English11+ subject

11+ comprehension

Every TestLife comprehension in one place: full-length tests, short passages and poems with 11+ exam-style questions, plus mini-lessons that teach each skill.

Comprehension Tests Learn the Skills Short Comprehension Poetry Comprehension Short Comprehension (Year 4/5)
New to comprehension? Start with Learn the Skills: 130 bite-size passages that explain every answer.Learn the skills →
44tests
130mini-lessons
9Year 4/5 passages
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Full comprehension tests

20 tests · 15–30 min

Full-length passages like the real exam.

Fiction and classic extracts 8 tests

A Christmas CarolAdapted from Charles Dickens22 questions · 20 minStart test →Charlie and the Chocolate Factory13 questions · 20 minStart test →A Curious Encounter20 questions · 20 minStart test →A Courageous Stand14 questions · 15 minStart test →An Unexpected Adventure16 questions · 20 minStart test →The Enchanted Garden15 questions · 20 minStart test →The Angry Adventure15 questions · 20 minStart test →The Lost HammerExtract from Norse mythology40 questions · 30 minStart test →

Non-fiction 12 tests

London Underground15 questions · 15 minStart test →Changing ClimateA balancing act18 questions · 20 minStart test →The Enchanting Galápagos Islands19 questions · 20 minStart test →Anne FrankA diary of courage and resilience13 questions · 15 minStart test →Chinese New Year16 questions · 15 minStart test →Artificial Intelligence14 questions · 20 minStart test →The Solar System25 questions · 15 minStart test →Amazon RainforestThe lungs of the Earth20 questions · 20 minStart test →VolcanoesHow they form, erupt and change the land16 questions · 20 minStart test →JWSTOur window into the universe17 questions · 20 minStart test →AntsThe tiny giants14 questions · 20 minStart test →The Great Fire of LondonHow the 1666 fire changed London14 questions · 20 minStart test →

Short comprehension

10 tests · 15 min

Shorter fiction and non-fiction passages that fit into 15 minutes: ideal for regular practice.

The Time Capsule Discovery15 questions · 15 minStart test →Young Detectives15 questions · 15 minStart test →The Enchanted Oven15 questions · 15 minStart test →Mr. Whisker's Emporium15 questions · 15 minStart test →The Last Dinosaur on Earth15 questions · 15 minStart test →A Green Future15 questions · 15 minStart test →Nelson MandelaA Short Story15 questions · 15 minStart test →A Museum Visit to Remember15 questions · 15 minStart test →When the Planets Talked!15 questions · 15 minStart test →A Starry Night in Chile15 minStart test →

Poetry comprehension

14 poems

Classic and modern poems with questions on meaning, language, mood and imagery.

The WindBy Christina Rossetti10 questions · 10 minStart test →The Spider and the FlyBy Mary Howitt25 questions · 10 minStart test →The OwlBy Alfred, Lord Tennyson10 questions · 10 minStart test →Save Our NatureBy Dr. Anil Thorat15 questions · 15 minStart test →There Was A Naughty BoyBy John Keats20 questions · 15 minStart test →Through the WoodsBy Rudyard Kipling15 questions · untimedStart test →Workings of the WindBy James Berry10 questions · 10 minStart test →Sea-FeverBy John Masefield15 questions · untimedStart test →MatildaBy Hilaire Belloc17 questions · 20 minStart test →IfBy Rudyard Kipling20 questions · 20 minStart test →LeisureBy W H Davies15 questions · 20 minStart test →Mother to SonBy Langston Hughes13 questions · 20 minStart test →The RiverBy Valerie Bloom15 questions · untimedStart test →DaffodilsBy William Wordsworth15 questions · 20 minStart test →

About 11+ comprehension

11+ comprehension papers test how well your child understands a passage and explains its meaning. Passages can come from classic and modern fiction, poetry, biographies, news articles or science writing.

What 11+ comprehension tests check

  • Retrievalfinding key facts in the text accurately
  • Inference and deductionreading between the lines
  • Vocabulary in contextworking out what words mean from the passage
  • Language and tonewhy the author chose particular words
  • Figurative languagesimiles, metaphors and personification, especially in poems
  • Themes and viewpointsexplaining what the text is really about

How to improve comprehension

  • Start with Learn the Skills: every answer is explained.
  • Read widely every day: stories, news articles, factual books and poems.
  • Talk about what your child reads: characters, motives and predictions.
  • Use short comprehension for regular practice, then full tests for exam stamina.
  • Move from untimed practice to timed tests to build exam speed.

For extra vocabulary support, the BBC Learning English vocabulary pages are a good free companion to our flashcards.

Learn the skills and younger readers

Learn the Skills130 bite-size passages that teach each question typeOpen →Short Comprehension (Year 4/5)Gentler passages for younger readersOpen →

Not sure where to start? Email help@testlife.co.uk and we’ll suggest tests for your child.

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