Understanding the Comprehension Question

Besides the need to understand the passage, you need to also to comprehend the question.

A lot of my students know where the answer is but if you are not answering the question, a strict marker would penalise you and could deny you marks.

Here’s a bonus tip to you. Very often, for question 10, the examiner likes to ask about “change.”
– how did the author’s attitude towards Mary change?
– In what way had Brian’s feelings towards the skunk changed by the end of the story?
-How had the writer’s feelings towards swimming changed at the end of the passage?

Don’t just tell me: He liked Mary in the end. He enjoyed the skunk’s company or the writer hated swimming at the end.

The KEY is WHAT IS THE CHANGE?

Show me how it has changed!

-The author hated Mary at first but grew to love her in the end.
-Brian was fearful of the skunk at first but started to enjoy its company in the end.
-The writer initially loved swimming but hated the exercise at the end of the passage.