Comprehension

English home language

 Comprehension

• To comprehend means to understand.

• Ability to read a text, process it and
understand its meaning.
• To understand a written text one must look at
the heading, style of writing, content, purpose
and the point of view.
• Mark allocation. (2 marks) means 1 idea with
detail while 3 marks means 2 ideas with some
detail for one of these ideas. Critically discuss
(4 marks) – show an analysis of the question,
provide your main argument (talk about it in
detail – discuss) and present points for or
against the idea(s), or state whether the
idea(s) or subject(s) being discussed is
valuable or relevant.
• Stylistic devices (techniques) in writing -
comprehensions
• ‘Style’ questions – Deals with purpose of the passage and
HOW writer communicates these ideas/ impressions/
attitudes. The writer may use: literary devices that the
writer uses to create a ‘feel’ for his work or to convey his
message
• Firstly, when answering a ‘style’ question ask – What is
the writer’s message? Aim? Intention?
• Secondly, look at one or more of the following literary
devices and see how it links to the writer’s message:
• Use of statistics/ numbers/ direct speech
Adds credibility, validity, authenticity provokes
an emotional response to convince, manipulate,
persuade
• Use of personal pronouns
Involves/engages the reader personally
(colloquial language, informal)
• Diction (word choice)
provokes an emotional response (emotive
words)
• Short paragraphs or single sentence/ single
sentence paragraph
Emphasises / highlights the writer’s point /
message evokes a response adds impact
• Quoting experts in the field/Use of celebrity
endorsement
Adds credibility, validity, authenticity to a
statement.
• Sentence structures
Know the rules around use of different types of
sentences: Simple, Complex, Compound-
complex sentences.
• Figures of speech
• Emphasises / highlights (the writer’s message)
engages the reader Eg. Metaphor/ Simile/
Exaggeration etc.
• Use of punctuation
• Emphasis – see grammar rules for use of
different punctuation marks
• “Words in quotation marks”/air marks”
Are often used to express satire, sarcasm, irony or
euphemism. However, in writing, we do not see
the hand gestures and use quotation marks.
• Rhetorical questions/ repetition
Provokes an emotional response encourages
thinking / an opinion emphasises / highlights the
writer’s point about… to convince, manipulate,
persuade/ involve reader directly
• Ellipsis
• Represents a pause/ focuses reader’s
attention on omission/ Shows silence in a test/
part of a quote has been omitted. express
hesitation, changes of mood, suspense, or
thoughts trailing off. Writers also use ellipses
to indicate a pause or wavering. Eg. Really…I
don’t understand.
 Diction
• A choice of words by the writer.
• A specific word or a short phase that is usually
stronger than others.
• Diction is NEVER the entire sentence.
• Use of asides – Writer talking to audience so
by the way
• Usually, the aim is to emphasis a point the
writer is making. Look at the aside in the
context of the article/passage/text
• Comparing Text A & B: Text B usually a visual
(picture/ cartoon/ graphs/ charts)
• Refer to both texts in your answer and scaffold
your response. Look at the paragraph that you
must focus on in your answer
• The structure for your response
• Text B illustrates/potrays/shows that…
• Text A states/alludes that…
• Therefore…
 Tones
• Assertive
• Formal
• Optimistic
• Informal
• Humorous
• Surprised
• Pessimism
• Joyful
• Aggressive
• Arrogant
• Encouraging
• Critical
• Nostalgic
• persuasion