Which strategy helps you infer the meaning of an unfamiliar word using context clues?

• A. Use surrounding words to infer meaning; look for synonyms, antonyms, definitions, or examples
• B. Use the word's root only
• C. Skip the word and move on
• D. Memorize a dictionary definition

Answer: (A)

Using context clues to infer meaning relies on looking at how the unfamiliar word fits with the rest of the sentence or surrounding sentences. By spotting cues like synonyms or restatements, contrasts, definitions tucked in, or examples, you can piece together what the word means without stopping to look it up. For example, in a line like “The desert was arid, with almost no rainfall,” you can infer arid means very dry because the description points to lack of water and sparse vegetation. This approach is the best because it uses information already in the text to understand language on the spot, helping you keep the flow of reading.

Relying only on the word’s root can mislead since roots often carry related ideas but not the exact sense in context. Skipping the word means missing important information the sentence provides. Memorizing a dictionary definition isn’t practical while reading, and won’t help you grasp how the word functions in the passage. Context clues let you understand as you read.