Biology
Chemistry
AP Chemistry
English
AP English Literature
English
Dec 1, 2025
131
4 pages
Critical reading involves understanding not just what a text says, but why and how it says it. These... Show more
Ever wonder why you read differently depending on what's in your hands? There are three main academic purposes for reading reading for understanding, reading for style, and reading for interpretation. Knowing your purpose helps you approach texts more effectively.
When reading for understanding, you're focused on what the text is literally saying—like following the plot of a story. To show that you understand what you've read, you need to identify the main idea and summarize important supporting details.
The main idea is the most important concept in a text. It might be directly stated or something you need to infer (make an educated guess about). Remember that a text has only one main idea, while everything else consists of supporting details that reinforce or explain that main idea.
💡 Reading for understanding happens everywhere in daily life—from following instructions to reading labels, magazines, or birthday cards. Your brain often switches between different reading purposes automatically!
Stuck on finding the main idea? Don't worry—there are strategies to help! Ask yourself What is the text mostly about? What details seem most important? What does the author focus on the most? These questions can guide you to the central concept.
A summary combines the main idea with supporting details, and it's always shorter than the original text. Think of this formula Summary = Main Idea + Supporting Details. This formula helps you demonstrate your understanding of what you've read.
Sometimes the main idea isn't directly stated—that's when you need to make an inference (an educated guess) based on the evidence in the text. This skill takes practice, but you'll get better at it!
🔍 Finding main ideas isn't just for English class! You'll use this skill throughout high school, college, and even in your future career—it's one of those academic skills that has real-world value.
Just as there are different ways to read, writers create texts for different reasons. Understanding a writer's purpose helps you interpret their message correctly.
Expository or informational writing aims to give you information, like a magazine article or textbook. Persuasive writing (also called rhetoric or argument) tries to change your mind about something—think of commercials or editorials.
Narrative writing tells a story, like novels or short stories. Fiction always falls into this category. Finally, descriptive writing entertains or paints a picture for readers, like you'd find in a brochure or postcard.
📝 Knowing the purpose behind a piece of writing helps you determine how to read it! Each type of writing requires a slightly different approach from you as a reader.
Reading for understanding means grasping what a text is literally communicating. This is different from how you might read for other purposes—you read a novel differently than a newspaper article for good reason!
To demonstrate understanding, you need to identify the main idea and summarize the significant details. Your goal is to create a summary that's shorter than the original text while capturing its essence.
Main ideas can appear anywhere in a paragraph—sometimes in the first or last sentences, but not always. Here are some helpful strategies look at the title, notice repeated words or phrases, identify what the text is mostly about, and pay attention to what details the author emphasizes.
🧠 Try brainstorming about a text's topic before you start reading! This can activate your prior knowledge and help you understand the content more easily when you dive in.
Our AI companion is specifically built for the needs of students. Based on the millions of content pieces we have on the platform we can provide truly meaningful and relevant answers to students. But its not only about answers, the companion is even more about guiding students through their daily learning challenges, with personalised study plans, quizzes or content pieces in the chat and 100% personalisation based on the students skills and developments.
You can download the app in the Google Play Store and in the Apple App Store.
That's right! Enjoy free access to study content, connect with fellow students, and get instant help – all at your fingertips.
3
Smart Tools NEW
Transform this note into: ✓ 50+ Practice Questions ✓ Interactive Flashcards ✓ Full Mock Exam ✓ Essay Outlines
Describes plot, setting and what conflict is. explains the elements of plot and shows how they would be ordered in a story. This is a review for most but has always been helpful for me!
EnglishReading Comprehension: Improve your ability to understand and analyze texts, including novels, short stories, and poetry.
EnglishReading study notes
EnglishEnglish notes
EnglishHow to critically read and different types.
Englishstudy figurative language
EnglishApp Store
Google Play
The app is very easy to use and well designed. I have found everything I was looking for so far and have been able to learn a lot from the presentations! I will definitely use the app for a class assignment! And of course it also helps a lot as an inspiration.
