Context Clues

Some behaviours are acceptable in one place, yet they are not acceptable in others. For example, it might be okay to wear torn blue jeans at home, but it may not be appropriate to wear the same clothing at the office. Understanding the rules and recognizing the clues that tell you how to behave is referred to as getting the “Big Picture” or understanding the context.

What are context clues?

To understand what you read, you need to understand the context of what you are reading. Factors which create the context include: the writer’s personality, the writer’s style, the writer’s social standing, and the writer’s purpose. This information guides you in interpreting the writer’s message.

The second group of context clues helps you make inferences, and helps you guess the meanings of new words. Writers may define new words or ideas by giving definitions, explain, clarify, support by giving examples, or repeat important ideas to emphasize the main idea.

Where do I find context clues?

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”