To read an extract accurately, find who it is about, what it says they may or must do and what limit it sets. Then answer only from those three parts.
This lesson completes the Federal Constitution cluster. It uses the fact and interpretation test from distinguishing constitutional facts from interpretations.
What is the three-part reading method?
Underline three things in the extract and write each in plain words.
| Part | Question | Example wording |
|---|---|---|
| Subject | Who or what is this about? | The national language |
| Provision | What does it say? | Malay is the national language |
| Limit | What restricts or qualifies it? | Other languages are not barred, except for official purposes |
Worked example with a real extract
The extract below is a paraphrase of Article 152(1) of the Federal Constitution 1.
The national language is Malay. Everyone remains free to teach, learn or use any other language, except for official purposes.
Subject: the national language.
Provision: Malay is the national language.
Limit: other languages may be taught, learned and used, except for official purposes.
Plain rewrite: Malay is the national language, but people may still use and learn other languages outside official purposes.
A question asks: “What does the extract allow people to do?” The answer is to teach, learn or use other languages, because the extract says so. The extract does not list which languages, so the answer must not name any as protected.
The mistake that costs marks
The common slip is to add what you remember. A student writes “Article 153 protects the special position of the Malays”, because they recall it from another lesson. It is a real article, but the extract says nothing about it.
Instead, mark each claim as from the extract or from outside. Keep outside claims out of the answer unless the question asks.
| Claim | Source |
|---|---|
| Malay is the national language | In the extract |
| Other languages may be taught, learned or used | In the extract |
| Article 153 protects the special position of the Malays | True, but not in the extract, so leave it out |
Check yourself
Using the same extract, answer: Who is affected by the limit, and what does the extract protect?
Answer
The affected group is anyone who wants to teach, learn or use a language other than Malay. The extract protects their freedom to do so, with the limit that it does not apply to official purposes.
The extract does not say which languages or which schools, so the answer must not claim any.
What to study next
Test the four skills in the Federal Constitution practice set. Plan your answers with the Sejarah evidence-to-explanation planner.
For a teacher to read extracts with you and mark what is supported, see online one-to-one Sejarah tuition.