The 11+ English Comprehension section of the grammar school entrance exam can vary across the country. However, 11plus CEM (Centre for evaluation and monitoring) and GL Assessment often include a fiction or non-fiction comprehension text, followed by a series of multiple choice questions.

This section of the 11+ entrance exam is designed to test a child's ability to extract information and infer meaning from a passage. Therefore, in order to really conquer 11+ English comprehension questions, children need to be reading as much as possible! Not only does reading expose your child to different types of literature, it will also help your child to expand their vocabulary and understand the importance of structure, direct and indirect speech and so much more.

Whichever type of passage your child is presented with in this section of the exam, whether it is fiction or non-fiction, the multiple choice questions can be categorised into two general types. The first type includes simple text retrieval questions (such as finding a key date, name or location, etc) and the second type requires logical reasoning to infer meaning (for example, identifying the thoughts and feelings of a character or interpreting language features, etc).

As timing is particularly tight within 11+ English Comprehension, it useful to encourage your child to practice reading and understanding both fiction and non-fiction passages as quickly and effectively as possible. This includes English exam practice such as skim reading and underlining key information as they go, to help when referencing back to the text helps Year 5 children to learn and retain the necessary skills for the 11+ exam.

Considering independent schools for your child? The majority of independent school entrance exams tend to include a creative writing task, where your child will be required to construct a creative passage that displays a confident use of writing skills.

As the entry standard of grammar schools remains consistently high across the country, it is important that your child not only has a good knowledge of the core topic areas, but excellent speed and accuracy skills too.

Whichever stage your child is at, the most important thing to remember is that mock tests help to produce the best 11+ preparation for your child.

Please note that the information on this page was believed to be accurate at the time of publication.

However, Educare11plus always recommends checking with the individual school websites or contacting your local consortium of grammar schools before acting upon any information given.

Please don’t hesitate to contact our team on 07853 349555 with any further questions. We are always happy to help!