1. GENERAL AND SPECIFIC
READING SKILL

2. Bananas give you vitamin C.
Difference: Purpose
Fruit can be healthy.
General sentences describe many smaller things.
A specific sentence IS a small thing!
FRUIT
Bananas can be healthy.
Bananas give you vitamin C.

3. Compare: Phrases
General sentences can have the same meaning as specific sentences.
A specific sentence fits inside of this general sentence!
In the United States, cars can be dangerous.
American cars can cause accidents.
Fords have problems with their brakes.
The 1995 Ford Taurus caused 3,000 accidents because of its bad brakes.

4. Difference: Accuracy
General sentences are not always true. They might only be a little true.
A specific sentence should be completely true.
People are lazy.
I’m lazy.
She’s not lazy.
Cars can be expensive.
This car is $200,000.
That car is $200.

5. Difference: Numbers General sentences use indefinite numbers.
many, several, lots, most, etc.
A specific sentence uses numbers.
%, 1,3,5, ¾, etc.
There are a lot of dogs there.
There are three dogs there.
Most pencils are red.
Two thirds of pencils are red.

6. Difference: Meanings
General sentences can have many meanings. We need extra sentences to understand them.
A specific sentence has one meaning.
Canadians love many sports.
Canadians love hockey.
People have several faults.
People are selfish.

7. Difference: Details General sentences don’t have much detail.
A specific sentence has lots of detail.
I want something sweet.
I want a cherry pie from that bakery on Victoria Ave.
People are rude.
That man who you talked to yesterday was rude.

8. Difference: Opinion + Fact
General sentences are often opinions. They often need facts to prove them.
A specific sentence often IS a fact, but not always!
IPhones are expensive.
The IPhone 8 will cost $1200.
70% of Canadians have debt from their phones.
Sugar is unhealthy.
It is connected to obesity.
¾ of doctors say not to eat it.

9. Difference: Grammar
General sentences use general nouns and indefinite articles.
A specific sentence often talks about one person, place, thing, or idea.
Cars are dangerous.
A car might hit you.
Last year, a car killed a 5- year-old girl.
The 1990 Honda is very safe.

10. Difference: Grammar More examples: Strawberries are healthy.
A strawberry contains a lot of vitamin C.
The strawberries from my grandma’s farm contain 30% of your daily vitamin C requirement!