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Using Context

When you come across a word you don’t know, you can often figure out its meaning from the other words in the sentence or sentences around it. The other words form a familiar context or setting, for the unfamiliar word. Looking closely at these surrounding words will give you hints, or clues, about the meaning of the new word. Seven common types of context clues are listed below with examples. (Unfamiliar words are shown in red, context cues in blue.)

You can get additional practice with context clues by downloading this activity.

Types of Context Clues

■ Clues from synonyms:

Sara had an ominous feeling when she woke up, but she felt less anxious when she saw she was in her own room.

■ Clues from antonyms:

Boniface had always been quite heavy, but he looked gaunt when he returned from the hospital.

■ Clues contained in comparisons and contrasts:

Riding a mountain bike in a remote area is my idea of a great day. I wonder why some people like to ride motorcycles on busy six-lane highways.

■ Clues contained in a definition or description:

Manatees, large aquatic mammals (sometimes called sea cows), can be found in the warm coastal waters of Florida.

■ Clues that appear in a series:

The campers spotted sparrows, chickadees, cardinals, and indigo buntings on Saturday morning.

■ Clues provided by the tone and setting:

Mom lined us up in the living room—combing our hair, straightening our ties, flicking lint off our suits. “But, Mom, it’s just Dad,” I complained. She shook her head gravely. “He’s not just Dad. He’s Lieutenant Charles, back from Iraq. This is an auspicious day.”

■ Clues derived from cause and effect:

The amount of traffic at 6th and Main doubled last year, so stoplights were placed at that corner to avert an accident.

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Checking a Dictionary

The dictionary is, of course, your most reliable source for learning the meanings of new words. The dictionary also offers the following aids and information:

Guide words are words located at the top of every page. They list the first and last entry words on a page, and they help you know which words fall in alphabetical order between the entry words.

Entry words are the bold words that are defined on the dictionary page. Entry words are listed in alphabetical order.

Synonyms mean the same thing. Antonyms mean the opposite.

Syllable divisions show where you can divide a word into syllables. Some dictionaries use heavy black dots to divide the syllables. Other dictionaries put extra space between syllables.

Spelling and capitalization (if appropriate) are given for every entry word. If an entry is capitalized, capitalize it in your writing, too.

Etymology gives the history of a word [in brackets]. Knowing a little about its history can make a word easier to remember.

Parts of speech labels tell you the different ways a word can be used. For example, the word muse can be used as a noun (My muse helped me write the poem) or as a verb (I mused on the meaning of life).

Usage labels tell if a word is formal, informal, slang, or archaic.

Accent marks show which syllable or syllables should be stressed when you say a word.

Pronunciation key gives symbols to help you pronounce the entry words.

Illustrations are often provided to make the definition clearer.

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Referring to a Thesaurus

A thesaurus is a reference book that gives synonyms and antonyms for words. A thesaurus helps you in two ways:

1. It helps you find just the right word for your writing.
2. It keeps you from using the same words again and again.
3. If a thesaurus is organized alphabetically, look up the word as you would in a regular dictionary. If you have a traditional thesaurus, look for your word in the book’s index.

Finding the Best Word

A thesaurus would be helpful if you needed one effective word to mean laugh suddenly in the following sentence.

After reading the list of synonyms, you decide on guffawed because it fits best.

You can get additional practice by downloading this thesaurus activity.

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Common Prefixes, Roots, and Suffixes

The next five pages list common prefixes, roots, and suffixes. When you are not sure of a new word, try to figure out its meaning by studying its parts.

Prefixes

Prefixes come before roots, or base words, to form new words. A list of common prefixes follows.

ambi, amphi (both) amphibious (on both land and sea)

ante (earlier) antedate (to be of an earlier date)

anti (against) antibiotic (a substance fighting against disease)

astro (star) astronomer (studier of the stars and planets)

auto (self) autocrat (ruler with unlimited self-rule)

bi (two) bisect (to cut into two parts)

circum (around) circumvent (to avoid or get around something)

dia (through, across) diameter (a straight line passing through the center of a circle)

epi (upon, above, outer) epicenter (the point where an earthquake is centered)

ex (out) excavate (to dig or hollow out)

extra (outside, beyond) extrasensory (outside the normal range of the senses)

fore (before, earlier) foresee (to see or know before)

hemi (half) hemisphere (half of a sphere or half of the human brain)

hyper (over) hypercritical (overly critical)

in, im (not) improbable (not probable)

inter (between) interstate (connecting or between two states)

intra (within) intranet (a network within the private control of a person)

macro (large) macroclimate (the climate of a large area)

