General Paper - Paper 2 Notes (First Edition 2021)

JUNE 2021
G P S T U D Y N O T E S . C O M
GENERAL
PAPER
P A P E R 2 N O T E S
Preface
Hey there.
These study notes are meant to guide your revision as you prepare for the General Paper
examination. In this package, you will find numerous tips and strategies to answer some of
the most commonly tested questions over the years. One caveat, though, is that the most
successful candidates will take away from this material not the “model answers” or “answer
templates” herein, but the underlying skills necessary to tackle even the most unpredictable
of questions.
For non-graduating candidates, also keep in mind that different schools have different
approaches to teaching you how to answer the disparate questions in paper 2. When in
doubt, always follow what your teachers have taught you in class (yes, a corollary of this is
that you’ll still have to pay attention in class!).
I believe that educational resources should be open-source and democratised. So, feel free to
share these notes with your friends and relatives if you think that they will find value in
them.
Wishing you the best of luck with your upcoming assessments. Always remember, though,
that you are more than the sum of your grades. Keep on keeping on.
Cheers!
gpstudynotes.com ⚡️
First edition. June 2021.

Contents
Chapter 1: Introduction to the Comprehension Paper 2
Chapter 2: Direct Paraphrase Questions 3
Direct Paraphrasing Skill 1: Word-for-Word Paraphrasing 5

Direct Paraphrasing Skill 2: Sense-for-Sense Paraphrasing 6
Chapter 3: Inference Questions 8
Inference Skill 1: Punctuation Marks 9

Inference Skill 2: Diction or Vocabulary 13
Inference Skill 3: Irony 16
Inference Skill 4: Paradox 19
Inference Skill 5: Writer’s Intention or Purpose 22
Inference Skill 6: Use of Rhetorical Devices 26
Inference Skill 7: Attitudes and Tones 30
Inference Skill 8: Compare and Contrast / Similarities and Differences 34
Chapter 4: The Summary Question 38
Chapter 5: The Application Question 42
More free GP resources on www.gpstudynotes.com 1

Chapter 1
An Introduction to the Comprehension Paper
A. Before you begin the comprehension paper…

Read the title, description of the article, summary question, application question, and
the first and last lines of each paragraph of the comprehension passage to ascertain the
themes/topics of the article as well as the writer’s stance.
Determine the number of points to include in your short answer by paying attention to the
number of marks allocated. The number of marks for each question is indicated in the
brackets after it. As a rough and general rule,
● 1 mark = one to two pieces of information,
● 2 marks = two to four pieces of information,
● 3 marks = three to six pieces of information.
It is also worth looking at the number of lines given to determine how much information
you need to put in your answer.
B. Using your own words

Many — if not all — of the short answer questions in Paper 2 will ask you to use your own
words as far as possible. You should do so even when you are not explicitly asked to. If you
merely copy text from the passage, you will not be awarded any marks.
Over the years, there is a tendency for at least 50% of the short answer question marks to be
allotted to “answer in your own words” questions.

Chapter 2
Direct Paraphrase Questions
There are two main kinds of direct paraphrase questions. When performing question
analysis, you can deduce that a question requires you to provide a direct paraphrase if it
looks something like this:
1. “What does the author mean”-type questions

● These types of questions will quote a particular phrase from the author and
ask you to explain what it means.
● These questions tend to begin like this:
○ Explain what the author means by… / What does the author mean
by… / What does X mean… / Explain why… / Explain in your own
words… etc.
2. Identifying and paraphrasing relevant texts
● These types of questions ask you a question regarding specific content of the
passage. You then have to identify a particular phrase from the passage
yourself before you paraphrase it.
● These questions tend to begin like this:
○ What are the ways/ factors/ reasons… etc.
Answering Direct Paraphrase Questions

To answer direct paraphrase questions, you should:
1. Check the mark allocation to determine how many pieces of information you have
to paraphrase,
2. Locate the quote or relevant section of the passage,
3. Identify the specific key words or phrases that you need to paraphrase, and
4. Paraphrase the key words or phrases accurately.

In your paraphrase, remember to capture the original meaning of the keywords or phrases
by taking into account their:
● Intensity/Magnitude
○ Does your paraphrase accurately capture the severity of the original phrase?
● Positive or Negative Connotations
○ Does your paraphrase capture the implicit positive or negative meanings of the
original phrase?
● Literal meaning vs Contextual/Figurative meaning
○ Does your paraphrase capture the meaning that the writer intends and not
merely what the words literally mean?
● Double Meaning (if present)
○ Does your paraphrase take into account the possibility that the original text has
more than one possible meaning?
○ Which one is the more appropriate one? Is the question asking you for both of
those meanings?
The rest of this chapter will detail two main paraphrasing strategies:
● word-for-word paraphrasing and
● sense-for-sense paraphrasing.
***

Direct Paraphrasing Skill 1
Word-for-Word Paraphrasing
Let’s look at an example of how to perform a word-for-word paraphrase:

Original text to be Thought process Final paraphrase
paraphrased
Ignore professional There are 3 essential parts to the original Neglect expert
advice phrase: “ignore”, “professional”, and counsel
“advice”.
Word-for-word Substitution Process:

Think about what each individual word
means:
1. “Ignore” means neglect/disregard

2. “Professional” means expert
3. “Advice” means
counsel/suggestion
Possible paraphrases would be: “Neglect

expert counsel” and “Disregard expert
suggestion”...
To check if your paraphrase is good, ask yourself whether your paraphrased text:
● Captures the full meaning of the original text,
● Is awkward or clumsy-sounding,
● Is unnecessarily complicated.
***

Direct Paraphrasing Skill 2
Sense-for-Sense Paraphrasing
Sometimes, word-for-word paraphrasing can face the following problems:

● The paraphrase sounds awkward.
● There are no appropriate words for you to perform a one-to-one substitution.
● The word-for-word paraphrase is unnecessarily complicated or long-winded.
In those cases, we may need to rely on sense-for-sense paraphrasing, which means that we
try to paraphrase something by encapsulating the overall meaning of what the writer is
saying instead of trying to substitute every single word in the original text.
Let’s look at an example of how to perform sense-for-sense paraphrasing:

Original text to be Thought process Final paraphrase
paraphrased
A household where Step 1 Dual-income family

both parents go to We start by trying to perform a
work word-for-word paraphrase:
There are 3 essential ideas in this phrase:

“household”, “both parents”, and “go to
work”.
We start by thinking about what each

individual word means:
1. “Household” means domestic

establishment
2. “Both parents” means father and
mother
3. “Go to work” means to be
employed

