The methods of find finding the meaning of unknown words.

1. CONTEXT CLUES
What does it mean?
How do you know?
Follow Inspector Gadget
to find the meaning of
unknown words.
By: Mrs. Ray

2. READING STRATEGIES
While we are reading, we may encounter
words that are unfamiliar to us. Since it is
not practical to use a dictionary every
time we see a new a new word, we can
use a series of strategies to assist us in
finding out the meaning of the mystery
word.
Context Clues are just one of
many plans we can use to help
us determine the meaning of an
unknown word.

3. Context Clues
Let’s allow Inspector Gadget to take us on a journey to discover
more about Context Clues!
What are Context Clues?
Context Clues are a reading strategy you can use to guess what a word means in a reading text.
Why do you use Context Clues?
To determine the meaning of unknown words, so that we may better understand our reading.
How do we do decide what the word means?
There are five different methods we can use to guess what the mystery word means.
1. Definition Clue
2. Example Clue
3. Inference Clue
4. Synonym Clue
5. Antonym Clue

4. Stop 1. Definition Clue
Pay close attention to the reading, sometimes the writer will put the meaning of the word or phrase
directly after it has been used. (Look for commas, dashes, parenthesis or words phrases such as
‘’that is’’)
Bereavement, a period of time after a loss of a loved one or family
member in which grief or mourning is experienced, is often
acknowledged as paid-time off at most companies.
So, What’s the meaning of Bereavement?
Bereavement, a period of time after a loss of a loved one or family
member in which grief or mourning is experienced, is often
acknowledged as paid-time off at most companies.

5. Stop 2. Example Clue.
Other times when an author uses an unusual vocabulary word, an example of what the word
means will follow. (Look for a list or words and phrases like ; such as, for example, like)
Epizootic illnesses like Mad cow disease, bird flu and swine flu have all
had troubling trends of being transferred to human populations.
What does Epizootic mean?
Mad cow disease, Bird flu and Swine flu are examples of these
epizootic illnesses.
Animals + Sickness =
Epizootic is an outbreak of disease that effects animal populations.

6. Stop 3. Inference Clue.
Inferences are guesses you make about a word by looking at how it
is used in the text. We also call this ‘the educated guess’.
After many days of on-going war, the generals finally decided to
meet with the arbitrator from the U.N to see if there could be any
peace negotiations.
What is an arbitrator? LET’S TAKE A GUESS BY ASKING
SOME QUESTIONS.
What is happening in the text?
War
Who are the actors?
The generals and the
Arbitrator
We can infer from this
information that Arbitrator is a
person
What additional information do
we know about the arbitrator?
He or She works for the U.N
What is the Arbitrator going
to do?
Help with peace
negotiations.
Therefore we can infer, that
an Arbitrator is a person who
is neutral in order to settle a
dispute.

7. Stop 4. Synonym Clue
A Synonym is a word or phrase that has similar or exact meaning of the unknown
word. (Look for ideas that are repeated or restated)
The teenager was noticeable and detectable in the room. Her bright colored
clothing, and purple dyed hair made her very discernible from the other
student.
What is the meaning of discernible? What part of Speech is discernible?
An Adjective.
What other adjectives are in the passage?
Noticeable, detectable, bright colored,
purple dyed
Now we have a pretty good idea what
discernible means.
Discernible means to stand out.

8. LAST STOP! Antonym Clue
Just as synonyms are similar words, antonym is the opposite word. Read to see if
there are contrasting ideas. (Look for transitions like; although, however,
unlike, even though, but)
The siblings were different as day and night. She was very social. However, he
was very taciturn.
What is the meaning of taciturn?
Who are the characters in the
passage?
Siblings
How are they different?
She is social. He is taciturn.
What transition is used
to indicate an antonym?
However
Now we can guess that taciturn is the opposite of social. It means to be
reserved or uncommunicative ?

9. Practice Makes Perfect!
Inspector Gadget is sleepy now from all the driving. But before he goes off for another
adventure, he’d like to practice a few exercises with you.
Directions: Using the methods we’ve just covered. Determine the meaning of the
word in red.
1. The former lottery winner had a vissitude of life, finding himself homeless and
dependent on the welfare of others, less than 2 years after his big win.
Use inferences to decide.
Vissitude: a change in nature or human affairs.
2. The loquacious nature of his wife never bothered the man. He was used to her chatty, talkative ways.
Use synonyms to decide.
Loquacious: full of excessive talk
3. Unlike Jason’s last doctor who refused to prescribe pain drugs, Jason’s new doctor found mitigating the pain
of cancer as important as treating the disease itself.
Use antonyms
Mitigating: to cause to become less harsh.

10. Passage Practice.
I was a discord in Gateshead Hall: I was like nobody there; I had nothing in
harmony with Mrs. Reed or her children, or her chosen vassalage. If they did not
love me, in fact, as little did I love them. They were not bound to regard with
affection a thing that could not sympathise with one amongst them; a
heterogeneous thing, opposed to them in temperament, in capacity, in
propensities; a useless thing, incapable of serving their interest, or adding to
their pleasure; a noxious thing, cherishing the germs of indignation at their
treatment, of contempt of their judgment. I know that had I been a sanguine,
brilliant, careless, exacting, handsome, romping child—though equally dependent
and friendless—Mrs. Reed would have endured my presence more complacently;
her children would have entertained for me more of the cordiality of fellow-
feeling; the servants would have been less prone to make me the scapegoat of the
nursery.
Below is a passage from “Jane Eyre,” Charlotte Brontë’s classic novel published in 1847. The novel follows Jane as she grows from an orphan to a young woman. In
this passage, Jane is a child, living with her uncle’s family after her parents die. Read the passage, paying special attention to the underlined words