What do structural analysis skills help a reader to do?

Structural analysis skills are essential for effective reading because they enable a reader to break down words into their component parts: prefixes, suffixes, and root words. This skill is crucial for vocabulary development and comprehension, as understanding the structure of a word allows readers to infer its meaning. For instance, when a reader encounters unfamiliar words, recognizing the prefix or suffix can provide clues about the word’s meaning, which is particularly helpful in decoding complex texts.

Being skilled in structural analysis adds to a reader's ability to tackle new vocabulary independently. It empowers them to approach words they have never seen before with a strategy that relies on their knowledge of common prefixes and suffixes, facilitating both reading fluency and comprehension.

The other options, while relevant to reading skills, do not precisely define what structural analysis skills entail. Identifying phonemic patterns deals more with phonics and sound-letter relationships, enhancing overall reading speed relates to fluency, and summarizing texts effectively pertains to comprehension and synthesis, rather than the breaking down of word structures.