Comprehension notes

MDCAT English

Comprehension tests the ability to understand passages, complete sentences logically, identify grammatical errors, and interpret vocabulary and figurative language. Success depends on reading context carefully, checking grammar and meaning, and selecting the option that best fits the complete sentence or passage.

Passage Reading and General Comprehension

A passage is a connected piece of writing that presents information, opinions, events, or arguments. Read the passage once for its general meaning and again to locate the details needed for a question.

Do not select an answer only because it contains words copied from the passage. The correct answer must agree with the complete meaning of the text. Pay attention to the title, opening sentence, concluding sentence, repeated ideas, and contrast words such as but, however, although, and yet.

The main idea is the central point that controls the whole passage.
A supporting detail explains, proves, or illustrates the main idea.
The purpose of a passage may be to inform, explain, describe, compare, argue, or entertain.
A factual question can usually be answered directly from a stated detail.
An inference is a conclusion drawn from information that is suggested rather than directly stated.
The best summary includes the central idea and important supporting points, not minor examples.
Read the question before returning to the passage so that you know which information to locate.

Finding Meaning, Reference, and Purpose

Comprehension questions may ask about the meaning of a word, the reference of a pronoun, the reason for an example, or the purpose of a sentence. The surrounding sentences usually provide clues. Replace a difficult word with each option and check which meaning fits the context.

A sentence may clarify an earlier statement by explaining it in simpler or more specific words. It may also provide evidence, introduce a contrast, give an example, or state a conclusion.

Words such as he, she, it, they, this, and these usually refer to a noun mentioned earlier.
A pronoun reference must agree with its noun in number and gender where applicable.
A question asking why an example is included usually tests the function of that example, such as explanation, evidence, or illustration.
Clarification makes an earlier statement clearer or more precise.
A conclusion often follows signals such as therefore, thus, hence, and in conclusion.
In a passage about Asia, the idea of political and cultural independence may be the point when the writer discusses resistance to Western imperialism.
In a passage about pizza, details about crust, toppings, and baking explain a process rather than present a historical argument.

Vocabulary in Context

Vocabulary questions test meanings, opposites, and the use of a word in a sentence. Learn the meaning of a word, but also observe its tone and grammatical form. A word may have a different meaning in another context.

Context clues include definitions, examples, contrasts, causes, and the general mood of the sentence. For example, a person who answers with disarming candor speaks with an openness that removes suspicion or hostility.

Laud means to praise or approve publicly.
Quiver means to tremble or shake slightly.
A catacomb is an underground burial place or crypt.
Derisive means mocking or expressing ridicule. Its opposite is earnest, serious, or sincere.
Dainty means delicate, small, or finely made. Delicate is a close meaning, but the exact opposite depends on context.
Gregarious means fond of the company of others or sociable.
Candor means honesty and openness in speech.
Disarming means having an effect that removes suspicion, anger, or hostility.
Avarice means extreme greed for wealth, while covetous means strongly desiring something that belongs to another.

Sentence Completion and Contextual Choice

In sentence completion, first identify the required part of speech and then check the meaning. A verb must agree with its subject and tense. A noun must fit the number and meaning. An adjective or adverb must describe the correct word.

Read the entire sentence after inserting an option. The answer should be grammatically correct, logically suitable, and natural in English. Collocations are combinations of words that commonly occur together, such as deliver on a promise and be located next to a building.

The correct completion is: Your performance exceeded our expectations. Exceeded means went beyond.
The correct completion is: We lost confidence in him because he never delivered on the grandiose promises he had made.
The correct completion is: The bookshop is located next to the town hall.
The correct completion is: Ozone in the Earth's atmosphere protects living organisms from damaging ultraviolet radiation.
The correct completion is: There are a few glasses of orange juice on the table.
A few means some and is used with plural countable nouns, such as glasses.
The correct completion is: Nelson is a bully. He is mean to people and makes them feel bad.
The correct completion is: There are eleven players in a football team.
A suitable completion is: The overly covetous title character was the embodiment of avarice.

Articles, Quantifiers, and Common Word Groups

Articles and quantifiers show whether a noun is general, specific, singular, plural, countable, or uncountable. The choice between a few and a little is based on the type of noun.

Some words form fixed or usual combinations. Learning these combinations helps in both sentence completion and error detection.

A few is used with plural countable nouns: a few glasses, a few books, and a few students.
A little is used with uncountable nouns: a little water, a little juice, and a little time.
Few means not many and often gives a negative idea. A few means some and usually gives a more positive idea.
The usual expression is deliver on a promise, meaning to do what was promised.
The usual expression is located next to, near, or beside a place.
A team is a group of players who play together.
A bully is a person who repeatedly frightens, hurts, or mistreats weaker people.
Covetous is an adjective, while avarice is a noun.

