Comprehension and Applied Writing
What this domain tests
This section tests unseen comprehension and practical writing: applications, notices, reports, advertisements and short official messages. It rewards accurate reading, inference from context and control of format and tone.
Comprehension method
- Skim first for the main idea and the writer’s purpose.
- Scan for names, dates, numbers and cause-effect links.
- Distinguish stated fact from inference; answer only what the passage supports.
- Use context to guess unfamiliar vocabulary, then check the guess against the sentence.
- Answer in your own words unless the question asks for a quotation.
- Respect word limits; a precise short answer beats a padded one.
Applied writing rules
- Application: state the purpose in the first line, give relevant details, use a formal closing.
- Notice: include heading, date, event, venue, time and issuing authority.
- Report: lead with the most important fact, then background and quotation.
- Advertisement: use a short headline, persuasive but factual claims, and clear contact details.
- Match tone to audience: formal for officials, concise for notices, persuasive for advertisements.
Worked example
A passage says: ‘The library was once the village’s only quiet room; now its shelves are half empty.’ A question asks what the writer implies. Reasoning: ‘once’ and ‘now’ set up contrast; ‘only quiet room’ shows past value; ‘half empty’ shows decline. The inference is that the library has lost importance or funding - not that all books have been stolen. The answer should cite the contrast, not invent a cause.
Traps that cost marks
- Lifting long sentences instead of answering.
- Confusing inference with personal opinion.
- Writing an application without a clear purpose or signature.
- Putting the main fact at the end of a report.
- Exceeding a word limit and losing precision.