Getting 8+ band in IELTS reading must sound like an impossible task for those whose first language is not English.
Well, it's time is to bust that myth through this article. You will not only get to know the IELTS reading tips but also will get a chance to improve your English reading.
IELTS reading's main aim is to test the ability of candidates in understanding questions and respond accordingly. It's okay if you encounter some unfamiliar words or tricky complex language, the main task is to locate the answer accurately.
These tips will also help you to improve common mistakes that often students make in their exams. So make sure to read and understand the idea of the content.
IELTS Reading Tips: Path To Improvement
Skimming & Scanning- A Secret Key
Skimming and scanning of reading passages are very necessary for making the best utilization of the given time and for getting desired scores. Skimming refers to the reading of the passage in order to get the general idea of the passage. It is suggested to give this one read before tackling the questions. One will get to understand the topic and layout of the passage. Just give 2-3 minutes for skimming the passage not more than that. Also, it is important to underline important keywords while skimming the passage. After skimming one can start with a question. The next important part that comes is scanning. It is your ability to locate the answer quickly on the basis of skimming and keywords marked while skimming.
No Need To Get In-depth Understanding Of The Passage
Your task is to give accurate answers only so there is no need to dig deep into understanding the meaning of the passage. The question that is given to you is specifically there to test your ability to locate specific information and answer accordingly. There are most specifically two types of questions, first that require a more detailed understanding of the whole passage like choosing a title and matching headings. Secondly, the rest of the questions are based on locating information in the passage.
Boost Your Reading Speed
Your reading speed really matters for getting it complete accurately and on time as it strictly timely based exam. One must develop speed reading skills along with the understanding of the passage and locate the answers quickly. So, saving time while scanning and skimming the passage is a good start.
Learn To Tackle Every Type Of Question
There are more than 10-14 types of questions asked in reading IELTS exam. So one need to develop skills and strategy in order to tackle each type of question. Some of task types are
Multiple choice question
Identifying Information
Identifying Writer Views
Sentence Completion
Matching Information
Matching Headings
Summary Completion
Sentence Completion
Diagram Label Completion
Flow-Chart Completion
Short Answer Questions
Understanding the type of question will help you to not only save your time and locate the right answer.
Vocabulary Building
For getting desired scores in IELTS reading, one has to focus on strengthening vocabulary skills. Learning vocabulary is not the only task unless you don't understand its right usage. Don't panic if some words seem unfamiliar to you, there is no need to get a complete understanding of the passage.
Highlight Keywords From The Passage
Marking keywords is very helpful while scanning. It will help you to locate answers easily and spot the right answer quickly and accurately. Also, check whether the keywords can be paraphrased. Practice reading lessons in order to make it as your practice of spotting keywords correctly. Some of the obvious keywords are names, dates, numbers, places etc.
Grammar & Spelling Must Be Up To The Mark
Next important thing is to work on grammar and spellings as these are also penalized while checking the exam. Especially the questions like summary completion, the grammar must be correct while writing an answer for it. Students often make this mistake, instead of knowing the correct answer, they score low as compared to other students either due to grammatical error or mistakes in spellings.
Practice! Practice! Practice!
The practice is the key to perfection. For getting the desired score in your reading exam one has practiced a lot and on daily basis. It is important to sharpen up your reading skills in order to excel in this exam with 8+ band. Practice both simple and complex passages, tackle every type of question, focus on your vocabulary, grammar, and spelling, Practice skimming and scanning of the passage, improve your reading speed with understanding, and so on. You can also refer to the IELTS preparation course provided by us to make your dream come true.
Practice Difficult Passages As Well
Reading simple passages will keep to confined to a limited zone so it is suggested that if you have enough time before your IELTS reading exam then practice difficult passages as well. Getting familiar to complex passages and its vocabulary will make you feel more confident and prepared for IELTS exam. Best sources of getting started with is practice is reading BBC News, reading about scientist, economist passages and so on.
Analyse Your Past Performances
Self-analysis is very important for improving your weaknesses. Try to get a better understanding of why you are getting your answers wrong and plan your strategy accordingly. Let’s say most of your answers are getting wrong due to a lack of understanding of the passage then you need to focus on your vocabulary and reading skills. Or maybe you could not get the answers right even after understanding the passage just because you ran out of time then practice and time management are important. So basically, self-analysis after reviewing your performance is very important. It is only possible when you practice a lot.
Watch Your Time
Spending too much time on one question can cost you heavy when it comes to a time-based IELTS reading exam. So time is a crucial factor while attempting fr the IELTS exam. Best time management recommended by us is spending approximately 3-4 minutes on skimming and scanning of the passage, approximately 16-17 minutes to read and answer the questions, and 3-4 minutes for transferring answers on the sheet. There is a mixture of questions some are easy to solve and some demand adequate time to invest. So time management with lots of practice of reading simple and complex passages is required in order to excel in this exam with 8+ band.
Wrapping It Up!!
Hope these given IELTS Reading tips help you to get your desired score. Also, don't forget to practice reading lessons more and more in order to sharpen your reading skills.
We believe in the quality education of our students and put our great efforts to provide our students with updated IELTS guidelines. Also, You can refer IELTS preparation course for exam preparation.
Dr. Roma
@Content Writer
About the Creator
DR_ROMA
Hi I am Dr Roma, BJMC, M.A., PhD. Heading my own IELTS training institute for past 14 years, I have designed this course keeping in mind the current challenges faced by students in achieving their desired band scores.
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