Reading Section: Using Context Clues to Answer Vocabulary Questions
Introduction
Imagine you are kidnapped and blindfolded. The kidnappers make you withdrawal all your money from the bank. Then they put you in a car and drive you far away and leave you somewhere. After they drive away, you remove your blindfold. No one is around and you have no idea where you are. How would you discover where you were?
Context Clues
In the situation above you would use context clues. Context clues are the things around you that would help you understand your location: things like the plants, the buildings, other structures, road signs, etc.
You can also use context clues as you read to help you discover the meaning of new vocabulary words. Context clues include grammar structures, word parts, the topic of the text, and key words. Don’t rely on one clue too much. Just like a good detective you need to use all the clues to solve the problem.
Common Context Clues and Examples
Function
First try to decide the function of the vocabulary word. Is it a noun, adjective, verb, and so on? If it is a noun it could be a person, place, thing, or idea. If it is a verb it is an action.
Example: The Blue Whale is the largest vertebrate. Its backbone has around 63-64 free vertebrae.
Unknown vocabulary word: vertebrate
You can guess that the word vertebrate is a noun because the article “the” comes before it and it also is modified by the adjective “largest.” So since it’s a noun, it could be a person, place, thing, or idea. So that leads us to our next clue…
“Be” Verb
The “be” verb is an easy clue. Imagine it as a big equals sign (=). The noun, noun phrase, or adjective that comes after the “be” verb is often describing or defining the noun or noun phrase that comes before.
Example: The Blue Whale is the largest vertebrate. Its backbone has around 63-64 free vertebrae.
Unknown vocabulary word: vertebrate
Using your logic and the context clue “is” you can guess that a vertebrate is a type of animal, because a whale is an animal. Specifically, you could guess that a vertebrate is a category of animals, which include the Blue whale. The next sentence gives you more clues. It helps you understand that a Blue whale has a backbone with vertebrae. The word vertebrae is very similar to our unknown vocabulary word so you can conclude it is related. So if you bring all these clues together you can guess a vertebrate is an animal with a segmented backbone.
Here’s a sample question similar to the reading questions on the TOEFL.
The word vertebrate in the passage is closest in meaning to
A. Animals that are classified as fish
B. A group of animals with large fins
C. A species of whales
D. A group of animals with backbones
“Or”
“Or” usually presents options. Sometimes it is used to restate the word or phrase that come before it.
Example: The Dalia Lama, or the spiritual leader of Tibet, is living in exile.
Unknown vocabulary word: Dalia Lama
In this example “or” is introducing a restatement of the subject. So we know that the Dalia Lama is the spiritual leader of Tibet.
Adjective Clause or Phrase
The Dalia Lama, who describes himself as a simple Buddhist monk, is also a renowned advocate of non-violent protest and important political leader.
Adjective clauses and phrases start with relative pronouns and describe the noun that comes directly before them. Relative pronouns are “that, who, whom, whose, which, where, when, and why.”
Unknown vocabulary word: Dalia Lama
The relative clause “who describes himself as a simple Buddhist monk” signals that the Dalia Lama is a Buddhist monk.
List or Series
A list usually includes things that share similarities. This helps us understand more about the word’s meaning.
Example: Lobsters, crabs, crawfish, and other crustaceans have tough exoskeletons.
Unknown Vocabulary word: crustacean
The list helps us understand that crustaceans are types of animals that are similar to lobsters, crabs, and crawfish. They are classified together because of their similarities.
