Reading written information

Interpreting written information means working out what the writer is actually telling you. You pick out the main points, the purpose and any instructions or conclusions, rather than reading every word at the same speed.

Purpose and main points

Purpose is why the piece was written: to inform, to instruct, to warn or to persuade. Knowing it helps you decide which parts matter most — in a warning notice, the part telling you what to avoid carries the weight.

Main points are the key facts and findings. They often sit in the first sentence of a paragraph, and headings let you jump straight to the section you need instead of working through everything.

Instructions and conclusions

Follow instructions in the order given, and watch for conditions — a step that applies only once the register has been signed changes both what you do and when. Conclusions and recommendations say what you should now think or do, so they usually come last and matter most.

Signpost words

Signpost words show how points connect, so one word can flip the meaning of a sentence.

Take this notice: "The photography club moves to the art room from Thursday, which is a longer walk from the main gate. Therefore arrive by 3:10pm rather than 3:15pm so the register can be taken before the workshop starts. However, the door code stays the same. As a result of the move, there is no club on 14 March while the equipment is carried across." The purpose is to inform and instruct. The main points are the new room and the cancelled session; "however" tells you nothing else has changed; "as a result" links the move to the cancellation; and the conclusion is what you must now do — turn up five minutes earlier, and do not come on 14 March.