Use context to identify the meaning of a word
key notes :
If you don’t know the meaning of a word, you can look for context clues. Context clues are nearby words and phrases that help you figure out the meaning of an unknown word.
Here are some examples:
- Janet’s dog punctured her ball with his teeth, causing it to go flat.
- You can guess that punctured means ‘made a hole in’.
- She had a map, so she offered to be the trip’s navigator.
- You can guess that a navigator is someone who gives directions on a journey.
- The guard closely monitored the building. He was on the lookout for anything that seemed out of place.
- You can guess that monitored means ‘watched’.
Learn with an example
🔥Read the passage and then answer the question.
Rugby players and coaches spend many long hours working to be the best. Teams are now using new tools to help with this gruelling task. In the old days, coaches just told players to lift weights and run. Now, coaches use technology to help their players train. Machines help coaches see the players’ speeds and how much weight they’re lifting. Machines even track how many hours the players are sleeping. This kind of information can help coaches keep players healthy.
What is the meaning of grueling as used in the passage?
- quick
- braved
- difficult
- dangerous
As used in the passage, gruelling means difficult.
🔥Read the passage and then answer the question.
On average, people today are taller than people who lived a hundred years ago. One way we can see this is by looking at Major League Baseball data. Today’s baseball players are nearly eight centimeters taller than players were a hundred years ago. Experts say that people have grown taller because of improvements in health. We have access to more foods with vitamins, minerals, and proteins than we did in the past. Additionally, improvements in medicine have allowed us to stay free from many diseases. As a result of these improvements, our bodies can grow much better.
What is the meaning of data as used in the passage?
- coaches
- games
- information
- technology
As used in the passage, data means information.
🔥Read the passage and then answer the question.
For some tasks, smaller is better. In 2013, two men exploring a South African cave found some bones in an underground chamber. When anthropologist Lee Berger saw photos of the chamber, he thought it was important. But reaching it required squeezing through narrow cave passages, some less than twenty centimeters wide. Berger couldn’t fit. He published an ad seeking experienced scientists who could work in caves. Six women met the requirements. These ‘underground astronauts’ dug up more than 1,500 fragments of bones from the cave. From these specimens, Berger’s team was able to rebuild fifteen partial skeletons. They concluded that they had discovered a new human ancestor, which they named Homo naledi.
What is the meaning of specimens as used in the passage?
- small souvenirs
- statues or monuments
- large granite stones
- individual pieces
As used in the passage, specimens means individual pieces.
Let’s practice!
Read the passage and then answer the question.
Aporcupine has an excellent defense against most predators. Porcupines are covered with sharp, needle-like quills. They use these to puncture the skin of any predator that tries to attack. The fisher cat, however, has found a way around a porcupine’s defenses. The fishercat isn’t big, but it is very fierce and has sharp teeth. It attacks the porcupine’s face, where it has no quills. When the porcupine is tired or injured, the fishercat can then roll its prey over to finish the attack.