Stefan S
iOS user
This app is really great. There are so many study notes and help [...]. My problem subject is French, for example, and the app has so many options for help. Thanks to this app, I have improved my French. I would recommend it to anyone.
Samantha Klich
Android user
Wow, I am really amazed. I just tried the app because I've seen it advertised many times and was absolutely stunned. This app is THE HELP you want for school and above all, it offers so many things, such as workouts and fact sheets, which have been VERY helpful to me personally.
Anna
iOS user
I think it’s very much worth it and you’ll end up using it a lot once you get the hang of it and even after looking at others notes you can still ask your Artificial intelligence buddy the question and ask to simplify it if you still don’t get it!!! In the end I think it’s worth it 😊👍 ⚠️Also DID I MENTION ITS FREEE YOU DON’T HAVE TO PAY FOR ANYTHING AND STILL GET YOUR GRADES IN PERFECTLY❗️❗️⚠️
Thomas R
iOS user
Knowunity is the BEST app I’ve used in a minute. This is not an ai review or anything this is genuinely coming from a 7th grade student (I know 2011 im young) but dude this app is a 10/10 i have maintained a 3.8 gpa and have plenty of time for gaming. I love it and my mom is just happy I got good grades
Brad T
Android user
Not only did it help me find the answer but it also showed me alternative ways to solve it. I was horrible in math and science but now I have an a in both subjects. Thanks for the help🤍🤍
David K
iOS user
The app's just great! All I have to do is enter the topic in the search bar and I get the response real fast. I don't have to watch 10 YouTube videos to understand something, so I'm saving my time. Highly recommended!
Sudenaz Ocak
Android user
In school I was really bad at maths but thanks to the app, I am doing better now. I am so grateful that you made the app.
Greenlight Bonnie
Android user
I found this app a couple years ago and it has only gotten better since then. I really love it because it can help with written questions and photo questions. Also, it can find study guides that other people have made as well as flashcard sets and practice tests. The free version is also amazing for students who might not be able to afford it. Would 100% recommend
Aubrey
iOS user
Best app if you're in Highschool or Junior high. I have been using this app for 2 school years and it's the best, it's good if you don't have anyone to help you with school work.😋🩷🎀
Marco B
iOS user
THE QUIZES AND FLASHCARDS ARE SO USEFUL AND I LOVE THE SCHOOLGPT. IT ALSO IS LITREALLY LIKE CHATGPT BUT SMARTER!! HELPED ME WITH MY MASCARA PROBLEMS TOO!! AS WELL AS MY REAL SUBJECTS ! DUHHH 😍😁😲🤑💗✨🎀😮
Elisha
iOS user
This app is phenomenal down to the correct info and the various topics you can study! I greatly recommend it for people who struggle with procrastination and those who need homework help. It has been perfectly accurate for world 1 history as far as I’ve seen! Geometry too!
Paul T
iOS user
The app is very easy to use and well designed. I have found everything I was looking for so far and have been able to learn a lot from the presentations! I will definitely use the app for a class assignment! And of course it also helps a lot as an inspiration.
Stefan S
iOS user
This app is really great. There are so many study notes and help [...]. My problem subject is French, for example, and the app has so many options for help. Thanks to this app, I have improved my French. I would recommend it to anyone.
Samantha Klich
Android user
Wow, I am really amazed. I just tried the app because I've seen it advertised many times and was absolutely stunned. This app is THE HELP you want for school and above all, it offers so many things, such as workouts and fact sheets, which have been VERY helpful to me personally.
Anna
iOS user
I think it’s very much worth it and you’ll end up using it a lot once you get the hang of it and even after looking at others notes you can still ask your Artificial intelligence buddy the question and ask to simplify it if you still don’t get it!!! In the end I think it’s worth it 😊👍 ⚠️Also DID I MENTION ITS FREEE YOU DON’T HAVE TO PAY FOR ANYTHING AND STILL GET YOUR GRADES IN PERFECTLY❗️❗️⚠️
Thomas R
iOS user
Knowunity is the BEST app I’ve used in a minute. This is not an ai review or anything this is genuinely coming from a 7th grade student (I know 2011 im young) but dude this app is a 10/10 i have maintained a 3.8 gpa and have plenty of time for gaming. I love it and my mom is just happy I got good grades
Brad T
Android user
Not only did it help me find the answer but it also showed me alternative ways to solve it. I was horrible in math and science but now I have an a in both subjects. Thanks for the help🤍🤍
David K
iOS user
The app's just great! All I have to do is enter the topic in the search bar and I get the response real fast. I don't have to watch 10 YouTube videos to understand something, so I'm saving my time. Highly recommended!
