Understanding Comprehension Passages: Tips and Tricks

Understanding Comprehension Passages: Tips and Tricks

Comprehension passages form an integral part of most examinations and job interviews. They are designed to evaluate the candidate’s reading and interpretation skills. A comprehension passage typically presents a written piece of text followed by a set of questions that seek to evaluate the reader’s understanding of the text. In this article, we explore some tips and tricks that can help readers understand comprehension passages better.

1. Read the passage multiple times
The first step to understanding a comprehension passage is to read it multiple times. Every time you read it, you uncover new meanings and ideas hidden within the text. In some cases, you may also come across new terms or phrases that you may not have heard before. By reading the passage multiple times, you are better equipped to understand the writer’s intended message.

2. Skim through the questions
Before diving into the text, skim through the questions that follow. This gives you a sense of the areas to focus on while reading the passage. Reading the questions also helps you to know what the examiner is looking for. Identifying keywords and phrases in the questions can also help you understand the passage better.

3. Focus on the main ideas
When reading the passage, identify the main ideas that the writer is trying to convey. Look for connections and links between sentences and paragraphs. Understanding the main ideas helps you to see the structure of the passage better and makes it easier to respond to the questions that follow.

4. Identify the tone of the passage
Understanding the tone of the passage is essential to gaining a deeper understanding of its meaning. For instance, a passage that employs sarcasm or irony can completely change its meaning, making it important to understand its tone.

5. Highlight key phrases and sentences
Highlighting key phrases and sentences as you read helps you identify significant information and its relevance to the passage. This makes it easy to go back and read those parts again when answering the questions.

6. Practice your understanding
Finally, to perfect your comprehension skills, you need to practice. You can achieve this by attempting reading comprehension exercises that include varying levels of difficulty. Practicing regularly helps you to identify your areas of strengths and weaknesses and improves your overall comprehension skills.

In conclusion, reading comprehension passages is essential in testing one’s reading and understanding skills. By using the tips and tricks mentioned above, you can develop better reading and comprehension skills that will help you succeed in exams and interviews. Remember that practice is crucial to achieving mastery in this area.