Context Clues Definition and Overview

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Argus High School
English Lesson 2 Description
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Word Analysis, Fluency, and Systematic Vocabulary
Development

• Context Clues
• Description

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DESCRIPTION

• A description clue is a kind
• of context clue that describes
• the meaning of an unfamiliar
• word.

desolate
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• For example
• When she arrived she was shocked
• at the squalor-the filth and misery
• in which her cousins were living.

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• The meaning of the
• word squalor
• is found in the
• description filth
• and misery.

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• Now lets try one together.
• The commodious old house
• provided plenty of space for their
• rapidly growing family.
• (Discuss the context clue in this sentence.)

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• The meaning of the word
• commodious is found in the
• description plenty of space.

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• Here are some sentences to determine the
• meanings of unfamiliar words from
• description context clues.
• After being cooped up in the house all day, our
  puppy raced outside and capered playfully in the
  backyard.

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• The delicacy of microsurgery, which is performed
  with a microscope and other special instruments,
  requires great skill, patience, and
  concentration.

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• Every evening a surge of commuters pours out of
  office buildings and crowds onto subway cars and
  trains for the ride home.

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• The typical miners cabin was all hard,
  cheerless, materialistic desolation.

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• Review
• The meaning of the word capered is found in the
  description playfully.
• The meaning of the word delicacy is found in the
  description special instruments great skill.
• The meaning of the word surge is found in the
  description pours out.
• The meaning of the word desolation is found in
  the description hard and cheerless.

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The End