How to improve reading comprehension
Strategies for reading passages and answering comprehension questions with evidence from the text.
For: Learners · Written by the Entle Squared team. General study advice, not official CAPS guidance — check your school's exam scope.
Read the questions first
A quick look at the questions tells you what to look for while you read the passage.
Read the passage twice
Read once for the general idea, then again carefully, underlining key words, names and events.
Answer from the text
Support answers with words or details from the passage. For 'quote' questions, copy the exact words in quotation marks.
Watch the marks
A two-mark question usually needs two points. Match the length of your answer to the marks.
Read every day
Regular reading of books, newspapers or articles in the language you're studying builds vocabulary and speed over time.