was irate, while Mr. Strelick was delighted, when the class threw garbage all over the floor. Mr. Strelick was doing an experiment that Ms. Tyson didn’t know about.

10. Joe was reluctant to take the job of captain of the team
Joe was reluctant to take the job of captain of the team. He was afraid that the time it would take would hurt his grades. On the other hand, Billy was eager for the chance to be the team captain.
excited
Happy
Eager
hesitant

11. The third type of Context Clue is Direct Definition
Direct Definition Context Clues are words that say, “Stop! Don’t touch that dictionary. The definition of the word you don’t know is right here in the text!”
Example:
There are many theories or ideas, about what made the Ice Age happen.

12. After a time, glaciers, or slowly moving rivers of ice, formed over many parts of the earth.
So what are glaciers?

13. Do You understand?
Prove it!
Grab a folder.
Take the test.
If you pass you are good to go. If not, you will do some practice and re-test. No biggie! 

14. Your job:
Use each of the following words in a “context clue sentence” that uses this word correctly. You will be doing this a number of times with our book, Unbroken. You must write original sentences, not ones taken from any other source. Plagiarism will result in a “0”! No exceptions!
● frigid
● pessimistic
● lethargic