How do context clues assist readers in understanding unfamiliar words?

Context clues assist readers in understanding unfamiliar words by providing hints or clues that surround the word, which suggest its meaning. When readers encounter a word they do not recognize, they can look at the sentences and phrases around it—such as the words that come before or after—and use these additional pieces of information to infer the word's definition.

For instance, if a text describes a character's "melancholy" state and provides details about their sadness or gloom, the reader can deduce that "melancholy" relates to feelings of sadness without needing an explicit definition. This method encourages active reading and comprehension, allowing readers to enhance their vocabulary in a natural context rather than relying solely on dictionaries or definitions.

This approach emphasizes the importance of surrounding text as a tool for meaning-making, helping readers to engage more fully with the material.