Mastering the IELTS Reading Test: Tips and Tricks

Are you studying to take the IELTS Test? If so, you’ve probably noticed that the Reading component consists of four types of passages, each with different characteristics and different questions associated with them. Understanding these characteristics and being able to predict the kinds of questions that will be asked based on them can help you maximize your score on the Reading section of the IELTS Test by allowing you to focus more of your energy and attention on answering those questions you know how to answer rather than spending time figuring out which ones will be asked before they’re even presented to you.

Before the test

The IELTS reading test is broken down into three sections: reading comprehension, passage-based questions, and text completion. You'll have about 80 minutes to answer 30 questions.

Answering some of the passage-based questions may require you to read a short text first. The best way to approach this type of question is by reading quickly through the passage in order to get a general idea of what it's about; then, go back and read more carefully in order to find evidence that supports your answer choice.

In the testing room

*Prepare yourself before you start reading. When you first sit down to take the exam, read through all of the instructions carefully. Make sure you know what your task is before you start reading. It's important to understand exactly what they want from you so that you're not wasting time while taking the test. 

*Start with a time out. If there are any words on your reading passage that are unfamiliar, make a note of them as soon as possible. 

*Keep an eye out for long words in context. Sometimes it can be hard to tell if a word is long or short because we don't see it very often, but if there's only one instance of it in a paragraph then it's probably long!

Testing tips

1. Read the questions before reading the passage. This will help you to better understand what you are reading and answer the questions accordingly. 

2. Take your time when answering questions, by reading each sentence twice before answering to make sure that you read it well. 

3. If there is a word in a question that you don't know, then look for it in the passage and try to find its meaning from context clues or definitions at the bottom of your screen as long as they are not too difficult words!

Time yourself!

The most important thing to do when it comes to taking a reading test is, of course, to time yourself. You will be given 45 minutes to read a passage and answer questions that come after it. That's right--you have only 45 minutes! So it's important you know how much time you have left so that you can pace yourself accordingly. Practice timing yourself with this passage:

The following is an excerpt from To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee. Until I feared I would lose it, I never loved to read.

The skimming technics 

Skimming is a technique for saving time and keeping up with texts. It's a quick way to get an overview of a text. Skimming is also useful if you are unsure about what you want from a text, or when you want to find specific information within it. You can skim by reading headings, subheadings, tables of contents, indexes or titles. You may also be able to skim by scanning through the first page or two of text. 

Skimming will not always give you all the details that you need in order to understand what has been written but it will help you get an idea of how much detail there is in a particular text and where that detail can be found.

Read the answer before the question

- When reading a passage, do not read ahead; stop after each sentence to ensure you have comprehended it before moving on. 

- If you come across a word or phrase that you do not know, put your finger on it and look for its definition in the dictionary. 

- When deciding what answer to choose, go with your first instinct because this is usually correct.

Why reading answer is more important 

You will only be given 45 minutes for this section of the test. In that time you will be expected to answer 8-12 reading questions, which means you'll have to read at least one question every three minutes. That's not very much time! To make sure you're able to complete all of your questions in time, it is crucial that you know how to read faster. The most effective way of doing this is by breaking up long sentences into smaller chunks that are easier to process. It also helps if, when reading, you try not to use a lot of context clues or inferences because they take more time than simply reading what is written on the page.

How to judge questions quickly!

If you want to get a grasp on what is being asked, try focusing your attention on the stem of the question. This will tell you which type of information is needed in order to answer it. For example, if a question starts with Compare, then it would be important to know who or what are being compared in order to answer it. However, if the stem has words like Assume, then all that is required for answering that question would be evidence or facts from the reading passage. It's also important to note that sometimes questions can ask for more than one thing so it's best to look at both stems when trying to answer them.

How brain storming works in reading 

Brainstorming is a great technique to use when reading. It helps you get an idea of what to focus on in order to answer questions correctly. There are three basic steps to brainstorming while reading. 

1) Read the entire text twice 

2) Take notes as you read, highlighting important points that you want to remember 

3) Rearrange your notes into categories based on question type (e.g., if you were trying to find evidence for a main point, this might be different than if you were trying to answer a question about how a text is organized).

Conclusion

Overall, there is no secret to mastering the reading test. However, with a few easy tricks, you can score higher on this test. First off, read as much as you can. A lot of people may think that they don't need to study for this test because they are good at reading in their native language. However, in order to be successful on this exam, you will have to study hard. It's also important to know your vocabulary words since many of these words will show up in the reading comprehension questions. Lastly, understand what a key word is and how it is used in context when answering questions about a text.