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Reading comprehension skills

Comprehension tests whether you understand a passage and can answer in your own words.

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  1. PDFReading comprehension skills – English Language notes (ZIMSEC O Level)47.5 KB

Comprehension tests whether you understand a passage and can answer in your own words.

Before you answer

  • Read the whole passage once for the general meaning, then read the questions.
  • Read the passage again, underlining the parts that answer each question.
  • Look at the marks: a 2-mark question usually needs two points.

Types of questions

  • Literal (“What did the boy see?”): the answer is directly in the passage.
  • Inferential (“Why do you think…?”): work it out from clues; explain your reasoning.
  • Vocabulary (“Give the meaning of…”): replace the word with one that fits the sentence exactly – same part of speech, same tense.
  • Figurative language (“Explain the simile…”): say what is compared AND what it shows.
  • Own words: you may keep key words that cannot be changed, but rephrase everything else.

Worked example: Passage: “The old man's hands were as rough as the bark of a msasa tree.” Explain the simile.

His hands are compared to tree bark, showing that they are hard and cracked from years of hard work.

Common mistakes

  • Copying long sections “lifted” from the passage when “own words” are asked for.
  • Giving one point for a 2-mark question.
  • Answering from general knowledge instead of the passage.
Exam tip: Answer in full sentences unless the question asks for one word or a short phrase.

Check yourself

  1. What is the difference between a literal and an inferential question?
  2. A 3-mark question asks why the writer was angry. How many points should you give?
  3. Give a word that could replace “enormous” in: “They carried an enormous drum.”
Show answers
  1. A literal answer is stated in the passage; an inferential answer must be worked out from clues.
  2. Three separate points.
  3. huge / gigantic / massive
Next topicNarrative and descriptive composition

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