diff --git a/python/ql/lib/change-notes/2026-10-23-inferred-expression-contexts.md b/python/ql/lib/change-notes/2026-10-23-inferred-expression-contexts.md
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..b379f64efe70
--- /dev/null
+++ b/python/ql/lib/change-notes/2026-10-23-inferred-expression-contexts.md
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+---
+category: feature
+---
+* Added `Expr.isLoadContext()`, `Expr.isStoreContext()`, `Expr.isParameterContext()`, and
+  `Expr.isDeleteContext()` to classify expression contexts from the AST structure.
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/python/ql/lib/semmle/python/Exprs.qll b/python/ql/lib/semmle/python/Exprs.qll
index 937c9e5ffd79..7ee1ced24cae 100644
--- a/python/ql/lib/semmle/python/Exprs.qll
+++ b/python/ql/lib/semmle/python/Exprs.qll
@@ -4,6 +4,78 @@ module;
 private import python
 private import semmle.python.internal.CachedStages
 
+private newtype TContext =
+  TDel() or
+  TLoad() or
+  TParam() or
+  TStore()
+
+private predicate hasExpressionContext(Expr e) {
+  e instanceof Attribute or
+  e instanceof List or
+  e instanceof Name or
+  e instanceof PlaceHolder or
+  e instanceof Starred or
+  e instanceof Subscript or
+  e instanceof TemplateDottedNotation_ or
+  e instanceof Tuple
+}
+
+private predicate propagatesExpressionContext(Expr parent, Expr child) {
+  child in [parent.(List).getAnElt(), parent.(Tuple).getAnElt(), parent.(Starred).getValue()]
+}
+
+private predicate hasNonLoadExpressionContextSeed(Expr e, TContext context) {
+  context = TStore() and
+  e in [
+      any(Assign a).getATarget(),
+      any(AnnAssign a).getTarget(),
+      any(AssignExpr a).getTarget(),
+      any(For f).getTarget(),
+      any(Comprehension c).getTarget(),
+      any(With w).getOptionalVars(),
+      any(ExceptStmt ex).getName(),
+      any(ExceptGroupStmt ex).getName(),
+      any(Alias a).getAsname(),
+      any(MatchAsPattern p).getAlias(),
+      any(MatchCapturePattern p).getVariable(),
+      any(TypeAlias t).getName(),
+      any(TypeVar t).getName(),
+      any(TypeVarTuple t).getName(),
+      any(ParamSpec p).getName()
+    ]
+  or
+  context = TParam() and
+  (
+    e = any(Function f).getAnArg()
+    or
+    e in [
+        any(Function f).getVararg(),
+        any(Function f).getAKwonlyarg(),
+        any(Function f).getKwarg()
+      ]
+  )
+  or
+  context = TDel() and
+  e = any(Delete d).getATarget()
+}
+
+private predicate inferredNonLoadExpressionContext(Expr e, TContext context) {
+  hasExpressionContext(e) and
+  exists(Expr root |
+    hasNonLoadExpressionContextSeed(root, context) and
+    propagatesExpressionContext*(root, e)
+  )
+}
+
+private predicate inferredExpressionContext(Expr e, TContext context) {
+  inferredNonLoadExpressionContext(e, context)
+  or
+  context = TLoad() and
+  hasExpressionContext(e) and
+  not inferredNonLoadExpressionContext(e, _)
+}
+
 /** An expression */
 class Expr extends Expr_, AstNode {
   /** Gets the scope of this expression */
@@ -54,6 +126,18 @@ class Expr extends Expr_, AstNode {
   /** Gets an immediate (non-nested) sub-expression of this expression */
   Expr getASubExpression() { none() }
 
+  /** Whether this expression occurs in a load context. */
+  predicate isLoadContext() { inferredExpressionContext(this, TLoad()) }
+
+  /** Whether this expression occurs in a store context. */
+  predicate isStoreContext() { inferredExpressionContext(this, TStore()) }
+
+  /** Whether this expression occurs in a parameter context. */
+  predicate isParameterContext() { inferredExpressionContext(this, TParam()) }
+
+  /** Whether this expression occurs in a deletion context. */
+  predicate isDeleteContext() { inferredExpressionContext(this, TDel()) }
+
   override AstNode getAChildNode() { result = this.getASubExpression() }
 }
 
@@ -432,10 +516,10 @@ class Name extends Name_ {
 
   /** Whether this expression is a definition */
   predicate isDefinition() {
-    py_expr_contexts(_, 5, this)
+    this.isStoreContext()
     or
     /* Treat Param as a definition (which it is) */
-    py_expr_contexts(_, 4, this)
+    this.isParameterContext()
     or
     /* The target in an augmented assignment is also a definition (and a use) */
     exists(AugAssign aa | aa.getTarget() = this)
@@ -451,7 +535,7 @@ class Name extends Name_ {
   }
 
