Which term refers to clues in a text used to deduce the meaning of unknown words?

• A. Contextual Clues
• B. Context of Use
• C. Converseness
• D. Denotative Meaning

Answer: (A)

Using context clues means you infer the meaning of an unfamiliar word by looking at the surrounding words and sentences. The nearby text can hint at meaning through synonyms, explanations, examples, or contrasts, helping you build a sense of what the word means without needing a formal definition right away. For example, if the text says, “The forest grew silent, a benevolent calm spreading over the trees,” you might infer that benevolent here suggests a kind, good feeling because of the calm it describes. Or, in a sentence like “The arid valley offered little shelter; water was scarce,” you can guess that scarce means not enough or in short supply, from the context of water being mentioned as something desired but limited.

Other terms describe different ideas, such as dictionary definitions or how a word is used in a broader sense, which don’t rely on the surrounding text to unlock meaning. Contextual clues specifically focus on the text around the word as your guide to meaning.