Prediction as a comprehension skill helps readers by doing what?

• A. Increasing reading speed
• B. Testing the accuracy of predictions
• C. Memorizing vocabulary
• D. Reducing comprehension

Answer: (B)

Prediction as a comprehension skill centers on forming ideas about what might happen next or why a character acts a certain way, and then testing those ideas as you read. You use clues from the text and your own background knowledge to make a guess, and as you encounter new information, you check whether your guess was correct and revise it if needed. This ongoing checking helps you stay engaged and build understanding, because your thinking stays aligned with what the text actually reveals. The main benefit is testing the accuracy of your predictions against the text, which strengthens meaning-making rather than simply increasing speed, memorizing vocabulary, or reducing comprehension.