Reading comprehension is more than just understanding what words mean—it’s about grasping deeper meaning, analysing the writer’s intent, and responding with insight. For students preparing for exams, knowing how to improve reading comprehension is crucial to performing well.
This article breaks down 5 proven strategies to help you read smarter, think critically, and answer questions more effectively. With regular practice and the right techniques, you’ll build confidence and clarity in every reading task. Let’s explore how to improve reading comprehension step by step.
1. Do Question Analysis Before Starting
Before diving into the passage, take time to read through all the questions carefully. This isn’t about getting ahead—it’s about getting clear.
At DO Applied Learning, we teach students to master the method by identifying exactly what the question is asking. Is it looking for a direct quote? A paraphrased response? Or does it require you to infer something beyond the text?
Look out for key words in the question such as:
- “from paragraph…” (literal)
- “in your own words” (paraphrasing)
- “suggest” or “imply” (inference)
- “explain how” or “language used” (writer’s craft)
Understanding the level of the question—Level 1 (Literal), Level 2 (Paraphrasing), Level 3 (Inference), or Level 4 (Writer’s Craft)—helps students decide how much they need to quote, rephrase or explain. It also sets the tone for how they’ll read the passage.
This step ensures you’re not just reading blindly. You’re reading with purpose—ready to nail the answer the moment you spot it in the text.
2. Skim And Scan For Key Information
Once you’ve done your question analysis, it’s time to approach the passage strategically. At DO Applied Learning, we help students nail the answer by training them to skim for structure and scan for specifics—two essential skills that prevent aimless reading and save precious exam time.
Skim The Passage First (Get The Big Picture)
Start by skimming the entire passage quickly—you’re not reading every word but rather getting a sense of the overall topic, tone and structure. Ask yourself:
- What is this passage about?
- How is the writer developing the content—chronologically, descriptively, or through contrast?
- What emotions or perspectives are being conveyed?
This initial read takes just 1 to 2 minutes, but it builds a mental map of the text, which will help you locate answers later without rereading everything.
Scan For Key Information (Find The Answer Fast)
Now that you know what the questions are looking for and have a rough idea of the passage, begin scanning—a more targeted read where your eyes move quickly across the text looking for keywords, names, numbers, dialogue or sentence starters related to the question prompts.
For example:
- If the question says “From paragraph 4, what does the writer suggest about the boy’s actions?”, go straight to paragraph 4.
- Circle or underline phrases that seem emotionally loaded, metaphorical, or descriptive—these often hide clues for inference or language analysis questions.
Pro Tip From Our Classroom
We tell our secondary students: Always scan with a purpose. If you’re answering a vocabulary question, you should be hunting for words that stand out. If you’re dealing with inference, pay close attention to tone, attitude, or what’s not said directly.
Skimming and scanning are not guesswork—they are strategic reading tools that form the core of how we help students master the method and score consistently, even under time pressure.
3. Summarise Paragraphs In Your Own Words To Test For Understanding
At this stage, you’ve already analysed the questions and identified the relevant sections through skimming and scanning.
Now it’s time to pause and check your understanding by putting the key ideas into your own words. This step helps move beyond surface-level reading and prepares you to tackle paraphrasing, inference, and hybrid questions confidently.
Why Summarising Matters
Many students make the mistake of copying chunks of text as answers without really understanding what they mean. This often leads to partial marks or answers that don’t fully address the question.
By rephrasing the content in your own words, you’re actively processing what the passage is trying to communicate. It helps you:
- Confirm that you’ve really understood the point
- Prepare for “In Your Own Words” questions (Level 2)
- Spot deeper meaning or hidden attitudes for inference questions (Level 3)
How To Summarise Effectively
As you read each paragraph—or at least the ones tied to the questions—pause and ask yourself:
- “What is the main idea here?”
- “How would I explain this to a friend in plain English?”
- “Which keywords should I change if I’m paraphrasing?”