So, a possible paraphrase would be:
“A domestic establishment where both
the father and the mother are employed”
Unfortunately, this paraphrase is

awkward and unnecessarily
complicated. So, let us try to perform a
sense-for-sense paraphrase instead.
Step 2
If we focus on the meaning of the phrase,
we see that it simply refers to a family
where there are two sources of income.
So, going for a sense-for-sense paraphrase,
we could paraphrase the original phrase
as “dual-income family”.
To check if your paraphrase is good, ask yourself whether your paraphrased text:
● Captures the full meaning of the original text,
● Is awkward or clumsy-sounding, or
● Is unnecessarily complicated.
Some limitations of sense-for-sense paraphrasing:

● Sometimes you don’t know certain jargon or technical terms.
○ E.g. Dual-income family, doping (the use of performance-enhancing drugs),
hedonic utilitarianism (a moral theory which states that an action is morally
correct if — on balance — it results in more happiness than suffering for the
world), etc.
● Sometimes you don’t understand what the original phrasemeans.
○ If that is the case, try performing word-for-word substitution first and see if
you can infer the meaning of the phrase. If you can, then attempt a
sense-for-sense paraphrase.
***

Chapter 3
Inference Questions
There are several kinds of inference questions for Paper 2. Each of them requires you to
make inferences (i.e. deductions) relating to different aspects of the comprehension text.
Here are some of the more commonly-tested kinds of inference questions:
1. Inference relating to the writer’s use of punctuation marks.

2. Inference relating to the writer’s diction or vocabulary (choice of words or phrases).
3. Inference relating to irony.
4. Inference relating to paradox.
5. Inference relating to the writer’s intention or purpose.
6. Inference relating to the writer’s use of examples, stories, analogies, quotations,
citations, questions, etc.
7. Inference relating to the attitudes and/or tones of different stakeholders (this may
be the writer or some other groups mentioned in the comprehension passage).
○ Straightforward questions about attitudes and tones are no longer frequently
tested.
8. Inference relating to comparing or contrasting the similarities or differences of
certain ideas.
This chapter will detail the various tips and strategies that could help answer these common
inference questions.
***

Inference Skill 1
Punctuation Marks
Punctuation marks refer to the various kinds of symbols and markings that facilitate the
process of reading and interpretation. They help to divide long prose into sentences,
clauses, and phrases that are grammatical. Inference questions relating to punctuation
marks require you to know the generic use of the various punctuation marks and how they
are used in the context of the passage.
The most commonly tested punctuation marks include: quotation marks (also known as
inverted commas), parentheses (also known as brackets), and ellipses. Other types of
punctuation marks that could be tested include colons, semi-colons, and dashes. Here is a
table with the most commonly tested punctuation marks and their meanings:
Commonly Tested Punctuation Marks and Their Meanings

Punctuation Mark Symbol Possible Meaning Example
Citing or quoting Numerous scientists have bluntly

an idea from suggested that flat-Earthers are
someone else “out of their minds”.
Intending the The “peace-loving” protesters

opposite meaning of were seen ravaging public property
words and pillaging businesses.
Quotation Marks Expressing Veganism, Keto, and Paleo have

“” or ‘’
(Inverted Commas) disagreement or rapidly become popular “healthy”
scepticism diets.
Metaphorical or The casino was “bleeding”

figurative use of hundreds of thousands of dollars a
words month.
Denoting a name or Singapore celebrated “Pokémon

a term Go Fest” with much success.

Our economy incentivises the
Showing a repetitive
consumerist attitude of ‘buy and
cycle
throw’, ‘buy and throw’…
Indicating a
continuous or
We went to the zoo and saw lions,
endless list of items.
tigers, cheetahs, leopards, bulls,
(This functions like
bears…
“etc.” or “and so
Ellipses … on”.)
We entered the haunted house and

Creating suspense
found… nothing.
President Obama remarked that

Quoting only a “Change will not come if we
selected part of a wait… We are the change that we
text seek.”
(The original quote is longer.)
Connecting two No one came to the meeting; it

Semi-colons ; pieces of related was not scheduled at a convenient
information time.
Including additional
information that is
The agreement was supposed to be
related to the main
finalised last year (in March).
point but is
Parentheses optional.
()
(Brackets)
Introducing an Social networking complements
abbreviation to be our overly-caffeinated society
used in the passage plagued with Attention Deficit
later on Disorder (A.D.D.).
Explaining the The presidential candidate only

Colons : preceding part of a spoke about one thing: climate
sentence change.

Explaining the The presidential candidate only
preceding part of a spoke about one thing — climate
sentence change.
Our tertiary institutions — from

Dashes — universities to polytechnics —
Providing examples now have English proficiency
or elaboration departments whose role is to help
beef up their students’ English
language competency.
Examples of inference (punctuation marks) questions:
1. Explain the use of ellipsisin line x.

2. Why did the author enclose the phrase “in March” in parentheses in line x?
3. Why did the writer use inverted commas in line x?
4. What is the purpose behind the author’s use of thequotation marks in line x?
5. What does the use of the inverted commas in line x suggest about the writer’s
attitude towards XYZ?
Answering Inference Questions Relating to Punctuation Marks

In answering inference questions about punctuation marks, you need to:
(i) Explain the meaning of the punctuation marks, and
(ii) Contextualise your answer back to the text itself.
Remember, also, that you have to answer in your own words as far as possible.

Example 1.1
Our economy incentivises the consumerist attitude of “buy and throw”, “buy and throw”…
Question: Why does the author use ellipsis?
Possible answer: Since the use of ellipses suggests an endless or repetitive cycle
[EXPLAINING THE PUNCTUATION MARK], the author uses it to
decry / criticise / condemn / highlight the wastef ul and repetitive
cycle of consumerism [CONTEXTUALISING YOUR ANSWER
BACK TO THE TEXT].
Example 1.2
The casino was “bleeding” hundreds of thousands of dollars a month such that it was forced
to shut down.
Question: Why does the author enclose ‘bleeding’ in quotation marks?
Possible answer: The quotation marks are used to denote the metaphorical / figurative
use of the word ‘bleeding’. [EXPLAINING THE PUNCTUATION
MARK] The author does not literally mean that the casino is losing
blood. Rather, the casino is losing so much money that it had to
wind up its business. [CONTEXTUALISING YOUR ANSWER,
PARAPHRASING]
***

Inference Skill 2
Diction or Vocabulary
Inference questions relating to diction or vocabulary test your understanding of the

author’s choice of words and the purpose or intention of using certain words. This is one
of the most popular short answer questions.
Examples of inference (diction or vocabulary) questions:
1. Identify the word or phrase which means the same thing as [xyz].
○ If the question asks you to identify a word or phrase, you can just lift from
the passage.
2. What does this word or phrase suggest or imply about [xyz]?

