Interpreting Notices — I can interpret simple notices and identify the key action (pay, call, bring, attend). - Adult Literacy Beginner

SECTION 1

Why Reading Notices Matters

A notice is a short piece of writing. It tells you something important. You see notices every day.

You may see a notice on a door. You may get one in the mail. You may see one at work or at the doctor.

Most notices ask you to do one thing. This lesson helps you find that one thing fast.

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The big idea

Every notice has a key action. The key action is what you must do. It is often just one word: pay, call, bring, or attend.

When you can find the key action, you feel calm. You know what to do. You do not miss a bill or a visit.

SECTION 2

The Four Key Action Words

Many notices use one of four action words. Learn these four words well.

Pay

You must give money. A bill asks you to pay.

Call

You must use the phone. You call a number to talk to someone.

Bring

You must take something with you. You bring a card, a form, or an ID.

Attend

You must go and be there. You attend a meeting or a visit at a set time.

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KEY TAKEAWAY

Think of a notice like a note from a friend. The note says one main thing. "Pay me back." "Call me tonight." "Bring your lunch." "Come to my house." Find that one main thing, and you know what to do.

SECTION 3

What a Notice Looks Like

Look at the picture of a notice below. See the parts. The key action is the big word in the middle.

The title says NOTICE. The middle box shows the key action: PAY $40. The bottom shows the date and a phone number.

The action word here is pay. The notice also tells you how much and by when. First find the action. Then find the details.

SECTION 4

How to Read a Notice, Step by Step

Use these three steps every time you read a notice.

Step 1: Look for an action word. Find pay, call, bring, or attend.
Step 2: Find the detail. How much? What number? What to bring? What time?
Step 3: Find the date. When must you do it?

Follow the arrows from top to bottom. Action first, then detail, then date.

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Tip

Read the notice two times. The first time, look only for the action word. The second time, read the details.

SECTION 5

Word Clues That Show the Action

Some words are clues. When you see these words, you know the action. Study this table.

Action	Clue words you may see	What you do
Pay	bill, due, amount, $, balance	Give money
Call	phone, number, contact, dial	Use the phone
Bring	bring, take, show, ID, card, form	Take something with you
Attend	meeting, appointment, come, be there, time	Go and be there

Clue words for each key action.

For example, if you see the word appointment, the action is likely attend. You need to go and be there.

SECTION 6

Read This Notice Together

Here is a real-style notice. Let us read it step by step.

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The notice says:

"Clinic Reminder. You have a check-up on Friday, May 3, at 9:00 AM. Please bring your health card and a list of your pills. If you cannot come, call 555-0182."

Finding the key action

1
Step 1 — Look for an action word

I read the notice. I see the word "bring." I also see "check-up" and a time. So the main action is to attend the check-up, and to bring things.

Action: attend + bring
2
Step 2 — Find the detail

What must I bring? The notice says my health card and a list of my pills.

Bring: health card and pill list
3
Step 3 — Find the date

When? The notice says Friday, May 3, at 9:00 AM.

Date: Friday, May 3, 9:00 AM
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Step 4 — Know the backup action

If I cannot go, the notice tells me to call the number 555-0182.

If not going: call 555-0182

SECTION 7

Clear Notices and Tricky Notices

Some notices are easy. Some are harder. This table shows the difference.

Clear notice	Tricky notice
One action word, easy to see	The action word is hidden in a long sentence
Big print, short lines	Small print, many lines
The date is easy to find	You must look hard for the date

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KEY TAKEAWAY

A tricky notice is like a messy drawer. The thing you need is in there. You just have to look a little longer. Slow down and read again. You can ask a helper to check with you.

SECTION 8

From Simple Notices to Longer Ones

Right now you read short notices. Later you can read longer ones. The skill is the same. You still look for the action first.

Now: simple notice	Later: longer letter
A few lines	A full page
One clear action	One main action plus extra steps
Pay, call, bring, attend	Same words, plus sign, apply, reply

When you get a longer letter, use the same three steps. Find the action, find the detail, find the date. You are ready to grow.

SECTION 9

Practice Reading Notices

Question 1: CONCEPTUAL

What are the four key action words we learned in this lesson?

Show answer

The four key action words are pay, call, bring, and attend. Pay means to give money. Call means to use the phone. Bring means to take something with you. Attend means to go and be there. Every simple notice usually asks you to do one of these things.

Question 2: BASIC

A notice says: "Your water bill is due. Amount: $25." What is the key action?

Show answer

The key action is pay. The clue words are "bill," "due," and "$25." These words show that you must give money. The amount you must pay is $25. So the action is: pay $25.

Question 3: INTERMEDIATE

A notice says: "Please bring your ID card to the office on Monday." What is the action, and what must you bring?

Show answer

The action is bring, and you also need to go on Monday. The clue word is "bring." You must bring your ID card. The detail tells you what to take: your ID card. The date is Monday, so you take it that day.

Question 4: APPLIED

A notice says: "Meeting for all workers, Thursday at 2:00 PM in Room 4. If you cannot come, call your boss at 555-0134." What is the main action? What is the backup action?

Show answer

The main action is attend. You must go to the meeting on Thursday at 2:00 PM in Room 4. The clue words are "meeting," "come," and the time. The backup action is call. If you cannot attend, you call your boss at 555-0134. So there are two actions: first try to attend, and if not, call.

Question 5: CRITICAL THINKING

A notice says: "Reminder: your rent payment of $600 is due by the 1st. Bring the receipt to the front desk after you pay. Questions? Call 555-0170." This notice has more than one action. List each action in the right order.

Show answer

This notice has three actions. First, pay your rent of $600 by the 1st. Second, bring the receipt to the front desk after you pay. Third, if you have questions, call 555-0170. The order matters: you pay first, then you bring the receipt. The call is a backup for questions. Finding all three actions shows you have learned to read a longer notice using the same steps.

SUMMARY

Summary

A notice is a short piece of writing that tells you something important. Every notice has a key action. The four action words to know are pay, call, bring, and attend.

To read any notice, use three steps: find the action word, find the detail (how much, what, which number), and find the date. Read the notice two times if you need to. Now you can read a notice and know what to do.