CC Explicit Information

One of the key reading skills tested on the CAEC is your ability to locate and retrieve information. That means finding a detail that’s clearly stated in the material. You’re not making guesses or reading between the lines—you’re finding information that is already there.

Here’s the strategy you should use:

Start by reading the question carefully. Before you even look at the text, figure out what kind of information the question is asking for.

If the question asks about something like a number, a fact, a date, a reason the text gives, or something the text “states” or “says”—you are looking for an explicit answer.

That means you’ll find the answer directly in the text, graph, table, or diagram, without needing to guess.

Once you know what the question is asking for, go back to the reading and find that exact detail.

Sometimes the information will be in a paragraph. Other times, it might be in a graph, a table, or a diagram.

If it’s a graph, read the title first. Look at the labels carefully before trying to answer.

If it’s a table, read the headings and titles so you know what each row and column means.

If it’s a paragraph, scan for keywords from the question. Read the full sentence where the keyword appears, not just a word or two.

Here’s a simple example:

Imagine you are reading a table called “Favourite Outdoor Activities in Canada.”

If the question asks, “According to the table, which activity is the most popular?”, you don’t have to guess or add your own ideas. You just find the activity with the highest number and pick it.

But be careful:

Not all questions will ask for something stated clearly. Some questions might ask what you can infer or conclude. Those are different skills.

When a question asks what the text states, says, describes, or shows, you are being asked to locate and retrieve explicit information.

Always stop and think: Am I supposed to find something that is written clearly? If yes, go back and match the question to the exact detail you see.

If the answer isn’t written clearly, and the question uses words like suggests, implies, or concludes, that’s a different kind of question—and you’ll need a different approach.

For locating and retrieving, stay focused on what’s directly in front of you. Don’t add opinions or guesses. Find it, match it, and answer it.

This is one of the most reliable ways to earn points on the CAEC. Once you know how to recognize the question type and use this strategy, you’ll move through these questions with confidence. Let’s practice it.

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