What Does It Mean to Use Context?

When we read, we often come across words we don’t know. But don’t worry! We can often understand those words by looking at the context. Context means the words and sentences that are around the unknown word. They can give us clues about what the word means.

How Can We Use Context?

Here are some simple steps to help you use context to figure out what a word means:

  1. Read the Sentence: Look at the sentence where the word is used.
    • Example: “The cat was so fluffy that it looked like a cloud.”
    • Clue: “looked like a cloud” suggests that fluffy means soft and poofy.
  2. Look at Nearby Words: Check the words that come before and after the unknown word.
    • Example: “The brave knight fought the dragon.”
    • Clue: “fought” suggests that brave means not afraid.
  3. Think About the Overall Meaning: What is the sentence trying to say? This can help you guess the word’s meaning.
    • Example: “The sun was very bright today.”
    • Clue: If the sun is bright, it likely means it shines a lot.

Tips and Tricks

  • Use Synonyms: Sometimes, you can replace the unknown word with a word you know to see if it makes sense.
  • Visualisation: Imagine a picture in your head of what the sentence is saying. This can help you understand better.
  • Ask Questions: What does the sentence mean as a whole? What do I already know that can help?

Examples

  • Word: “Glimmer”
    • Sentence: “The stars began to glimmer in the night sky.”
    • Context Clue: “in the night sky” suggests that glimmer means to shine softly.
  • Word: “Gigantic”
    • Sentence: “The elephant is gigantic compared to a mouse.”
    • Context Clue: “compared to a mouse” suggests that gigantic means very big.

Practice Questions

Easy Level Questions

  1. The dog was very happy when it saw its owner. What does happy mean?
  2. The tiny ant was crawling on the ground. What does tiny mean?
  3. She wore a sparkly dress to the party. What does sparkly mean?
  4. The shiny car was parked in front of the house. What does shiny mean?
  5. The loud thunder scared the children. What does loud mean?
  6. The sweet cake was delicious. What does sweet mean?
  7. The bright sun made it a hot day. What does bright mean?
  8. The fast rabbit hopped away quickly. What does fast mean?
  9. The cold ice cream melted in the sun. What does cold mean?
  10. The big balloon floated in the air. What does big mean?

Medium Level Questions

  1. The ancient tree was very tall. What does ancient mean?
  2. The mysterious box had a lock on it. What does mysterious mean?
  3. The delicate flowers needed careful handling. What does delicate mean?
  4. The exciting game kept us all on our toes. What does exciting mean?
  5. The eager dog waited for its treat. What does eager mean?
  6. She gave a gentle push to the swing. What does gentle mean?
  7. The brilliant student solved the problem quickly. What does brilliant mean?
  8. The curious cat explored the room. What does curious mean?
  9. The ancient ruins were fascinating to see. What does ancient mean?
  10. The graceful dancer moved across the stage. What does graceful mean?

Hard Level Questions

  1. The intricate design on the vase was beautiful. What does intricate mean?
  2. The meticulous artist painted every detail. What does meticulous mean?
  3. The perplexing riddle confused everyone. What does perplexing mean?
  4. The tenacious athlete never gave up. What does tenacious mean?
  5. The serene lake reflected the sky perfectly. What does serene mean?
  6. The optimistic boy always looked on the bright side. What does optimistic mean?
  7. The vibrant colours of the painting were eye-catching. What does vibrant mean?
  8. The cautious driver obeyed all the speed limits. What does cautious mean?
  9. The subtle hint helped him guess the answer. What does subtle mean?
  10. The innovative idea changed how we do things. What does innovative mean?

Answers and Explanations

Easy Level Answers

  1. Happy means feeling good or joyful.
  2. Tiny means very small.
  3. Sparkly means shining with light.
  4. Shiny means reflecting light; bright.
  5. Loud means making a lot of noise.
  6. Sweet means having a sugar taste; nice.
  7. Bright means giving off a lot of light.
  8. Fast means moving quickly.
  9. Cold means having a low temperature.
  10. Big means large in size.

Medium Level Answers

  1. Ancient means very old.
  2. Mysterious means difficult to understand or explain.
  3. Delicate means fragile or easy to break.
  4. Exciting means thrilling or very interesting.
  5. Eager means wanting to do something very much.
  6. Gentle means kind and soft.
  7. Brilliant means very smart or excellent.
  8. Curious means wanting to know more.
  9. Ancient means very old.
  10. Graceful means moving in a smooth and elegant way.

Hard Level Answers

  1. Intricate means very detailed and complicated.
  2. Meticulous means showing great attention to detail.
  3. Perplexing means confusing or puzzling.
  4. Tenacious means determined and not giving up.
  5. Serene means calm and peaceful.
  6. Optimistic means hopeful and positive.
  7. Vibrant means bright and full of life.
  8. Cautious means careful to avoid danger.
  9. Subtle means not obvious; delicate.
  10. Innovative means introducing new ideas or methods.

Remember, using context clues is a fun way to understand new words! Happy reading!