○ For these questions, you need to make inferences based on the meaning of the
word and then relate it back to the context of the passage.
○ E.g. What does the word “fortunate” (line x) suggest about the author’s
attitude towards people who are able to pursue what they love as their career?
■ In this case, the word being tested is “fortunate” and the context is the
author’s discussion of people whose passions and occupations align.
3. Why does the author use the word(s) in line x?

○ Sometimes, the question does not even specify the issues or contexts that it
wants you to make inferences about. You have to infer that too.
○ E.g. Why does the author use the word “fortunate” (line x)?
■ In this case, you are required to infer the purpose of the author in
using certain words AND make the link to the correct issue under
discussion.

Answering Inference Questions Relating to Diction or Vocabulary
In answering inference questions about diction or vocabulary, you need to:
(i) Explain the meaning of the words or phrases being tested, and
(ii) Make the inference that the question requires you to make by explaining
how the vocabulary word helped you to arrive at your particular
inference.
Remember, again, that you have to answer in your own words as far as possible.
Bonus tip: To increase your odds of being able to answer inference (vocabulary) questions,
you can improve your vocabulary by reading widely and diligently expanding your lexicon
by using free online resources and apps. My app of choice is Magoosh Vocabulary Builder:
https://gre.magoosh.com/builder/vocabulary.
Example 2.1
The self-proclaimed ‘expert’ was upset when some of her qualifications came under question.
Question: Why does the author use the word “self-proclaimed”?
Possible answer: The author wants to mock / express disgust at the so-called ‘expert’
[INFERRING THE AUTHOR’S INTENTION] by suggesting that
even though she is a self -professed specialist / even though she has
declared herself as a specialist, society does not necessarily
acknowledge her status. [EXPLAINING THE MEANING OF THE
WORD AND HOW IT HELPED YOU TO MAKE THE EARLIER
INFERENCE].

Example 2.2
Question: What does the word “self-proclaimed” suggest about the author’s
attitude towards this particular ‘expert’?
Possible answer: It suggests that the author is critical / adopts a critical attitude
[INFERRING THE AUTHOR’S ATTITUDE] towards this particular
‘expert’ as she asserts herself as such but society does not recognise
her authority / status as a specialist. [EXPLAINING THE
MEANING OF THE WORD AND HOW IT HELPED YOU TO
MAKE THE EARLIER INFERENCE].
Note: Example 2.1 does not specify the context under which you need to make
your inference in Example 2.2 does; the latter specifies that you need to
make an inference about the author’s attitude towards the
“self-proclaimed expert”.
***

Inference Skill 3
Irony
Irony is a rhetorical or literary device used to convey something indirectly. There are a few
different kinds of irony, but the two most commonly tested kinds are:
1. Situational irony, and
2. Verbal irony.
Type of Irony Definition Example
When something happens

that is completely different
● When a fire station
from our expectations.
burns down.
Situational Irony ● When a marriage
It can be a situation that was
counsellor files for a
intended to have a particular
divorce.
outcome but, in reality, has a
completely different result.
● Joel is so hardworking:
he hardly turns in his
assignments.
When what is said is different
Verbal Irony ● Oh, great! More work
from what is meant.
to complete in an
unreasonable amount
of time.
Situational irony is the kind of irony that is tested more often.
Examples of irony questions:
1. Explain the irony in line x.

2. Why does the author say that XYZ is ironic?
3. What is ironic about what the writer says about XYZ in paragraph x?
4. What is the irony in the last sentence of paragraph x?

Answering Inference Questions Relating to Irony
To answer inference questions about irony, you need to:
1. Infer and summarise the contradiction in the relevant part of the text.
○ E.g. “The irony lies in the contradiction between A and B.”
2. Explain the irony by stating what was expected and what, instead, the outcome
was.
○ E.g. “We would normally expect C. However, it was ironic that D (happened)
instead.”
So, a complete answer to an irony question looks like this:

● “The irony lies in the contradiction between A and B. We would normally expect C.
However, it was ironic that D (happened) instead.”
Note: If you cannot or don’t know how to summarise the contradiction in step 1, at least
point out that there is a contradiction.
● E.g. “It is ironic because of this contradiction: though we would normally expect C,
D happened instead.”
Possible intentions behind using irony as a rhetorical device:

● To be sarcastic or facetious, or
● To highlight something unexpected.

Example 3.1
The marriage counsellor filed for a divorce.
Question: Explain the irony in line 1.
Possible answer: The irony lies in the contradiction between the marriage counsellor’s
professional and personal life [INFER AND SUMMARISE THE
CONTRADICTION]. We would normally expect that a marriage
counsellor is an expert at communication and thus their marriage
would be strong. However, it is ironic that even a marriage expert’s
marriage would fail. [EXPLAIN THE IRONY BY STATING WHAT
WAS EXPECTED AND WHAT HAPPENED INSTEAD]
Example 3.2
It is ironic that the local fire station burned down.
Question: Why does the author say that the fire station burning down is ironic?
Possible answer: The irony lies in this contradiction [AT LEAST POINT OUT THAT
THERE IS A CONTRADICTION]: since we would normally expect
fire stations to put fires out, it is ironic that a hub meant to fight
fires would itself be destroyed by flames. [EXPLAIN THE IRONY
BY STATING WHAT WAS EXPECTED AND WHAT HAPPENED
INSTEAD]
***

Inference Skill 4
Paradox
A paradox is a statement or claim that seems self-contradictory or absurd but, in reality,

expresses a possible truth. Make no mistake: like in ironies, the ideas in paradoxes are still
contradictory. However,
● writers usually use the contradictions inherent in ironies to:
○ (a) be sarcastic or facetious, or
○ (b) highlight something unexpected, while
● they usually use the contradictions inherent in paradoxes to:
○ (a) raise thought-provoking ideas, or
○ (b) challenge society to rethink certain pre-conceived notions or
assumptions.
Examples of paradox questions:
1. What is paradoxical about XYZ?

2. Explain the paradox in line x.
3. Why does the author say that XYZ is paradoxical?
4. What is the paradox in the last sentence of paragraph x?
5. “XYZ.” Why is this a paradox?
Answering Inference Questions Relating to Paradoxes

To answer inference questions about paradoxes, you need to:
1. Infer and state the apparent contradiction in the text.

