Skimming and scanning · Year 7
Good readers don't always read every word. Skimming means reading quickly to get the gist: what a text is mainly about. Scanning means searching a text for one particular detail, such as a name, a date or a number.
Key facts
- To skim, read the title, any headings, the first sentence and the last sentence. Ask: what is the whole text about?
- To scan, decide exactly what you are looking for first, then let your eyes run quickly over the text until you spot it.
- When you scan, look for clues that stand out: capital letters for names and places, figures for dates and times, and the key word of the question.
- Skim to decide whether a text is useful, or to get the general idea before a closer read. Scan to find a fact in a timetable, a dictionary, a list or a long article.
- In an exam, skim the whole text first, then scan for each answer and read the sentences around it carefully.