Tips for Reading

1. Remove Fear: Read as much as you can in English. It doesn’t mean practice endless IELTS readings. It means if you do not have much knowledge of vocabulary, read more and more; either newspaper,literature etc.

2. Improve Skimming and Scanning Skills: Most of the students find reading passages too long and managing the time is the main concern.So, the best to improve reading is by skimming and scanning skills.
Skimming : To read quickly
Scanning : To look for specific information

3. Time management: Time management is really very important in the reading module because reading passages are very lengthy and total questions are 40, so candidates always have the concern of time in this module.
General tip for the reading is: 20+20+20 = 60
Note: According to my experience, spend 15 mins on passage 1(because passage 1 is quite easy); 18 mins on passage 2; 18 mins on passage 3. Remaining time should be devoted on checking the answers.
See my video on how to manage time in the reading module in the video section.

4. Focus on the instructions: Generally candidate do not focus on the instructions on which they loose marks.
For example: If the instruction says “True/False/Not given”; by mistake if you write (Yes/No) marks will be deducted.
If the instruction is “no more than three words”; if candidate writes “the two long pillars”; as these are four words, the answer would be wrong.

5. Learn what to underline: Generally students underline the entire passage. Don’t do this. Only underline those words which are unique such as name of the person, dates etc.

6.Don’t match words: Generally candidates always match the words from the passage and questions. Don’t match the words. Keywords are used to locate the information from the passage.However, we can’t rely 100% on the keywords.

7.How to start reading: Always start from passage 1 to passage 3. Use only those techniques which you have adapted to from day one, which means if you have the habit of doing passage 1, then passage 2 , after passage 3. In the final exam, do reading this way only.

8.Use an answer sheet: In the reading module, you will have only 60 minutes to complete the reading. You will not have extra time to transfer answers like in the listening module, you will have extra 10 minutes to transfer your answers from the booklet to the answer sheet. Don’t waste your time, transfer answers directly on your answer sheet while doing reading.