Here at Smart 11+ Tuition we love to celebrate those cultural events that remind us of our literary history and support our understanding of 11+ comprehension questions. National Shakespeare Day and Week are just one of these occasions. This event was created by the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust for people of all ages. It is an annual event that gives everyone the opportunity to have their first encounter with the Bard.
What has Shakespeare done for me?
Well, many people don’t realise the incredible impact that William Shakespeare had on the English language. Not only did he create over 1700 words, but also over 1000 phrases!
Does any of these sound familiar?
- Love is Blind
- Green-eyed monster
- In a Pickle
- Cruel to be Kind
- Wild Goose chase
Believe it or not, all of the above come from Shakespearean works.
As it is National Shakespeare Week, we have decided to take the opportunity to remind our pupils about some of the key comprehension strategies to support their studies in English.
11+ Comprehension Tips
So, when it comes to the 11+ exam, comprehension is pretty common. In the 11+ exam last year, there were two comprehension pieces, one fiction and one non-fiction. It is therefore vital that we are fully prepared to face one of these questions when approaching our 11+ exam.
Here are Smart 11+ Tuition’s top 11+ comprehension tips:
- Read the questions first.
It might sound counter-intuitive but hear us out. If you read the questions first, you will then know exactly what to look for when you are reading through the text. For example: if one of the questions said ‘what did Julia feel when she opened her Grandmother’s box’ we know to look for Grandmother’s box as a keyword in the text and think about the emotive language used in this section.
2. Highlight keywords.
It is really important that you engage and break down the comprehension piece into smaller chunks. To do this, highlight key phrasing that you think may be relevant to the questions.
3. Use the context to help you understand new words.
When you see a new unfamiliar word, use the sentence to take an educated guess of the word’s definition. For example, if the word is ‘punctured’ and the sentence is ‘Janet’s dog punctured the football, and it deflated in a soft woosh.’ We then know that ‘punctured’ leads to deflation, so the word meaning will have something to do with breaking or penetrating an object.
4. Remember, comprehension questions are commonly in chronological order.
This means that the first questions you face, are likely to be related to the beginning of the text. This will help you speed up when finding the answer, as you know you will need to skim-read the beginning of the text to find your answer for the first few questions.
5. Answer every question even if you are unsure.
Whatever happens, answer all the questions. If you are not sure, skip the question and come back to it at the end. But, if you cannot think of an answer, you must still pop one down. As you never know, your guess may get you the right answer.
Found these tips useful?
If you are thinking about obtaining support for your child to sit the 11+ grammar school exam, why not reach out now? Give us a call on 0121 517 0339 and we will discuss your child’s needs.
