Reading comprehension means reading a passage carefully and then answering the questions based on it. The main aim of English reading comprehension is to check how well you understand what you read. Many children find it tough because it takes time to read and fully understand the passage.
Reading English comprehension is not only important for school exams but also for almost every competitive exam. That’s why improving your reading skills in English becomes even more important. To learn helpful tips and reading comprehension strategies, keep reading.
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Reading Comprehension Strategies for Students
Reading comprehension is one of the most important parts of English exams. But because of weak reading skills in English, many students get confused while reading long passages. This does not happen because they don’t know English, but because they need the right strategy to read faster and understand better. Comprehension skills are not only useful for exams but also in real life.
So, if you're looking for ways to improve your English reading comprehension, here are some of the most effective reading comprehension strategies that can help you solve such questions in less time. These reading comprehension strategies or tips will make it easier for you to understand the passage and answer questions quickly during exams.
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Read Slowly and Carefully: Never rush while reading. Take your time to read each line. If something you find tough to understand, read it again slowly or look for its meaning.
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Understand the Meaning: Try to understand what message the passage or story is giving. Ask yourself questions about it in your mind.
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Make a Picture in Your Mind: While reading, imagine the story like a movie in your mind. This helps you in connecting with the story and remembering things better.
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Learn New Words: If you find a word you don’t know, first try to guess its meaning from the sentence. If still not sure, check its meaning and try to use it in your own sentence.
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Talk About What You Read: After reading, if you're at home, tell your parents what the story or passage was about. You can also write a few lines about it in your notebook just to summarize the information.
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Ask and Answer Questions: Create small questions from what you've read and try to answer them yourself. This practice will help you know whether you've understood the story or information well.
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Read Every Day: Make reading a daily habit. You can read short stories, comics, or news for kids. The more you read, the better your reading skills in English will be.
Reading Comprehension Strategies for Parents Helping Their Child
As a parent, your role is important in improving your child’s reading comprehension. Many children find English comprehension hard because they are not able to understand what they read. With your small efforts at home, your child can greatly improve their reading skills in English. Here are some easy reading comprehension strategies that can help you in improving your child's comprehension skills:
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Read Together Every Day: Spend 10 to 15 minutes reading with your child daily. Choose simple and interesting stories. Read slowly and explain tough words to your child.
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Ask Simple Questions: After reading a story or passage, ask them, “What happened in the story?” or “What message did the story give?” These simple questions will help them think more deeply and understand the story better.
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Listen to Their Version of the Story: Ask your child to explain the story in their own words. Let them explain what they liked or disliked.
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Help With New Words: When your child gets stuck on a word, help them guess its meaning from the sentence. After they try, tell the correct meaning and use it in other sentences.
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Make Reading Fun: Use voice, actions, or pictures to make reading more fun. If your child enjoys reading, they will learn faster.
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Be Patient and Supportive: Don’t worry if your child makes mistakes. Be patient with them and gently correct their mistakes while praising their efforts. Confidence grows with your encouragement.
By following these reading comprehension strategies, parents can help their child become a better reader. A little support from your end can really improve your child’s comprehension skills and reading skills in English over time.
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Importance of Good English Comprehension Skills
English comprehension means understanding what you read. It is not just about reading words correctly but also about understanding their meaning. Good English comprehension is very important for children because it helps in:
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Better Learning in All Subjects: If a child understands what they read, they can do well in not just English but all school subjects like Science, Maths, and Social Studies, because reading is a part of every subject.
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Makes Reading Enjoyable: When children understand the story or topic, they enjoy reading more. They become curious and want to read more books.
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Builds Vocabulary: Reading helps children learn new words. When they understand these words in different sentences, they remember them better.
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Improves Thinking Skills: Good readers think about what they are reading. They ask questions in their minds, try to connect different ideas, and understand the main point of the story.
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Helps in Real Life Too: Kids with good reading skills in English understand the language better and can talk or write clearly.
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Boosts Memory and Focus: While reading, the brain works by remembering and focusing on what is important. This improves memory and concentration.
Reading comprehension is not just for achieving marks in school or exams; it is a life skill. That’s why it is very important to build strong comprehension skills from a young age.
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Mistakes to Avoid in English Reading Comprehension Questions
English reading comprehension questions are usually asked in school exams. You can score high on these questions if you prepare well using the reading comprehension strategies given above and avoid some of the common mistakes.
Many students lose marks because they make silly mistakes while reading. So, let’s look at some common mistakes you should avoid while answering English reading comprehension questions in exams:
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Don’t rush while reading: Many students rush and skip lines while reading. This can create a lot of confusion. So, read slowly to understand the meaning.
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Don’t assume answers: Do not guess answers based on what you think. Always find the answer from the given passage only.
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Read the questions first: Do not jump right into the passage. First, read the questions. It will help you focus on what is important while reading. This also saves time, which is very important in exams.
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Don’t copy exact lines as answers: Do not copy exact lines as an answer from the passage. Try to write the answer in your own simple words.
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Don’t ignore the meanings of words: If you don’t understand the meaning of a word in the passage, try to guess it from the sentence. But if you ignore it, you miss the full meaning of that sentence.
By avoiding these mistakes, you can save time and score better marks in English reading comprehension questions. Regular practice of reading every day can improve your overall comprehension skills.
Boost Your Child's Reading Skills in English With CuriousJr
Does your child find it hard to understand English passages or feel shy while reading aloud in class? Many kids face this problem not just in reading but also in writing, speaking, and using correct grammar in English.
CuriousJr’s English Online Classes follow international levels like the Cambridge English Scale and CEFR. These classes help your child build strong English comprehension skills, starting from the basics. Here's why you should enroll your child in the CuriousJr English by Cambridge Online Program:
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It helps in building reading comprehension through regular practice.
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It improves your child's vocabulary and grammar with fun activities.
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It also boosts writing skills with guided support.
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It trains your child in pronunciation and fluent speaking.
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It builds confidence through interactive live classes.
CuriousJr’s online English learning classes cover all foundational English skills like reading, writing, listening, speaking, and grammar. With regular support, your child will become more confident in every subject that needs English understanding. Book a demo class today and help your child start their journey to better English skills.
