"Use context clues!"
How many times have you heard a teacher say that in regards to comprehension? Do you really understand
what that means? Well, if you don't, welcome to the club. Many students do not really understand what
context clues are. Some look to the elements within the sentence to help them out. They will look for the key
idea in a sentence. Let's look at a typical one.Context dues are often as elusive as free lunches.
Since elusive is a word many students will not know, they might try to figure out what the sentence means
by trying to find the key idea. Knowing the subject and the verb of a sentence helps. Here we find,Context clues - subject are - verb elusive - complete thought.
Do you understand the sentence yet? We don't have enough information, it seems. So we need to ask
ourselves about the phrase free lunches. What do we know about this phrase? Here is where we have
to rely upon background knowledge. Every person in an America high school must take an economics
class, and there they learn, there are no such things as free lunches because almost everything has a price.Now if we look at the sentence again, we can understand that elusive must mean something that happens
rarely or maybe never at all. With this information, we now see that the author of this sentence believes
finding context clues can be very difficult.But there is help, as learning more about context clues will aid you in understanding them better, so
reading will become easier. There are two categories of context clues: syntactic clues and semantic clues.
Syntactic Clues -- Clues within the sentence.
Learn to recognize that a noun (subject) that is linked with a linking verb either describes or gives an example or instance of the subject: The book is discombobulating because it talks about death.
The linking verb "is" joins book and discombobulating, so that we could say: The discombobulating
book talks about death.
The coordinating conjunction "or" shows ideas of similar weight or importance: Either you will like the book or you won't.
Here equal weight is given to ideas.
Direct explanation occurs when an unknown word or phrase is defined in the sentence, usually with
terms like is called, in other words, is known as, are referred to as, can mean:Discommodity, in other words being inconvenient, is not grounds for dismissal.
This type of explanation is especially apparent in textbooks.
Commas are used to separate sentences, as well as to indicate a series; they will also be used to
link synonyms, words that are similar:John read Oh Pioneers, and he enjoyed it immensely. Julie said that the book
was boring, redundant, and long.
An appositive is a noun or noun phrase which follows a noun to explain or identify it: Sherman, the guy in the last row, likes kumquats.
Phrases or clauses (adjective or relative) will often be used to describe nouns and will often
be set off by commas.Those hats, made of knit material, will be sold tomorrow. Jassim, who went back to Oman,
was glad to be home.
Semantic Clues -- Clues outside the sentence.
Pronoun substitution is common, usually the antecedent, will be in the sentence that comes
before the pronoun, but not always.The building was doomed. It was going to be turned to rubble.
Clarifying is used when a writer gives a new word or idea in a sentence, then defines it in
the next sentence.All prices must be tallied before tomorrow. They must be added together, so we know our worth.
Summary sentences are quite common also. Here the author will sum up a paragraph in
the concluding sentence.From reading the aforementioned, you should understand that context clues are important!
Figures of speech are used to explain abstract ideas and thoughts. Writers juxtapose
two qualities or experiences by calling attention to characteristics they share. Similes,
metaphors, personification, hyperbole, analogies are a few of these."Context clues are as elusive as a free lunch" is a simile.
Methods of development refers to how paragraphs are developed. The most common
are cause/effect, description, narrative, compare/contrast, process analysis, classification/
division, definition, and illustration.If you can learn the strategies just mentioned, context clues will be your friends instead of your
enemies.Linking Verbs
Linking verbs link the relationship between subject and the rest of the sentence. They explain the
connection between the subject and its complement or that which completes the subject's description.
Linking verbs do not express action. Instead, they connect the subject of a verb to additional information
about the subject. Look at the examples below:
Samantha is a workaholic. Ising isn't something that Samantha can do.
Is connects the subject, Samantha, to additional information about her, that she is very busy.
During the afternoon, my cats are content to nap on the couch.
Areing isn't something that cats can do. The word are simply connects the subject, cats, to
something said about them, that they enjoy sleeping on the furniture.
After drinking the old milk, Mohamed turned green. Turned connects the subject, Mohamed, to something said about him, that he was needing
Pepto Bismol.
A ten-item quiz seems impossibly long after a night of no studying. Seems connects the subject, a ten-item quiz, with something said about it, that its difficulty
depends on preparation, not length.
Irene always feels sleepy after pigging out on pizza from Auntie's Cafe. Feels connects the subject, Irene, to her state of being, sleepiness.
The following verbs are true linking verbs: any form of the verb be (am, is, are, was, were,
has been, are being, might have been, etc.), become, and seem. These true linking verbs
are always linking verbs.Then you have a list of verbs that depend upon their function in the sentence: appear, feel,
grow, look, prove, remain, smell, sound, taste, and turn. Sometimes these verbs are
linking verbs; sometimes they are action verbs.How do you tell when they are action verbs and when they are linking verbs? If you can
substitute am, is, or are for the verb and the sentence still sounds logical, you have a linking
verb on your hands. If, after the substitution, the sentence makes no sense, you are dealing
with an action verb. Here are some examples:
Sylvia tasted the spicy squid eyeball stew. Sylvia is the stew? I don't think so! Tasted, therefore is an action verb in this sentence.
The squid eyeball stew tasted good. The stew is good? You bet. Make your own!
I smell the delicious aroma of a mushroom and papaya pizza baking in the oven. I am the aroma? Not the last time I checked. Smell, in this sentence, is an action verb.
This substitution will not work for appear. With appear, you have to analyze the function of the verb.
Swooping out of the clear blue sky, Superman appeared on Lois Lane's balcony.
Appear is something Superman can do--especially when danger is near. Superman appeared happy to see Lois.
Here, appeared is connecting the subject, Superman, to his state of mind, happiness.
