Context Clues
What are context clues?
Context clues are hints authors place in sentences to help readers infer the meaning of unknown words.
What is one reason vague words like "good" or "bad" weaken an argument?
Vague words fail to convey specific meaning and makes your argument unclear.
Tone is the author’s voice, and mood is how you (the reader) feel when you hear it.
Simplify 5x + 3x - 2.
8x - 2
Write the formula for slope-intercept form.
y = mx + b
Name one type of context clue and provide an example.
Types: Synonym, antonym, example, and definition
Answers vary
Replace the vague word “very” in this sentence: “The athletes were very tired after the game.”
The athletes were completely exhausted after the game.
What type of figurative language is used in this sentence: "The sun smiled through the clouds"? How do you know?
Personification. It gives the sun human traits by describing it as "smiling."
What is the result of distributing 3(x + 2)?
3x + 6
What is the slope and y-intercept of y = -2x + 3?
Slope: -2, Y-intercept: 3
What strategy can you use to decode the meaning of an unfamiliar word?
Read around the word, test possible meanings, or substitute and check for tone/logic.
What are some stronger alternatives for the word "bad"?
detrimental, harmful, dreadful
Identify the tone and mood in this sentence: “She stared out the rain-speckled window, the gray sky mirroring the silence in her heart.”
Tone: Melancholy, Somber, Gloomy
Mood: Sad
True or False: 2(x + 4) = 2x + 8.
True
What does a positive slope indicate about the direction of a line?
Line goes up
Identify the type of context clue in this sentence: "Unlike his churlish neighbor, Marcus was polite and attentive."
Antonym
Rewrite this vague sentence with precise vocabulary: “Social media is bad for students during class.”
Social media distracts students from learning and reduces their ability to focus during class discussions and assignments.
How does figurative language shape tone?
Figurative language helps create tone by adding emotion and imagery. For example, playful metaphors can create a joyful tone.
What is the simplified form of 2(3x + 4) + x - 5?
7x + 3
If m = -1, how do you plot the slope on a graph?
Down 1, right 1
What does the word "meticulous" likely mean in this sentence? "Jonathan is meticulous—he color-codes his folders, double-checks his work, and keeps a perfectly organized desk."
careful, precise
What is one characteristic of precise vocabulary?
Precise vocabulary conveys specific meaning, evokes clear images or ideas, matches the tone and audience, and shows shades of judgment (positive, negative, neutral).
Write a sentence using hyperbole to create a humorous tone.
Example: “I’m so hungry I could eat a skyscraper.” → Funny because it’s wildly impossible.
Hyperbole exaggerates for effect, adding humor.
Solve for x: 2(x + 1) + 3(x - 2) = 4.
x = 8/5
When you're graphing a line using slope-intercept form, what is the first thing you plot? What is the y-intercept on the slope intercept form, and how do you plot it?
The y-intercept is b on the slope intercept form. It is the first thing you plot when graphing a line, and you plot it on the y-axis of the graph.