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Adult (ABE)

Reading Comprehension Worksheets & Tests

Free, printable and accessible online
– a perfect fit for adult students

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instruction

Adult (ABE) worksheets instructions

All worksheets have 3 versions:

1

Just the text

2

The text with the questions

3

The text with the questions and the answers

We constructed it this way in order to reduce the amount of pages you need to print.
We encourage you to print the version with the answers just once, for your own reference.

Use these texts online

We more strongly encourage you to use these texts online. Other than ecological reasons, practicing reading comprehension online is also much easier to grade, simplifies tracking of progress, adaptive to the level of the specific student, and increases motivation to practice with the students.

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Adult (ABE) teaching tips

Accept the challenge

As you know, ABE teachers are unique in that they often have English language learners (ELLs) and native English speakers in the same class. They may even have learners who are pre-literate in their home language so they are learning to read for the 1st time in English. ABE teachers also have learners who are adults with undiagnosed learning disabilities. So it’s hard to be specific because ABE instruction entails many different types of learners with a huge spectrum of literacy, education, and skills so there are many different strategies that could apply.

Teaching ABE learners

For ABE learners, have students complete cloze passages. Provide instruction in comprehension strategies, such as using headings and graphics to predict meaning. Teach and model summarizing verbally, skimming, and scanning skills. Assess learners’ reading comprehension by having them read texts and answer comprehension questions about the text in multiple choice or short answers. Have students summarize readings orally and in writing.

Teaching ELLs

For ELLs, find out what students know, need to know, and want to know. Then build on ideas and concepts from learners’ cultures and experiences whenever possible. Select readings on topics they may be familiar with. Pre-teach vocabulary and preview unfamiliar ideas, actions, vocabulary, and settings as well as titles, pictures, graphics, text structure, and even punctuation. Use videos, images, and physical objects to help learners build background knowledge. Assess learner comprehension through short answers, cloze exercises, and summary writing only after pre-teaching vocabulary, previewing cultural contexts, and discussing the text in pairs, small groups, or as a class.

Adult (ABE) worksheets

Below are 10 reading comprehension worksheets and tests that are accurately measured to fit the Adult (ABE) level.

Antonio’s Revenge

Topic

Antonio's Revenge

Lexile level

1370

Num of questions

8

Types of questions

Cause and effect comprehension, Identifying intent and conclusions, Identifying the main topic and key ideas

Human Execution: No Such Thing

Topic

Human Execution: No Such Thing

Lexile level

1210

Num of questions

6

Types of questions

Identifying the main topic and key ideas, Identifying chronological order, Identifying intent and conclusions.

Xandersol

Topic

Xandersol

Lexile level

1080

Num of questions

8

Types of questions

Facts vs. opinions inference, Cause and effect comprehension, Identifying the main topic and key ideas

Amazon Snakes!

Topic

Amazon Snakes!

Lexile level

1090

Num of questions

8

Types of questions

Identifying the main topic and key ideas,Identifying the author’s point of view, lesson or moral.

Lost

Topic

Lost

Lexile level

900

Num of questions

6

Types of questions

Central message, lesson or moral, Identifying the main topic and key ideas, Summarizing.

All the Wonders

Topic

All the Wonders

Lexile level

880

Num of questions

7

Types of questions

Central message, Facts vs. opinions inference, Identifying the main topic and key ideas.

Adult or Puppy

Topic

Adult or Puppy

Lexile level

890

Num of questions

7

Types of questions

Central message, lesson or moral, Identifying the main topic and key ideas, Identifying the author’s point of view, Cause and effect comprehension

Not a small problem

Topic

Not a small problem

Lexile level

600

Num of questions

6

Types of questions

Identifying intent and conclusions, Central message, lesson or moral

Managing Her Illness

Topic

Managing Her Illness

Lexile level

530

Num of questions

5

Types of questions

Central message, Identifying the main topic and key ideas, Identifying the author’s point of view, Cause and effect comprehension

Calm on job

Topic

Calm on job

Lexile level

580

Num of questions

7

Types of questions

Answering questions with evidence, Central message, Identifying the author’s point of view, Summarizing

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