The context means the setting belonging to the sentence or paragraph in which contains a word or phrase which meaning is its meaning in the particular sentence and paragraph it is used. Many different meanings of a single English word always depend on the context it is used; hence, both context clues and word parts (part of speech) help learners understand the meaning of unfamiliar words or phrases.
Context clues in a sentence could help reason out the meaning of an unfamiliar word often by paying attention to the surrounding language. The types of clues, signals consist of synonym clue (in other words, sometimes called, etc.), antonym or contrast clue (in contrast, however, etc.), general knowledge (the information may be basically familiar to you) and word parts like prefixes, suffixes and roots.
A series of excerpts, in which new words are highlighted for students to guess, are clearly given. Students‘ oral answers and opinions will be written just after each relevant excerpt.
Excerpt 1:
Test word in context:
Jennie didn‘t like the jacket her mother bought her until several strangers made remarks about how much they liked it.
Think aloud protocol:
Pupil 1:
The sentence describes the strangers‘ comments cause her to change her opinions about the jacket. So the meaning of the word ―remark‖ is to comment or state an observation.
Excerpt 2:
Test word in context:
Even though John had a good job and a nice family, he yearned for more.
Think-aloud protocol:
29
Pupil 3:
The word ―yearn‖ must be a verb because it is in past perfect tense. Normally, the conjunction ―even though‖ shows that John wants something else other than his job and his family; so ―yearn‖ means ―to want something‖.
Excerpt 3:
Test word in context:
After Gears of Pain 6 came out, the amount of people playing Gears of Pain 5 declined.
Think-aloud protocol:
Pupil 4:
Usually, after a new game Gears of Pain 6 comes out, the amount of people playing the old game Gears of Pain 5 will be less. Therefore, ―decline‖ means to go down.
Excerpt 4:
Test word in context:
Anthropologists observe and record what a culture does, believes and says. They do this in part by discussing material with informants.
Think-aloud protocol:
Pupil 10:
I have seen this word before; it means ―people who provide information‖, right? I think it‘s a noun of the verb ―inform‖ for indicating someone who provide information for others.
This is what we have learnt from the fact.
Excerpt 5:
Test word in context:
Some of the trees in Redwood National Park are truly gargantuan, and in fact, they are the tallest trees in the world.
Think-aloud protocol:
Pupil 12:
I can guess from the last part of the sentence that ―gargantuan‖ means ―very large‖.
Excerpt 6:
Test word in context:
a. Mary realized that Mr. Ashman was a misogynist soon after she started working as his assistant.
b. It is difficult for a woman to work for a misogynist. She is never sure if his criticism is based on her work or on the fact that she is a woman.
30
c. Mary knew that no woman would ever get a top-level job in a company run by a misogynist.
Think-aloud protocol:
Pupil 20:
I know from sentence a that a misogynist is a man (Mr. Ashman). From the sentence b, I learn that a misogynist may sometimes criticize a woman just because she is a woman. Then from sentence c, I understand that a misogynist may not be fair to women. From these sentences, I may conclude that a misogynist is someone who dislikes women.
Excerpt 7:
Test word in context:
It had been raining hard through the night so the ground was saturated.
Think-aloud protocol:
Pupil 8:
I may already know that it had been raining which means the ground must be wet. It was raining hard, so this means the ground is probably very wet.
Saturated = completely wet
TECHNIQUE 1: USING THE VERB ―TO BE‖
The object following the verb ―to be‖ frequently identifies the subject.
1. A salmon is a fish.
2. A drone is a male bee.
TECHNIQUE 2: USING APPOSITIVES
A noun or noun group following a noun and set off by commas (an appositive) it identifies the noun it follows.
1. Mercury, the silver-colored metal used in the thermometers, is usually in a liquid form.
2. Pacemakers, small electrical devices that stimulate the heart muscle, have saved many lives.
3. Many young couples like to spend their honey moon in a resort area, a beautiful area.
TECHNIQUE 3: USING ―OR‖
A synonym following the word ―or‖ helps identify the word.
1. The husky, or sled dog, of the North is hardy breed.
2. Altitude, or the height above sea level, is a factor that determines climate.
TECHNIQUE 4: USING EXAMPLES
These terms as, like, such as, for example, for instance often include examples to identify the words:
31
1. Creatures such as the camel and penguin are so highly specialized that they can only live in certain areas of the word.
TECHNIQUE 5: USING CLAUSES
Adjective clauses introduced by the words that, where, who, when, which, whom sometimes identify words
1. Melody, which is the succession of sounds, takes on new interest when fit into arrhythmic pattern.
TECHNIQUE 6: CONTEXT WITH CONTRARY WORDS
Sometimes another word or words in another sentence or sentence part which has the opposite meaning from a new vocabulary item implies the meaning of the target word.
Contrary words But, In contrast, However, Unlike are usually used in this case.
1. Don’t digress. Stick to the topic.
2. Failure is common in regular classes, but in honors classes it‘s rarity.
3. I tried reading Lou‘s notes but I found them illegible. However, your notes were easy to read.
4. I do not shrink from this responsibility; I welcome it.
TECHNIQUE 7: CONTEXT WITH SIMILAR WORDS
Sometimes the meaning of a new word or expression is discovered from a similar word or expression in the context.
1. The Empire State building, which has more than a hundred stories, is the world‘s tallest edifice.
2. I understand the first problem, but the second is beyond my comprehension.
6.2. Use of dictionaries
A series of excerpts, in which new words are highlighted for students to guess, are clearly given. Students‘ oral answers and opinions will be written just after each relevant excerpt. In this case, students can use dictionaries to compare and contrast with their fore-answers toward the mutual understanding of the required words.
Excerpt 8:
Test word in context:
―Cowards die many times before their deaths The valiant never taste of death but once‖.
(William Shakespeare‘s Julius Caesar) Think-aloud protocol:
Pupil 9:
32
From the above context you can tell the author is contrasting two ideas ―cowards‖ and the
―valiant‖. Can I check it in the dictionary?
Teacher:
Sure! There are several dictionaries on the bookshelf.
Pupil 9:
I see. Here… it means 1/ boldly courageous; brave; stout-hearted (a valiant soldier); 2/
marked by or showing bravery or valor; heroic (to make a valiant effort); 3/ worthy; excellent.
Therefore, ―the valiant‖ means the opposite of ―cowards‖, namely ―brave men‖. ―Valiant‖
means ―brave‖ in this case.