English Comprehension Tips: How to Score Well in Passages

Comprehension looks easy: read a passage, answer questions. Yet it is where many candidates lose marks, especially in objective papers where options are written to tempt you. The skill is not memory; it is careful reading and matching answers to evidence in the text. That can be trained.

This guide applies to the comprehension sections you will meet in WAEC, NECO, NABTEB and JAMB English. Always check the current format for your exam on the official body's website, since the number of passages and question styles can vary.

What comprehension questions test

Knowing the type helps you decide where to look.

Step 1: Preview before reading

Spend about 20 seconds on the questions and the title. Note what you will need to find: names, reasons, a word to define. This is not about memorising questions, but about giving your reading a purpose.

Step 2: Read the passage once, actively

• Read at a steady pace. Do not stop at every difficult word.
• Mark (mentally or with a light tick on paper copies) the topic sentence of each paragraph. Most paragraphs have a main idea near the start or end.
• Notice signal words that show relationships: "however", "although", "because", "therefore", "in contrast". They show how ideas connect.
• Notice the writer's tone: serious, humorous, critical, hopeful, sarcastic.

On a computer-based paper, you cannot underline on the screen. Make brief notes on rough paper: paragraph number and a five-word summary.

Step 3: Answer with evidence

For each question:

1. Read the question stem fully, including words like NOT, EXCEPT and BEST.
2. Return to the relevant part of the passage, using paragraph or line references if given.
3. Predict the answer in your own words before looking at the options.
4. Match to the options and eliminate those that are wrong.

An option can be true in real life but wrong for the passage. Always choose what the passage supports.

Common traps in objective options

Handling vocabulary questions

Never choose a word's meaning from memory alone. The same word can mean different things in different contexts.

1. Go to the sentence. Replace the word with each option.
2. Check which one fits the grammar and sense.
3. Check the surrounding sentences for clues: contrast words like "but" often show opposite meanings; examples after a colon often explain the word.
4. Use word parts: "un-" often means "not", "-less" means "without", "bene-" relates to good.

Build vocabulary over time. Keep a list of new words with sentences, and revisit them. Our lexis and structure tips go deeper.

Handling inference questions

Inference means a reasonable conclusion based on clues. If a passage says, "Ngozi checked her watch for the fourth time and sighed," a fair inference is that she was impatient or anxious, not that she was angry at her sister (which the passage never mentions).

Rules:

• The answer must be supported by the text.
• Do not bring in outside knowledge or personal opinions.
• Avoid options that go far beyond what is written.

Handling main idea questions

The main idea covers the whole passage, not just one detail. Check each option: does it cover most paragraphs? If an option covers only one paragraph, it is probably too narrow. If it says much more than the passage, it is too broad. For a title, choose the one that captures the topic and the writer's angle.

Handling tone and attitude

Look at the word choice. Strong words such as "disastrous" and "ridiculous" signal criticism. Words like "promising" and "welcome" suggest approval. Humour, sarcasm and irony often rely on contrast between what is said and what is meant. Consider the writer's purpose: to inform, persuade, entertain or warn.

Time management

Use the exam's time and number of questions to set a plan. As an illustration only, if you have 15 minutes for a passage with 10 questions, you might spend 4 minutes reading and 1 minute per question. If a question takes too long, mark it and return.

For a screen-based exam, read our CBT exam tips on pacing and navigation.

A short practice routine

Reading for pleasure helps too: short stories, magazines, and quality news. If you read on a phone, treat it as practice, not scrolling; stay on one article until the end.

Comprehension and the other English skills

Comprehension feeds into the rest of your English paper. It improves your vocabulary and your sense of tone, which supports essays and summaries. See summary writing tips for how to condense a passage, and WAEC essay writing tips for your writing. For an overview of the whole subject, read how to pass JAMB English.

Mistakes to avoid

• Answering from memory of the passage rather than checking
• Spending too long on one hard question
• Choosing an option because it sounds clever
• Ignoring paragraph or line references
• Leaving questions blank

Practise with real-style passages

The best way to improve is to practise often and review thoroughly. ExamPadi's JAMB English practice lets you try questions by topic and see explanations, free to start. There are 46,182 questions across JAMB, WAEC, NECO and NABTEB. After each set, write why each wrong option was wrong, and your accuracy will rise.