Common Core: 9th Grade English Language Arts

This subject focuses on developing critical reading, writing, and analytical skills aligned with the Common Core standards for 9th grade English Language Arts.

Basic Concepts

Reading Comprehension

Why Reading Matters

Reading comprehension means understanding what you read, not just pronouncing the words. It’s all about digging into a story or article, figuring out the main idea, and noticing important details.

Key Skills

  • Identifying the main idea and supporting details
  • Summarizing what happened in your own words
  • Making inferences (reading between the lines)
  • Recognizing the author’s purpose and tone

Tips for Success

  • Ask yourself questions as you read.
  • Highlight or jot down key points.
  • Pause to summarize after each section.

How It Shows Up in Real Life

Whether you're reading instructions for a new app or an article about climate change, comprehension helps you make sense of information and avoid misunderstandings.

Examples

  • Reading a news article and explaining its main message.

  • Summarizing the plot of a short story in your own words.

In a Nutshell

Understanding and interpreting what you read is the foundation of all ELA skills.

Key Terms

Inference
A logical guess based on evidence in the text.
Main Idea
The most important point the author is making.