○ E.g. “There is a paradox because A seems to contradict/ ostensibly
contradicts B.”
○ Note: “Ostensible” means “appearing to be true, but not necessarily so”.
2. Explain how, despite the contradiction, the statement or claim still makes sense,
or why it makes sense with reference to the context of the passage.
○ E.g. “However, the statement expresses a possible truth because…”

Example 4.1
The Ministry of Education in Singapore champions the paradoxical “teach less, learn more”
ideal.
Question: Why does the author say that the Ministry of Education’s “teach less,
learn more” ideal is paradoxical?
Possible answer: The ideal is paradoxical because the idea of reducing teaching seems
to contradict the idea of augmenting learning [STATING THE
APPARENT CONTRADICTION]. However, the statement still
expresses a possible truth because reducing the hours spent on
rote-learning and focussing instead on innovative methods of
teaching might actually result in more effective learning for
students [EXPLAINING HOW THE STATEMENT STILL MAKES
SENSE WITH REFERENCE TO THE PASSAGE].

Irony vs Paradox
Irony and paradox have some similarities, but we answer questions about the two rhetorical
devices slightly differently. To sum up irony and paradox questions in a table:
Type of Are What is the intention / How do we answer

rhetorical contradictions purpose of using the inference questions about
device present? rhetorical device? this rhetorical device?
● To convey meaning
indirectly, “The irony lies in the
● To be sarcastic or contradiction between A
Irony Yes facetious, or and B. We normally expect
● To highlight C. However, it was ironic
something that D happened instead.”
unexpected
● To raise a
“There is a paradox because
thought-provoking
A seems to contradict/
claim, or
ostensibly contradicts B.
Paradox Yes ● To encourage society
However, the statement
to rethink or
expresses a possible truth
challenge certain
because XYZ.”
assumptions
***

Inference Skill 5
Writer’s Intention or Purpose
Many kinds of inference questions that we have covered so far ask you about the author’s
intention or purpose in using certain punctuation marks, words, phrases, or literary devices
(e.g. Examples 1.1, 2.1, and 2.2). For greater clarity, examples of questions asking you about
the writer’s intention or purpose include:
1. What is the author’s purpose or intention behind using the word / phrase /
punctuation mark / literary device XYZ?
2. What is the writer’s intention or purpose in saying XYZ?
3. Why did the author use the word / phrase / punctuation mark / literary device in
line x to describe XYZ?
○ Be careful not to make unnecessary inferences about the writer’s intention if
the question is a direct paraphrase question that is only asking you to identify
and paraphrase certain parts of the passage.
○ Some clues that tell you that a question is a direct paraphrase question and
NOT an inference (intention or purpose) question:
■ The question asks you to “use your own words as far as possible”,
■ The question has the phrase “According to the author” or “According
to lines x of the passage”,
■ The question specifically asks you for content from the text (e.g. “Why
does the author say that science is fallible?)
To answer inference (writer’s intention or purpose) questions, it is helpful for you to be

familiar with the common purposes and intentions of discursive and argumentative writers.
Also, authors may sometimes have more than one intention in using a rhetorical device
and you need to include all of them in your answerto get the f ull credit.
You will find a table containing some of the common intentions or purposes that writers
may have on the next page.

Common Intentions and Purposes in Argumentative or Discursive Writing
Attitude Intention or Purpose Explanation
This is usually for issues that society does not see

To frame something as a
as a problem yet. The writer wants to prove why
problem or issue
it should be a cause for concern.
This is usually for existing issues that the writer

To reframe a problem or
is considering from a different perspective or
issue
identifying further problems about.
Neutral Highlighting the importance of severity of a

To highlight or emphasise
problem in society is the most common
the severity of an issue
intention.
To call for action (convince Usually works in conjunction with the previous
people to do something) intention of highlighting the severity of an issue.
To evoke strong emotions

Writers usually want to stir sympathy or anger.
in the reader
To rebut the opposing side This happens when the writer has a knockdown
of an argument argument against the opposing side.
This happens when the writer does not have a

To discredit the opposing knockdown argument against the opposing side,
side of an argument but nonetheless has some evidence or reasons to
weaken the opposing argument.
To publicly decry, Usually for denouncing (strongly reject) morally

condemn, or censure repugnant issues like violations of human or
Negative something animal rights, racism, sexism, etc.
This is also usually for morally repugnant issues

To express shock, disbelief,
that writers, for whatever reason, do not
or disgust at something
explicitly condemn in their writing.
Usually for issues that are less serious but still

To criticise something concerning (e.g. consumerism, celebrity
worship).

To mock someone or This usually involves the use of sarcasm or irony
something to make fun of / insult someone or something.
The writer may be providing society with a

To warn or advise society
cautionary tale of what might happen in the
about something
future if their advice or suggestion is not heeded.
Happens when the writer is sceptical of

To cast doubt on
something and wants people to reconsider it as
something
well.
Usually for things that the writer finds laudable

To celebrate or give credit
(i.e. deserving praise) and want to strongly
to someone or something
encourage.
This happens when writers find someone or

Positive something positive in society that they wish to
To acknowledge existing see more of in the future.
effort
Note: Acknowledging something is less
enthusiastic than celebrating it.
Answering Questions Relating to Writer’s Intention or Purpose

In answering questions about the writer’s intention or purpose, you need to:
1. Identify the writer’s intention or purpose (refer to the table to see which one is
the most likely or most appropriate), and
2. Contextualise your answer back to the text.

Example 5.1
Singapore still lags behind in the global effort of environmental conservation. By way of
examples, local mom-and-pop shops and large-scale supermarkets do little to nothing to
encourage their patrons to opt for reusable shopping bags, recycling bins are sparse and
difficult to locate in public spaces, and most individual households do not have the habit of
separating their recyclable waste from non-recyclable kinds. Admittedly (and fortunately),
the younger generation in our country are starting to be more environmentally conscious and
are actively educating themselves and taking steps to minimise their carbon footprint.
Nevertheless, the vast majority of Singaporeans remain indifferent and even apathetic to the
negative impact that they are leaving on our planet.
Question: What is the writer’s purpose in including the sentence that begins with
“Admittedly (and fortunately)” (lines 5-7)?
Possible answer: It is to acknowledge / give credit [IDENTIFYING THE

INTENTION] to the youths who are proactively changing their
behaviour to play their part in protecting the environment
[CONTEXTUALISING YOUR ANSWER BACK TO THE TEXT].
***

Inference Skill 6
Use of Examples, Stories, Analogies, Quotations, Citations, Questions
Rhetorical devices are tools or techniques that an author uses to convey meanings with the
goal of persuading or convincing the readers towards considering a topic or idea from a
certain perspective. For questions that ask you about the author’s use of rhetorical devices
like examples, stories, analogies, quotations, citations, and questions, you are required
to reflect on your understanding of how these tools work in argumentative or discursive
essays.
When you encounter these kinds of questions, think about:

