Approaching Comprehension Questions As
1. When approaching your Leaving Certificate Question A comprehension question, it is important to consider that you usually encounter each of these types of text. a. Discursive/informative
b. Narrative/aesthetic
c. Visual
2. In general you can expect:
a. A piece from literature
b. A piece about literature/being an author/free speech (this is a popular question)
c. A blend of visual and written text (in recent years the visual element has expanded and visuals are playing a bigger part)
d. A speech or article based on the theme of the paper
The Questions:
1. In the Question A part of your paper, you will have three separate questions that you must answer.
a. Question A part (i) - worth 15 marks
b. Question A part (ii) - worth 15 marks
c. Question A part (iii) - worth 20 marks
2. Part (i) - Basic Comprehension
a. In this question, you will be asked to demonstrate your basic comprehension skills. You may be asked to summarise and present, in your own words, the main argument or point that the author is making.
b. Eg: ‘Outline in your own words, the insight the writer shares about..’ c. Eg: ‘Based on your reading of Text 1, what do you learn about..’
d. Unless the question states differently, you should generally include three different points in your answer.
3. Tips:
a. You need to make your point in order to directly answer the question. b. Develop your point by explaining it in more detail, or in your own words. c. Support your point by using a quote or evidence from the text.
d. Comment on the evidence and explain why it supports your point.
i. Look at the beginning, middle and end of the text when selecting a point.
ii. You should pick one point from each of those sections - this will ensure that you do not repeat yourself.
iii. Check that every point you are making directly responds to the question.
iv. Use your own words as much as possible.
v. Keep quotes short, relevant and useful. Make sure that the quotes you are using support your point. You will not get marks for simply coping from the texts.
vi. Use linking words and phrases between paragraphs ‘The writer also..’, ‘In this paragraph we also see..’ ‘Finally, X discusses..’.
Question (ii)
1. This question will generally focus on your own personal response to an aspect of the written text.
a. It is important to focus on the quality of your explanation.
b. You do not need to worry about whether your feelings or opinions are right or wrong, but how you are expressing those opinions.
2. Tips:
a. Provide reasons for your opinion (use the text, if you are a visual learner, try to use the visual that is provided in the text)
b. Use verbs such as ‘suggest’, ‘evoke’, ‘capture’.
c. Refer to your own emotions or personal experiences and tell the examiner how the text made you feel and the impact that it had on you as a reader.
d. Try and find commonalities between yourself and the text.
Question (iii)
1. The third question is generally the style question. This may not always be the case so make sure to check the paper carefully before you answer.
2. You need to approach this question with a clear list in your head.
a. Type: What type of text are you dealing with? Which of the five genres of language is it using? Is it a persuasive text? Is it using the language of information? Is the text a narrative text - is it telling a story?
b. Features: What are the features of this genre of language?
i. Narration = characters, plot, storyline, setting
ii. Persuasion = rhetorical questions, repetition, anecdotes, audience engagement
iii. Aesthetic = emphasis on how something is said, not what it is saying, emphasis on vocabulary and descriptions
c. Visual: Does the text have a visual component? What does this visual add to the text? Does it relate to the text? Designs, colours etc?
How to recognise the Style Question:
1. If you are being asked a question on style, the question will usually begin with one of the following:
- How does the writer convey?
- How does the writer give us a clear impression of?
- Do you agree that this extract is skillfully written?
- Do you agree that the speaker is both engaging and inspiring in his address to? - Do you agree that elements of narrative and aesthetic language are used effectively to engage the reader?