We understand that English narrative comprehension can be a challenge for many secondary school students. But fear not! We're excited to present this blog, where we'll guide you through five common mistakes in English Secondary Comprehension Exam. And that's not all! We'll also provide you with helpful tips and strategies to help your child avoid these mistakes and improve their narrative comprehension skills.
By the end of this blog, you'll know how to help your child excel in English narrative comprehension. Whether your child is having their O-Level English exam or wants to improve their comprehension skills, the insights in this blog will be a great resource. So, let's get started and look at the five common mistakes to avoid when answering narrative comprehension in Secondary English exams.
What are Narrative Comprehension Open-ended Questions?
Narrative comprehension refers to the ability to understand and interpret a story or narrative. Open-ended questions don't have a right or wrong answer but rather encourage the responder to elaborate and provide their unique insights and perspectives.
Narrative comprehension open-ended questions, therefore, are questions that prompt students to use their critical thinking and comprehension skills to analyse and interpret a story in their own words. These types of questions require students to go beyond basic recall and delve deeper into the story's meaning and the characters' motives.
5 Common Mistakes in Answering Secondary English Narrative Comprehension Open-Ended Questions
1. Failing to Understand the Story Fully
To enhance your narrative reading comprehension, it's crucial to fully comprehend the story before attempting to answer any related questions. Dedicate sufficient time to carefully read the text, focusing on critical elements such as themes, character evolution, and essential details.
A comprehensive understanding of the context is crucial, especially for inference or language-based questions, as it can determine a correct or erroneous answer.
Example: 2018 O Levels Questions
2. Satisfied with his catch, tacked back against the wind. He had almost lost
sight of Piran Head, but there it was, the rocky headland and the
whitewashed village, the stone harbour and the church. It would take
some time to sail back, but there were still a couple of hours until dusk. He
set to the task, letting the ropes run through his palms, feeling the secret
power of the breeze, enjoying the freedom of the vast expense of water
and its enveloping solitude.
7 In Paragraph 2, we are told that Joe enjoys ‘the freedom of the vast expense’.
Explain in your own words what this ‘freedom’ is.
.............................................................................................................…………………………………………………………………………………………[1]
Take the example above. If students refer to the phrase given as it is, they may think that this 'freedom' only relates to the 'vast expanse' of water. Hence, they may give answers relating to being able to see for miles or having nothing around them except for water.
However, it’s important to understand this in the full context. Students should refer to the passage and see that this freedom relates to ‘the vast expanse of water and its enveloping solitude’. Therefore, the right answer must involve the idea that he enjoys being out on the endless water on his own.
2. Providing Irrelevant or Inaccurate Information
To nail the questions, it's essential to provide relevant and accurate information supporting your answer. Avoid including irrelevant details (shows that you need help understanding the requirements of the question) or making assumptions that are not supported by the text.
Example: 2018 O Level Questions
6 By 7 a.m. he was standing on the pier with his raincoat draped over his
arm, ready for his planned trip. He was trying to rid himself of anxious
thoughts by contemplating the goodness of his world and might have
contemplated further if it had not been for his neighbour, Majid, who was
watching him from the boat opposite.
7. What's the news? Majid called.
When Nayir did not reply, Majid stepped onto the pier
‘Heading out this morning?’
‘Yes, I’ve got some things to do.’
‘What is this? Majid pointed to the coat. ‘Let me see. Did you buy yourself a
coat? He touched the arm of the coat and inspected it closely. Is it a
raincoat? He smiled. ‘Tell me, I'm not going anywhere.’Majid grinned. ‘Are
we expecting rain here?’ he said.
12 In which ways does Nayir make clear that he is annoyed with Majid?
(i) ……………………………………………………………………………………………….......................................................................................................
(ii) ………………………………………………………………………………………………......................................................................................................
……………………………………………………………………………….……………......................................................................................................…[2]
For part (i), students may merely lift the entire sentence ‘When Nayir did not reply, Majid stepped onto the pier.’ from the passage. However, only the fact that Nayir did not reply to Masjid’s question shows that he was annoyed. Lifting without understanding shows a lack of understanding of the question’s requirements.