mal (bad, poorly, or wrongly) malformed (poorly formed)

micro (small) microcircuit (a very small circuit)

mono (one) monopoly (control by one group)

non (not) nonflammable (not easily set on fire)

over (above, more, or too much) overcharge (to charge too much for something)

poly (many) polygraph (an instrument measuring many body actions)

post (after) postwar (a period of time after a war)

pre (before) predict (to make known before or in advance)

re (again, back) readjust (to adjust again)

semi (half or occurring twice) semiautomatic (partly automatic), semimonthly (occurring twice a month)

sub (under) subway (an underground railroad)

trans (across, beyond) transatlantic (crossing the Atlantic Ocean)

tri (three) triad (a group of three)

un (not) unreal (not real)

under (below) undercurrent (a current beneath a surface)

uni (one) unicellular (having one cell)

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liber (free) liberation (the process of setting free)

log (word, study, speech) logic (the study of thinking and reasoning)

lum (light) illuminate (to provide with lights)

magn (great) magnify (to make something appear larger)

man (hand) manacle (handcuffs)

mania (insanity) pyromania (crazy urge to start fires)

medi (middle, between) median (located in the middle)

mega (great) megabit (one million bits)

mem (remember) memorial (something that serves as a remembrance)

meter (measure) thermometer (an instrument that measures temperatures)

migra (wander) migrant (a person who travels for work)

mit, miss (send) transmit (send across), missile (suited for launching or sending off)

mob, mot (move) mobilize (to move or gather together), promotion (moved ahead or advanced)

mort (mortal, death) mortal (subject to death)

nat (to be born) native (belonging to by birth or origin)

neur (nerve) neurology (study of the nervous system)

nov (new) novice (a person new to an activity)

numer (number) numeral (a symbol or mark representing a number)

omni (all, completely) omnipotent (all-powerful), omnivore (an organism that eats both plants and animals)

onym (name) synonym (a word having the same meaning as another word)

pac (peace) pacifist (a person who believes in peace)

pater, patr (father) patriarch (father and head of family or clan), paternal (characteristic of a father)

ped (foot) pedestrian (foot traveler)

pend (hang, weigh) pendant (a hanging ornament, often linked to a necklace)

phil (love) philosophy (love of wisdom)

phobia (fear) arachnophobia (fear of spiders)

phon (sound) telephone (an instrument that sends sounds)

photo (light) photoelectric (electrical effects caused by light)

pop (people) populate (to supply with people)

port (carry) portable (easy to carry)

proto (first) prototype (an original or first example of something)

psych (mind, soul) psychology (the study of mental processes)

rupt (break) interrupt (to break into a conversation)

sci (know) scientist (someone who is an expert in a scientific field)

scope (see, watch) microscope (an instrument that magnifies objects)

scrib, script (write) scribble (to write in a rush), inscription (the act of writing, printing, or carving on a surface)

sen (old) senior (older person)

sequ, secu (follow) sequence (following of one thing after another), consecutive (following in order)

soph (wise) sophisticated (having acquired more knowledge or refinement)

spect (look) inspect (to examine carefully)

sphere (ball) hemisphere (half of the earth)

spir (breath) respiration (the act or process of breathing)

strict (tighten) constrict (draw tightly together)

tag (touch) contagious (transmitted by contact)

tele (far) telephone (an instrument that sends sounds far away)

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ic (relating to, having) atomic (relating to the atom)

ion, sion, tion (act of, result of) formation (the act of forming), precision (the result of being precise or exact)

ish (of or relating to) Swedish (of or being from Sweden)

ism (state of, characteristic, quality) criticism (state of being critical)

ist (one who) lobbyist (someone who lobbies the government)

ity (quality or condition) clarity (the quality of being clear)

ive (tending toward or becoming a certain act) disruptive (tending toward causing trouble)

less (without, lacking) nameless (without a name or an identity)

ling (a person connected with, something or someone that is small) earthling (someone connected with the earth), duckling (a small or young duck)

ly (having characteristics of, recurring, or in a specified manner) brotherly (having the characteristics of a brother), hourly (recurring on the hour)

ment (act of, state of) government (act of governing), amazement (state of being amazed)

ness (state, condition, quality) brightness (state of being bright)

ology (study of) hydrology (the scientific study of water)

osis (condition, process) tuberculosis (the condition of having tubercles or warty outgrowths)

ship (condition, quality of) companionship (the condition of being a companion or friend)

some (apt, like, leading to) twosome, lonesome, gruesome

ward (in a direction, toward) downward (toward a lower place)

y (inclined, tending to) messy (inclined to messiness)