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Keyword Reading

What Is Keyword Reading?

Keyword reading means finding the words and phrases that help you answer a question.

Read the question first. If there are answer choices, read those too. Use them to decide what information to look for in the text.

For example, “When must employees return their cards?” tells you to look for when the action must happen. Words such as immediately, before Friday or by 4:00 p.m. could provide the answer.

The keywords will not always be highlighted. You will practise finding them yourself and reading the surrounding sentence to check their meaning.

Keyword Reading: Instructions

How to Complete Each Exercise

1. Read the questions first.

Decide what information you need to find:

Who? Look for a person or group.

What? Look for an action, thing or situation.

When? Look for a time, date or words such as before and after.

Where? Look for a place.

Why? Look for a reason.

How? Look for a method or explanation.

If the question gives you answer choices, read them too. Notice what is different between them. These differences help you decide what to check in the text.

2. Read the text and find the information you need.

Read the whole text to understand the main message.

Return to the parts that answer each question.

Underline or highlight the words that help you answer. Some exercises already have highlighted words; others ask you to find them yourself.

3. Complete the word tables.

Keep the answer key covered.

Identify the nouns, verbs, adjectives or adverbs requested in the exercise.

Copy the words into the correct tables.

4. Record new vocabulary.

Write unfamiliar words or phrases in New Vocabulary.

Use the surrounding words to help you guess the meaning.

Check the meaning in a dictionary and write a short explanation.

5. Answer the questions.

Use information from the text.

Write short answers. You do not need full sentences.

Check that each answer gives the information the question asks for.

6. Check your work.

Uncover the answer key and compare it with your answers.

Different wording is acceptable if the meaning is the same.

For each correction, return to the text and find the words that support the answer.