Sudenaz Ocak
Android user
In school I was really bad at maths but thanks to the app, I am doing better now. I am so grateful that you made the app.
Greenlight Bonnie
Android user
I found this app a couple years ago and it has only gotten better since then. I really love it because it can help with written questions and photo questions. Also, it can find study guides that other people have made as well as flashcard sets and practice tests. The free version is also amazing for students who might not be able to afford it. Would 100% recommend
Aubrey
iOS user
Best app if you're in Highschool or Junior high. I have been using this app for 2 school years and it's the best, it's good if you don't have anyone to help you with school work.😋🩷🎀
Marco B
iOS user
THE QUIZES AND FLASHCARDS ARE SO USEFUL AND I LOVE THE SCHOOLGPT. IT ALSO IS LITREALLY LIKE CHATGPT BUT SMARTER!! HELPED ME WITH MY MASCARA PROBLEMS TOO!! AS WELL AS MY REAL SUBJECTS ! DUHHH 😍😁😲🤑💗✨🎀😮
Elisha
iOS user
This app is phenomenal down to the correct info and the various topics you can study! I greatly recommend it for people who struggle with procrastination and those who need homework help. It has been perfectly accurate for world 1 history as far as I’ve seen! Geometry too!
Paul T
iOS user
Critical reading involves understanding not just what a text says, but why and how it says it. These notes cover the different purposes for reading and writing, focusing on how to identify main ideas and supporting details—skills you'll use throughout... Show more
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Improve your grades
Join milions of students
By signing up you accept Terms of Service and Privacy Policy
Ever wonder why you read differently depending on what's in your hands? There are three main academic purposes for reading: reading for understanding, reading for style, and reading for interpretation. Knowing your purpose helps you approach texts more effectively.
When reading for understanding, you're focused on what the text is literally saying—like following the plot of a story. To show that you understand what you've read, you need to identify the main idea and summarize important supporting details.
The main idea is the most important concept in a text. It might be directly stated or something you need to infer (make an educated guess about). Remember that a text has only one main idea, while everything else consists of supporting details that reinforce or explain that main idea.
💡 Reading for understanding happens everywhere in daily life—from following instructions to reading labels, magazines, or birthday cards. Your brain often switches between different reading purposes automatically!
Access to all documents
Improve your grades
Join milions of students
By signing up you accept Terms of Service and Privacy Policy
Stuck on finding the main idea? Don't worry—there are strategies to help! Ask yourself: What is the text mostly about? What details seem most important? What does the author focus on the most? These questions can guide you to the central concept.
A summary combines the main idea with supporting details, and it's always shorter than the original text. Think of this formula: Summary = Main Idea + Supporting Details. This formula helps you demonstrate your understanding of what you've read.
Sometimes the main idea isn't directly stated—that's when you need to make an inference (an educated guess) based on the evidence in the text. This skill takes practice, but you'll get better at it!
🔍 Finding main ideas isn't just for English class! You'll use this skill throughout high school, college, and even in your future career—it's one of those academic skills that has real-world value.
Access to all documents
Improve your grades
Join milions of students
By signing up you accept Terms of Service and Privacy Policy
Just as there are different ways to read, writers create texts for different reasons. Understanding a writer's purpose helps you interpret their message correctly.
Expository or informational writing aims to give you information, like a magazine article or textbook. Persuasive writing (also called rhetoric or argument) tries to change your mind about something—think of commercials or editorials.
Narrative writing tells a story, like novels or short stories. Fiction always falls into this category. Finally, descriptive writing entertains or paints a picture for readers, like you'd find in a brochure or postcard.
