Students must learn to blend semantic (meaning) clues and syntactic (grammatical) clues to determine the appropriate response. Five types of clues are presented in language students at each level can comprehend. They are as follows:
1. Synonym Clues
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Instruction:
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Synonym clues can help a reader figure out an unknown word or phrase. Synonyms are words that mean the same or nearly the same. Sometimes you may read a word you don’t know. There may be another word in that sentence or in a nearby sentence that means nearly the same thing.
2. Definition Clues
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Instruction:
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There may be a definition of the unknown word or look for these clues to help you.
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Ex. Sometimes factories dump their waste into rivers. They pollute the water. The rivers become dirty.
3. Pronoun Reference Clues
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Instruction:
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Pronouns are the words that take the place of nouns. Sometimes words lie I, me, you, it, he, she, they, him, her, them are used instead of a noun the pronoun refers to. You will have to look back at one or two sentences to figure this out. When you find a key word, you will be able to understand the meaning of the sentence.
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Ex. The pilgrims were supposed to land in Virginia, which is warm. They were blown off course and they landed at Plymouth Rock. However, they were not prepared for the cold climate.
“However” alerts the reader that an opposite idea follows.
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Sequence signals: after, before, during, earlier, later, now, then, while.
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Cause Signals: as, because, but, due, for, from, if, in order that, therefore, yet.
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Continuing Signals: again, and, another, with, in addition, likewise, secondly, too.
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Change Signals: although, but despite, even though, however, instead of, never,
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Nevertheless, otherwise, still
4. Clues Before the Missing Word
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Instruction:
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As you read you may find clues which help you figure out what an unknown word means. Sometimes you can find these clues in the sentence or word that come before the unknown word. Look for the key words that will help you understand the meaning of the passage.
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Ex. Eskimos live in the northern part of North America. The land is frozen in this region for most of the year. Eskimos have found ways to live with the cold.
The two sentences before the blank each give hints to help you find the right answer.
5. Clues After the Missing Word
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Instruction:
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Sometimes there are clues after the missing word that can help you. If you read ahead, you may find a word or group of words that help you understand what the story is about. The clues may be near the missing word or in the sentence that follows. When you look for clues, be sure to read the whole passage before choosing you answer.
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Ex. A tortoise has its own special protection. If it senses danger, it can pull its legs into its hard shell. Then it is safe from its enemy.
The information needed to fill in the blank comes after the deleted word.
