IELTS Reading Academic & General Training - Tips
Keep calm and scroll down. We have your back.
For many test-takers IELTS Reading can be tough. You have only 60 minutes to complete 40 questions across three different passages.
Keep calm and scroll down, because our tips and techniques will help you maximise your score.
What will you find on this page?
- How to efficiently manage time which is a main stressor in IELTS Reading
- How to quickly locate and choose answers
- Magic reading techniques to maximize time and results
- Most common mistakes students make
- And much much more
IELTS Reading test information
You don’t need to understand everything or read everything carefully. You only need to locate answers and win points.
There are two Reading test, Academic and General Training. They are essentialy the same though with some differences, mainly relating to passage topics.
- There are 3 passages and 40 questions, each worth one mark, so the maximum is 40 points
- You have one hour to complete all 3 passages
- You don’t need to understand everything, or read everything CAREFULLY – you only need to LOCATE answers and win points
- You manage your own time during the one hour. You can start with any of the passages, jump between passages and questions, it’s up to you – the only thing that matters is correct answers
- There are 12 – 14 question types, and your preparation will focus mainly on techniques for them. Click here for the list of IELTS Reading question types and their explanation.
Academic Reading Passage
There are three passages, all of similar level. They are long, academic style reading passages based on topics of general interest such as history, natural sciences, biographies etc. Topics are specific, very varied and unpredictable. They cover opinions, research and descriptions. Your preparation should be based on preparing question types and getting used to a range of passage topics.
general training Reading Passage
There are three sections, each section getting progressively more challenging. Section 1 is usually social life related whereas Section 2 is work or training related. Section 3 is the same as Academic reading passage, but slightly easier. Many candidates will spend slightly longer on Section 3 than Section 1. Preparation should be based on preparing question types and getting used to a range of passage topics.
reading tips & techniques
While the goal of skimming is a bird’s-eye view of the material, the goal of scanning is to locate and swoop down on particular facts.
4 magic steps TO DEAL WITH THE READING PASSAGES
STEP 1 – Skimming – reading quickly so as to identify the main idea.
Skimming is reading a passage to get a general idea of the content, of what it is about. This should be done before you tackle the questions. However, this doesn’t mean you try to understand the passage in its entirety, it’s only to get a sense of the topic. The skimming should take 2 to 3 minutes, not more.
Our practical tip is: read first and last sentences of paragraphs, first and last paragraphs of major sections, and introductions and summaries of chapters.
STEP 2 – Read the questions and identify the key words
STEP 3 – Scanning – you look only for the key words, a specific fact or piece of information, such as figures or names, without reading everything.
Scan reading is the ability to locate the information in the text quickly. Unlike skimming, when scanning, you look only for a specific fact or piece of information without reading everything. You scan when you look for your favourite show listed in the TV guide, for your friend’s phone number in a telephone book, and for the sports scores in the newspaper. For scanning to be successful, you need to understand how your material is structured as well as comprehend what you read so you can locate the specific information you need. Scanning also allows you to find details and other information in a hurry.
While the goal of skimming is a bird’s-eye view of the material, the goal of scanning is to locate and swoop down on particular facts.
STEP 4 – Analysing. Analyse the sentences in which the answer is located for deeper meaning, because questions can be tricky and answers needed may not be straightforward.
Prijavi se za online pripremni IELTS kurs odmah!
In our IELTS online preparation course we:
- Look into the common mistakes to avoid
- Share useful templates for expressing opinions to impress the examiner, and
- Teach you our tried and tested 3-step technique to effortlessly develop your ideas.
Šta dobijaš:
- 8 online grupnih časova u trajanju od 60 minuta, kao i jedan individualni čas – konsultacije sa svakim polaznikom pojedinačno na kraju kursa. Maksimalan broj polaznika u grupi je 6.
- sav nastavni materijal za časove u elektronskom formatu, kao i audio fajlovi
- probni IELTS test na kraju kursa sa pojedinačnom analizom rezultata na individualnim konsultacijama
Upisna procedura
Požuri sa prijavom da obezbediš sebi značajne popuste! Popuni prijavu u nastavku teksta i uplati odabranu sumu u skladu sa cenovnikom na račun škole Academia Languages & Communication, Kosovska 28, 11000 Beograd. Kao poziv na broj upiši svoj broj mobilnog telefona.
