Literal/Inferential/Evaluative

When reading a text, it's important to understand the different levels of comprehension: literal, inferential, and evaluative. These levels help readers understand and analyze the text more deeply.

Literal Comprehension

Literal comprehension involves understanding the basic facts and details explicitly stated in the text. It's the surface level of understanding and involves identifying who, what, where, and when in the text. Literal comprehension questions can usually be answered directly from the text without needing to interpret or analyze.

Example question:

What did the main character eat for breakfast in the story?

Inferential Comprehension

Inferential comprehension involves making inferences or educated guesses based on the information provided in the text. It requires readers to read between the lines and interpret the text to understand the underlying meaning. Inferential comprehension questions often require readers to use evidence from the text to support their answers.

Example question:

Why do you think the main character felt sad after the conversation with their friend?

Evaluative Comprehension

Evaluative comprehension involves analyzing and making judgments about the text. It requires readers to form opinions, make connections, and consider the text's value or significance. Evaluative comprehension questions often ask readers to express their thoughts and feelings about the text and provide evidence to support their opinions.

Example question:

Do you think the main character made the right decision in the story? Why or why not?

Study Guide

When practicing literal, inferential, and evaluative comprehension, it's important to:

• Pay attention to details in the text for literal comprehension.
• Look for clues and evidence to make inferences.
• Consider the text's themes, characters, and events for evaluative comprehension.
• Support answers with evidence from the text.
• Practice using various texts and discussing the different levels of comprehension with others.

By understanding and practicing these levels of comprehension, readers can deepen their understanding of the text and engage in more critical thinking and analysis.