Lesson 2: Systematic Guessing from Context
Being a Language Detective
When you read a text in English, stopping to look up every new word can be slow and frustrating. A key skill for fluent reading is learning how to make an educated guess1 about a word's meaning from its context. This lesson will teach you a more systematic2 way to use context clues3 to understand new vocabulary without a dictionary.
Four Types of Context Clues
Context clues are hints the author gives to help you understand a difficult word. Look for these four common types:
- Definition / Explanation Clues
The sentence directly gives the meaning. Signal words are often: is, are, means, or, that is.
Example: "A 'peninsula' is a piece of land that is almost completely surrounded by water." - Synonym / Restatement Clues
The sentence uses a similar word or phrase. Signal words are often: in other words, that is to say, also known as.
Example: "He was very garrulous; in other words, he talked a lot." - Antonym / Contrast Clues
The sentence shows what the word is *not* by using an opposite idea. Signal words are often: but, however, unlike, in contrast.
Example: "The first student was very diligent, but her brother was quite lazy." (This suggests 'diligent' means the opposite of 'lazy'). - Example Clues
The sentence gives examples of the word. Signal words are often: for example, such as, like, including.
Example: "This shop sells many beverages, such as coffee, tea, and Coca-Cola." (This suggests 'beverages' means 'drinks').
A Systematic Process for Guessing
When you find an unknown word, don't panic! Follow these steps:
- Read the Whole Sentence: Don't stop. Get the general idea first.
- Look for Clue Words: Look for signal words like 'or', 'but', or 'for example'.
- Identify the Part of Speech: Is it a noun, verb, or adjective? Its position in the sentence is a big clue.
- Make Your Educated Guess: Based on the clues, what do you think the word means?
- Check Your Guess: Reread the sentence with your guessed meaning. If it makes sense, keep reading! If not, now it's time to use your learner's dictionary.
In Conversation
A teacher is helping Srey become a language detective.
Teacher: Srey, please read this sentence: "The fauna, such as the monkeys, birds, and snakes, are protected in the national park." Do you know the word 'fauna'?
Srey: No, I don't.
Teacher: Let's use the context clues. What signal words do you see?
Srey: I see the phrase "such as".
Teacher: Good. That is an 'Example Clue'. What are the examples it gives?
Srey: Monkeys, birds, and snakes.
Teacher: And what are monkeys, birds, and snakes?
Srey: They are animals.
Teacher: Exactly! So, what do you guess 'fauna' means?
Srey: It must mean "the animals of an area".
Teacher: Perfect! You just used context to learn a new word.
quiz Check Your Understanding
1. "The hotel had many amenities, for example, a swimming pool, a gym, and a restaurant." 'Amenities' are probably...
- a) problems.
- b) extra services or facilities.
- c) rooms.
Click to see the answer
_BOS_Answer: b) extra services or facilities. (The clue type is 'Example').
2. "He was very garrulous, unlike his quiet brother." What type of clue helps you guess the meaning of 'garrulous'?
- a) Synonym / Restatement
- b) Definition
- c) Antonym / Contrast
Click to see the answer
Answer: c) Antonym / Contrast (The word 'unlike' signals an opposite meaning).
3. After you make an educated guess, what is the next step?
- a) Immediately look in the dictionary.
- b) Reread the sentence with your guess to see if it makes sense.
- c) Forget the word and continue reading.
Click to see the answer
Answer: b) Reread the sentence with your guess to see if it makes sense.
edit Your Mission
- Be a Detective: Read this sentence: "The student was diligent and always finished her homework on time, but her brother was quite lazy." What do you guess 'diligent' means?
- Find Your Own Clues: Find an English news article online. Read the first paragraph and find one word you don't know. Try to use context clues to guess its meaning before you look it up.
- Speak: Your mission is to learn a new word using context clues this week. Then, teach the word and the sentence it was in to a friend.
book Lesson Glossary
- Educated Guess (noun phrase) - Khmer: ការទស្សន៍ទាយដោយវិចារណញ្ញាណ - A guess that is based on some knowledge or evidence. ↩
- Systematic (adjective) - Khmer: ជាប្រព័ន្ធ - Done according to a fixed plan or system; methodical. ↩
- Context Clues (noun phrase) - Khmer: តម្រុយបរិបទ - Hints in a sentence that help you understand a new word. ↩