FE E3.9 Identify, understand & extract main points & ideas in/from texts

E3.9 Identify, understand and extract the main points and ideas in and from texts

Subject content [reformed] functional skills: English (DfE, Feb 2018): 

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/functional-skills-subject-content-english

A simplified version of a news report taken from ABC's Behind the News. Dating from 2020 it talks bout US Gun Laws from an Australian perspective. The reading text also comes with comprehension questions, a cloze passage, dictionary activities and a writing prompt. There are related tasks at two levels E3/L1 and L1/2.

Editor's notes

Level
Entry Level 3
Level 1
Level 2
English
FE E3.9 Identify, understand & extract main points & ideas in/from texts
FE L1.9 Identify & understand the main points, ideas & details
FE L2.11 Identify when main points are sufficient & when specific details are important
FE E3.11 Use strategies to find meaning of words e.g. dictionary, context, word types
FE L1.13 Use reference materials & appropriate strategies for a range of purposes, inc. to find word meanings
FE L1.24 Use format, structure & language appropriate for audience & purpose
FE L2.27 Use language & register (e.g. persuasive techniques, supporting evidence, specialist words) to suit audience & purpose
ESOL
ESOL Rt/E3.1a Understand how meaning is built up in a variety texts of more than one paragraph
ESOL Rt/E3.4a Extract the main points and ideas, and predict words from context.
ESOL Rt/L1.3a Understand how main points and specific detail are presented and linked
ESOL Rw/E3.5a Use variety of reading strategies to read/understand unfamiliar words
ESOL: Writing - text focus (composition)
ESOL Rw/L1.1a Use reference material to find the meaning of unfamiliar words
ESOL Rw/L1.3a Recognise and understand an increasing range of vocabulary
Context
News, Politics & Government items

Reading, writing and discussion tasks based on this news story from the Metro website: 'Bored' security guard draws eyes on £740,000 painting in gallery | Metro News

For E3, L1,L2 Functional Skills English. 

Editor's notes

A lovely engaging story with a wide range of reading questions, three writing tasks (article/blog, letter, description) and a discussion prompt.

Level
Entry Level 3
Level 1
Level 2
English
FE SL&C Discussion
FE E3.9 Identify, understand & extract main points & ideas in/from texts
FE L1.9 Identify & understand the main points, ideas & details
FE L1.16 Recognise vocabulary typically associated with specific types and purposes of texts (e.g. formal, informal, instructional, descriptive, explanatory and persuasive)
FE L1.18 Use knowledge of punctuation to aid understanding of texts
FE L2.17 Analyse texts, of different levels of complexity, recognising their use of vocabulary and identifying levels of formality and bias
FE WRITING Use format, structure & language (to meet purpose & audience)
Context
Art Film Media Music Radio TV

Written in and inspired by the July 22 heatwave where temperatures in the UK exceeded 40 degrees! 

Three texts about hot weather and its effects on the body. Questions start at Entry Level 1 and progress to Level 2. L1-2 Learners will still need to access the Entry Level texts as the final questions involve comparing two or more texts. 

Level
Entry Level 1
Entry Level 2
Entry Level 3
Level 1
Level 2
English
FE E1.9 Read simple sentences containing one clause
FE E1.10 Understand a short piece of text on a simple subject
FE E1.11 Punctuate simple sentences with capital letter & full stop
FE E2.8 Understand the main points in texts
FE E2.12 Use illustrations, images & captions to locate information
FE E2.14 Form regular plurals
FE E2.15 Use 1st & 2nd letters to sequence words alphabetically
FE E3.9 Identify, understand & extract main points & ideas in/from texts
FE E3.10 Identify different purposes of straightforward texts
FE E3.11 Use strategies to find meaning of words e.g. dictionary, context, word types
FE E3.12 Understand organisational features & use them to locate relevant information
FE E3.16 Use 1st, 2nd & 3rd letters to sequence words alphabetically
FE L1.10 Compare information, ideas & opinions in different texts
FE L1.13 Use reference materials & appropriate strategies for a range of purposes, inc. to find word meanings
FE L1.14 Understand organisational / structural features use to locate relevant information
FE L1.16 Recognise vocabulary typically associated with specific types and purposes of texts (e.g. formal, informal, instructional, descriptive, explanatory and persuasive)
FE L1.17 Read & understand a range of specialist words in context
FE L2.15 Use a range of reference materials & resources (e.g. glossaries, legends/keys) for different purposes
FE L2.12 Compare information, ideas & opinions in different texts, inc. how they are conveyed
FE L2.19 Identify different styles of writing & writer’s voice
Context
Health, Social care, Early years
Health and safety

A reading, spelling and punctuation add-on Wordwall quiz for our popular Shrove Tuesday L1 reading assessment (Maggie Harnew, 2016). Select the correct answer(s) for each question. Uses a Pancake Day text from an online newspaper article. 12 quick questions covers purpose, source, main points and detail, comma use and vocabulary. Can be used independently of the original resource.

