Reading is one of the four Modules that the candidates have to prepare for in the IELTS Test. It is an objective module which requires the candidate to assess a written text and respond to the questions provided in a given time frame. Many students find Reading to be a bit difficult to comprehend as it requires more of analytical skills rather than hardcore knowledge of English Language. So lets us observe the nuances of the test; the total time, the number of sections, question types and the major issues faced by the candidates. So in this article we are going to provide you some assistant by giving you some important ielts reading tips
IELTS PAPER BASED READING TEST FORMAT:
In the paper- based IELTS Test, all the questions for the Reading Module will be presented to the candidate in the form of hard copy. It is a 1- hour test (40 Questions in total) which is structured as below:
6 IELTS golden tips are given below
Understand that the topics which are presented in the Reading Module can be based on any domain. Some examples of the most popular subject matters that are asked are as follows:
1. VOCABULARY
Thus, it becomes essential to have a substantial amount of know-how even before one embarks on this amazing journey. Remember, for any proficiency test, it is vital for any individual to improve his or her vocabulary in order to enhance their overall communicative skills. The candidates do not require any specialized knowledge on the subject, just an understanding of the main idea presented would be sufficient to comprehend and answer the questions that are put forward. There are different sources via which individuals can work upon building their skill sets as mentioned below
follow ted.com BBC Radio Now, read magazines to improve your vocabulary once the candidate has a good amount of vocabulary, they can identify with the topic presented more effectively. It not only improves upon their reading skills but helps them to augment their performance in the Listening, Writing and Speaking Modules.
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2. PRACTICE TESTS A MUST:
If a person really wishes to perform well in this particular module, they must expose themselves to as many practice tests as possible. This would give them an idea of the reoccurring subject matters, the style or manner in which the questions are put forth as well as the basic traps presented in the question statements that obstruct the thought process.
Hence, analysing the different question types and the difficulties faced by the candidates it becomes integral to have a basic understanding on what the individual needs to work on. For example vocabulary, skimming and scanning, comprehending the idea given in the question statement as compared to the idea given in the written content, spellings and the right sort of prediction. This would surely come with understanding how to deal with the different question types, knowing the various strategies to be followed and the right amount effort to be put in the right direction.
. Some of the major factors associated with these hurdles are discussed below, and by mastering them a person can surely improve upon his or her Reading score tremendously.
3. INSTRUCTIONS PROVIDED SHOULD BE FOLLOWED AT ANY COST:
Instructions play a vital role in getting the answer correct.
- If it states that the answer should contain 3 or less than 3 words, it can be from 1 to 3 words.
- If the Instruction states that an answer should not have less than 3 words, it will be 3 words and more.
- There are cases wherein the instruction states that the answer may have 1 word or/and a number – eg: apple / 1 apple.
- In some cases it may also be instructed that an answer can be repeated more than once. Please note that it is only then that a response would be used more than once and not at all occasions.
It is essential to first understand the instructions and then proceed to read the questions that follow
4. UNDERSTANDING THE QUESTION STATEMENTS CAREFULLY:
It should be known that the question statements are paraphrased. Thus, it is one of the vital ielts reading tips for the test taker to first simplify the phrase by writing down the synonyms of the words used in the question statement. This makes it easier to analyze the statement better and catch its basic idea in order to find a similar or opposite point of view expressed by the author in the text.
Improving upon vocabulary is the key for this. Without understanding vocabulary related to a particular subject matter, it would be impossible for an individual to associate the facts given in the Question Statement with the information provided by the writer in the written text.
To improve upon their Lexical Resource, individuals should read newspapers, offline and online written content, magazines, watch documentaries (online or on TV), watch news channels; all of which deal with different domains ranging from education, sports, travelling, and environment to health care.
There are IELTS solved essays online which further briefs on the different words, terms or phrases utilized with respect to a certain domain.
5. SKIMMING AND SCANNING:
These are the two most important ielts reading tips of the Reading Module. The candidates use these two techniques to read through the given text quickly as well as note the key words alongside.
Skimming helps in providing an overview of what the author wishes to state. The candidate need not go through each and every word in the text, and hence saves upon a vital amount of reading time.
Scanning is wherein the test taker plucks out the key words from the passage. These words are important for their response.These are the most ielts reading tips one should know.
At times the candidates may find a few words which are not familiar to them. In these circumstances the overall meaning of the sentence in which the word is located should be looked into. This would help in analyzing the nearest meaning of the words.
It is vital to go through each line (even if skimming through). It keeps the reader’s attention on the important details with respect to the Question Statement and any oversight errors can be avoided.
6. PERSONAL INFERENCES OR ASSUMPTIONS:
After knowing ielts reading tips it is upto Individuals who desire a high score in Reading must always keep in mind that the write up provided is the base on which they shall be deciding whether to accept or reject the facts given in the question statement.
They should never assume or make personal inferences with regard to the particulars given in the text, which are clearly the point of view of the writer and they cannot make their own amendments to it.
To summarize, it can be observed that apart from knowing how to deal with the different question types, it is more essential to get the basic analysis of the Instructions, Question Statements in order. The candidate is required to full proof his or her reading skills by perfecting the methods of skimming and scanning. At last, they should be aware not to judge the information from their point of view, which would surely enhance their outlook towards the details provided, the question types to be dealt with and boost their Band Score in the Reading Module.
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2 Responses
These tips completely make sense. Do you have anything around increasing the speed of reading?
Hello Leena,
Very soon we will have this problem also solved. We will have that blog up in some days. Keep reading!
Cheers!
And, if you want an immediate solution you can buy this ebook – https://reknownedu.com/product/ielts-reading-mastery/. This includes 3 speed reading techniques in detail.