Steps for Complete Comprehension
Skim for the Main Idea:
Read the passage quickly to understand the overall message before looking at the questions. Don’t focus on words you don’t know during this step.
Underline Unfamiliar Words:
Highlight words you don’t understand to revisit later. This will help you solve vocabulary-related questions more efficiently.
Read Questions Carefully:
Follow the order of the questions as they appear in the test paper. When answering reread the specific parts of the passage related to the questions.
Focus on Vocabulary:
Use context clues to figure out the meaning of any unfamiliar words which will help in answering vocabulary-based questions.
Multiple Readings:
Most passages require at least two readings one for an overall understanding and another for answering specific questions.
Double-Check the Questions:
Before writing answers review the questions to ensure you fully understand what is being asked.
Write Complete Sentences:
All answers should be written in complete sentences ensuring clarity and precision.
Be Relevant and Concise:
For one-mark questions provide one point. For two-mark questions, give at least two relevant points unless instructed otherwise.
Tense Chart
Unseen Passage | How to Approach Comprehension Questions:
The ‘Why’ Question:
In a ‘why’ question, you need to provide reasons, explanations, or evidence for your answer. To do this effectively, look for words that indicate cause, effect and purpose within the passage.
Cause Words:
These signal the reason or cause for an event or action. Common cause words include:
Because, due to, as, since, owing to, on account of, in that, resulting from, for that reason, on the grounds that.
Effect Words:
These words indicate the result or consequence of an event or action. Common effect words include:
Consequently, so, as a result, resulting in, therefore, with the effect of.
Purpose Words:
These words express the intention behind an event or action. Common purpose words include:
For, so that, so as to, in order that, for the purpose of, in order to.
The Inference Question:
In inference questions, you need to draw a conclusion or make a deduction based on the passage. These questions are not direct, so you must read between the lines to uncover hidden meanings or clues. Often, an inference can only be made after reading the entire passage or poem, so careful attention to details and key phrases is important.
The Rephrasing Question:
Sometimes, you will be asked to explain or rephrase a word or phrase in your own words without changing its meaning. To do this, it is important to understand the context in which the word or phrase is used. Be sure to read carefully what comes before and after the word to grasp its meaning accurately.
Vocabulary Questions:
While reading a passage or poem, you may encounter unfamiliar words. Instead of looking up every new word, try to infer the meaning from the context. Understand the overall message of the passage first and then use clues from the surrounding text to guess the meanings of unknown words or expressions.