Then, try rewriting the core idea in one or two clear sentences, using your own vocabulary while keeping the original meaning.
For example:
Original Text: “He remained silent, his face tight with the effort of holding back the wave of frustration.”
Your Summary: “He tried very hard to hide his frustration and stayed quiet.”
This skill is especially important for paraphrasing questions, where copying keywords won’t get you the mark. At DO Applied Learning, we train students to change all common nouns, verbs, adjectives, and adverbs when rephrasing, so their answers are clearly understood and exam-ready.
Class Strategy: “Say It Like You Mean It”
We tell our students: If you can’t explain it in your own words, you haven’t fully understood it. Use this step as a checkpoint—if a paragraph feels confusing, summarising it forces you to slow down and clarify your thinking.
Doing this builds stronger mental connections and helps you stay engaged with the passage, especially in longer or more abstract texts often seen in upper secondary comprehension papers.
4. Expand Vocabulary In Context
Once you’ve mastered question analysis, skimming and scanning, and summarising for understanding, it’s time to bring in a critical exam skill: time management. No matter how strong your comprehension skills are, poor time discipline can lead to rushed responses, incomplete answers, or entire sections left blank.
This step is about helping you build exam stamina and develop a pacing strategy that ensures every question gets the attention it deserves.
Why Timing Matters
The O-Level English comprehension paper is designed to test more than just understanding — it also examines how well you can think and respond under pressure. Many students run into trouble not because they don’t know the answer, but because:
- They spent too long on one tricky question
- They didn’t leave enough time for summary or inference-based responses
- They misjudged how long each section would take
The solution? Practise timing before the real exam, so you’re prepared to tackle all question types confidently, from Level 1 to Level 4.
How To Practise With Timing
At DO Applied Learning, we recommend this approach to build your internal clock:
Step-by-Step Timing Strategy:
- Set aside a full comprehension passage from past-year papers or mock tests.
- Set a timer for each segment:
- 5–7 minutes to read and annotate the passage using skimming/scanning.
- 10–15 minutes for Level 1 & 2 questions (literal, vocabulary, paraphrasing).
- 10 minutes for Level 3 & 4 questions (inference, writer’s craft, hybrid).
- 8–10 minutes for the summary or extended response (usually the last question).
- 5–7 minutes to read and annotate the passage using skimming/scanning.
- If you get stuck, skip and return later—it’s better to secure marks where you can first.
- After finishing, check how close you were to the actual exam time limit.
This kind of timed practice trains your brain to work efficiently and strategically, and helps you build the stamina needed to stay sharp all the way through the comprehension section.
Bonus Tip: Use “Mini Mock” Sessions
One method we teach is the “Mini Mock” — doing just one passage under real exam conditions (no distractions, fixed time, pen-and-paper). You can do this once or twice a week. Over time, you’ll learn:
- Which question types slow you down
- Where you tend to overthink
- How to quickly move from reading to writing with confidence
5. Summarise Paragraphs In Your Own Words
Once you’ve completed a comprehension passage — especially under timed conditions — your learning shouldn’t stop there. In fact, real progress happens after the practice, when you take time to review what you got right, what went wrong, and why.
At DO Applied Learning, we emphasise this final step because it builds metacognition — the ability to think about your own thinking. This skill is what transforms a good student into a confident, exam-ready one.
What Does It Mean To Review?
Reviewing isn’t just checking your marks. It means going back through your responses and asking:
- Did I misread the question?
- Did I cite the correct evidence from the text?
- Was my paraphrasing accurate and complete?
- Did I miss out on explaining how language created an effect?
By retracing your steps, you’re not just spotting mistakes — you’re training your brain to avoid making them again.
How To Reflect Effectively
Here’s how we coach students at DO Applied Learning to make their reviews count:
Step-by-Step Reflection Strategy:
- Compare your answers to the answer key or model answer.
- If your answer is wrong or incomplete, ask yourself: Was it because of content misunderstanding, poor time management, or careless reading?