● the main idea the author is trying to convey in that particular part of their essay, and
● how they are trying to present that idea as convincingly as possible using that
particular rhetorical device.
Some examples of questions asking about the author’s use of examples, stories, analogies,
quotations, citations, or questions include:
1. Why does the author use the story of Lee Kuan Yew in paragraph 4? [Story]
2. What point is the writer making through the use of the example in line x?
[Example]
3. In paragraph 3, which aspect of the author’s argument is reinforced by his

comparison of X and Y? [Analogy]
4. How does the quote from Benjamin Franklin in line x support the writer’s
argument? [Quotation]
5. Why does the author cite the statistics from the World Health Organisation in
paragraph 6? [Citation]
6. What effect does the rhetorical question have in paragraph 1? [Question]

Common Rhetorical Devices and their Effects / Purposes
Category Rhetorical Device Possible Purpose(s) Example
Imagining a dystopian
Hypothetical world without the social
examples contract intact among
social agents.
The story of Orpheus or

To provide examples to
Sisyphus; the story of Lee
Stories (from illustrate /
Kuan Yew; the story of
literature or real demonstrate / justify /
how Singapore developed
life) a point or idea
from third world to first,
etc.
Personal stories /
Anecdotes (personal
experiences in World War 2
stories)
as a veteran.
Comparing the
Examples To juxtapose two or
development of human
Analogies and more ideas to comment
babies and the growth of
Comparisons on their similarities
the pups of hunting
and/or differences
animals. [GCE 2009]
To borrow the words Quoting the words or ideas

of someone influential of an influential politician
or popular in order to when the writer is
Quotations
lend credence / add proposing what the ideal
authority or weight to political arrangement for a
the writer’s own idea(s) country might be.
Making a reference to
To give credit to the
Aristotle when the author
Citations original person who
quotes one of Aristotle’s
said something
aphorisms.

To compel readers to
give an answer that the
“Do we have to wait until
author expects due to
more animals become
Rhetorical the way that the
extinct before we start to
questions question is phrased,
put in more effort to save
even though the reader
them from peril?”
may have a different
view on the issue
“If we were to give free rein

to all kinds of scientific
To get readers to
research without any forms
Questions examine an issue
Thought-provoking of restriction, how would
further or to
questions we be able to put the
re-examine their
brakes on experiments that
current mindsets
we discover to be morally
reprehensible?”
To introduce certain
“So what does a healthy
issues or topics before
lifestyle encompass? It
further elaboration.
Lead-in Questions would involve regular
Lead-in questions can
exercise, nutritional
sometimes also be
planning…”
rhetorical questions.

Answering Questions Relating to the Use of Examples, Stories, Analogies, Quotations,
Citations, Questions
To answer questions about the author’s use of examples, stories, analogies, quotations,
citations, and questions, you need to:
1. Understand what the particular question is asking you to make inferences

about. Is it asking you to infer:
○ The type of rhetorical device the author is using?
○ The writer’s purpose or intention in using the rhetorical device?
○ The particular idea in the passage that is being supported by the rhetorical
device?
○ The way in which the rhetorical device supports a particular idea in the
passage?
2. Make the appropriate inference (according to the type of question above) and
contextualise your answer back to the text.
***

Inference Skill 7
Attitudes and Tones
Someone’s attitude towards something refers to the way that they feel about it. Someone’s
tone in their communication refers to the way that they express their feelings about
something. Attitudes and tones have some similarities, but they are fundamentally different
categories. In particular, you can infer someone’s attitude from their tone. This is the same
as saying that you can infer the way that someone feels about something from the way that
they express their feelings about something.
Some words can be used to describe both attitude and tone (e.g. sceptical, antagonistic,
optimistic, pessimistic, etc.). However, some words are better used to only describe tones
(e.g. sarcastic) while others are better used to only describe attitudes (e.g. disgusted).
Questions about attitude and tone are no longer frequently tested in the A Levels.
However, inference (vocabulary) questions may sometimes require you to be able to infer an
author’s attitude based on their word choice. Thus, it is still important for you to be
familiar with a variety of ways to describe a writer’s attitudes and tones.
Examples of inference (attitudes and tones) questions:
1. What is the writer’s attitude towards slavery in paragraph x?
2. Describe the writer’s tone in the first line of paragraph x.
3. What does the word ‘scum’ tell you about the writer’s attitude towards people
who are able to live a life of excess?
4. What does the writer’s tone in paragraph x imply about her attitude towards
XYZ?
You will find a table of words that describe common attitudes and tones on the next page.

Words Describing Common Attitudes
Word Describing
Connotation Purpose
Attitude
Supportive / Approving To show agreement
Conciliatory To reconcile, give in, or make peace
To show the ability to understand someone’s

Positive Empathetic
plight, feelings, or perspectives
Sympathetic To take pity on someone
Optimistic To express hope for a better future
Disapproving To show disagreement
Doubtful / Sceptical To show uncertainty or reservation
Critical To judge something harshly or negatively
Disgusted To show extreme dislike or revulsion
To criticise something extremely severely,

Condemning
usually on moral grounds
Negative
Condescending / To look down upon others and show
Derogatory / Patronising superiority
Mocking To ridicule or laugh at something
To make gloomy predictions about the

Pessimistic
future
Apathetic / Indifferent To show passivity or unconcern
Ambivalent To have mixed feelings

Neutral
Impartial To show fairness and unbiasedness

Words Describing Common Tones
Connotation Word Describing Tone Purpose
Accusatory To point fingers or blame someone
Antagonistic / Aggressive To express severe disagreement
Sceptical To express doubt over something

Negative
Sarcastic To ridicule someone or something
Defensive To defend one’s arguments or ideas
Resignation To show discouragement or hopelessness
Answering Questions Relating to Attitudes and Tones

To answer questions about the author’s attitudes or tones, you need to:
1. Think of the most appropriate word that describes the author’s attitude or tone
towards something.
○ In most cases, there will be a few acceptable answers. Regardless, be sure
to choose the most appropriate answer based on your contextual
understanding of the text.
2. Contextualise your answer back to the question and the text, making sure to
explain any vocabulary that you are supposed to.

