Comprehension: How to Read for Answers

Comprehension: reading for answers

Comprehension means understanding what you read and answering questions on it. In the 11+ the text is right in front of you — the answers are too, if you know how to find them.

A step-by-step method

1. Skim the text first to get the general idea (who, what, where).

2. Read the question carefully — underline the key words (who, why, how, which word…).

3. Go back to the text and find the part that answers it. Don't rely on memory.

4. Answer in your own words where asked, or quote the exact words when the question says "using words from the passage".

5. Check your answer actually matches the question.

Types of question

• Retrieval (find it): the answer is stated directly — "What colour was the door?"
• Inference (work it out): the answer is hinted at, not stated — "How do you think the character felt?" Look for clues in the words and actions.
• Vocabulary: "What does the word 'gloomy' mean here?" Use the surrounding sentence to work out the meaning.
• Author's choice: "Why did the writer use this word?" Explain the effect.

Making inferences

Inference is "reading between the lines". If a character slammed the door and stormed off, you can infer they were angry — even though the text never says "angry". Always back up an inference with evidence from the text.

Using evidence (P-E-E)

A strong answer often follows Point – Evidence – Explain:

• Point: the character is nervous.
• Evidence: "her hands were shaking".
• Explain: shaking hands show she was anxious about what was coming.

Worked example

Text: "Tom's stomach churned as he stepped onto the stage." Question: How did Tom feel?

• Nervous — the clue "his stomach churned" (evidence) suggests anxiety about performing (inference), even though "nervous" isn't stated. ✓

Common mistakes

• Answering from memory instead of checking the text.
• Giving a one-word answer when the question wants an explanation or evidence.
• Missing inference clues and only looking for words stated directly.

Top tips

• Underline key words in the question before you search.
• For "using words from the passage", quote exactly.
• Always support inferences with evidence from the text.

Quick recap

• Skim first, read the question's key words, then find the answer in the text.
• Retrieval = stated directly; inference = worked out from clues (back it up with evidence).
• Use Point – Evidence – Explain and answer exactly what the question asks.