   /** Whether this expression is a deletion */
-  predicate isDeletion() { py_expr_contexts(_, 2, this) }
+  predicate isDeletion() { this.isDeleteContext() }
 
   /**
    * Whether this expression deletes variable `v`.
@@ -463,7 +547,7 @@ class Name extends Name_ {
   }
 
   /** Whether this expression is a use */
-  predicate isUse() { py_expr_contexts(_, 3, this) }
+  predicate isUse() { this.isLoadContext() }
 
   /**
    * Whether this expression is a use of variable `v`
diff --git a/python/ql/lib/semmle/python/Flow.qll b/python/ql/lib/semmle/python/Flow.qll
index 76a1f21af157..71f20722db1a 100644
--- a/python/ql/lib/semmle/python/Flow.qll
+++ b/python/ql/lib/semmle/python/Flow.qll
@@ -35,19 +35,19 @@ private Py::AstNode toAst(ControlFlowNode n) { py_flow_bb_node(n, result, _, _)
 class ControlFlowNode extends @py_flow_node {
   /** Whether this control flow node is a load (including those in augmented assignments) */
   predicate isLoad() {
-    exists(Py::Expr e | e = toAst(this) | py_expr_contexts(_, 3, e) and not augstore(_, this))
+    exists(Py::Expr e | e = toAst(this) | e.isLoadContext() and not augstore(_, this))
   }
 
   /** Whether this control flow node is a store (including those in augmented assignments) */
   predicate isStore() {
-    exists(Py::Expr e | e = toAst(this) | py_expr_contexts(_, 5, e) or augstore(_, this))
+    exists(Py::Expr e | e = toAst(this) | e.isStoreContext() or augstore(_, this))
   }
 
   /** Whether this control flow node is a delete */
-  predicate isDelete() { exists(Py::Expr e | e = toAst(this) | py_expr_contexts(_, 2, e)) }
+  predicate isDelete() { exists(Py::Expr e | e = toAst(this) | e.isDeleteContext()) }
 
   /** Whether this control flow node is a parameter */
-  predicate isParameter() { exists(Py::Expr e | e = toAst(this) | py_expr_contexts(_, 4, e)) }
+  predicate isParameter() { exists(Py::Expr e | e = toAst(this) | e.isParameterContext()) }
 
   /** Whether this control flow node is a store in an augmented assignment */
   predicate isAugStore() { augstore(_, this) }
@@ -848,9 +848,7 @@ class NameNode extends ControlFlowNode {
     this.isLoad() and
     exists(Py::Name u | this.getNode() = u and u.uses(v))
     or
-    exists(Py::PlaceHolder u |
-      this.getNode() = u and u.getVariable() = v and u.getCtx() instanceof Py::Load
-    )
+    exists(Py::PlaceHolder u | this.getNode() = u and u.getVariable() = v and u.isLoadContext())
     or
     Scopes::use_of_global_variable(this, v.getScope(), v.getId())
   }
diff --git a/python/ql/lib/semmle/python/SelfAttribute.qll b/python/ql/lib/semmle/python/SelfAttribute.qll
index 364e080dcdd7..36efcb8533db 100644
--- a/python/ql/lib/semmle/python/SelfAttribute.qll
+++ b/python/ql/lib/semmle/python/SelfAttribute.qll
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ private predicate self_attribute(Attribute attr, Class cls) {
 /** A helper class for UndefinedClassAttribute.ql & MaybeUndefinedClassAttribute.ql */
 class SelfAttributeRead extends SelfAttribute {
   SelfAttributeRead() {
-    this.getCtx() instanceof Load and
+    this.isLoadContext() and
     // Be stricter for loads.
     // We want to generous as to what is defined (i.e. stores),
     // but strict as to what needs to be defined (i.e. loads).
@@ -68,7 +68,7 @@ class SelfAttributeRead extends SelfAttribute {
 }
 
 class SelfAttributeStore extends SelfAttribute {
-  SelfAttributeStore() { this.getCtx() instanceof Store }
+  SelfAttributeStore() { this.isStoreContext() }
 
   Expr getAssignedValue() { exists(Assign a | a.getATarget() = this | result = a.getValue()) }
 }
diff --git a/python/ql/lib/semmle/python/controlflow/internal/Cfg.qll b/python/ql/lib/semmle/python/controlflow/internal/Cfg.qll
index 3441ad0203c1..1aa76db912b3 100644
--- a/python/ql/lib/semmle/python/controlflow/internal/Cfg.qll
+++ b/python/ql/lib/semmle/python/controlflow/internal/Cfg.qll
@@ -122,16 +122,16 @@ class ControlFlowNode extends CfgImpl::ControlFlowNode {
    * which holds on the destination of compound and unary assignments
    * even though the destination is also a write.
    */
-  predicate isLoad() { py_expr_contexts(_, 3, this.asPyExpr()) }
+  predicate isLoad() { this.asPyExpr().isLoadContext() }
 
