ultimate guide to reading comprehension

It’s one thing to read something and understand the definition of each individual word. It is quite another to actively engage with a text and accurately decipher the layers of meaning it contains. The importance of developing solid reading comprehension skills cannot be understated. Statistics show that people who have low reading comprehension ability suffer in academic, professional, and personal pursuits. The good news is that it’s never too early — or too late — to develop an active reading style. Use the resources in this guide to help.

Reading Comprehension Resources for ESL Learners

Reading comprehension takes on another dimension when you’re reading passages in a non-native language. For new English learners, comprehension exams can be daunting, especially since understanding nuances and connotations are key. All of the resources in this section were created to help ESL students improve their English reading comprehension skills.

Reading Comprehension Quizzes for ESL Students

Choose from a long list of interesting topics — from an investigation into pilfered Picasso prints to a sobering look at the US Army’s troubled disability system. Then take a comprehension test based on what you read. This is a great way to study reading comprehension, current events, and American culture.

5 Creative Comprehension Activities

These fun in-class activities were designed to help young ESL learners work on their reading comprehension skills in a way that’s not boring or overwhelming.

Strategies for English Language Learners

This article outlines some key strategies for building good reading comprehension skills in non-native speakers. You’ll also find links to other helpful articles for teaching reading skills to ESL students.

Reading Comprehension Worksheets

Check here for nearly 500 free downloadable and printable reading worksheets for ESL students. These activities, lessons, and quizzes are for English learners of all ages and skill levels.

Comprehension Tools and Tips

From worksheets to instructional articles, you’ll find lots of excellent materials to help encourage good reading comprehension practices here. Learn how to ask the right questions when examining a written work, or work your way through skill-building comprehension assignments. There are even some fun games and activities to keep it interesting.

Reading Comprehension Worksheets

These free worksheets feature lessons in key comprehension concepts for students from upper elementary through junior high school.

A Questioning Toolkit

The site may be a bit old-fashioned, but don’t let that deter you. This is an incredible resource to help kids learn to ask critical questions that will help them with comprehension throughout their academic and professional lives.

Comprehension Articles

The two articles on this page come from PBS.org. They give great tips for teachers and offer some fun suggestions for comprehension games and activities.

Reading Rockets Comprehension Resources

Reading Rockets is devoted to fostering literacy in young children. Use their reading comprehension pages to find articles, tips and strategies, lessons, games, and many more resources for teachers and parents hoping to engage kids in reading.

Test Preparation Materials

The tools and texts in this section were designed to help students prepare for standardized exams in reading comprehension. Whether you’re taking your first SAT, trying to get into college, applying for graduate school, or looking a great position in your field, there’s no getting away from having to demonstrate your ability to understand what you read. In fact, reading comprehension is the one section you’ll find on virtually every major admissions and placement test in existence. Here you’ll find effective practice exams and lots of useful test-taking strategies.

Reading Comprehension Test Prep

On this page you’ll find a wealth of helpful information to help you score well on the reading comprehension portions of most major exams. Find free practice tests, helpful worksheets, and proven strategies to boost your skills.

SAT Reading Comprehension Practice Tests

Prepare for the reading comprehension section of the SAT by taking these free practice tests.

Mr. Nussbaum’s Comprehension Passages

This page is a fantastic resource for students looking to prepare for state-mandated reading assessments. Choose from more than 170 practice tests. All are free to use and organized by grade level.

Reading Comprehension Questions for the LSAT

Before you can hope to get into law school, you must pass the Law School Application Test. Not surprisingly, reading comprehension is a huge part of the exam. Use this guide, found on the official LSAC site, to make sure you are well prepared.

Resources for Parents and Teachers

The information and tools found here are especially helpful for educators. Teachers, parents, and homeschool instructors will find plenty of materials to jump-start their reading curriculum and get students engaged in the concepts and practice of reading with intention. Some of these sites offer premium benefits for paid members, but all provide ample study materials at no cost.

Reading Teacher Resources

This page contains dozens of links to cool teaching resources to help kids improve their reading skills and engage more deeply with texts. Click through the reading comprehension links to find lessons, interviews, and activities for K-12 students.

Interactive Reading Comprehension Activities

This site presents a list of customizable classroom games and activities to help young students with reading comprehension.

Reading Comprehension Worksheets

This page, from K12reader, is full of free reading comprehension worksheets for students. Select worksheets by grade level, then print them out to use at home or in the classroom.

Comprehension Resources

This page, from the blog of a homeschooling mother, is chock-full of resources to help kids with reading comprehension. Find helpful articles and tips, printable activities and lessons, book lists, and more.

ReadWriteThink

Here you’ll find hundreds of resources to help teach reading and comprehension skills to kids from kindergarten through 12th grade. Find lesson plans, interactive games, articles, and helpful links.

Comprehension Practice Tests

The best way to gauge your reading comprehension skills is to quiz yourself. Find plenty of quality quizzes and useful practice tests in this section. These resources are of great value for anyone looking to bolster their comprehension abilities. Some are designed for very young learners, while others offer collegiate-level questions and test preparation materials.

ReadTheory

This unique website lets you take interactive reading comprehension quizzes at no charge. Set up a free account and select from a variety of quizzes designed to help improve comprehension skills. Each question comes with a thorough explanation of the correct answer, so it’s easy to understand why a given answer is wrong or right.

Reading Comprehension Quizzes and Worksheets

This page, from SoftSchools.com, has several tests and activities to help you brush up on reading comprehension skills and concepts. Plus, they’re all free to use.

Reading Comprehension Test

Try out this extensive reading comprehension test to see how you fare in understanding complex passages and texts. All answers — and explanations — are found at the end of the quiz. Explore the site further to find test prep materials for almost any major exam you can think of.

Book Adventure

Book Adventure was created by Sylvan Learning Center to help K-8 kids engage in reading and have fun doing it. Set up a free account and get access to all kinds of reading materials, along with accompanying activities and quizzes.