📝 Knowing the purpose behind a piece of writing helps you determine how to read it! Each type of writing requires a slightly different approach from you as a reader.
Access to all documents
Improve your grades
Join milions of students
By signing up you accept Terms of Service and Privacy Policy
Reading for understanding means grasping what a text is literally communicating. This is different from how you might read for other purposes—you read a novel differently than a newspaper article for good reason!
To demonstrate understanding, you need to identify the main idea and summarize the significant details. Your goal is to create a summary that's shorter than the original text while capturing its essence.
Main ideas can appear anywhere in a paragraph—sometimes in the first or last sentences, but not always. Here are some helpful strategies: look at the title, notice repeated words or phrases, identify what the text is mostly about, and pay attention to what details the author emphasizes.
🧠 Try brainstorming about a text's topic before you start reading! This can activate your prior knowledge and help you understand the content more easily when you dive in.
Our AI companion is specifically built for the needs of students. Based on the millions of content pieces we have on the platform we can provide truly meaningful and relevant answers to students. But its not only about answers, the companion is even more about guiding students through their daily learning challenges, with personalised study plans, quizzes or content pieces in the chat and 100% personalisation based on the students skills and developments.
You can download the app in the Google Play Store and in the Apple App Store.
That's right! Enjoy free access to study content, connect with fellow students, and get instant help – all at your fingertips.
3
Smart Tools NEW
Transform this note into: ✓ 50+ Practice Questions ✓ Interactive Flashcards ✓ Full Mock Exam ✓ Essay Outlines
Describes plot, setting and what conflict is. explains the elements of plot and shows how they would be ordered in a story. This is a review for most but has always been helpful for me!
EnglishReading Comprehension: Improve your ability to understand and analyze texts, including novels, short stories, and poetry.
EnglishReading study notes
EnglishEnglish notes
EnglishHow to critically read and different types.
Englishstudy figurative language
EnglishApp Store
Google Play
The app is very easy to use and well designed. I have found everything I was looking for so far and have been able to learn a lot from the presentations! I will definitely use the app for a class assignment! And of course it also helps a lot as an inspiration.
Stefan S
iOS user
This app is really great. There are so many study notes and help [...]. My problem subject is French, for example, and the app has so many options for help. Thanks to this app, I have improved my French. I would recommend it to anyone.
Samantha Klich
Android user
Wow, I am really amazed. I just tried the app because I've seen it advertised many times and was absolutely stunned. This app is THE HELP you want for school and above all, it offers so many things, such as workouts and fact sheets, which have been VERY helpful to me personally.
Anna
iOS user
I think it’s very much worth it and you’ll end up using it a lot once you get the hang of it and even after looking at others notes you can still ask your Artificial intelligence buddy the question and ask to simplify it if you still don’t get it!!! In the end I think it’s worth it 😊👍 ⚠️Also DID I MENTION ITS FREEE YOU DON’T HAVE TO PAY FOR ANYTHING AND STILL GET YOUR GRADES IN PERFECTLY❗️❗️⚠️
Thomas R
iOS user
Knowunity is the BEST app I’ve used in a minute. This is not an ai review or anything this is genuinely coming from a 7th grade student (I know 2011 im young) but dude this app is a 10/10 i have maintained a 3.8 gpa and have plenty of time for gaming. I love it and my mom is just happy I got good grades
Brad T
Android user
Not only did it help me find the answer but it also showed me alternative ways to solve it. I was horrible in math and science but now I have an a in both subjects. Thanks for the help🤍🤍
David K
iOS user
The app's just great! All I have to do is enter the topic in the search bar and I get the response real fast. I don't have to watch 10 YouTube videos to understand something, so I'm saving my time. Highly recommended!
Sudenaz Ocak
Android user
In school I was really bad at maths but thanks to the app, I am doing better now. I am so grateful that you made the app.