For part (ii), students may state that ‘Nayir said that he was not going anywhere’. However, it is important to include the context that he actually was going on a ‘planned trip’ to show that Nayir was lying in order not to let Masjid know about his true intentions.
3. Not Being Familiar With Certain Question Types That Often Appear
Familiarity with the most frequently tested comprehension questions format can significantly enhance a student's ability to secure marks in their comprehension questions. Likewise, gaining a thorough comprehension of the expectations for each question type is vital to ensuring that you achieve the desired marks.
Some question types to look out for:
a. Questions requiring you to pick out phrases and explain them.
Example: 2018 O Level Questions
5 At the beginning of the text, Joe goes out to fish. Explain how the language
used in Paragraph 1 indicated the weather conditions on that day.
Support your ideas with three details from Paragraph 1.
................................................................................................……….........…………………………………………………………………………………………
...............................................................…………………………………………………………..........................................………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………………............................................................................................................
..…………………………………………………………………………………………….............................................................................................................
One mark is given for both picking the right phrase and explaining it.
Format for answer: ‘[quote]’ suggests/indicates/shows that ‘[explanation]’
5. ‘The sky was a strip of old grey linen’ suggests an overcast sky.
‘The icy grip of the elements’ indicates that the weather was
extremely cold.
‘A strong steady wind filled them, and before long he had been
propelled far out’ suggests the presence of a strong wind that Sample answer: pushed the boat out a great distance.
b. Explain how a phrase is unusual but effective.
Example: 2018 O Level Questions
7. (a) In paragraph 3, what phrase does the writer use to show that being on the
boat was soothing?
.......................................................................................................………………………………………………………………………………………………[1]
(b) in the same paragraph, what is (i) unusual and (ii) effective about the
phrase ‘motion within immobility’?
(i) it is unusual because
...........................…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..…[1]
(ii) it is effective because …………………..........................................................................…………………………………………….
............................................................................................................…………………………………………………………………………………………..[1]
Unusual: Explain the contrast or show what was unexpected
Effective: Explain what it emphasises based on the context
Sample answer:
(b) (i) There is a contradiction in meaning between the words ‘motion’ and
‘immobility’
(ii) It aptly describes the movement of the boat due to the gentle waves,
despite not heading towards any particular destination.
4. Being Too Vague or General in Your Response
When answering open-ended questions, be sure to provide specific and detailed responses that fully address the question. Avoid generalisations or vague answers that do not fully address the question.
Example: 2018 O Levels
3. His thoughts drifted to the times when he used to do this with his father. ‘Take
her home, Joe,’ Papa Mikkel would say, and they would sail between the rocky
island along the coast, with Joe at the wheel. Sometimes the wind would roar
and buffet as if charging at them. “Trim your sails, Joe,” Pappa Mikkel would
yell from below, and sometimes he did, but often reckless he would disobey,
and he’d feel the little vessel rising up in the water like a speedboat, skimming
over the waves.
9 In Paragraph 4, the writer says’ at once he was alert’.
(i) Why was Joe not alert up until that moment?
.
......................................................................................................……………………………………………………………………………………………….[1]
If students were to simply lift from the passage, their answers might go along the line of 'He was thinking about the times when he used to do this with his father'.
However, the answer needs to be more specific and explain what 'this' refers to. Therefore, the correct answer would be, 'He was thinking about the times when he was sailing with his father.'
5. Failing to Proofread Your Response
Before submitting your response, proofread it for spelling and grammar errors. A response that contains errors may distract from the content of your answer and can impact the overall quality of your response.
Narrative comprehension is a crucial skill for Secondary school students to develop. By avoiding these common mistakes and implementing the above strategies, students can improve the quality of their responses and demonstrate their understanding of the text. With dedication and practice, students can overcome these challenges and succeed in their English studies.
The Secondary English classes offered by AGrader Learning Centre employ a systematic approach to writing and developing comprehension by breaking it down into distinct components and assisting your child in building their comprehension and writing abilities.
Learn more about the Secondary English class here.
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