📖 ReadingGrade 5Lesson 2
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Use context to infer meanings

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Learning Objectives

  • 1Identify five common types of context clues in a passage
  • 2Infer the meaning of an unfamiliar word from surrounding text
  • 3Apply a four-step strategy to test a word-meaning guess
  • 4Explain which clue type was most useful for each inference
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Mini Lesson

Strong Grade 5 readers do more than guess at unfamiliar words. They use the surrounding text — context — to infer a precise meaning, name the type of clue they used, and test the guess by rereading. Inference goes beyond simple guessing because it asks you to combine multiple hints in the passage.

Five Types of Context Clues

  • Definition — the text states the meaning directly. "A glacier, a slow-moving river of ice, carved the valley."
  • Synonym / restatement — a nearby word with the same meaning. "The hike was arduous, or extremely difficult."
  • Antonym / contrast — an opposite is given as a hint. "Unlike his timid brother, Marco was audacious."
  • Example — specific instances suggest the meaning. "Citrus fruits, such as lemons, limes, and oranges, are tart."
  • Inference — combine details from the whole passage to deduce meaning. "She had not eaten in two days; her hunger was insatiable."

The Four-Step Inference Strategy

  1. Read the full sentence (and the sentences before and after) without stopping.
  2. Find clue words — definitions, synonyms, contrasts, examples, or details that suggest meaning.
  3. Form a guess for what the word probably means.
  4. Test the guess by rereading the sentence with your meaning in place.
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Inference is not random guessing. Always anchor your guess in real evidence from the passage. If you cannot find a clue, reread or check a dictionary.

Five Types of Context CluesFive Types of Context CluesDefinitionis, means, that isSynonymor, also calledAntonymunlike, but, howeverExamplesuch as, like, for exampleInferenceuse whole passage
Four-Step Inference FlowFour-Step Inference Flow1Read full sentence2Find clue words3Guess the meaning4Test by rereading
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Be specific. Do not just say "I used context." Say which type — "I used a contrast clue because the word unlike signaled an opposite."

Vocabulary
context
The text and ideas surrounding a word that hint at its meaning.e.g. Use the context of the sentence to guess what "luminous" means.
context clue
A specific hint in nearby text — a definition, synonym, antonym, example, or inference.e.g. "Luminous, or glowing," gives a synonym context clue.
infer
To work out a meaning that is not stated directly.e.g. From the empty plate, we can infer that he ate the meal.
synonym
A word with a similar meaning to another.e.g. "Joyful" is a synonym for "happy".
antonym
A word with the opposite meaning of another.e.g. "Bright" is an antonym of "dim".
definition clue
A clue that states a words meaning right next to the word.e.g. "Bioluminescence, the production of light by living things, is rare."
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