The document discusses the use of contextual clues to deduce meanings of unfamiliar words, explaining various types such as definition clues, synonym clues, antonym clues, and others. Each type is illustrated with examples to demonstrate how they function in sentences. Additionally, it mentions a cybersecurity concern regarding stolen information, highlighting the importance of precautions for affected companies.

1. USING CONTEXTUAL
CLUES
ELC231

2. • Contextual clues help us to guess the meanings of unfamiliar words.
• The clues can appear in a few ways – before, after or within the words,
phrases or expressions.
• Types of contextual clues:
Definition/
Explanation
clues
Synonym/
Restatement
clues
Antonym/
Contrast clues
Example clues
Experience
clues
Cause and
effect clues
Affixes clues Inference clues

3. 1. Definition/ Explanation Clues
• The definition or explanation of the unknown word appears in the
sentence that precedes it.
• Generally, this clue is signalled by the phrase ‘that is’ and punctuations
such as the comma [,], dash [-] as well as parentheses [()].
• E.g. Various theories, or ideas, were suggested about how the murder
had happened.
• Theories = ideas.

4. 2. Synonym/ Restatement Clues
• Other words with similar meanings are used in the sentence.
• E.g. The slender woman is very thin that her clothes look a few sizes
bigger on her.
• Slender = thin

5. 3. Antonym/ Contrast Clues
• A word or group of words that carries the opposite meaning of the
unknown word is given in the sentence.
• Generally, this clue is signalled by the use of ‘even though’, ‘whereas’,
‘unlike’ and ‘as opposed to’.
• E.g. The flight departure time from Kuala Lumpur is 9.40 a.m., whereas
its arrival time in Alor Star is 10.40 a.m.
• Departure = leaving

6. 4. Example Clues
• Examples are provided to define the unknown word.
• E.g. Foods which are nutritious, for instance fruits and vegetables, help
human growth.
• Nutritious = healthy

7. 5. Experience Clues
• How people or things act in a given situation can be related to the
reader’s own experience. This knowledge provides clues to the meaning
of the unknown word.
• E.g. Nandini prefers solitude as she lives alone in an isolated cabin on
the small island, without any telephone connection.
• Solitude = being alone

8. 6. Cause and Effect Clues
• The reason for or the result of the unknown word is explained in the
sentence.
• Generally this clue is signalled by the use of ‘so’, ‘since’, ‘because’, ‘thus’
and ‘therefore’.
• E.g. She wanted to impress her dinner guests with the food she served,
so she bought a culinary art book and studied it the whole week.
• Culinary = food preparation

9. 7. Affixes Clues
• Affixes (prefix and suffix) can provide direct clues to the meaning of the
unknown word.
• Generally, this clue is signalled by the use of ‘pre-’, ‘re-’, ‘un-’, ‘in-’, ‘dis-’
and ‘mis-’.
• E.g. She had to rewrite the report due to too many grammatical errors.
• Rewrite = to write again

10. 8. Inference Clues
• Inference: a conclusion reached based on reasoning and evidence.
• The meaning can be inferred based on the context given in the text.
• E.g. Nobody wants to be an underachiever, he will never get good
grades, never secure a job, and never be successful.
• Underachiever = to achieve less success than expected

11. In many cases, the usernames, which usually use the users’ e-mail
addresses and passwords in unencrypted texts, are among the
huge trove of stolen information available in the Internet.
Encik Amin further states that his company has not yet provided
any information about the attacks to other cyber security firms.
However, he intends to alert the involved companies soon so that
they can take the necessary precautions on the issue.