Cracking the Code: 11+ and 13+ Reading Comprehension—Which Strategy Works Best?

Mum, should I read the passage first or the questions first?That’s the golden question, isn’t it? If your child is preparing for the 11+ or 13+ exams, chances are, you’ve heard this debate before. And the answer? Well, it depends.

Some children dive into a passage like a detective uncovering clues. Others feel more at ease knowing what questions they need to answer before they start reading. There’s no one-size-fits-all approach, and that’s completely fine. The key is to help your child find their own best strategy.

The "Read the Passage First" Approach

Some children prefer to understand the whole story before they even glance at the questions. This approach works well for those who:

✅ Enjoy getting immersed in the text.

✅ Can remember key details easily.

✅ Find inference questions tricky and need full context.

How It Works

1️⃣ Skim the passage first – no need to memorize, just get a feel for the story or argument.

2️⃣ Look out for key themes – is the passage informative, persuasive, or descriptive?

3️⃣ Underline or note important details – names, emotions, and changes in tone.

4️⃣ Move to the questions – now, they can be answered with full understanding.

📌 Best For: Literary extracts, classic texts, and passages where understanding tone and emotion is key.

The "Read the Questions First" Approach

Other children feel lost reading an entire passage without knowing what they need to find. For them, reading the questions first is a game-changer. It works well for those who:

✅ Struggle with time management.

✅ Prefer scanning for answers instead of remembering long passages.

✅ Feel more confident with fact-based or multiple-choice questions.

How It Works

1️⃣ Glance at the questions before reading the passage – this gives a hint on what to focus on.

2️⃣ Look for keywords in the passage – scan quickly for names, numbers, and specific phrases.

3️⃣ Answer questions one by one – with the passage fresh in mind.

📌 Best For: Factual texts, non-fiction, and time-pressured children who work better with targeted searching.

For Students Who Are Strong in Structure but Weak in Vocabulary

Some children may struggle with vocabulary but excel in understanding structure and patterns in a passage. These students can still do well in reading comprehension by leveraging their strengths.

1. Use Sentence Structure to Guess Meanings

✅ If a word is unfamiliar, don’t panic—look at the whole sentence.

✅ Identify subject, verb, and object to get the gist of the sentence.

✅ Example:

• The girl was ecstatic after winning the competition.

• If they don’t know “ecstatic,” they can infer it means something positive because she won.

2. Spot Clue Words Around Difficult Vocabulary

✅ Look for contrast words (but, however, although) and explanation words (because, therefore, in other words).

✅ Example:

• Unlike her melancholy sister, Jane was cheerful and full of energy.

• Even if “melancholy” is unfamiliar, “unlike” signals a contrast—so it must mean the opposite of cheerful.

  
  

3. Rely on Paragraph Flow Instead of Individual Words

✅ Don’t get stuck on one word—focus on the main idea of the paragraph.✅ Often, the answer to a question doesn’t require knowing every word, just understanding the overall message.

4. Look for Repeated Words or Synonyms

✅ Authors often explain difficult words indirectly by repeating ideas.

✅ Example:

• The teacher’s meticulous planning ensured a smooth lesson. She paid close attention to every detail, preparing for every possible issue.

• Even if “meticulous” is new, the second sentence explains it means careful and detailed.

  
  

5. Use Structure to Answer Questions Without Knowing Every Word

✅ Many 11+ and 13+ questions are about structure, not just vocabulary.

✅ Example strategies:

• Tone questions: Is the passage formal or informal?

• Main idea questions: What is the passage mostly about?

• Cause-and-effect questions: What led to this event?

  
  

Which Approach Is Best?

Here’s the thing – there’s no right or wrong way. In fact, most children switch between both strategies depending on the type of passage and questions.

🔹 If the passage is a short story or classic literature, reading first might be better.

🔹 If the passage is factual or informative, scanning the questions first can help.

🔹 For 13+ exams, which require deeper analysis, a mix of both methods is often best.

Beyond the Strategy – Other Key Reading Comprehension Tips

No matter which approach your child prefers, here are some golden rules:

✔️ Practice Different Texts – Fiction, non-fiction, newspapers, and opinion articles all sharpen comprehension skills.

✔️ Summarize Paragraphs – Can they explain each section in their own words?

✔️ Use Context Clues – Instead of panicking over unknown words, can they guess the meaning?

✔️ Check Answers Twice – Many marks are lost on small misreadings!

And most importantly, let your child experiment. Some strategies will feel natural, others won’t. The goal is to find what works best for them – and trust me, with practice, they will!

📢 If you’d like to enhance your child’s reading comprehension skills, come and find us at U.K. Independent Education! We offer expert guidance to help children navigate the 11+ and 13+ exams with confidence.

Would you like to see some practice passages with both approaches in action? DM us on social media for free comprehension examples 😊