   /** Holds if this flow node is a store (including those in augmented assignments). */
-  predicate isStore() { py_expr_contexts(_, 5, this.asPyExpr()) or augstore(_, this) }
+  predicate isStore() { this.asPyExpr().isStoreContext() or augstore(_, this) }
 
   /** Holds if this flow node is a delete. */
-  predicate isDelete() { py_expr_contexts(_, 2, this.asPyExpr()) }
+  predicate isDelete() { this.asPyExpr().isDeleteContext() }
 
   /** Holds if this flow node is a parameter. */
-  predicate isParameter() { py_expr_contexts(_, 4, this.asPyExpr()) }
+  predicate isParameter() { this.asPyExpr().isParameterContext() }
 
   /** Holds if this flow node is a store in an augmented assignment. */
   predicate isAugStore() { augstore(_, this) }
@@ -379,9 +379,7 @@ class NameNode extends ControlFlowNode {
     this.isLoad() and
     exists(Py::Name u | u = this.getNode() and u.uses(v))
     or
-    exists(Py::PlaceHolder u |
-      u = this.getNode() and u.getVariable() = v and u.getCtx() instanceof Py::Load
-    )
+    exists(Py::PlaceHolder u | u = this.getNode() and u.getVariable() = v and u.isLoadContext())
   }
 
   /** Gets the identifier of this name node. */
diff --git a/python/ql/src/Classes/ClassAttributes.qll b/python/ql/src/Classes/ClassAttributes.qll
index 58f8ae5dffc9..f6079400bf6b 100644
--- a/python/ql/src/Classes/ClassAttributes.qll
+++ b/python/ql/src/Classes/ClassAttributes.qll
@@ -66,7 +66,7 @@ class CheckClass extends ClassObject {
   private predicate monkeyPatched(string name) {
     exists(Attribute a, ControlFlowNode objCfg |
       objCfg.getNode() = a.getObject() and
-      a.getCtx() instanceof Store and
+      a.isStoreContext() and
       PointsTo::points_to(objCfg, _, this, _, _) and
       a.getName() = name
     )
diff --git a/python/ql/src/Classes/OverwritingAttributeInSuperClass.ql b/python/ql/src/Classes/OverwritingAttributeInSuperClass.ql
index 89d33d548146..8dd25823fba4 100644
--- a/python/ql/src/Classes/OverwritingAttributeInSuperClass.ql
+++ b/python/ql/src/Classes/OverwritingAttributeInSuperClass.ql
@@ -43,7 +43,7 @@ predicate self_write_stmt(Stmt s, string attr) {
     self = a.getObject() and
     s.contains(a) and
     self.getId() = "self" and
-    a.getCtx() instanceof Store and
+    a.isStoreContext() and
     a.getName() = attr
   )
 }
diff --git a/python/ql/src/Classes/UselessClass.ql b/python/ql/src/Classes/UselessClass.ql
index 229e42fd292f..b38eac8788c4 100644
--- a/python/ql/src/Classes/UselessClass.ql
+++ b/python/ql/src/Classes/UselessClass.ql
@@ -34,14 +34,20 @@ predicate no_inheritance(Class c) {
 
