What are context clues?
Clues within the sentence about what a word means
I thought that I heard a faint scratching noise, but I figured that it might just be in my head. What does the word faint mean in this sentence?
weak
The principal DICTATED that all students would be required to follow the school dress code.
What word would be a synonym for DICTATED? a) asked b) knew c) commanded
c) commanded
What are synonyms?
words that have the same meaning
My mom wanted to get the red napkins for the party and my dad wanted the blue napkins, but I’m not even concerned about such frivolous things. What does frivolous mean in this sentence?
Unimportant
People always comment about much Lucy RESEMBLES her mother. They have the same eyes, hair, and smile.
What is the definition of RESEMBLES?
a. different b. look alike. c. twins
b. To resemble means to "be, look, or act alike". Some synonyms for this use of the word would be "looks like" or "is like".
How are you feeling today?
Various answer
Jamie had a hard time keeping up with her mom, who was walking at a very brisk pace. What does the word brisk mean in this sentence?
Quick
Joan decided to WITHDRAW her support for Calvin for class president when she learned that he had cheated on a test.
What does WITHDRAW mean?
a. to support b. to agree c. to remove
c. WITHDRAW means to remove, take away or take back.
What is an antonym?
a word that has the opposite meaning of another word
My mom always worries about my grades and the colleges that I’ll be able to attend, but if she were a little less fretful she’d be a lot more fun. What does fretful mean in this sentence?
Worried
Arnold approached the snake CAUTIOUSLY. He thought it was dead, but he didn't know for sure. What is the meaning of the word cautiously?
a. being careful b. being careless c. being adventueous
A. being careful
Bonus Question!
You get 500 points!
A dog whistle makes a high-pitched sound that is only audible to dogs. What does audible mean in this sentence?
Can be heard
Julia wasn't sure exactly what time they would arrive, but she thought the APPROXIMATE time would be around 5:00.
What does APPROXIMATE mean? a) estimated b) unknown c) exact
Give the context clues you used in the sentence to determine the meaning.
a) estimated
Clues --- wasn't sure exactly, thought, around