Lesson 1 of 10
What you actually asked
Show on a big screen"When is the match?" Two match posters are up. Which one is meant?
The words do not say. Both the Class 9 match and the Class 10 match fit. A reading is one way to take a request.
Step 1 of 4
- One request: "When is the match?"
- It could mean the Class 9 match, or the Class 10 match.
- Two readings. Nothing says which poster you mean.
- An answer may follow one reading. It may not say which.
Read each request below. Tap how many readings it has.
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The rule
Count the readings a request leaves open. One reading means everyone agrees what was asked. Several readings mean the answer may follow any one. It may not tell you which.
| Readings left open | What it means for the answer |
|---|---|
| One | The answer is about what you meant. |
| Two or more | Several answers fit. It may not say which one it followed. |
Extra words do not always remove a reading. "Tell me who won the big match" still leaves two. Which match? "What is the capital of Karnataka?" leaves one.
Try the lab to finish this lesson.