- If your answer is wrong or incomplete, ask yourself: Was it because of content misunderstanding, poor time management, or careless reading?
- Highlight where you lost marks.
- Use symbols like “X” for wrong inference, “?” for unclear language, or “//” for missing explanation.
- Use symbols like “X” for wrong inference, “?” for unclear language, or “//” for missing explanation.
- Annotate your mistakes.
- Write next to your answer what you should have done instead. For example: “Should have cited a metaphor before explaining.”
- Write next to your answer what you should have done instead. For example: “Should have cited a metaphor before explaining.”
- Track patterns.
- If you notice repeated struggles with Level 3 inference questions or paraphrasing, it’s time to revisit those strategies in earlier steps.
- If you notice repeated struggles with Level 3 inference questions or paraphrasing, it’s time to revisit those strategies in earlier steps.
- Re-attempt your wrong answers.
- Rewrite them after reflection to reinforce the correct approach — not just memorise it, but understand it.
Make It A Habit
This step is most powerful when it becomes routine. At DO Applied Learning, we teach students to keep a Reflection Log, where they record:
- Types of questions they often get wrong
- Common traps or careless habits
- Progress they’ve made from one week to the next
These logs don’t just help you improve your grades — they help build self-awareness, resilience, and the kind of confidence that lasts beyond the classroom.
Conclusion About Improving Reading Comprehension Skills
Improving reading comprehension isn’t about rote memorisation or last-minute cramming. It’s about developing the ability to read with purpose, think critically, and respond with precision.
With the 15 targeted strategies we’ve explored, your child now has a roadmap to approach comprehension tasks with more clarity and confidence.
But let’s be honest — guidance matters. Knowing what to do is only half the battle. Having someone experienced to show you how to apply these techniques step by step can make all the difference, especially when your child’s future is on the line.
That’s where DO Applied Learning by Epoch Talent Academy comes in. We are Singapore’s ONLY English education programme that operates on a Pay-Only-If-Your-Child-Improves basis.
That means zero deposits, zero admin fees, and zero penalty if you ever feel it’s not working out — because we believe the results should speak for themselves.
We don’t just coach for English exams. We equip students with lifelong thinking skills through our Pentagon Values System — a framework that supports not just academic success, but personal growth and future-readiness.
So, if you’re a parent looking for the top English classes in Singapore for kids, now’s the time to take action. Give your child the gift of real progress — the kind that sticks long after the exam papers are gone.
And if your child is preparing for PSLE or upper primary writing exams, don’t miss our WRITING GENIUS Primary 5/6 PSLE Writing Genius programme — built around Teacher Daniel’s “1 Main Idea to Write 1000+ Compositions” approach.
This proven method guides students to consistently craft strong, score-worthy compositions for Paper 1 Continuous Writing.
Contact us now because at the end of the day, success in English isn’t just about learning the language — it’s about mastering how to use it meaningfully, now and in the future.
Frequently Asked Questions About Improving Reading Comprehension Skills
Is Rereading A Text A Good Strategy For Better Understanding?
Yes, rereading allows students to catch details they may have missed the first time. It reinforces understanding, especially for dense or complex passages, and can improve recall and confidence.
Can Improving Spelling And Grammar Help With Reading Comprehension?
Absolutely. When students recognise words easily and understand sentence structure, they can focus more on meaning rather than decoding, leading to smoother and deeper comprehension.
Do Children With Strong Oral Language Skills Have Better Reading Comprehension?
Yes, strong oral language often translates into better vocabulary, sentence construction, and inference skills—key components of effective reading comprehension.
Is Reading Comprehension Important Across All Subjects?
Definitely. Whether it’s solving word problems in Maths or interpreting texts in Science and History, reading comprehension underpins success in every academic subject.
Can Digital Tools And Apps Help Improve Reading Comprehension Skills?
Yes, well-designed apps offer interactive texts, quizzes, and vocabulary support that adapt to a child’s level, making comprehension practice engaging and effective.