Example 7.1
The self-proclaimed ‘expert’ was upset when some of her qualifications came under question.
Question: What does the word “self-proclaimed” suggest about the author’s
attitude towards the ‘expert’?
Possible answer: The word “self-proclaimed” suggests that the author has a critical /
sceptical / cynical attitude [IDENTIFY THE ATTITUDE] towards
the alleged “expert” as the title of a specialist is merely self -ascribed
and society does not necessarily recognise her status or expertise.
[CONTEXTUALISING YOUR ANSWER].
***

Inference Skill 8
Compare and Contrast / Similarities and Differences
Some questions require you to infer the similarities and/or differences between aspects of
certain ideas or phenomena. Common bases of comparison include:
● the past with the present,

● ideal with reality,
● fact with fiction (e.g. a story that the writer has used to illustrate a certain idea or
claim),
● nuances between ideas (e.g. pragmatic vs idealistic, sex vs gender…), etc.
The answers to compare and contrast questions can mostly be found in the text. However,
you usually have to draw the required comparisons yourself. You have to fully
comprehend the meaning of the text in order to know which aspect of a phenomenon the
question is asking you to make comparisons or contrasts about.
Like all other inference questions, you should always answer compare and contrast
questions in your own words.
Examples of compare and contrast questions:
1. Based on paragraph 2, what are the similarities between x and y?

2. How are x and y different, according to paragraph 2?
3. What parallels does the author see between x and y?
4. In paragraph 2, what distinctions does the author draw between x and y?
5. According to the author, what do x and y have in common?

Answering Compare and Contrast Questions
To answer inference questions requiring compare and/or contrast, you need to:
1. Understand and identify the aspect of the phenomena that the question is asking
you to make a comparison between. Take note of the type of comparison and what
things or aspects you are asked to compare.
2. Go back to the passage and make sure to understand what the author is saying
regarding the phenomena in question.
3. Make the required comparison and write the answer based on your understanding
and in your own words.
Suggested Format for Answering Compare and Contrast Questions

Question Type Suggested Answer Format
Comparing
Similarities: What is
A and B are both ________.
the similarity between
A and B?
Comparing
Similarities: What are
A and B are both ________ and ________.
the similarities
between A and B?
Contrasting A is _______ while B is ________.

Differences: How are (Avoid merely writing ‘A is ______ while B is not’.
A and B different? That is not specific enough.)
Compare and
Contrast: What are
Though A and B are both ______,
the similarities and
A is ______ while B is ______.
differences between A
and B?

Examples 8.1 and 8.2 are about the following passage:
Today, our portraits are democratic and digital; they are crafted from pixels rather than
paints. On social networking sites like Instagram and Facebook, our modern self-portraits
are interactive, inviting viewers not merely to look at, but also to respond to, the life portrayed
online. We create them to find friendship, love, and that ambiguous modern thing called
connection. Like painters constantly retouching their work, we alter, update, and tweak our
online self-portraits; but as digital objects they are far more impermanent than oil on canvas.
Vital statistics, glimpses of bare flesh, lists of favourite bands, and favourite poems all
clamour for our attention – and it is the timeless human desire for attention that emerges as
the dominant theme of these vast virtual galleries.
Example 8.1
Question: What is the similarity between modern portraits and portraits of the
past, according to Paragraph 2? Use your own words as far as possible.
Possible answer: They are both a reflection of our longing/need to be noticed by

others.
OR
For both modern portraits and portraits of the past, the creator can
frequently change / adjust / add more touches to / continue to work
on the picture.

Example 8.2
Question: What are the differences between modern portraits and portraits of the
past, according to Paragraph 2? Use your own words as far as possible.
Possible answer 1: Traditional portraits were solid / tangible / physical / made by

manual means while modern portraits are virtual / created using
technologically advanced means / computer-processed / in soft
copies.
Possible answer 2: Traditional portraits were fixed / immutable / long-lasting /

preserved in solid form while modern ones do not last / can be easily
removed or deleted / are transient.
Possible answer 3: Traditional portraits were just for viewing or observing / just for
admiring from a distance while modern ones also encourage people
to express their opinions / also stimulate the observer’s thoughts or
reactions.
To get the full 2 marks for Example 8.2, you need to provide any 2 of the possible answers
above. You get 1 mark if you only provided 1 of thepossible answers.
***

Chapter 4
The Summary Question
The summary question tests your ability to comprehend and paraphrase the author’s main
ideas in the comprehension passage. For 8 marks, you are required to summarise 2 to 4
paragraphs worth of content in no more than 120 words (not including the words that
have been provided to help you begin).
You are expected to extract and paraphrase only the relevant information according to the
summary question requirements. In other words, only include information that you are
asked to summarise.
Examples of summary questions:
1. Using material from paragraphs 7–9 only (lines 53-74), summarise what the
author has to say about the positive and negative effects of the strategies used to
persuade more young people to vote.
2. Using material from paragraphs 2–4 only, summarise what the author has to say
about what defines a hero, why heroes are significant to a society and to
individuals, and how their failings do not undermine their importance.
3. According to Eberstadt, why are the Americans obsessed with the impending
demographic doom? Summarise your answer from paragraphs 2–6 only.
4. Using material from paragraphs 1-4 only, summarise what the author has to say
about the millennials’ attitudes towards work and their reasons for holding
such attitudes.
5. Using material from paragraphs 6 to 8, summarise the value of trust and the ways
in which trust can be built by leaders.

The passage will sometimes contain some information that are completely irrelevant to
what the summary question is asking you to summarise. Thus, be caref ul not to blindly
paraphrase everything from the designated paragraphs.
____
Marking Scheme for the Summary Question
A. Content (8 marks)
Unlike in the ‘O’ Levels, you do not straightforwardly obtain 1 mark for 1 valid and
accurately paraphrased idea in your summary. Instead, there is a tiered marking scheme
that usually looks something like this (actual marking schemes may vary slightly):
Number of Accurately Paraphrased Points Marks

0 0
1–2 1
3–4 2
5–6 3
7–8 4
9–10 5
11-12 6
13–14 7
15 and above 8
There will be approximately 20 or more possible points from the passage. Remember
that you only need to include about 15 points in total to obtain the full 8 marks. So, the tip
here is to identify as many points as possible from the passage and only include the
ideas that you can paraphrase the most concisely in your final summary.
Also, you will not get credit for simply lifting the text from the passage. Always
paraphrase every point that you eventually include in your summary.

