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Context clues or clues are words, pictures, or other information that help you understand the meaning of a text. They can be articles, synonyms, antonyms, definitions, examples and graphics, among others.
what is context
Spanish, like other languages, includes an extensive vocabulary, and many of its words are not frequently used. Therefore, it is common to find one or more unknown words in a text. There are even words that have more than one meaning.
Therefore, to understand a word or phrase it is vitally important that the reader take into account the context that surrounds it. The interpretation of the context will also depend on the linguistic knowledge and general knowledge of the reader.
According to the dictionary of the Royal Spanish Academy, the context is the “linguistic environment on which the meaning of a certain word, phrase or fragment depends”. That is, the context is the linguistic elements that are found before or after a word or sentence and that can indicate its meaning and facilitate its interpretation.
To better understand the importance of context, let’s look at the following sentences:
- Example 1:
- The girl is sitting on the bench in the square.
- This morning I went to the bank to pay my bills.
- Example 2:
- The cat, unlike the dog, is a more independent pet.
- It is important to have a jack in the car in case the wheel needs to be changed.
In the first example, the word “bank” has different meanings that can be understood thanks to the context. In the first sentence, the bench is referred to as a seat; and in the second sentence, to the bank as a company.
In the first sentence of the second example, the word “cat” refers to the feline of that name; in the second sentence, it indicates a mechanical tool used to support a car while a wheel is being changed.
What are context clues
Context clues or clues tend to appear more frequently in nonfiction texts. However, they are also quite common in children’s literature, because they help develop children’s vocabulary and reading comprehension.
Context clues are the additional information provided by the author and allow the full understanding of a text. These clues can be in the same sentence, the same paragraph, or in any other part of the text.
What are context clues for?
Context clues are used to:
- Determine or deduce the meaning of unknown vocabulary.
- Learn new words and expand known vocabulary.
- Summarize a text or identify its main idea.
- Improve pronunciation and reading fluency.
- Facilitate reading comprehension.
- Enjoy reading.
Context Clue Types
Context clues can be identified according to their different types. Generally, they appear as:
- Definitions: they usually go before or after the unknown term and provide valuable and precise information that allows us to understand its meaning.
- Reformulations and explanations: they also provide more information to infer the meaning of the word.
- Synonyms : are words that have the same meaning.
- Antonyms: are words that have the opposite meaning.
- Examples: are used to concretely explain the meaning of a word, phrase or concept.
- Images: These clues can be photographs, graphics, illustrations and any other visual resources.
- Additional data such as dates, names, appointments.
- Linguistic techniques such as metaphors, comparisons, contrasts.
Examples of context clues
Some sample sentences to look for context clues are:
- “Tomorrow is a holiday . I love the days when you don’t have to work .”
- «The older brother is quite diligent at school. But unlike him, the younger brother doesn’t like to study .
- “The flowers in this garden are of various colors . They look like a rainbow on the ground.”
- Diwali is a Hindu festival where lamps are lit.
- “The marketing department is the place where the company’s advertising and promotion campaigns are carried out .”
- “Patients with hypertension should avoid salt because this mineral increases blood pressure and can cause heart problems.”
- “Elephants are herbivores because they feed on plants, fruits, and other vegetables .”
- “A Spanish speaker is a person who speaks Spanish .”
How to identify context clues
To easily identify context clues or clues, it is convenient to perform the following steps:
- Read the text.
- Identify the unknown word.
- Reread the text and pay attention to the words that surround the unknown term.
- Match the word with the rest of the text.
- Replace the unknown word with the inferred word.
- Check if the meaning of the new word makes sense in its context.
- Check that the inferred meaning is correct by looking up the word in the dictionary.
Bibliography
- Díez Galán, R. Vocabulary A1 Spanish. (2019). Spain. Ramon Diez Galan.
- Calero, A. Reading comprehension: Strategies that develop self-regulated readers. (2017). Spain. Andrés Calero Guisado.
- RAE. Spanish dictionary. Available at: https://www.rae.es/
- Imsol. Spanish words with multiple meanings. Inmsol.com. Available at: https://www.inmsol.com/es/gramatica-espanola/palabras-espanolas-con-multiples-significados/
- Rojas Velasquez, F.; Yárnoz de Rodríguez, MC Contextual clues in reading comprehension . Venezuela. Simon Bolivar University. Available at: https://rieoei.org/historico/deloslectores/451Rojas.pdf
