A full reading answer has three parts: a point, a quotation and an explanation. The quotation is the passage’s words, and the explanation is yours.
This lesson opens the cluster on reading-response development. It builds on supporting an inference with exact evidence.
How do I keep the two apart?
Put the quotation in quotation marks and begin the explanation on a new sentence. A word such as “இதிலிருந்து” (from this) or “இதனால்” (because of this) marks the move from the passage’s words to your own.
If the explanation could be removed and the answer still says the same thing, it was only a repeat.
Worked example: a generous girl
Here is an original passage.
தேவி தன் சேமிப்புப் பணத்தில் பழைய புத்தகக் கடையில் நான்கு புத்தகங்களை வாங்கினாள். பிறகு அவற்றில் இரண்டை நூலகத்துக்கு அன்பளிப்பாகக் கொடுத்தாள்.
In English: Devi bought four books at a second-hand bookshop with her savings. Then she gave two of them to the library as a gift.
Question. What is Devi’s character? Give evidence.
| Part | Tamil answer | What it does |
|---|---|---|
| Point | தேவி தாராள மனம் கொண்டவள். | States her character |
| Quotation | “இரண்டை நூலகத்துக்கு அன்பளிப்பாகக் கொடுத்தாள்” | Gives the passage’s words |
| Explanation | தான் வாங்கியதில் பாதியைப் பிறருக்குக் கொடுத்ததால் அவள் தாராளமானவள். | Says what the quotation shows |
Read the explanation in English: she gave away half of what she bought, so she is generous. It adds a reason that the quotation alone does not state.
The mistake that costs marks
The common slip is an explanation that only rewords the quotation.
| Explanation written | Problem |
|---|---|
| தேவி இரண்டு புத்தகங்களை நூலகத்துக்குக் கொடுத்தாள். | Says the same as the quotation; no reasoning |
| அதனால் அவள் தன் பொருளைப் பிறருடன் பகிர்ந்துகொள்ளும் தாராள குணம் உடையவள். | Says what the act shows about her |
The first row is a retelling. The second row gives the reason that connects the act to the character trait.
A second slip is mixing the two inside one sentence, for example quoting half a phrase and continuing in your own words without a marker. The marker then cannot give a separate mark for each part.
Check yourself
Use this original passage to write point, quotation and explanation.
குமரன் பாடத்தில் சந்தேகம் வந்தால் ஆசிரியரிடம் உடனே கேட்பான். பதில் புரியாவிட்டால் மீண்டும் கேட்டுத் தெளிவு பெறுவான்.
In English: When Kumaran has a doubt in a lesson, he asks the teacher at once. If he does not understand the reply, he asks again until it is clear. Question: what does the passage show about Kumaran’s attitude to learning?
Answer
Point: குமரன் கற்பதில் ஆர்வமுடையவன். (Kumaran is keen to learn.)
Quotation: “பதில் புரியாவிட்டால் மீண்டும் கேட்டுத் தெளிவு பெறுவான்”
Explanation: He does not stop after the first reply, so he wants real understanding, not only an answer.
The explanation gives a reason. Repeating “he asks again” would only restate the quotation.
What to study next
Go on to comparing concise and unsupported reading answers, then use the reading-response practice set.
For a teacher to go through your answers line by line, see online one-to-one SPM Bahasa Tamil tuition.