What do those words mean?!
UNDERSTANDING VOCABULARY
Learning Goal
 Students will be able to determine the
meanings of unknown words by analyzing
context clues, understanding word
relationships, and examining word parts.
Student Objective
Using context clues will help me identify the
meaning of unknown words.
3 – use context clues to define grade-level
vocabulary
2 – describe how to use context clues
1 – define context clues
What are context clues?
 Context clues are words that come before
and after a particular word or phrase that can
help you determine the meaning.
 Using context clues is one of the best ways
strategies for determining meanings of
unfamiliar words.
Types of Context Clues
Clue
What to Look For
Example
Boldface or Italic words
These words are often
defined in the reading.
The driving instructor asked
Chris to parallel park, or park
beside the curb.
Antonyms/Contrasts
Signal words such as
unlike, not, however, can
help you to look for
contrasts.
Some children are not
gregarious and do not enjoy
socializing with other kids.
Synonyms or
Restatements
A word or phrase that is
Jessica showed great
similar to the difficult word fortitude and determination
will give you clues to its
by completing the marathon.
meaning.
Words or Phrases That
Modify
Modifiers – such as
adjectives, adverbs, or
phrases and clauses –
often provide clues.
It is a remote place, and
divided from the rest of the
world by a great forked range
of mountains on the north
and west.
Types of Context Clues
Clue
What to Look For
Example
Cause/Effect
The stated cause or effect
will give you clues to the
meaning of a difficult
word.
When a car’s tires lose their
tread, they can no longer
adhere to the road properly
and may result in an
accident.
Example/Explanation
The explanation of a
The teacher’s monotone
difficult word will appear in voice droned on and on;
an example.
neither the players’ union nor
the owners will compromise.
Concrete Examples
An example will illustrate
and clarify a difficult
concept.
Foreign antigens are
introduced from outside the
body. Components of
bacteria are examples of
foreign antigens.
Understanding Word
Relationships
 As a reader, you need to recognize words that
have nearly the same meaning (synonyms)
and the words that have opposite meanings
(antonyms).
 Analogies are often used to represent word
relationships.
What are analogies?
 They are expressions that show similarities
between two things.
 An analogy question has two sets of words
that share a common relationship.
 Your job as the reader is to figure out the
relationship of the pair of words.
 Then you apply that same relationship to the
other pair of words and complete the
analogy.
Types of Analogies
Analogies in Which Word Order is Not
Important
Example
Synonyms
omit : skip :: choose : pick
Antonyms
jolly : gloomy :: elation : depression
Rhyming Words
chair : lair :: poise : noise
Homophones
crews : cruise :: beech : beach
Parts of the Same Thing
stem : petal :: trunk : leaf
Two Examples from the Same Class
lake : river :: hill : mountain
Types of Analogies
Analogies in Which Word Order is
Important
Example
Different Forms of the Same Word
apply : application :: evaluate : evaluation
Name and Location
country : England :: continent : Asia
Class and Example of that Class
offspring : colt :: singer : soprano
Item and Who Uses It
plane : pilot :: stage : performer
Item and What It Is Designed to Do
hammer : pound :: knife : cut
Item and a Word that Describes It
thorn : sharp :: comedian : funny
Whole and Part
dresser : drawer :: sweater : sleeve
Action and Where It Takes Place
run : track :: swim : pool
Result and Who Does It
house : builder :: sonnet : poet
Sequence
infancy : childhood :: bud : flower
What are word parts?
 Root: the part of a word that carries meaning
 Prefixes: word parts that are added to the
beginning of words to change the meaning
 Suffixes: a letter or group of letters added to
the end of a word to change its meaning and,
sometimes, its part of speech.