Six tips to boost your IELTS reading section
The reading
section of the IELTS test can be a little intimidating due to the length of the
passages. But if you know the right strategies, and my top tips, it should be a
piece of cake!
1. Know the
test
Like all
international language testing systems, IELTS has a unique format, so I
recommend familiarising yourself with the details before you arrive. Start by
answering the following questions.
How long is
the test?
What’s the
format?
How many
texts are there?
What kind of
texts are they?
What skills
will be tested?
What types
of questions will be asked?
What skills
do you need to answer the questions?
Will you
have extra time to transfer your answers?
2. Practice
makes perfect
If you like
reading, then improving your English reading skills can be an enjoyable
experience – you can sit in the comfort of your home and engross yourself in a
book. Take every opportunity to read, from novels and blogs, to newspapers and
academic journals. The more variety, the better. Reading extensively will
help you learn new vocabulary and improve your reading speed.
If you’re
not a fan of reading, I recommend starting with topics you are already
interested in, before moving on to more academic texts.
As well as
the IELTS reading practice tests (see tip one), you can find a variety of
different sources online.
3. Develop
your reading techniques
Many
candidates find the length of the texts to be the most challenging aspect of
the IELTS reading section. With three long texts totaling around 2,750 words,
and just one hour to read them and answer 40 questions, it’s clear there’s not
enough time to go through the texts thoroughly. So, learning some simple
reading techniques will really help.
Skimming
‘Skimming’
is used to get a general overview of the text. Just spend a minute glancing at
the titles and headings to identify the general topic. Each paragraph should be
centred around one main idea, stated in the topic sentence (usually the first sentence
of the paragraph, but not always). Identifying and underlining the topic
sentence will help you answer the questions.
Scanning
‘Scanning’
is the technique used to locate specific keywords or phrases. When you’ve found
a keyword, read the surrounding text in detail to find the answer you are
looking for.
Mastering
these basic techniques is the key to success.
4. Focus
on keywords
Texts in the
IELTS reading section are packed with lots of new vocabulary. Don’t be
discouraged. You don’t need to understand every word, and you can always use
contextual clues to guess the meaning of a word you don’t understand.
What really
matters are keywords.
Read the
question carefully, and underline the keywords. Try to predict what words or
phrases will help you locate the right part of the text. Think about other ways
of saying these words. What are the synonyms and antonyms (words with the opposite
meaning)? Try to paraphrase. For example, if the question says ‘joint’,
remember that this means ‘together’ or ‘shared’. So, if the text states that
‘he was the sole winner’, you can understand that it was not ‘joint’.
5. Follow
the instructions carefully
If the
instructions state to ‘use one word only’, make sure you don’t write more than
one word. You don’t want to lose points for not reading the instructions
properly.
For
questions where you need to fill in missing words, make sure the resulting
sentence is grammatically accurate. Be particularly careful about singular and
plural forms.
Also, pay
attention to spelling and capitalisation!
6. Make
the most of your time!
Remember,
you have just one hour to answer 40 questions, which equates to one and a half
minutes per question. Leave difficult questions until the end; you can always
go back to them later.
Fill in the
answer sheet as you go, as you will not be given extra time to transfer your
answers to the sheet (unlike in the listening section). Imagine how awful it
would be to have all of the answers, but no time to write them on the answer
sheet!
Look at the
question type before deciding on your strategy. For example, is it
multiple-choice or asking you to complete a sentence? Although
reading the questions first will save you a lot of time, it may also not be the
best strategy if you need to match headings.
IELTS Reading Test Tips and Advice
The General
and Academic Training Reading tests are usually graded to the same level.
However, the texts mentioned in the Academic Reading Test can be more challenging as
compared to those mentioned in the General Training Test.
Test duration: 60 minutes (for
both Academic and General tests)
What is
the IELTS Reading Test Format (Academic)?
In your
Reading test (Academic), you will find three sections, each having one long
text.
These texts
are excerpts borrowed from either books, magazines or newspapers. These are
usually around topics of general interest, and so you need not be a specialist to
answer them. These excerpts can range from being factual and descriptive to analytical and discursive. They may
also have non-verbal elements like graphs, diagrams or illustrations. If in case, there are jargon
or technical terms used, a glossary will be provided.
IELTS Reading test format - General
Training
In your
Reading test (General Training), you will find three sections.
Section 1: Two or three factual texts
(short), one of which may be composite (consisting of 6-8 short texts related by topic, e.g. hotel advertisements). Topics are relevant
to everyday life in an English-speaking country.
Section 2: Two factual texts (short) that
focus on work-related issues (e.g. company policies, applying for jobs, salary, workplace facilities, or staff development and training).
Section 3: Contains a slightly more
complex and longer text on a generic topic. It will be a passage taken from real notices, company handbooks, advertisements, books, official
documents, magazines or newspapers.
Helpful Tips
for IELTS Reading Test
Practice
reading different kinds of texts in English to develop the habit of reading
quickly.
Before you
answer any question, read each question properly to make it easier to find
answers later.
If you can, mark possible answers while you read. If you are taking IELTS on a
computer, make notes or even highlight any section of the text.
Start with a
cursory reading of the text to have a generic idea of what it is about. Once
you are a little familiar, read it carefully keeping in mind the questions to which you need to
find the answers.
Since you do
not have to apply your own knowledge to answer the questions, all answers will
be there in the passage itself. Read carefully to not miss them.
While
answering, ensure that you are using the correct spellings as given in the
passage.
Sometimes
there can be questions to test upon your understanding of the given passage.
For instance, the question could be about the topic, highlighting particular words or
ideas denoting the core message of the passages.
It is a good
practice to mark important words as you read along. For instance, if there are
important dates, mark them! It becomes easier to spot them if a question is asked around
the same.
Ensure your
spellings are always correct, especially when you are copying from the passage.
if you are
attempting IELTS on paper, write your answers down on the answer sheet. You
will not get any extra time later on to transfer any of your answers.
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