Context Clues
The clown did lots of silly tricks. He was hilarious. All the kids laughed and laughed.
Based on the context clues, what does hilarious means?
funny
what does the prefix re- mean?
back or again
Molly sings whenever she hears music. She has many favorite songs. She sings in bed, in the bathtub, and at the dinner table.
What is the central idea?
Molly loves to sing
The name of a text, located at the top and often tells what the text is about.
title
Example: A story about panthers is organized into four sections, each section describing a different characteristic of a panther.
Description
Jeff was watching a movie. It was very long. He wondered when it would finish. He could not wait much longer!
Based on the context clues, what does finish mean?
end
what does the suffix -able mean?
can or able to
Mia has two pet frogs. She sleeps on a frog pillow. Mia wears T-shirts with frogs on them. Her backpack is even shaped like a frog.
What is the central idea?
Mia loves frogs.
Informs the reader what a section of the text is about. There may be several throughout a passage and its below the title.
subheading
Example: An author writes an article about the evolutionary history of the Florida panther and organizes significant historical events based on the year each event occurred.
Chronological
Emma yanked on the leash. But her dog Hobbes would not move. He just pulled the other way.
Based on the context clues, what does yanked mean?
pull
What does the root -rupt- mean
to break
No one can run as fast as Ava. She enters every race at school. Ava always wins the races, even when she's running against older kids.
What is the central idea?
Ava is a fast runner
A drawing that provides a visual to help the reader better understand what the text is about.
illustration
Example: An author addresses the decline of the panther population by explaining the reasons for the decline, and offering suggestions for improving the species’ survival rate.
Problem & Solution
Mrs. Holt likes to relax after a busy day at work. She lies on her sofa or takes a nice, warm bath.
Based on the context clues, what does relax mean?
rest
What word means to play again?
replay
Tracy made sandwiches. She packed them in a basket, along with chips, fruit, and juice. Then, she and her mom went to eat lunch in the park.
What is the central idea?
Tracy went on a picnic.
caption
Example: An author explains how to distinguish a panther from a bobcat by providing similar and distinct characteristics of each animal.
Compare & contrast
We all thought the lion painting was perfect. But then we saw a tiny flaw. One of the lions was green!
Based on the context clues, what does flaw mean?
mistake
What word means to break out?
erupt
Tracy makes extra money walking dogs. She also does chores like raking the leaves. In the summer, she sells lemonade in her front yard.
What is the central idea?
Tracy has many jobs.
A section at the end of a text that provides definitions for vocabulary words.
Example: An article explains the effects of increasing construction on the habitats of endangered species.
Cause & Effect