Error Detection: Subject and Verb Agreement

The subject and verb must agree in number. A singular subject takes a singular verb, while a plural subject takes a plural verb. Some nouns look plural or refer to groups but take a singular verb in standard usage.

When a sentence contains phrases between the subject and verb, ignore those phrases temporarily and identify the real subject. This prevents errors caused by a nearby plural noun.

The correct sentence is: The scenery of Naran is very beautiful.
Scenery is an uncountable singular noun, so it takes is, not are.
Neither is normally treated as singular in formal standard English when it means not one of two.
The correct sentence is: He is a scientist, but out of his three sons neither has become a scientist.
Neither of the two boys has arrived is standard formal usage.
Each, every, everyone, everybody, anyone, and someone generally take singular verbs.
There are eleven players in a football team is correct because players is plural and takes are.
A plural subject takes a plural verb: The players are ready. A singular subject takes a singular verb: The player is ready.

Error Detection: Tenses, Prepositions, and Contractions

Error detection also tests tense consistency, prepositions, idiomatic expressions, and contractions. The tense must match the time of the action. If two linked actions belong to the same past event, their verbs normally remain in the past unless a change of time is intended.

A contraction combines two words. It must not be confused with a possessive or relative form. Prepositions and verb patterns must also be learned as complete expressions.

The incorrect sentence is: The curtain closed, and the people will clap. In a past context, it should be: The curtain closed, and the people clapped.
Who is becomes who's. Who's means who is or who has.
Whose shows possession: Whose book is this? Who's is a contraction: Who's coming today?
The correct sentence is: He called me a fool. Called is followed directly by the object and object complement in this structure.
As is not used in the sentence He called me as a fool.
Protect takes an object: Ozone protects living organisms from ultraviolet radiation.
A past-tense verb should not be mixed with an unrelated future verb without a clear change in time.
Check prepositions as well as vocabulary because a sentence can be understandable but grammatically incorrect.

Figurative Language and Tone

Figurative language uses words beyond their plain literal meaning. It makes writing vivid, persuasive, or emotional. To identify it, ask whether the statement can be literally true and what comparison or effect the writer intends.

Tone is the writer's attitude toward the subject. Words such as derisive, earnest, grandiose, and disarming help reveal tone. A passage may sound serious, mocking, critical, hopeful, or persuasive.

A simile compares two unlike things by using like or as: Her face shone like the moon.
A metaphor makes a direct comparison without like or as: Time is a thief.
Personification gives human qualities to non-human things: The wind whispered.
Hyperbole is deliberate exaggeration: I have told you a thousand times.
Irony occurs when the intended meaning differs from the literal wording or when an expected result is reversed.
A symbol is a person, object, or action that represents a wider idea.
Derisive language is mocking or scornful, while earnest language is serious and sincere.
Grandiose means impressive or ambitious in an exaggerated way.
The phrase Man is a gregarious animal uses a general comparison to show that human beings usually need social company.

Key terms

Comprehension: The ability to understand the meaning, purpose, details, and implications of written text.
Main idea: The central thought or controlling point of a passage.
Supporting detail: A fact, example, explanation, or reason that develops the main idea.
Inference: A conclusion reached from clues and information in the passage.
Context: The words and ideas surrounding a word or sentence that help determine its meaning.
Clarification: An explanation that makes an earlier statement clearer or more precise.
Collocation: A natural combination of words that commonly occur together, such as deliver on a promise.
Gregarious: Fond of company and social interaction.
Candor: Honesty and openness in speech or expression.
Laud: To praise or approve of someone or something.
Quiver: To tremble or shake slightly.
Catacomb: An underground passage or burial place, also called a crypt in a suitable context.
Derisive: Mocking or showing contempt through ridicule.
Dainty: Delicate, small, or finely made.
Avarice: Extreme and selfish greed for wealth.
Covetous: Having a strong and improper desire for something belonging to another.
Subject-verb agreement: The grammatical rule that a subject and its verb must match in singular or plural number.
Figurative language: Language that expresses an idea through comparison, exaggeration, symbolism, or another non-literal method.

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English shortcuts

Identifying the type of sentence

Look at the purpose of the sentence. A question is interrogative, a command or request is imperative, a strong feeling is exclamatory, and a statement is declarative.

1. Check the punctuation and meaning.
2. A question usually ends with a question mark.
3. Example: Do you have any pencil? Answer: Interrogative sentence.

Use meaning as well as punctuation because punctuation alone may not show the sentence type.

Choosing a synonym from context

Replace the given word with each option and select the word that keeps the same meaning in the sentence.

1. Identify the basic meaning of the word.
2. Reject options that change the tone or meaning.
3. Example: Grotesque means strange or ugly in a ridiculous way. Answer: Ludicrous.

A synonym may change slightly according to the context, so do not select by sound alone.

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