Context Clues

To understand what you read, you need to understand the context of what you are reading.
The context gives meaning to words and ideas. Context clues may come in the form of definitions, explanations, rewording, examples, statistics, graphs, pictures, or repeated words or ideas.

Look for context clues in the following places:

• between commas
• between brackets
• in definitions
• in examples
• in footnotes marked by asterisks (*) or numbers (12)
• by comparisons beginning with “like” or “as”

Inferences

Inferences are guesses or predictions. They are based on facts or details. It is like putting a puzzle together. Even if you are missing a few pieces, you can guess the picture. Some writers will leave out facts or details and expect you to make guesses or predictions. Mystery stories often leave out details for you to guess.