Context Clues & Root Words
Learn to figure out word meanings using context clues and by breaking words into roots, prefixes, and suffixes.
What Are Context Clues?
Context clues are the surrounding words and sentences that give you hints about an unfamiliar word's meaning. Even if you don't know a word directly, the text around it often tells you what it means. On the ASVAB Word Knowledge section, context clues are your best friend when you encounter words you've never seen.
There are several types of context clues: definition clues (the text directly defines the word), synonym clues (a similar word nearby), antonym clues (an opposite word that helps you understand), and inference clues (you figure out the meaning from the overall idea). Practice looking for these patterns, and you'll be able to tackle even the toughest vocabulary questions.