B. Language Use (15 marks — for the entire script)
In Paper 2, a total of 15 marks are allocated for language use. The examiner will base your
score for the use of the English language primarily on the summary question and the
application question. To secure a good grade for language use in your summary, make sure
that:
● Your paragraphs are coherent and well-organised

● You reduce the number of technical errors (e.g. in spelling and grammar) as far as
possible
● You use a wide variety of vocabulary, sentence structure,and discourse markers
● Your tone is appropriate (aim for a tone of neutrality and objectivity in your
summary; you can be impassioned later on in the application question)
● Do not write more than 120 words; examiners will ignore any text beyond the
word limit
____
Strategy to Tackle the Summary Question

1. Read the summary question properly and determine what exactly you are asked to
summarise.
○ It might be useful to highlight the keywords in the question and constantly
refer to them as you begin to identify points from the comprehension
passage.
2. Go to the relevant paragraphs in the text and look for the information that you
have been asked to summarise. (Make sure that you are not reading the wrong
paragraphs!)
○ Highlight or underline each point or idea that answers the summary
question. It may be helpful to number each point for your easy reference as
you are writing your summary later on.

3. After identifying as many points as possible, look through them and think about
how you are going to organise them in your summary.
○ E.g. If you are asked to summarise the benefits and costs of eco-tourism, you
may want to begin by summarising all the benefits first before moving on to
summarising all the costs, or vice versa.
○ Sometimes, the way that you have to organise your ideas will be restrained
by the words that are provided to help you begin your summary.
■ E.g. If you are provided with the phrase “Some costs of eco-tourism
include…” to start your summary, then you have no choice but to first
summarise all the costs associated with eco-tourism before moving on
to summarising the benefits.
4. Next, focus on finding ways to paraphrase the ideas that you have identified
from the text. You should be making quick notes of how you might paraphrase
certain points as you progress through this step.
○ If you find yourself unable to paraphrase a particular point, concentrate on
paraphrasing other points that are not as challenging. There are more than
enough ideas for you to potentially get full credit.
5. Write your summary in f ull prose (NOT point form), referring to the passage and
your notes whenever necessary to make sure that you are paraphrasing the writer’s
ideas accurately.
Bonus Tips for the Summary Question

● Put your word-for-word and sense-for-sense paraphrasing skills to good use.
● Authors may repeat the same ideas a few times; just summarise them once.
● Do not summarise the illustrations and examples that the author uses.
● Vary your sentence structure as much as possible to maximise language marks.
● Remember to use discourse markers or linking words (e.g. In addition, However,
Nevertheless, Notwithstanding, etc.) to make your summary more fluent and
coherent.
***

Chapter 5
The Application Question
The final question of the General Paper examination is the application question (AQ). It
tests your ability to:
● identify the writer’s arguments and claims,
● apply and contextualise them to the real world through a keen awareness and
appreciation of your lived experiences, and
● evaluate the relevance of the writer’s arguments and claims in your particular
society.
The application question is worth 10 marks. Along with the summary question, the AQ is
also where the examiner will base the bulk of your credit for the use of the English language
(15 marks for the whole paper). As such, the same tips for maximising your language use
marks will apply.
The AQ may ask you to:

● Evaluate how far you agree or disagree with the author’s stand or ideas
● Determine how far the author’s views are relevant or applicable to your society
● Assess how important the phenomenon under discussion is in your society
Examples of Application Questions:
1. In this passage, the author writes about why stories are so enduring and some of the
concerns she has with them. To what extent do you agree or disagree with her
views? Support your answer by referring to the ways in which you and your society
regard stories.
2. In this article, Mercedes Karr describes the history and development of transport
and travel. How applicable do you find her observations to you and your own
society?

3. The author argues that young people ‘are more interested in issues and causes than
they are given credit for’ (line 27). How far do you agree or disagree with this
view? Illustrate your answer by referring to the extent to which you, and young
people within your society, are involved in issues and causes.
4. One writer thinks sport has considerable value, while the other questions this view.
How important is sport for you and your society, and how far do you agree or
disagree with the opinions expressed in these two passages?
To answer the application question, you need to:
1. Understand what the question is asking you to evaluate or judge.

2. Identify 2-3 main ideas or arguments from the passage that you will base your
response on.
3. Plan your answer — how would you evaluate and organise the ideas?
○ The way that you organise your response (i.e. how you plan the logical flow
between the different ideas and paragraphs) is one of the key determinants of
your AQ performance.
4. Write your response in a structured and coherent way.

Marking Scheme for the Application Question
The marking scheme for the Application Question is quite nebulous. Here is a rough
guideline on how to do well for it:
To get the top band of the credit, you need to:

● Identify, explain, and evaluate at least 3 DISTINCT arguments, claims, or ideas
that the writer has put forward in the comprehension passage.
○ The best responses will usually feature insightf ul and original points of
evaluation with a sustained level of personal engagement.
○ Personal engagement refers to ideas and arguments that you are providing in
your application response that was not from the original passage.
■ Simply put, an AQ response with strong personal engagement
includes a wide range of original ideas, arguments, illustrations, and
examples.
■ “Original” here does not mean that nobody in the world has ever
thought of these ideas. It just means that you are the one coming up
with these ideas — not the writer of the passage.
■ A caveat: of course, if you do manage to supply your AQ response
with truly original ideas that few other candidates have thought of,
you will be more likely to secure better marks.
If you are just looking to get a passing grade for the AQ, make sure that you at least:
● Identify and explain at least 2 DISTINCT arguments, claims, or ideas that the
writer has put forward with some attempt at evaluation.
● Evaluating an argument isn’t merely providing reasons or examples to simply agree
or disagree with the author. More about evaluating arguments and claims in the next
section.

On Evaluating Arguments
If you are only giving reasons or illustrations to support or undermine (i.e. agree or
disagree) the writer’s arguments or claims, then you haven’t provided an evaluation of the
writer’s ideas. You may be inclined to agree with someone’s view while still being able
to anticipate or foresee some problems or complications with it. Here is a table with a
few key strategies that you can employ to evaluate ideas and arguments.
Strategies to Evaluate an Idea or Argument

Argumentative Flaw or Fallacy Explanation
When writers overstate the severity of a problem. In

Exaggeration
reality, the problem may not be as serious.
When writers understate the severity of a problem or

Trivialising disadvantages or
over-simplifies it. In reality, the problem may be
problems
much more serious.
When authors make over-generalisations without

considering the possibility of exceptions. To identify
Sweeping statements
sweeping statements, look out for absolute words
like “always”, “never”, “all”, “only”…
When authors capitalise on the ambiguity or

Equivocation (Being deliberately
ill-defined nature of certain words or phrases to their
ambiguous)
argumentative advantage.
When writers put forward controversial ideas

Making claims without evidence
without any supporting examples or data.
When writers assume that two things are causally

related when, in reality, they may only be correlated.
For instance, a writer may claim that poverty causes
Confusing correlation with criminal behaviour. However, impoverishment and
causality committing crimes are merely correlated phenomena
that are not causally linked; someone from a poor
background is not necessarily causally determined to
become a criminal.

