Context Clues

Literature 7

Mrs. Turner

Although Lilly was late for class, she did not have a good enough _______ for her tardiness.

What word do you think goes in the blank?

How did you know what words could have gone in the blank? In determining the appropriate word to use in

the blank, you probably examined the other words in the sentence for clues.

Although was a clue that Lilly shouldn’t have been late for class unless she had a good reason.

Tardiness is something you need to explain to those you keep waiting.

What are these “clues” called? Context Clues!

What does context mean? Context is the way in which a word is used. Many words have more than one meaning. Ex: Do you have any spare change?Change= money

OR

It is time to change classes.Change= switch

What makes the word “change” different in these two sentences?

The context, or the way the words are used.So….

When you use context clues, you determine the meaning of a word based on how it is used.

Let’s have a little fun with some jibberish words. See if you can figure out the meaning based on how the word is used.

I used my new galazering to listen to music last night.

What do you think a “galazering “is? Something that plays music!

All of the orange juice spilled out of the cracked yoortle.

What is a yoortle? A cup or container!

One more…

I looked at the monthly spulrickel see what yesterday’s date was.

What is a spulrickel? A calendar!

Congratulations! You used context clues to figure out my nonsense words.

Take a look at the worksheet titled “Steps for Identifying Unfamiliar Words”. Follow the steps and fill out the worksheet to figure out the meaning of the word stalwart in the following paragraph:

The stalwart sailor had a long white beard like a goat’s. When he walked, he was so sturdy and solid that I could feel the ground shake. He had the muscles of someone who was used to hard, physical work. I watched him as he lifted a 250 pound sack of carrots.

What does the word stalwart mean?

STRONG!

Place the worksheet in your binder under your “notes” sections. Refer back to it whenever you need a refresher on how to use context clues.

Now let’s play a little game called “ADD ON”

Number your paper 1-6. The tall edifice The tall edifice added The tall edifice added beauty The tall edifice added beauty to the city The tall edifice added beauty to the city after

3 years of contruction. What is an edifice? Answer: a tall building or skyscraper

The callow The callow babysitter jumped The callow babysitter jumped on the couch The callow babysitter jumped on the couch

and stuck out her tongue The callow babysitter jumped on the couch

and stuck out her tongue at the crying child. What does callow mean? Answer: immature