O Level English Comprehension Tips

O level English: Tips for answering open-ended comprehension questions

One of the toughest part of the O level English Paper is the open-ended comprehension questions. Students with weak language ability often find it challenging to understand the comprehension passage itself as the language used is figurative, rather than literal. As such, when answering the comprehension questions, students frequently find it difficult to spot the most accurate answer or even understand what the question requires of them.

Below are some examples of tackling common O level English open-ended comprehension questions:

1. Explain how the language used shows that Miss Lee’s appearance had changed a great deal over a short time. Support your ideas with three details from paragraph 1.

Relevant part of the passage:
“The hues of her complexion were paler; her eyes had dark rings circling them; her countenance was disconsolate – she was not so fresh as she used to be.”

Model answer:
‘The hues of her complexion were paler’ suggests that she has lost her radiance. ‘Her eyes had dark rings circling them’ emphasizes that her fading looks. ‘Her countenance was disconsolate’ indicates that she did not look as attractive as before.

How to approach this kind of question:

1. Identify 3 details from paragraph 1.
2. Explain each of the detail.

Students’ pitfalls:
Students tend to stumble over this question by giving a whole paragraph of explanation of how Miss Lee’s appearance had changed a great deal without identifying each detail.

2. In paragraph 3, how did Miss Rozy show that she was unhappy about the disturbance to her ‘languid state of calmness’? Answer in your own words.

Relevant part of the passage:
“She received her coldly, bade her be seated with graveness, and when she got Miss Lee placed opposite, she fixed her with her eyes.”

Model answer:
She received her guest, Miss Lee, in an unwelcoming manner and proceeded to stare at her guest in a manner that was most unsettling.

How to approach this kind of question:

1. Identify the relevant part in the comprehension passage that Miss Rozy was unhappy about the disturbance to her ‘languid state of calmness’.
2. Paraphrase and answer the question.

Students’ pitfalls:
Students often fail to read the passage thoroughly to identify the relevant parts of the passage necessary to answer the question. Students are unable to paraphrase and answer in their own words.

3. What is unusual and effective about the phrase ‘benevolent despot’?

Relevant part of the passage:
“Almost like a benevolent despot, it was not her heart so much as her temper that was wrong.”

Model answer:
The phrase is unusual as benevolent is used to describe a compassionate person, whereas a despot is someone that is cruel. It is effective in showing that while Miss Rozy’s tone might sound harsh, she was not someone with bad intentions and did not spread spiteful reports that harmed her neighbours.

How to approach this kind of question:

1. Explain why the phrase is unusual.
2. Explain why the phrase is effective.

Students’ pitfalls:
Students typically do not tackle each requirement of ‘unusual’ and ‘effective’ separately, producing an answer that is not precise for each of the requirements.

To be better prepared to answer O level open-ended comprehension questions, practise is the key. Students should spend time reading through the comprehension passages thoroughly in order to be familiar with the way the passages are worded. Students should also attempt to break down the questions into simple, constituent parts in order to answer them more effectively and precisely.

Einstein Takeaway

English is a subject that the student can master over time with the effective answering techniques and inference skills. At Einstein, the students are trained extensively to develop the skill set to analyse in depth the hidden meaning of certain phrases within the passage and explain them with the relevant details concisely. Book a free trial lesson to experience 1st hand how Einstein can raise your understanding and performance in the O level English.