Level
Entry Level 3
Level 1
Level 2
English
FE E3.10 Identify different purposes of straightforward texts
FE E3.9 Identify, understand & extract main points & ideas in/from texts
FE L1.9 Identify & understand the main points, ideas & details
FE E3.12 Understand organisational features & use them to locate relevant information
FE L1.14 Understand organisational / structural features use to locate relevant information
FE L1.18 Use knowledge of punctuation to aid understanding of texts
FE L1.21 Spell words used most often in work, study and daily life, including specialist words
FE E3.11 Use strategies to find meaning of words e.g. dictionary, context, word types
FE L1.13 Use reference materials & appropriate strategies for a range of purposes, inc. to find word meanings
FE L2.15 Use a range of reference materials & resources (e.g. glossaries, legends/keys) for different purposes
Context
History, culture, museums, libraries

An interactive onscreen exercise, created in Wordwall, to celebrate the successes of the GB curling teams in the Beijing Winter Olympics. Based on the Queen's congratulatory message of Feb 20, 2022. 12 multiple choice questions cover  purpose, style,  main points and detail, punctuation and vocabulary. Also makes a great discussion prompt. Written for Level 1 and beyond but many questions will be accessible to Entry Level 3.

Level
Entry Level 3
Level 1
Level 2
English
FE E3.9 Identify, understand & extract main points & ideas in/from texts
FE L1.9 Identify & understand the main points, ideas & details
FE E3.11 Use strategies to find meaning of words e.g. dictionary, context, word types
FE L1.13 Use reference materials & appropriate strategies for a range of purposes, inc. to find word meanings
FE E3.10 Identify different purposes of straightforward texts
FE L1.12 Recognise that language & other textual features can be varied to suit different audiences & purposes
FE L1.18 Use knowledge of punctuation to aid understanding of texts
FE L2.19 Identify different styles of writing & writer’s voice
FE E2.14 Form regular plurals
FE E3.17 Spell correctly words designated for Entry Level 3
Context
Sport and fitness

A reading add-on quiz for our popular  Valentine's Day E1-L1 Functional English tasks  (Maggie Harnew, 2018). Select the correct answer(s) for each question. Uses a recipe text from the original resource. 12 quick questions covers purpose, main points and detail, abbreviations, recognising imperatives, comma use and vocabulary. Can be used independently of the original resource.

Level
Entry Level 3
Level 1
English
FE E3.9 Identify, understand & extract main points & ideas in/from texts
FE L1.9 Identify & understand the main points, ideas & details
FE E3.10 Identify different purposes of straightforward texts
FE L1.12 Recognise that language & other textual features can be varied to suit different audiences & purposes
FE E3.12 Understand organisational features & use them to locate relevant information
FE L1.14 Understand organisational / structural features use to locate relevant information
Context
Catering Food Nutrition

An Entry 3 mock exam paper that follows the format for City & Guilds.

Based on a leaflet about gardening.

Editor's note

A marvellous practice paper! Suitable for all E3 Functional English students - whether or not their awarding body is C&G.  Covers almost all aspects of E3 Functional English reading & almost all writing SCS (subject content statements). 

Level
Entry Level 3
English
FE E3.9 Identify, understand & extract main points & ideas in/from texts
FE E3.10 Identify different purposes of straightforward texts
FE E3.12 Understand organisational features & use them to locate relevant information
FE E3.18 Communicate information, ideas & opinions clearly & in logical sequence e.g. chronologically, by task
FE WRITING Clarity, cohesion, length and detail
Context
Gardening & Horticulture

A reading and spelling add-on quiz for our popular  Valentine's Day E1-L1 Functional English tasks  (Maggie Harnew, 2018). Select the correct answer(s) for each question. Uses two texts (an email and a menu). 12 questions covers purpose, main points and detail, using a key and irregular plurals. Can be used independently of the original resource.

Level
Entry Level 2
Entry Level 3
English
FE E2.8 Understand the main points in texts
FE E3.9 Identify, understand & extract main points & ideas in/from texts
FE E3.10 Identify different purposes of straightforward texts
FE E3.14 Form irregular plurals
Context
Leisure, Hobbies, Travel & Tourism
Catering Food Nutrition

Two sets of differentiated texts and reading questions based on a news article about a local radio station (Bromyard FM). The subject matter still relevant even if the lockdown is (hopefully!) a thing of the past.

Editor's note

The E1 version has simplified vocabulary and sentence structure and has 4 multiple choice questions that cover all three E1 reading criteria. The E2-E3 version has a longer more complex text with six questions (not multiple choice) mostly covering 'main points and ideas'.

 

Level
Entry Level 1
Entry Level 2
Entry Level 3
English
FE E1.8 Read correctly words designated for Entry Level 1
FE E2.7 Read correctly words designated for Entry Level 2
FE E3.8 Read correctly words designated for Entry Level 3
FE E1.10 Understand a short piece of text on a simple subject
FE E2.8 Understand the main points in texts
FE E3.9 Identify, understand & extract main points & ideas in/from texts
FE E1.9 Read simple sentences containing one clause
FE E2.11 Read & understand sentences with more than one clause
Context
Art Film Media Music Radio TV

NEW 8/2/22  answer sheets now also  available for both versions (E2-E3 and L1-L2) - visit our ANSWER SHEETS page for more information.
New 27/1/2022  A related interactive Wordwall activity (using punctuation to aid understanding) is now available to accompany this resource.

Level
Entry Level 2
Entry Level 3
Level 1
Level 2
English
FE E2.8 Understand the main points in texts
FE E3.9 Identify, understand & extract main points & ideas in/from texts
FE L1.9 Identify & understand the main points, ideas & details
FE E3.11 Use strategies to find meaning of words e.g. dictionary, context, word types
FE L1.13 Use reference materials & appropriate strategies for a range of purposes, inc. to find word meanings
FE E3.12 Understand organisational features & use them to locate relevant information
FE L1.14 Understand organisational / structural features use to locate relevant information
FE L1.18 Use knowledge of punctuation to aid understanding of texts
Context
Science, Nature & Weather