Comprehension:  Expository and Argumentative Essays

Expository Comprehension:  Expository comprehension is the essay that is educational.  Its objective is to teach how something is done, or to explain the state of being of a phenomenon, object or individual. The goal may be to provide enlightenment, to document an observation, a process, nature of the thing exposed or a discovery.

Features of Expository Comprehension

i)                    Educational:  The aim of expository compositions is to educate which may be in the form of informing or providing enlightenment.

ii)                   Objective:  Expository comprehension is highly objective.  Subjectivity may come in if the writer is biased towards the subject of the discourse.

iii)                 Explanatory: Explanatory method is adopted in teaching.

iv)                 Illustrative:  Illustrative model is also adopted in teaching and explaining a process.

v)                   Methodical: Expository comprehension follows specific methods in revealing the theme of the passage.  Methods adopted may be one or two of the following: problem-solution method, cause-effect, classification, descriptive, analytical, observational, compare-contrast method, merit-demerit, advantage-disadvantage, object-components, etc.

Structure of Expository Comprehension

Expository compositions follow the essay structure of topic, introduction, body and conclusion.

Topic:  Topic captures the substance of the passage. 

Body:    The body explains in detail the theme and sub-themes of the discourse.  It may adopt any of the methods explained above or a combination of two or more of them.

Conclusion:  The conclusion of expository passages establishes some facts about the object of discussion.

How to Answer Questions from Expository Comprehension

-          First, read the passage to establish the theme of the passage, the method adopted by the writer and the topic sentence of each paragraph.

-          Second, read the questions to know the nature of the questions.

-          Third, read the passage again to identify answers to the questions. Do not pause in your reading; annotate (underline) the answers identified and continue reading.

-           If there are answers not identified, read the passage the third time. 

-          Answers to the questions are written in the candidate’s words.

Argumentative Comprehension

Argumentative comprehension explains an alternative way of viewing a phenomenon, an object or individual by showing the subject’s attributes and advantages.

 Features of Argumentative Comprehension

-          Propositions:  Argumentative comprehension is made up of propositions.  Propositions are used to state the arguer’s position, present evidence and to establish conclusions.

-          Evidence:  Evidence is used to validate a given argument.  Evidence may comprise of a body of fact, statistical information, outcome of research, notable examples or phenomenon.

-          Claims and Counterclaims:  The substance of the comprehension is seen in the claims and counterclaims made in the passage.

-          Emotive:  Emotive statements are used to persuade the reader.

-          Reason:  Reason is the arguer’s understand of the theme of the arguments. It is made up of  his beliefs, values and/or principles to life.

-          Logical:  Ideas and reasons presented as conclusion should be drawn  from the evidence presented.

-          Refutation/Rebuttal: The reader is expected to identify statements used by the  write to prove certain ideas or theories wrong.