Using context clues can help you guess unknown words, and thereby become a more independent and efficient reader.

2. INTRODUCTION
TO ACADEMIC
READING
DAVID DUNN

3. Context clues

4. Guess the missing word
1. The dog ran to fetch the __________ .
2. The students ___________ about the course because they
complained
were so dissatisfied.
stick
3. I thought British food would be gross, but actually I found it
delicious
to be quite __________.
once
4. “Come to the kitchen at __________,” shouted his brother.
5. It was so cold in the classroom that I put on my coat, ________
and gloves.
6. Look how __________ that dog is! I think that’s the smallest dog
I’ve ever seen!
7. The crowd _________ as the home team entered the field.
8. They __________ a lot of time whatsapping on their phone
when they should have been working.
hat
tiny
cheered
wasted

5. Context clues
• Context clues are words or sentences around unknown words.
• Context clues help us work out unknown words because they
help us realize what makes sense in the sentence.

6. Context clues
Make a list of reasons why using context clues
is an excellent reading strategy.
• You can use this strategy when no one else is around to help.
• It might be quicker.
• It’s a strategy you will use your whole life.
• It helps you understand the text better.
• It helps you to remember the word better if you work it out yourself.
• You don’t have to put your text down and go look it up.
• You don’t have to spend time looking it up in a dictionary and trying
to understand which is the correct definition.

7. Context clues practice
The underlined words in the following sentences are French words.
Use the context clues to work out the meaning of each word.
1. That pen is broken. Throw it in the corbeille.
2. The dentist told me I had a cavity. He said I should brosser
my teeth twice a day.
3. Write this down because I don’t want you to oublier it.
4. She cleaned up her room so lentement that I thought
it would take her all day to get the job done.
= bin
= brush
= forget
= slowly

8. Context clues practice
Now work with a partner and study the worksheet
on context clues practice.

9. Context clues practice
Now work with a partner and make your own
Context clues exercise.
Then test another pair.
You could use the social work article from lesson 3,
or a news article from one of the news sites suggested
in the previous lesson.
Example from the social work article:
“Meeting his mother really shed some light on
his behaviour at school.”

10. Take-home message
Using context clues can help you guess unknown words,
and thereby become a more independent and efficient reader.