Context Clues

Context clues are hints or definitions that a writer uses in the text to help the reader understand the meaning of new or unfamiliar words. These clues can appear within a sentence, a paragraph, or in other areas of a passage. Want to learn more about Context Clues? Here’s a refresher on the different types of context clues.

Out With the Goats

Heidi is the story of a young girl who goes to live in the mountains of Switzerland with her grandfather. She makes friends with Peter, a neighbor boy who herds goats. In this passage, Heidi is with Peter when he takes the goats to the pasture on the mountainside. Two…

The Sleeping Beauty

Once upon a time there was a king and queen who for a very long time had no children, and when at length a little daughter was born to them they were so pleased that they gave a christening feast to which they invited a number of fairies. But, unfortunately,…

How We Kept Thanksgiving at Oldtown

Harriet Beecher Stowe wrote “Oldtown Folks” in 1869. She tells about life in a New England village called Oldtown. The passage below tells about Thanksgiving preparations in a Massachusetts town.   ———————————————  The making of pies at this period assumed vast proportions that verged upon the sublime. Pies were made…

Paul’s Birthday Surprise

Paul woke up feeling very happy. Today was his birthday. Paul was now five years old. At breakfast, Dad poured Paul some cereal into a bowl. Then he added a little milk. “See you later, Paul,” Dad said. Dad grabbed his lunch and ran out the door. Paul ate a…

The Story of Prometheus: How Fire Was Given to Men

Prometheus is the son of a Titan, one of the early gods of Greek mythology. The Titans fought Zeus, called here by his Roman name, Jupiter. The king of the Titans was Cronus, called here by his Roman name, Saturn. ———————————- In those old, old times, there lived two brothers…

Jonas’ First Job

Jonas loved to play video games. He liked all kinds of games, but he especially enjoyed games that let him pretend he was a race car driver. He loved to watch all the scenery fly by while he turned the wheel to get by the other players. More than anything,…

Paula’s Pizza Party

Paula and her father strolled down the aisles of the grocery store. Her mother was away for the day, and the two of them were trying to pick out something to make for dinner together. Paula didn’t know how to cook, but her father was pretty good at simple meals…

Orangutans: Forest Friends in Need

Orangutan means “person of the forest” in the Malay language. Orangutans are great apes. They belong to the family of primates that includes gorillas, chimpanzees, and bonobos. Wild orangutans live on two islands-Sumatra and Borneo-in Southeast Asia. Both Sumatran orangutans and Bornean orangutans are primarily arboreal. This means they spend…

Threatened!

Loggerhead sea turtles glide gently through many of the world’s oceans. They are known for their beauty and graceful nature. Once widely hunted, they continue to face threats both in the water and on land. Largest of the hard-shelled turtles, adult male loggerheads usually weigh about 250 pounds. They are…

Diana Is Invited to Tea with Tragic Results

In this passage from Anne of Green Gables, Anne has invited her friend Diana to tea. A cordial is a fruit drink. ————————– When Anne came back from the kitchen Diana was drinking her second glassful of cordial; and, being entreated thereto by Anne, she offered no particular objection to…