Practice key reading comprehension strategies for middle school: main idea, context clues, inference, text structure, and author’s purpose. Built for Grades 5-8. 25 ready-to-play clues, no prep needed. This is a Grades 5–8 English / ELA review game in a Jeopardy-style format: a teacher puts the board on one screen, teams pick clues by point value, and the class answers out loud — no student devices or accounts needed. Categories: Main Idea, Context Clues, Inference Skills, Text Structure, Author's Purpose.
- Grades 5–8 English / ELA review
- Whole-class review on one shared screen
- Test or quiz prep
- Team-vs-team practice in class
A peek at what's on the board — 5 categories and one sample clue from each. Answers stay hidden until you open them, so the game still works.
What term names the most important point of a passage?
Show answer
main idea
+4 more clues in this category
Using nearby words to figure out an unknown word is called using what?
Show answer
context clues
+4 more clues in this category
What do we call a conclusion you figure out from clues and knowledge?
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an inference
+4 more clues in this category
Which structure presents events in time order?
Show answer
chronological order
+4 more clues in this category
What acronym helps you remember persuade, inform, entertain?
Show answer
PIE
+4 more clues in this category
Board content
Main Idea
- $100 — What term names the most important point of a passage?
- main idea
- $200 — In many informational paragraphs, where is the topic sentence most often placed?
- at the beginning
- $300 — What are facts and examples that explain the main idea called?
- supporting details
- $400 — What do we call a detail that does not connect to the main idea?
- irrelevant detail
- $500 — To infer an implied main idea, what pattern in the details should you notice?
- repeated ideas
Context Clues
- $100 — Using nearby words to figure out an unknown word is called using what?
- context clues
- $200 — In "arid, or very dry, climate," what type of clue is "or very dry"?
- definition
- $300 — In "Unlike his gregarious sister, Tom is taciturn," which contrast word signals the clue?
- unlike
- $400 — In reading, "context" refers to what around a word?
- surrounding text
- $500 — What common phrase can introduce an example that explains a word?
- for example
Inference Skills
- $100 — What do we call a conclusion you figure out from clues and knowledge?
- an inference
- $200 — You make inferences by combining text clues with what you already know, called what?
- prior knowledge
- $300 — A character slams a door and stomps off; what can you infer about their mood?
- angry
- $400 — What should you always cite to support an inference?
- text evidence
- $500 — An inference must be reasonable and what to the text?
- supported by evidence
Text Structure
- $100 — Which structure presents events in time order?
- chronological order
- $200 — Which structure shows similarities and differences?
- compare and contrast
- $300 — Which structure explains why something happened and the result?
- cause and effect
- $400 — Which structure presents a difficulty and how to fix it?
- problem and solution
- $500 — Name two common signal words that show sequence.
- first and next
Author's Purpose
- $100 — What acronym helps you remember persuade, inform, entertain?
- PIE
- $200 — If a text aims to change your opinion, what is the author’s purpose?
- persuade
- $300 — A how-to article mainly has what purpose?
- inform
- $400 — A funny fictional story is likely written to do what?
- entertain
- $500 — The group a text is written for is called what?
- audience
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