SKIMMING AND SCANNING

Skimming and scanning are reading techniques that help us find

and understand information in a text quickly.

« Skimming gives us a general understanding of the main ideas in

the text. Read the introduction and first sentence of each paragraph
carefully, and then move your eyes quickly over the rest of the text,
skimming it to find key words and ideas.

« Scanning helps us find and understand specific information.

Move your eyes quickly over the text, looking for key words or
synonyms that correspond to the specific information that you are
looking for. Read that part in detail to see if it contains the
information. If not, continue scanning.

Clauses with “what”

Clauses with “what” can be about the subject or the object of the
sentence. “What” can refer to singular or plural things.

SUBJECT CLAUSES WITH “WHAT”

Subject clauses with “what” are often at the start of a sentence. The
verb is singular, not plural.

Example 1:

In the following examples the SUBJECT of the sentence is replaced

by “WHAT”.
The accident that I saw last night was horrible.
SUBJECT

(El accidente que ví anoche fue horrible)

What I saw last night was horrible.

(Lo que ví anoche fue horrible)

Example 2:

The research that they are doing is very important.

SUBJECT

(La investigación que están haciendo es muy importante)

What they are doing is very important.

(Lo que están haciendo es muy importante)

OBJECT CLAUSES WITH “WHAT”

Object clauses with “what” are often at the end of a sentence.

Example 1:

In the following examples the OBJECT of the sentence is replaced

by “WHAT”.

I just finished reading the poem that you wrote.

OBJECT

(Acabo de terminar de leer el poema que escribiste.)

I just finished reading what you wrote.

(Acabo de terminar de leer lo que escribiste.)

Example 2:

I like the phrase that you wrote in the last paragraph.

OBJECT

(Me gusta la frase que escribiste en el último párrafo.)

I like what you wrote in the last paragraph.

(Me gusta lo que escribiste en el último párrafo.)