How to increase your score in reading comprehension?

Reading comprehension is an important component of many exams, from school exams to high-level competitive exams. In UGC exams, the weightage of this section varies but it remains important. Each question in Reading Comprehension carries 1 mark and there is no negative marking for wrong answers. Therefore, this is an essential area to focus on, as it can greatly impact your overall score. In this article, we will discuss in detail strategies to increase scores in reading comprehension.

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What is reading comprehension?

Reading comprehension is simply the act of reading a paragraph and understanding its meaning together. It is an active part of reading and something happens before, during and after reading. Reading comprehension has two components: text comprehension and vocabulary knowledge. Reading comprehension tests our comprehension power, understanding power, vocabulary level and decision making power.

Reading comprehension is one of the most common topics in every competitive exam. Candidates will have to answer comprehension paragraphs in the exam. Scoring good marks in Comprehension will depend on your analytical ability as it is one of the difficult subjects in UGC NET exam.

Tips to Increase Score in Reading Comprehension

Most of the students want to get high marks in the examination, for this reading comprehension is the best subject to get full marks in any examination. This means that while reading comprehension provides great benefits, on the other hand it also costs a lot of time and energy. Most of the time you come across a paragraph which you have never read, in such a situation you should follow some methods to score full marks in your RC section. Here are the following suggestions:

Build your background knowledge: Background knowledge refers to information you already know about a topic. The more background knowledge you have, the easier it will be to understand and remember new information. Read widely to increase your background knowledge and make connections between different topics. Watch documentaries, listen to podcasts, and attend lectures or workshops to learn about new topics. Make a habit of reading newspapers and magazines to stay updated with current events.
Practice Time Management: Time management is important for success in any reading comprehension test or assignment. Practice setting a timer and completing the practice excerpt within the allotted time. Develop a strategy for reading the passage, answering the questions, and checking your work within the time limit. Keep track of how much time you spend on each question, and skip difficult questions if necessary to make sure you have enough time to answer all the questions.
Focus on active reading: When you read, try to actively engage with the content. This means taking notes, highlighting important points, and creating a summary of what you have read. Use a dictionary to look up unfamiliar words and try to determine their meaning based on the context of the sentence. Create flashcards or use online tools to practice remembering definitions, synonyms, and antonyms.
Use context clues: Context clues are hints or clues within a sentence or paragraph that can help you determine the meaning of an unfamiliar word. Look for nearby words or phrases that provide information about the meaning of the word. Pay attention to prefixes, suffixes, and root words, as these can provide clues about a word’s meaning.
Practice with Sample Papers: Take practice tests or sample papers to know what type of questions you can expect in the NET exam. This will help you become more familiar with the format and increase your confidence.
Analyze your mistakes: If you make mistakes on practice tests or sample papers, take time to analyze them. Find out where you went wrong and what you can do to improve.
Take a break: Taking regular breaks will help keep you focused and avoid burnout. Make sure to take short breaks every hour or so to stretch, move around, and refresh.
Use pointers and avoid re-reading: This is one of the most common mistakes made by candidates. If you are reading a paragraph and escape a word, it will disrupt the reading pace and mean that you will have to read that line again. In this kind of situation you can waste 2-3 minutes. To avoid this, you can use pen or pencil or finger as a pointer.

increasing reading comprehension scores

To increase your reading comprehension score, focus on actively reading by asking questions and guessing at the material before moving on. Read the passage briefly at first to understand its structure and main ideas. While reading, identify the central theme and underline key details, and interpret the text by summarizing paragraphs and writing questions.

Develop your vocabulary and practice regularly with different texts. Simulate timed test conditions for speed and accuracy. Review your mistakes and learn from them, consider joining study groups, and use practice resources. Find a distraction-free study environment, take short breaks for complex passages and stay calm under exam pressure. Finally, maintain your overall health for optimal cognitive function.

Therefore, increasing your score in reading comprehension requires practice and dedication. By practicing active reading, building your vocabulary and background knowledge, using context clues, and practicing time management, you can improve your reading comprehension skills and achieve success in your academic and professional pursuits Are.