IELTS Reading Tips

Top IELTS reading tips to prepare and score higher band score in IELTS reading test

  1. Before starting, get familiar with:
    what is the IELTS reading test?, types of questions in IELTS reading test, how marks are converted to band scores?
  2. Read the questions and instructions carefully.
  3. Read questions first, and then move to passage to locate your answers.
  4. Do not read the whole passage. Just skim and scan and find keywords and main points.
  5. Take care of word-limit.
  6. Search keywords from questions also. It will help you to locate your answer from the passage. 
  7. If you are not able to find exact keywords in the passage, then try to search for the synonyms.
  8. Understand the meaning of the whole sentence instead of focusing only on the keyword.
  9. Practice reading skills – skimming and scanning.
  10. Transfer your answers to your answer sheet side by side because there is no extra time to transfer your answers to the original answer sheet during the IELTS test.
  11. Take care of spellings while writing your answers. Wrong spelling means your answer is incorrect. 
  12. The spelling of words should be the same as given in the paragraph while filling in the blanks.
  13. Pay attention to grammar as well.
  14. It is advised to write your answers in capital letters on your answer sheet. By doing so, you will not lose any mark because of unclear handwriting.
  15. Attempt all questions. There is no negative marking in the IELTS test.
  16. If you finish your test before time, utilize that time to re-check your answers, spellings, word-limit. Also, check whether you have written your answer at the correct place.
  17. In multiple-choice questions(MCQs), choose the elimination technique.
  18. In matching heading questions, always understand the gist of the paragraph before writing its answer.
  19. Improve your vocabulary. IELTS vocabulary.
  20. Read newspaper daily.

True/False/Not Given

True – A Statement is true if the information is given in the passage and its meaning matches exactly with the statement.

False – A statement is false if the information is given in the passage, but it contradicts the statement.

Not Given – A statement is not given if no information or only a part of the information is given in the passage.

Skimming and Scanning

Skimming and scanning are techniques used in reading by quick eye movement to locate keywords in a passage.
Skimming is quick reading to get a general overview of the passage.
Scanning is also quick reading. However, it is used to find keywords, facts, and figures.
These techniques are helpful in IELTS reading; practice these to increase your speed to attempt reading.