COMPREHENSION SKILLS

Read all the questions quickly to get an idea of what the passage is about

Skim (speed read) to get a general idea of the purpose of the passage. For instance, you can read the first sentence of each paragraph to get an idea about the topic of the paragraph.

Re-read the questions:

1. Identifying the main words in the questions
2. Analyze question to find out the type of question

(What, when, why, who, where, how & inferential)

Go back to passage and read the paragraph on which the question is based on and look for the answers.

Mark Allocations
If there are two marks given for the answer then the answer requires 2 points from you.

Do not unnecessarily repeat part of the question in your answer

For example, if the question is: "Why was the conspiracy doomed to failure?"

DO NOT write:
'The conspiracy was doomed to failure because the government knew about'

Write simply: 'The government knew about it'

Express your answers:

1. Clearly, simply and briefly (some students write 5 lines for a 1 mark question!)

2. In complete sentences

3. In correct formal English (check for tenses by looking at the tense of the question and check for spelling)

4 Using your own words for questions that instruct you to do so. You do not have to change all the words. Try to replace any unusual or difficult expressions in the text.

Please use legible handwriting. In other words, write clearly and neatly.

Manage your time well so that you have enough time to check your work to see if you have missed out words, repeated words and phrases and so on.