Greenlight Bonnie
Android user
I found this app a couple years ago and it has only gotten better since then. I really love it because it can help with written questions and photo questions. Also, it can find study guides that other people have made as well as flashcard sets and practice tests. The free version is also amazing for students who might not be able to afford it. Would 100% recommend
Aubrey
iOS user
Best app if you're in Highschool or Junior high. I have been using this app for 2 school years and it's the best, it's good if you don't have anyone to help you with school work.😋🩷🎀
Marco B
iOS user
THE QUIZES AND FLASHCARDS ARE SO USEFUL AND I LOVE THE SCHOOLGPT. IT ALSO IS LITREALLY LIKE CHATGPT BUT SMARTER!! HELPED ME WITH MY MASCARA PROBLEMS TOO!! AS WELL AS MY REAL SUBJECTS ! DUHHH 😍😁😲🤑💗✨🎀😮
Elisha
iOS user
This app is phenomenal down to the correct info and the various topics you can study! I greatly recommend it for people who struggle with procrastination and those who need homework help. It has been perfectly accurate for world 1 history as far as I’ve seen! Geometry too!
Paul T
iOS user
The app is very easy to use and well designed. I have found everything I was looking for so far and have been able to learn a lot from the presentations! I will definitely use the app for a class assignment! And of course it also helps a lot as an inspiration.
Stefan S
iOS user
This app is really great. There are so many study notes and help [...]. My problem subject is French, for example, and the app has so many options for help. Thanks to this app, I have improved my French. I would recommend it to anyone.
Samantha Klich
Android user
Wow, I am really amazed. I just tried the app because I've seen it advertised many times and was absolutely stunned. This app is THE HELP you want for school and above all, it offers so many things, such as workouts and fact sheets, which have been VERY helpful to me personally.
Anna
iOS user
I think it’s very much worth it and you’ll end up using it a lot once you get the hang of it and even after looking at others notes you can still ask your Artificial intelligence buddy the question and ask to simplify it if you still don’t get it!!! In the end I think it’s worth it 😊👍 ⚠️Also DID I MENTION ITS FREEE YOU DON’T HAVE TO PAY FOR ANYTHING AND STILL GET YOUR GRADES IN PERFECTLY❗️❗️⚠️
Thomas R
iOS user
Knowunity is the BEST app I’ve used in a minute. This is not an ai review or anything this is genuinely coming from a 7th grade student (I know 2011 im young) but dude this app is a 10/10 i have maintained a 3.8 gpa and have plenty of time for gaming. I love it and my mom is just happy I got good grades
Brad T
Android user
Not only did it help me find the answer but it also showed me alternative ways to solve it. I was horrible in math and science but now I have an a in both subjects. Thanks for the help🤍🤍
David K
iOS user
The app's just great! All I have to do is enter the topic in the search bar and I get the response real fast. I don't have to watch 10 YouTube videos to understand something, so I'm saving my time. Highly recommended!
Sudenaz Ocak
Android user
In school I was really bad at maths but thanks to the app, I am doing better now. I am so grateful that you made the app.
Greenlight Bonnie
Android user
I found this app a couple years ago and it has only gotten better since then. I really love it because it can help with written questions and photo questions. Also, it can find study guides that other people have made as well as flashcard sets and practice tests. The free version is also amazing for students who might not be able to afford it. Would 100% recommend
Aubrey
iOS user
Best app if you're in Highschool or Junior high. I have been using this app for 2 school years and it's the best, it's good if you don't have anyone to help you with school work.😋🩷🎀
Marco B
iOS user
THE QUIZES AND FLASHCARDS ARE SO USEFUL AND I LOVE THE SCHOOLGPT. IT ALSO IS LITREALLY LIKE CHATGPT BUT SMARTER!! HELPED ME WITH MY MASCARA PROBLEMS TOO!! AS WELL AS MY REAL SUBJECTS ! DUHHH 😍😁😲🤑💗✨🎀😮
Elisha
iOS user
This app is phenomenal down to the correct info and the various topics you can study! I greatly recommend it for people who struggle with procrastination and those who need homework help. It has been perfectly accurate for world 1 history as far as I’ve seen! Geometry too!
Paul T
iOS user
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