context

Everyday

1. The context of a word or sentence is the words and sentences around it that help you understand what it means. tree →
2. The context of an event is the situation, background or facts around it that help explain why it happened. tree →
3. «Out of context» means taken away from its surroundings, so the meaning is changed or unfair. tree →

In the lessons

In reading lessons pupils use context clues to work out the meaning of a new word: «The arid desert had no water at all» shows that «arid» means very dry. In history lessons, putting events «in context» means understanding the time and place. In media lessons, a quote or video «taken out of context» can be misleading. In maths word problems, the context is the real-life story around the sum. Phrases: in context, out of context, context clues, historical context, in this context.

Examples

• Use the context to guess what the new word means. tree →
• In this context, «bat» means an animal, not a cricket bat. tree →
• The video was cut and shown out of context. tree →
• Our teacher gave us the historical context of the war. tree →
• The context of the story is a village during a flood. tree →
• Read the sentences around it for context. tree →
• His words sounded rude out of context, but he was joking. tree →
• Put the number into context: is it a lot or a little? tree →
• While gird does not seem to be the right word in this context, it's unclear what the author really intended--possibly gibe?--so it is left as printed. tree →

Note

Usually a countable noun (different contexts), but often uncountable (some context, more context). Pronounced «KON-tekst». Adjective: «contextual». Many English words have more than one meaning, and only the context tells you which is meant (bank, bat, right, light).