The document discusses how to use context clues to determine the meanings of unfamiliar words while reading. It defines context clues as hints within the text that can aid comprehension and lists four types: definitions, synonyms, antonyms, and examples. Each type is explained with signal words and examples to illustrate their usage.

1. CONTEXT
CLUES
(GRADE 8)
TEACHER: MS. LIEZEL D.
BAUTISTA

2. PRAYER

3. Guessing The Meaning Of An Unfamiliar Word…
 Sometimes when we are reading, we don’t know what a
word means! What do we do?
 Just like a detective, we have to use clues! There are
words or phrases around unfamiliar words that can help us
understand the meaning of a word.
 These words or phrases are called context clues.
 Learning how to use these clues can help us understand
the meaning of the word, help us to understand the
reading, improve our vocabulary and save us from using
Google or the dictionary!

4. CONTEXT CLUES
are hints that an author gives to help
difficult or unusual word. “Context”
literally means “within” the text.
Context clues are found within a
sentence, paragraph, or passage that a
reader can use to understand the
meanings of new or unfamiliar words.

5. TYPES OF CONTEXT CLUES
TYPE DESCRIPTION SIGNAL
WORDS
EXAMPLE
1. Definition -The author
provides a direct
definition of an
unfamiliar word in
a sentence.
-The word is
defined directly
and clearly in the
sentence in
which it appears.
-is,are
-is/are called
-is/areknown
as
-is defined as
-means,refers
to
-A pandemic is
an outbreak of
a disease that
occurs over a
wide
geographic
area.

6. TYPE DESCRIPTIO
N
SIGNAL
WORD
S
EXAMPL
E
2. Synonyms The author uses a word
having the same or
nearly the same
meaning as another
word or other words in
a sentence.
- commas,
semicolon;
dashes-
parenthesis ( )
- or, that is, or
in other words
-The mountain pass
was a tortuous road,
winding and twisting
like a snake around
the trees of the
mountainside.
“tortuous” means
“winding and
twisting”

7. TYPE DESCRIPTIO
N
SIGNAL
WORD
S
EXAMPL
E
3. Antonyms The author uses
another word or phrase
that means the opposite
of an unfamiliar word.
- but,however,al
though,
unless,otherwise,
instead of,on the
other
hand,unlike,on
the contrary
-When the light
brightens, the
pupil of the eyes
contract;however,
when it grows
darker,they
dilate.
“dilate means
the opposite of
contract”

8. TYPE DESCRIPTIO
N
SIGNAL
WORD
S
EXAMPL
E
4. Example The author provides
examples or additional
explanation or
summaries to help you
understand an
unfamiliar word.
-for example,
-for instance
-including
-such as
-specifically
-to illustrate
-Celestial
bodies,including
the sun, moon,
and stars, have
fascinated man
through the
centuries.
“celestial”
objects are those
in the sky or
heavens.

9. THANK YOU!
