###What are context clues?
If you’re struggling to understand a word or phrase in a passage, **context clues**—other nearby words and details—can help you figure out what the word or phrase means.
>>Example: No matter how long Leighton stared at Nathan's terrible handwriting, she never grew less __perplexed__. What could his note possibly say?
>Even if you don't know what *perplexed* means, there are clues in the sentence that can help you out. Leighton feels perplexed when she stares at the "terrible handwriting" and she wonders what the note says. Since you know the handwriting is terrible and Leighton can't decipher it, you can infer that *perplexed* means "confused."
Note that using context clues to determine word meanings doesn't always work! In fact, details in the passage may sometimes point you to an incorrect meaning. Always check to make sure the meaning makes sense in the sentence or paragraph. And keep in mind that a print or online dictionary is the most trustworthy source for determining the meaning of a word or phrase.
###Show me some more examples!
**As you read the sentences, use context clues to help determine the meaning of each underlined word.**
“Well, we may not have many answers,” Pascal said. “However, we have an __abundance__ of questions.”
[[☃ explanation 1]]
"__Precision__ is important right now," Clara explained, as she carefully used tweezers to nudge a wire just the tiniest fraction of an inch to the right. "Even the smallest mistake could cause the robot to fail entirely."
[[☃ explanation 2]]
Everyone __grimaced__ at Efraim's best joke.
[[☃ explanation 3]]
##Remember!
Context clues are details and information that are near a word you don't know and that can help you determine the meaning of that word. However, context clues don't always lead you to the correct meaning. When in doubt, use a dictionary.