Context Clues
He was furious when his phone broke; he started yelling.
What does furious mean?
Very angry, mad
The test was a piece of cake. I got a 100%
What does “piece of cake” mean in this sentence?
Easy
Marcus walked into class with soaking wet clothes and dripping hair. He didn’t have an umbrella with him.
What most likely happened to Marcus?
He got caught in the rain
He saw a seal at the zoo
What does seal mean?
animal
The group project required students to collaborate effectively.
Synonym? Antonym?
work together
work independently
She felt elated when she found out she made the team.
What does elated mean?
Very happy
She spilled the beans about the surprise party.
What does “spilled the beans” mean in this sentence?
Telling a secret or surprise
Tina kept glancing at the clock and tapping her pencil during class. When the bell rang, she grabbed her bag and rushed out quickly.
Why was Tina acting this way?
She was excited or in a hurry to leave (maybe had something important to go to)
She can rock the baby to sleep.
What does rock mean here?
move back and forth, cradle
The company aims to expand its services nationwide.
Synonym? Antonym?
grow or increase
shrink or reduce
The desert was arid, so very few plants could grow there.
What does arid mean?
Very dry
That new phone cost an arm and a leg.
What does cost an arm and a leg mean?
Expensive
Chris studied for hours but frowned when he saw his test score. He quietly put the paper in his backpack without showing anyone.
What can you infer about Chris’s test score?
He likely did poorly or worse than expected
He left his book on the table.
What does left mean?
forgot, to leave
The results were considered inaccurate.
Synonym? Antonym?
false or incorrect
true or correct
Jake was meticulous when setting up his gaming station, lining up all his controllers and arranging his snacks just right.
What does meticulous mean?
Very careful and paying close attention to small details
His excuse didn’t sound believable—it seemed like he was stretching the truth.
What does stretching the truth mean?
Not being completely honest, lying
During the game, Luis stopped passing the ball to his teammate after they missed several shots. His teammate crossed their arms and stopped calling for the ball.
What is happening between Luis and his teammate?
There is frustration or conflict between them
She sat by the bank of the river.
What does bank mean?
the edge of the river
The teacher expected consistent effort throughout the semester.
Synonym? Antonym?
steady or regular
irregular or likely to change
The student’s explanation was ambiguous, so the teacher asked her to clarify what she really meant.
What does ambiguous mean?
Unclear
Even after scoring the winning point, she kept encouraging her teammates and helping clean up—she always goes the extra mile.
What does go the extra mile mean?
Do more than expected, extra
Emma told her parents she finished all her homework, but quickly closed her laptop when they walked by. Later, she said she couldn’t go out because she “had too much to do.”
What can you infer about Emma’s situation?
She may not have actually finished her homework and is trying to hide it
The student couldn’t bear the noise in the classroom.
What does bear mean?
tolerate or handle
The principal decided to enforce the school rules more strictly.
Synonym? Antonym?
implement or apply
ignore or disregard