When authors already assume that their stand or
Question begging
conclusion is true in their supporting arguments.
When authors falsely present two options as binary

and we have to choose either one of them. In reality,
False dichotomy
there may be other options available for us to choose
from.
When writers are so optimistic or naïve that their

Overly idealistic
views or ideas become unrealistic or impractical.
When writers are too pessimistic or practical that

Overly pragmatic they fail to take into account the possibility that
things could be more ideal than they assume.
When authors espouse or put forward views or ideas

Elitism
that show a sense of unwarranted superiority.
When writers unfairly evaluate other cultures

Ethnocentrism according to the standards or norms of their own
culture.
When authors privilege the English or

Anglo-American perspective when putting forward
Anglocentrism an idea or argument without acknowledging that
other cultures may not readily accept or may diverge
from those perspectives.
When writers privilege the male perspective when

putting forward an idea or argument without
Androcentrism acknowledging the female perspective. This is often
indicative of a patriarchal or misogynistic point of
view.
Note: In using any of these strategies, you have to ensure that the ideas or arguments
presented by the writer really do contain these argumentative fallacies. If not, you risk
putting forward a strawman argument (where you distort your opponent’s view to make it
easier to refute).

Features of Singapore Society
Recall that the application question is also a test of your ability to evaluate the relevance of
certain ideas and arguments to your society. Most of us will be writing about our
experiences living in Singapore. Thus, it is helpful for you to keep certain key characteristics
of the Singaporean society in mind when you are attempting the AQ. Here are some
characteristics of our society:
● Small land area, high population density

● Lack of natural resources
● A career in the arts widely seen as impractical
● Financial hub; heavy focus on banking sectors
● Heavily dependent on foreign investments
● “Smart Nation” initiative
● Reliant on global trade for necessities like food and water
● 30 by 30 plan (to reduce our reliance on other countries for food)
● Reliant on foreign domestic workers and construction workers
● High cost of living, long working hours
● Relatively large income inequality
● Multi-racial, multi-religious, multicultural
● Racial and religious tensions subsist
● Ageing population
● Compulsory basic education (until Primary 6)
● Competitive education system
● Spends a lot of resources on education (education is allocated second highest budget
after the military)
● Traditional values balanced with increasingly Western ideological influence
● Conservative with regards to certain issues (e.g. LGBTQIA+)
● Attempts to uphold meritocracy
● Attempts to be a neutral arbiter with regards to international affairs (U.S. vs China)
● Pragmatic / Apathetic
● Draconian laws
● Singlish
● Fledgling cultural/national identity

Writing the Application Question Response
Always be mindful of what the question is asking you to evaluate. In the 2018 A Levels
(refer to example question 3 at the start of this chapter), candidates were required to pick
arguments and ideas that specifically related to the claim that young people are
inadequately recognised for their involvement in social movements. This was unlike any
previous application questions where candidates usually had the freedom to pick any
argument or idea to evaluate.
Thus, there is no fixed format in answering the AQ. Nevertheless, there are still certain
elements that should feature in any AQ response, as follows:
1. Introduction
● Give a brief summary of the author’s stand or predominantview(s) in the passage
● Address the question requirement:
○ If you are asked whether you agree or disagree with the author’s stand,
■ state whether you largely agree or disagree and why, and
■ introduce 2 to 3 ideas from the passage that you will discuss and
evaluate later on in your response.
○ If you are asked to contextualise your response to a particular quote or claim,
■ state your stand on the issue and briefly explain why, and
■ introduce 2 to 3 ideas from the passage that you will discuss and
evaluate in more detail later on in your response.
● These ideas must be directly relevant to the quote or claim.
2. Body Paragraphs (discuss 2 to 3 distinct ideas or arguments)
● Briefly describe or summarise the author’s idea or claim
● Answer the application question directly
○ State your view of the idea or claim: do you agree or disagree?
○ Evaluate the idea or claim: do you think the author’s argument has any flaws
or fallacies? (Refer again to the last table.)
● Supply your response with adequate illustrations — give specific, real-life,
concrete examples for why you hold a certain viewpoint
○ These illustrations and examples should come from your own lived
experiences in your society.

3. Conclusion
● Summarise your evaluation of the author’s stand or arguments: Overall, is the
author being overly optimistic or pessimistic? Are they incognizant of certain
cultural discrepancies such that their claims do not apply readily to a society like
ours? Do you think their stand or arguments will remain relevant or important in
time to come?
***

Afterword
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JUNE 2021

First edition. June 2021.

Chapter 1: Introduction to the Comprehension Paper 2

Chapter 2: Direct Paraphrase Questions 3

Direct Paraphrasing Skill 1: Word-for-Word Paraphrasing 5

Chapter 3: Inference Questions 8

Inference Skill 1: Punctuation Marks 9

Chapter 4: The Summary Question 38

Chapter 5: The Application Question 42

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A. Before you begin the comprehension paper…

B. Using your own words

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1. “What does the author mean”-type questions

Answering Direct Paraphrase Questions

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Let’s look at an example of how to perform a word-for-word paraphrase:

Word-for-word Substitution Process:

1. “Ignore” means neglect/disregard

Possible paraphrases would be: “Neglect

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Sometimes, word-for-word paraphrasing can face the following problems:

Let’s look at an example of how to perform sense-for-sense paraphrasing:

A household where Step 1 Dual-income family

There are 3 essential ideas in this phrase:

We start by thinking about what each

1. “Household” means domestic

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Unfortunately, this paraphrase is

Some limitations of sense-for-sense paraphrasing:

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Here are some of the more commonly-tested kinds of inference questions:

1. Inference relating to the writer’s use of punctuation marks.

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Commonly Tested Punctuation Marks and Their Meanings

Citing or quoting Numerous scientists have bluntly

Intending the The “peace-loving” protesters

Quotation Marks Expressing Veganism, Keto, and Paleo have

Metaphorical or The casino was “bleeding”

Denoting a name or Singapore celebrated “Pokémon

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We entered the haunted house and

President Obama remarked that

Connecting two No one came to the meeting; it

Explaining the The presidential candidate only

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Our tertiary institutions — from

Examples of inference (punctuation marks) questions:

1. Explain the use of ellipsisin line x.

Answering Inference Questions Relating to Punctuation Marks

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Question: Why does the author use ellipsis?

Question: Why does the author enclose ‘bleeding’ in quotation marks?

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Inference questions relating to diction or vocabulary test your understanding of the

Examples of inference (diction or vocabulary) questions: