Using Context Clues

Wrap-up:

Next time you see a word you don't know, take a minute to reread the context, or the words around it. You just might find the clue you need to figure out what the unfamiliar word means. By reading carefully, you'll expand your vocabulary and better understand what you’re reading.

In this lesson you:

• Used the context to figure out new words
• Practiced using context clues
• Defined words in sentences

On your own:

• When you come across a new word in an article or story, try to figure it out using the context. Then look it up in the dictionary to make sure you got it right. Keep a list of new vocabulary words and their meanings.
• To help learn these new words, try using them in sentences. It's easier to remember words in context (especially when you created the context, or sentence, yourself) than through dictionary definitions.
• Here's another tip: Invent a memory trick for learning new words. Let's say you're trying to remember that "callous" means "insensitive to emotion." It might help to think of the word "callus," which refers to a patch of thickened skin on your hand or foot that prevents you from feeling.