Understanding Reading Comprehension

Reading comprehension means understanding what you read. It’s important because it helps you learn new things and enjoy stories better. When you read, you should think about what the words mean and what the story is telling you.

Key Rules for Reading Comprehension

  1. Read Carefully: Take your time to read the text.
  2. Look for Clues: Pay attention to words that help you understand the main idea.
  3. Ask Questions: Think about who, what, when, where, why, and how.
  4. Summarise: After reading, try to say what you remember in your own words.
  5. Visualise: Picture what is happening in your mind.

Tips and Tricks

  • Highlight Important Information: If you can, underline or highlight key parts of the text.
  • Make Connections: Think about how the story connects to your own life or other stories you know.
  • Discuss: Talk about what you read with a friend or family member.

Story: The Adventure of Sammy the Squirrel

Once upon a time, in a big green forest, there lived a little squirrel named Sammy. Sammy was not like other squirrels; he loved to explore! One sunny morning, Sammy decided to go on an adventure. He packed a small bag with acorns and set off.

As he hopped along, he met his best friend, Bella the Bunny. “Where are you going, Sammy?” Bella asked, her ears perked up with curiosity. “I’m going to find the tallest tree in the forest!” Sammy replied excitedly.

“Can I come with you?” Bella asked. “Of course!” Sammy said, and off they went together. They climbed over rocks, jumped across streams, and laughed all the way. Soon, they reached a giant oak tree that touched the sky!

“Wow! This is the tallest tree ever!” Bella exclaimed. Sammy looked up and smiled. “Let’s climb to the top!” With that, they started to climb. Sammy was quick and nimble, while Bella took her time, making sure to hold on tight.

When they finally reached the top, the view was amazing! They could see the whole forest, with its sparkling rivers and colourful flowers. “This is the best adventure ever!” Sammy cheered. Bella nodded happily as they both took a moment to enjoy the beauty around them.

After a while, they decided to head back home. As they walked, Sammy realised that exploring was fun, but sharing the adventure with a friend made it even better.

And from that day on, Sammy and Bella went on many more adventures together, exploring every corner of their beautiful forest.

Questions to Check Understanding

  1. What did Sammy the Squirrel love to do?
  2. Who was Sammy’s best friend?
  3. What did Sammy pack in his bag?
  4. What did Sammy and Bella climb to see?
  5. How did Sammy feel when he reached the top of the tree?
  6. What did Bella think about the view at the top?
  7. What did they do after they enjoyed the view?
  8. What lesson did Sammy learn from his adventure?
  9. Why is it fun to explore with a friend?
  10. Can you name one thing Sammy and Bella saw on their adventure?

Questions to Check Vocabulary

  1. What does ‘explore’ mean?
  2. What does ‘adventure’ mean?
  3. What is a ‘squirrel’?
  4. What does ‘curiosity’ mean?
  5. What does ‘climb’ mean?
  6. What does ‘gigantic’ mean?
  7. What is a ‘view’?
  8. What does ‘forest’ mean?
  9. What is an ‘oak tree’?
  10. What does ‘sparkling’ mean?

Questions to Check Grammar

  1. Who is the main character in the story?
  2. Write a sentence about how Sammy feels.
  3. What did Bella ask Sammy?
  4. Rewrite this sentence: “Sammy and Bella went on an adventure.”
  5. What did Sammy pack? Use a complete sentence.
  6. How did Sammy and Bella get to the top of the tree?
  7. Change this sentence to past tense: “Sammy loves to explore.”
  8. What is the subject of this sentence: “Bella was happy”?
  9. Write two sentences about what Sammy and Bella did.
  10. How would you change “They are climbing” to past tense?

Questions to Check Punctuation

  1. How do we show a question in writing?
  2. Where does the full stop go in a sentence?
  3. Write a sentence with an exclamation mark.
  4. What punctuation do we use for a list?
  5. Can you use commas in a sentence? Give an example.
  6. Write a question about the story.
  7. Where do we put quotation marks in dialogue?
  8. Write a sentence that uses a capital letter.
  9. How many sentences in the story begin with a capital letter?
  10. What punctuation do we use to show excitement?

Answers and Explanations

Answers to Understanding Questions

  1. Sammy loved to explore.
  2. Bella the Bunny.
  3. Acorns.
  4. The tallest tree.
  5. He felt amazed and happy.
  6. Bella thought it was amazing.
  7. They walked back home.
  8. Sharing adventures is fun.
  9. Because you have someone to share the fun with.
  10. They saw rivers and flowers.

Answers to Vocabulary Questions

  1. To look around and discover new things.
  2. An exciting journey.
  3. A small animal with a bushy tail.
  4. A strong desire to know more.
  5. To go up something.
  6. Very large.
  7. What you can see from a place.
  8. A place with many trees.
  9. A type of tree.
  10. Shining or glittering.

Answers to Grammar Questions

  1. Sammy the Squirrel.
  2. Sammy feels excited.
  3. Bella asked, “Where are you going, Sammy?”
  4. Sammy and Bella went on an adventure.
  5. Sammy packed acorns.
  6. They climbed the tree.
  7. Sammy loved to explore.
  8. The subject is Bella.
  9. Sammy jumped and Bella ran.
  10. “They were climbing.”

Answers to Punctuation Questions

  1. We use a question mark.
  2. At the end of a sentence.
  3. “This is amazing!”
  4. We use commas.
  5. Yes, for example, “I like apples, oranges, and bananas.”
  6. “Where are you going, Sammy?”
  7. Before and after the spoken words.
  8. At the beginning of a sentence.
  9. All sentences begin with a capital letter.
  10. We use an exclamation mark to show excitement.

With this guide, I hope you understand reading comprehension much better! Happy reading!