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Types of Multiple-Choice Questions

Many multiple-choice questions fall into categories. The following are the most common categories:

Main Idea: The most important point expressed in a reading passage is the main idea. The main idea must relate to the entire passage, not just to a portion of it. After reading a passage, locate and underline the main idea.

Significant Details: You will most probably be asked to recall specific details from a reading passage. You will know what details to look for if you read the questions before re-reading  the passage. Underline these details as you re-read. Remember that correct answers do not always use the precise phrases or words that appear in the passage.

Vocabulary: Standardized tests will often ask you to define a word within the context of the passage. In many instances, the answer choice will include an actual meaning of the word that does not fit the context in which the word appears. Reading the answer choices and then plugging them into the sentence help to determine which answer fits the context of the passage.

Conclusion and Inference: Standardized tests often want you to draw conclusions or make inferences. There is often some idea within a passage that the author is trying to convey but does not state directly. Sometimes, you must consider various parts of the passage together in order to determine what the author is implying. An answer choice that refers to only one or two sentences or details within the passage is probably not the correct answer.