Reading Comprehension Skills and

Reading Closely

Drawing Conclusions=Inferences

• Authors do not always directly state what is happening (READ BETWEEN THE LINES)

• Drawing conclusions refers to information that is implied or inferred

• Information and evidence from a passage can help readers to draw conclusions

Ask yourself…

• What do I already know that will help me draw a conclusion based on the reading?

• What evidence can I find from the text to support my conclusion?

MAIN IDEA/DETAILS

• Main Idea or Central Idea: the most important point the writer is making

• Details: facts, examples, reasons, and/or descriptions that SUPPORT and help IDENTIFY the main idea

• Examine details to understand key ideas in the text

Important Questions to Ask Yourself:

• What is the passage mostly about?

• What general point is the author trying to make?

• What details does the writer include or emphasize?

• What do the details mean all together?

REMEMBER…

Look for a common theme/idea/point throughout the passage

The topic sentence can help you focus on what the main idea may be about

Compare and Contrast

• Readers are able to find similarities or differences between facts

• Readers are able to use signal words to identify compare/contrast

• Readers are able to identify which claim is supported by specific pieces of evidence

• Readers are able to identify the choice that does not fit “except” questions

How can we recognize Compare/Contrast questions?

• Which claim is best supported by this sentence?Question will list multiple claims and ask students to consider each

choice.

• Which paragraph shows how children are most like their parents?Question will ask students to make comparisons and connections

throughout the passage.

• How does Sally’s opinion differ from John’s?Question will ask students to evaluate both passages.

• The passage contains all of the following EXCEPTQuestion will ask students to compare/contrast answers and choose the

answer that DOES NOT fit

AUTHOR’S PURPOSE

• The author’s purpose is the reason why the text was written

• It is NOT the main idea!• Authors write to do three things:–Persuade

– Inform

– Entertain

Important Questions to Ask Yourself:

Did the author want to change your opinion? (Persuade)

Did the author convince you? (Persuade)Did the author teach you something? (Inform)Did the author give you facts? (Inform)Did the author tell a story? (Entertainment)Did the author make you laugh? cry?

(Entertainment)

REMEMBER…

• Prove it! Identify your answers within the text!

• Underline or highlight important information when reading (ANNOTATING)

• FUN Method-Find it! Underline it! Number it!

• Use context clues to help figure out unknown words!