Reading –using different reading strategies for words and phrases
This subtopic equips learners with essential reading strategies to decode and comprehend simple words and phrases encountered in everyday life, such as on signs, labels, and forms. It also develops their ability to independently use a basic reference tool (e.g., a simple dictionary or word bank) to clarify meaning and support reading accuracy. These skills are fundamental for building confidence and autonomy in personal, social, and vocational contexts.
Assessment criteria
Topic Overview
The City & Guilds Entry Level Award in English Skills – Reading (Entry 3) is designed to develop your ability to read and understand straightforward texts that you might encounter in everyday life, such as short articles, instructions, advertisements, and emails. At this level, you will learn to identify the main points, find specific information, and understand the purpose and audience of a text. This qualification is ideal if you are building foundational English skills for further study, work, or personal development.
Mastering reading at Entry 3 is crucial because it equips you with the skills to navigate real-world situations independently – from reading a bus timetable to following a recipe or understanding a simple letter from your child's school. It also prepares you for the next level (Level 1) where texts become more complex. The award is part of the Foundations for Learning framework, which focuses on practical, transferable skills that boost confidence and employability.
In this unit, you will practise scanning for key details, inferring meaning from context, and recognising common text features like headings, bullet points, and captions. You will also learn to distinguish between fact and opinion, and to summarise what you have read. These skills are assessed through a short, externally set test where you answer questions based on a selection of texts.
Key Concepts
Core ideas you must understand for this topic
- →Main idea and purpose: Every text has a main point or message, and a reason it was written (e.g., to inform, persuade, instruct, or entertain). You need to identify both.
- →Skimming and scanning: Skimming means reading quickly to get a general idea; scanning means looking for specific words or information, like a date or name.
- →Text features: Headings, subheadings, bullet points, bold text, and captions help organise information and guide your reading. Understanding them improves comprehension.
- →Fact vs. opinion: A fact can be proven true or false; an opinion is someone's belief or feeling. You must be able to tell them apart in texts.
- →Inference: 'Reading between the lines' – understanding what is implied but not directly stated, based on clues in the text.
Learning Objectives
What you need to know and understand
- be able to use reading strategies to understand written words and phrases, be able to use a reference tool
Assessment Criteria
Key criteria assessors look for in your portfolio
- Award credit for accurately decoding unfamiliar words using phonics and picture cues in a short, illustrated text.
- Award credit for correctly identifying common sight words and high-frequency phrases in a simple passage.
- Award credit for successfully using a simple dictionary or digital reference tool to find the meaning of a given word, including demonstrating an understanding of alphabetical order.
Assessment Guidance
Guidance for achieving higher grades
- 💡Before attempting to read a word, look at any accompanying image and the first sound to make a sensible prediction, then check by sounding through the whole word.
- 💡When using a dictionary, remind yourself of the alphabet sequence by looking at the guide words at the top of the page to narrow down your search.
- 💡Always read the entire phrase or sentence to see if a word makes sense in context – if it doesn’t, try an alternative decoding strategy.
- 💡Read the questions first: Before diving into the text, read the questions so you know what information to look for. This helps you scan efficiently and saves time.
- 💡Use evidence from the text: When answering, always refer back to the text. Quote or paraphrase specific words or phrases to support your answer – this shows you have understood and can locate information.
- 💡Watch out for distractors: In multiple-choice or matching questions, some options may be partly true but not the best answer. Read all options carefully and choose the one that fully matches the text.
Common Mistakes
Common errors to avoid in your coursework
- Guessing words based only on the first letter or the associated picture, without applying phonic knowledge.
- Struggling to sequence letters alphabetically, leading to difficulty locating words in a dictionary or glossary.
- Reading word by word without considering the overall phrase, which leads to misinterpretation of meaning (e.g., reading 'car park' as two unrelated words).
- Misconception: 'If I read every word carefully, I'll understand everything.' Correction: Effective reading often requires skimming for the main idea first, then scanning for details. Reading every word slowly can waste time and make it harder to see the big picture.
- Misconception: 'The purpose of a text is always to inform.' Correction: Texts can have multiple purposes. For example, an advert may inform you about a product but its main purpose is to persuade you to buy it. Always consider the writer's intention.
- Misconception: 'If it's written down, it must be true.' Correction: Not everything in print is a fact. Opinions, exaggerations, and even errors can appear. Always check whether a statement can be verified.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions students ask about this topic
Pass / Merit / Distinction Evidence Checklist
How your portfolio evidence is graded for CITY & GUILDS LIMITED Reading –using different reading strategies for words and phrases
Every vocational unit is marked against named criteria rather than an exam percentage. Your tutor's brief lists the exact codes for this unit — here is what each band is asking you to do.
Demonstrate baseline knowledge, accurate terminology, and core practical application.
Provide detailed analysis, structured explanations, and clear workplace reasoning.
Deliver thorough evaluation, original problem solving, and fully justified recommendations.
Before You Start
Prior knowledge that will help with this topic
- •Entry 2 Reading skills: You should be comfortable reading short, simple texts (e.g., signs, lists, simple notes) and understanding basic vocabulary and punctuation.
- •Basic knowledge of alphabetical order: This helps when using indexes or dictionaries, which may appear in some tasks.
Coursework AI Review
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Key Terminology
Essential terms to know
- be able to use reading strategies to understand written words and phrases, be able to use a reference tool
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