Which term best describes the act of forming an understanding by connecting personal knowledge with text?

The act of forming an understanding by connecting personal knowledge with text is best described by the term "comprehending." Comprehension goes beyond mere decoding of words; it involves integrating the information from the text with what the reader already knows, allowing for a deeper understanding of the material. This process requires readers to think critically about the content, relate it to their own experiences, and derive meaning from it.

Comprehension involves not just understanding the literal meaning of the text, but also grasping its implications, themes, and nuances. It encompasses skills such as making predictions, identifying main ideas, and drawing conclusions, all of which are essential for meaningful engagement with the text. While interpreting, summarizing, and inferring are all related skills that contribute to a reader's overall understanding, comprehension specifically emphasizes the broader and deeper connection between a reader's background knowledge and the text being read.