Which option describes an antonym or contrast clue?

Which option describes an antonym or contrast clue?

• A. Context clues that restate the meaning of a word using a synonym.
• B. Context clues that state the opposite of the word.
• C. Context clues that give an example.
• D. Context clues that define the word in a sidebar.

Answer: (B)

Antonym or contrast clues help you figure out a word by showing its opposite or by contrasting it with something else. When the surrounding text signals an opposite idea—like saying one thing is the opposite of another—you can infer the meaning of the unfamiliar word from that contrast. This option fits that idea exactly: it describes clues that state the opposite of the word. Other types of context clues involve restating the meaning with a synonym, giving an example to illustrate the idea, or providing a direct definition nearby, but they don’t rely on opposite meaning.

Antonym or contrast clues help you figure out a word by showing its opposite or by contrasting it with something else. When the surrounding text signals an opposite idea—like saying one thing is the opposite of another—you can infer the meaning of the unfamiliar word from that contrast. This option fits that idea exactly: it describes clues that state the opposite of the word. Other types of context clues involve restating the meaning with a synonym, giving an example to illustrate the idea, or providing a direct definition nearby, but they don’t rely on opposite meaning.