How is your IELTS preparation going on? Striving for 9 but having trouble with the reading part? Here are some effective proven reading tips to boost up your IELTS score.
IELTS band 9 is not onerous to achieve when you plan it correctly. All four sections, Listening, Speaking, Reading, and Writing are equally important to raise the score bar. Depending on the number of correct answers, the band score will be calculated.
How to score more in the IELTS reading section?
For the IELTS reading section, tasks will be comprised of three long passages reading and questions from the text in that passages. Three passages will mostly be Descriptive, Analytical, and Illustrations. The duration will be 60 minutes. So, you should answer 40 questions in 60 minutes. Sounding simple? Not much. Let me put it in this way. If you spend 10 minutes reading each passage, 3*10=30 minutes. That means you won’t get even a minute to answer all the 40 questions. This is the point where deficient time management skills show their effect on getting band 8 in the IELTS test.
No worries, here are the 7 winning IELTS Reading Tips to increase your Score
1. One question-one strategy rule
Most of the candidates fail to spot a simple logic in IELTS passage reading strategy. That is, when multiple questions at hand, how come a single strategy work for all?
Passages topics can be mostly
- Factual and discursive topics
- Diagrams
- Graphs
- News articles
Each passage required to be answered differently. Some questions will have a set answer in the graph and some questions need to be given a thought. So, plan a strategy individually that works more efficiently based on the type of question.
2. Not more than 2-3 minutes to read
Spending more time reading and understanding the passage is just a waste of time. Instead, follow the three steps of passage skimming.
- A quick scan of first and last lines of the passage
- Highlight the keywords, numbers, dates, etc.
- Prepare a mental layout of the passage.
That’s it. Now, when you go for questions, find that particular keyword and get your answer directly. After attempting 2-3 mock tests, analyze reading speed and make sure you are up to the mark. Speed reading is the best technique for improving your IELTS Reading score without a doubt.
[Read More: 7 Habits of Success in IELTS Test]
3. Check questions prior to passage
Before reading the passage, explore the questions first. With this approach of questions in your mind, while reading the passage, it will be trouble-free to locate answers. It is not necessary to be acquainted with the entire passage.
4. A good grip on vocabulary
Reading IELTS vocabulary books and memorizing words is not enough. If you want to improve vocabulary skills, practice using words. One should know where and when to use a word appropriately.
Vocabulary in IELTS is of high regularity. Even understanding them is a big challenge for most of the test takers. To be frank, even natives also can’t understand all the words with proper meaning. So, don’t get too worried to have complete knowledge of passages. Getting the concept is all right. This tip is not just for the reading section but also for the complete IELTS test.
5. Read more to score more
You know, scanning long texts is also a skill. How can you get it? The answer is, only through pure practice. Read as much as you can. Start reading from today and practice finding keywords in the passages. Underlining the key points is also a way of skimming. While answering questions you can easily jump to the point of reference.
[Read More: 6 Last-Minute Tips for IELTS Preparation]
6. Tough questions stand last in the queue
While answering, if you feel difficulty with any question or if you feel that particular question needs some serious brainstorming, it is advised to skip and move to the next question. But remember to come back to that question and answer it. Even if you don’t know the answer, you can guess and answer as there is no loss of points for guessing.
7. Answer all questions
One more tip for the betterment of your score is never to leave the questions unanswered as there is no negative marking for the IELTS exam. Moreover, guessing always can’t be wrong. At least some answers will be right.
Finally, be real. Analyze your English skills and work on them accordingly. Even though the IELTS Reading section seems easy, simple mistakes can be a reason for the loss of a valuable mark. Pay attention and practice more for a better overall score. Opting for IELTS coaching is the best way to boost scores with more expert tips.
