To determine the meaning of an unfamiliar word using context clues, you should

• A. Rely on a dictionary entry alone.
• B. Ask someone what it means.
• C. Look at nearby words or sentences for hints about the word's meaning.
• D. Ignore the word and continue reading.

Answer: (C)

Using context clues means figuring out what an unfamiliar word means by looking at the surrounding words and sentences. The best way to determine meaning is to examine those nearby hints—definitions tucked into the sentence, clues that explain or give examples, or contrasts that hint at the opposite of the unknown word. By paying attention to how the word is used in the text, you can infer its meaning without stopping to look it up.

For example, if you read a sentence like, “The trek was arduous, with steep hills and long stretches of rough terrain,” you can infer that arduous means very hard or difficult because the sentence describes tough conditions. That’s why looking at nearby words or sentences for hints is the most effective strategy.

Relying only on a dictionary entry isn’t the quickest way to understand the word in the moment, and asking someone what it means isn’t practical in most reading situations. Ignoring the word and continuing to read can leave you puzzled and miss important ideas. Using context clues keeps you engaged with the text and helps build meaning right away.