Reading comprehension for Use of English

Use of English is compulsory in the UTME, and comprehension passages are a large part of it. Many candidates find them time-consuming and unpredictable. Comprehension depends on two things: the language knowledge a reader brings, especially vocabulary, and the strategies used while reading. Both can be developed. This article explains what research says about reading and offers a practical approach.

Vocabulary is the foundation

Readers need to know the great majority of words in a text to understand it comfortably. Research by Nation estimated that reading a range of authentic English texts requires a vocabulary of several thousand word families. The practical implication is that comprehension improves most through sustained reading over months, which builds vocabulary in context, rather than through last-minute tricks.

A step-by-step approach to a passage

• Skim the questions first to know what to look for.
• Read the passage once for the main idea and the writer's purpose.
• For each question, find the exact sentence that supports your answer.
• Eliminate options that are true in general but not stated in the passage.
• For vocabulary questions, substitute each option into the sentence and test the meaning.

Active reading habits

Long-standing study methods such as Robinson's SQ3R (survey, question, read, recite, review) share a principle: understanding improves when the reader actively asks and answers questions instead of passively running eyes over the text. For daily practice, students can read a newspaper editorial or an article, summarise it in two sentences, note unfamiliar words with their meaning in context, and explain the writer's attitude.

Managing time

Comprehension passages can consume too much time if a student reads every word slowly several times. Practising with a timer, and learning to locate answers quickly by scanning for key words and their synonyms, keeps the rest of the paper safe. Students should also practise the other sections of Use of English, such as lexis and structure and oral forms, which reward regular drilling.

Building vocabulary deliberately

Alongside wide reading, a small amount of deliberate vocabulary study helps. When a student meets an unfamiliar word, they can note it with the sentence in which it appeared, guess its meaning from context, check a dictionary and review the list regularly. Learning common prefixes, suffixes and Latin and Greek roots, such as bene-, mal-, -logy and -cide, helps students work out new words in the examination.

Synonyms and antonyms appear frequently in Use of English. Grouping words by meaning, for example words for anger, kindness or speed, makes them easier to remember than an alphabetical list.

Reading as a lifelong skill

Strong reading comprehension serves far beyond the UTME: in every university course, in professional life and in understanding religious texts and translations. A student who builds a daily reading habit during exam preparation gains a skill that keeps paying back for decades.