 predicate is_decorated(Class c) { exists(c.getADecorator()) }
 
+private predicate is_stateful_store(Expr e) {
+  e.isStoreContext()
+  or
+  e = any(AugAssign a).getTarget()
+}
+
 predicate is_stateful(Class c) {
-  exists(Function method, ExprContext ctx |
+  exists(Function method |
     method.getScope() = c and
-    (ctx instanceof Store or ctx instanceof AugStore)
-  |
-    exists(Subscript s | s.getScope() = method and s.getCtx() = ctx)
-    or
-    exists(Attribute a | a.getScope() = method and a.getCtx() = ctx)
+    (
+      exists(Subscript s | s.getScope() = method and is_stateful_store(s))
+      or
+      exists(Attribute a | a.getScope() = method and is_stateful_store(a))
+    )
   )
   or
   exists(Function method, Call call, Attribute a, string name |
diff --git a/python/ql/src/analysis/RatioOfDefinitions.ql b/python/ql/src/analysis/RatioOfDefinitions.ql
index 84b8d7602ec7..65ea48f1d929 100644
--- a/python/ql/src/analysis/RatioOfDefinitions.ql
+++ b/python/ql/src/analysis/RatioOfDefinitions.ql
@@ -10,9 +10,9 @@ predicate want_to_have_definition(ExprWithPointsTo e) {
   /* not builtin object like len, tuple, etc. */
   not exists(Value builtin | e.pointsTo(builtin) and builtin.isBuiltin()) and
   (
-    e instanceof Name and e.(Name).getCtx() instanceof Load
+    e instanceof Name and e.isLoadContext()
     or
-    e instanceof Attribute and e.(Attribute).getCtx() instanceof Load
+    e instanceof Attribute and e.isLoadContext()
     or
     e instanceof ImportMember
     or
diff --git a/python/ql/test/library-tests/expr-context-parity/ExprContextParity.expected b/python/ql/test/library-tests/expr-context-parity/ExprContextParity.expected
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..e69de29bb2d1
diff --git a/python/ql/test/library-tests/expr-context-parity/ExprContextParity.ql b/python/ql/test/library-tests/expr-context-parity/ExprContextParity.ql
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..1f2fce25a15f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/python/ql/test/library-tests/expr-context-parity/ExprContextParity.ql
@@ -0,0 +1,22 @@
+import python
+
+private predicate inferredContext(Expr e, int kind) {
+  kind = 2 and e.isDeleteContext()
+  or
+  kind = 3 and e.isLoadContext()
+  or
+  kind = 4 and e.isParameterContext()
+  or
+  kind = 5 and e.isStoreContext()
+}
+
+from Expr e, int kind, string problem
+where
+  py_expr_contexts(_, kind, e) and
+  not inferredContext(e, kind) and
+  problem = "Extracted-only context"
+  or
+  inferredContext(e, kind) and
+  not py_expr_contexts(_, kind, e) and
+  problem = "Inferred-only context"
+select e, problem, kind
diff --git a/python/ql/test/library-tests/expr-context-parity/legacy.py b/python/ql/test/library-tests/expr-context-parity/legacy.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..c12abb2aeeda
--- /dev/null
+++ b/python/ql/test/library-tests/expr-context-parity/legacy.py
@@ -0,0 +1,35 @@
+import package
+import package.module as imported_module
+from package import member
+from package import other as imported_member
+
+
+plain = value
+first = second = plain
+(tuple_target, [list_target, *rest]) = values
+(walrus_target := plain)
+
+for (loop_item, *loop_rest) in iterable:
+    pass
+
+items = [item for item in iterable]
+
+with manager as (resource, *resources):
+    pass
+
+try:
+    pass
+except Exception as error:
+    pass
+
+del plain
+del object_value.attribute
+del sequence[index]
+del tuple_target, list_target
+
+
+def function(positional, default=value, *args, keyword_only, **kwargs):
+    positional += 1
+    object_value.attribute = positional
+    sequence[index] = positional
+    return positional, default, args, keyword_only, kwargs
diff --git a/python/ql/test/library-tests/expr-context-parity/new_parser.py b/python/ql/test/library-tests/expr-context-parity/new_parser.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..476012fd4cab
--- /dev/null
+++ b/python/ql/test/library-tests/expr-context-parity/new_parser.py
@@ -0,0 +1,56 @@
+import package
+import package.module as imported_module
+from package import member
+from package import other as imported_member
+
+
+type Alias[T, *Ts, **P] = tuple[T, *Ts]
+
+
+annotated: object = value
+plain = annotated
+first = second = plain
+(tuple_target, [list_target, *rest]) = values
+(walrus_target := plain)
+
+for (loop_item, *loop_rest) in iterable:
+    pass
+
+items = [item for item in iterable]
+
+with manager as (resource, *resources):
+    pass
+
+try:
+    pass
+except Exception as error:
+    pass
+
+match subject:
+    case [head, *tail] as whole:
+        pass
+    case {"key": captured, **rest_mapping}:
+        pass
+
+try:
+    pass
+except* RuntimeError as group_error:
+    pass
+
+del plain
+del object_value.attribute
+del sequence[index]
+del tuple_target, list_target
+
+
+def function(positional, default=value, *args, keyword_only, **kwargs):
+    positional += 1
+    object_value.attribute = positional
+    sequence[index] = positional
+    return positional, default, args, keyword_only, kwargs
+
+
+lambda_function = (
+    lambda positional, default=value, *args, keyword_only, **kwargs:
+        (positional, default, args, keyword_only, kwargs)
+)
diff --git a/python/ql/test/query-tests/Classes/useless/test.py b/python/ql/test/query-tests/Classes/useless/test.py
index 063da81c1727..6e2c224a4e44 100644
--- a/python/ql/test/query-tests/Classes/useless/test.py
+++ b/python/ql/test/query-tests/Classes/useless/test.py
@@ -55,6 +55,16 @@ def __init__(self):
 
     def do_something(self, x):
         self.data = x
+
+class StatefulAugmentedAttribute(object):
+
+    def update(self):
+        self.value += 1
+
+class StatefulAugmentedSubscript(object):
+
+    def update(self):
+        self.values[0] += 1
         
 class Inherited(object):
     pass