1. Identifying Clues:
* Surrounding Words: Look at the words directly before and after the unknown word. They often provide direct synonyms, antonyms, or explanations of the word's meaning.
* Sentence Structure: Consider the grammatical role of the word (subject, verb, object, etc.) and how it fits into the overall structure of the sentence.
* Phrases and Clauses: Pay attention to phrases and clauses that contain the word. They may provide additional clues about its meaning.
2. Using Background Knowledge:
* General World Knowledge: Draw on your existing knowledge of the world, including common sense and cultural understanding.
* Specific Subject Knowledge: If the text is related to a specific field of study, use your knowledge of that subject to understand the meaning.
3. Applying Reasoning Skills:
* Deduction: Use the clues to infer the meaning of the word logically.
* Elimination: Rule out possible meanings that don't fit the context.
* Guessing and Checking: Make a reasonable guess about the meaning and see if it fits the sentence and surrounding text.
4. Recognizing Types of Context Clues:
* Synonyms: The text provides a word with a similar meaning.
* Antonyms: The text provides a word with the opposite meaning.
* Examples: The text gives examples that illustrate the meaning.
* Definitions: The text explicitly defines the word.
* Restatement: The text rephrases the meaning of the word in a different way.
5. Considering Multiple Meanings:
* Polysemy: Be aware that many words have multiple meanings. Choose the meaning that makes the most sense in the context.
Overall, contextualization is a complex process that requires active reading and thinking skills. By carefully considering the clues provided by the text and drawing on your knowledge, you can effectively decipher the meaning of unfamiliar words.