Reading Comprehension

What is Reading Comprehension?

Reading comprehension is the ability to understand and make meaning from a text — not just decoding the words, but grasping what they mean together, what is implied, and how ideas connect.

Strong readers do not simply read passively. They use a set of active strategies that help them engage with the text, monitor their understanding, and extract meaning more effectively.

Key Terms

Term	Meaning
Main idea	The central point or message of a text
Supporting detail	A fact, example, or reason that develops the main idea
Inference	A conclusion drawn from clues in the text
Context clue	Information surrounding an unfamiliar word that helps explain it
Summarising	Restating the main idea and key points in your own words
Scanning	Quickly looking for a specific piece of information
Skimming	Reading quickly to get a general overview

Finding the Main Idea

The main idea is the central point the author wants you to understand. It is not a specific detail — it is the overall message.

How to find the main idea:

1. Read the entire passage first
2. Ask: What is this mostly about?
3. Check that your answer covers the whole passage, not just one section
4. Look at the first and last sentences of each paragraph — the main idea is often stated there

Main idea vs supporting detail:

• Main idea: Exercise is important for good health.
• Supporting details: It strengthens the heart. It improves mood. It helps maintain a healthy weight.

The main idea is general; supporting details are specific.

Supporting Details

Supporting details are facts, examples, reasons, statistics, or descriptions that back up and develop the main idea.

Types of supporting details:

• Facts: The human heart beats approximately 100,000 times per day.
• Examples: Activities like swimming and cycling are low-impact but highly effective.
• Statistics: Studies show 30 minutes of exercise per day reduces heart disease risk by 35%.
• Quotations: According to the NHS, "Regular exercise is the single best thing you can do for your health."
• Anecdotes: A brief story that illustrates the main point

Making Inferences

An inference is a conclusion you draw from clues in the text — what the author implies but does not directly state.

Formula: Text clue + Prior knowledge = Inference

"Sarah grabbed her umbrella before leaving the house."

• The text does not say it is raining, but the umbrella clue lets us infer it.

"The character slammed the door without a word."

• Inference: The character is angry or upset. The action (slamming) and silence (no words) are our clues.

An inference must be supported by evidence — it is not a random guess.

Active Reading Strategies

Strategy	How to use it
Predict	Before and during reading, guess what will happen next — then check if you were right
Question	Ask who, what, where, when, why, and how as you read
Clarify	Pause when confused — re-read the passage or use context clues
Visualise	Create a mental image of what is being described
Summarise	After each section, restate the key points in your own words
Connect	Link the text to your own experience, other texts, or world events

Reading for Different Purposes

• Skimming — reading quickly to get a general overview of a text (useful for previewing before a close read)
• Scanning — moving your eyes rapidly to find a specific piece of information (useful for locating a date, name, or statistic)
• Close reading — reading carefully and slowly, paying attention to language, structure, and meaning
• Critical reading — evaluating the author's argument, evidence, and purpose

Understanding Vocabulary in Context

When you encounter an unfamiliar word:

1. Use context clues — look at the surrounding sentences for hints to the word's meaning
2. Break it apart — identify prefixes, roots, and suffixes (irresponsible = ir- (not) + responsible + -ible)
3. Substitute a guess — replace the word with what you think it means and see if the sentence still makes sense
4. Check a glossary or dictionary — especially for technical or specialised vocabulary

Summarising vs Retelling

	Summary	Retelling
Focus	Main idea and key points only	Specific details and events in order
Length	Much shorter than the original	May be nearly as long
Language	Your own words	May quote the original
Detail	Leaves out minor details	Includes specific details

When asked to summarise, be selective. Leave out minor details, examples, and repetition. Focus on what matters most.

Worked Example

Passage: Every year, millions of tonnes of plastic waste enter the world's oceans, threatening marine life and contaminating food chains. A recent study by the University of Plymouth found that microplastics are now present in over 90% of seabirds examined. Conservationists argue that immediate government action — including bans on single-use plastics — is essential to reverse this crisis.

Main idea: Plastic pollution is a serious environmental threat that requires urgent action.

Supporting details:

• Millions of tonnes of plastic enter oceans annually
• Microplastics found in 90% of seabirds studied
• Conservationists call for bans on single-use plastics

Inference: The situation is serious and worsening — the statistic about 90% of seabirds implies the problem is already widespread.

Common Mistakes

• Choosing a supporting detail as the main idea: The specific statistic about seabirds is a detail, not the main idea.
• Confusing inference with fact: An inference is drawn from clues, not directly stated. If the text says it outright, that is a fact, not an inference.
• Copying the passage when summarising: A summary must be in your own words to show genuine understanding.
• Ignoring context clues for vocabulary: Students often skip unfamiliar words instead of using the surrounding text to decode them.

Tips and Tricks

• Annotate as you read: underline main ideas, circle unfamiliar words, jot questions in the margin.
• After reading a paragraph, cover it and try to state the main idea from memory — this checks comprehension.
• For inference questions in exams, quote the specific text clue that led to your conclusion.
• Re-read the first and last paragraph when looking for the main idea of a whole text.