Reading
Exercise
The Reading test in IELTS lasts for 60 minutes.
There are three reading passages, which may include pictures, graphs, tables or diagrams. The reading passages are of different length, from approximately 500 to 1000 words. The total for the three passages is between 1500 and 2500. Each reading passage has several different types of questions, which may be printed either before or after the passage. Often the texts and the questions become more difficult as you read from passage 1 to 3.
Question type
You may have to answer any of the following question types:
- multiple choice questions
- gap-filling exercises
- matching paragraph headings with paragraphs in the reading passage
- matching the two parts of split sentences
- Yes/No/Not Given statements
- the completion of
- sentences
- summaries
- diagrams
- tables
- flow charts
- notes
Problems
Candidates have a number of problems with this part of the IELTS exam, which may include the following
Misreading instructions
It is important that you read all the instructions very carefully so that you are clear about what is required for the answer to each of the questions. The instructions are usually clear and easy to follow, and, in some cases, there is an example.
Timing
Candidates often achieve a lower score than expected in this component of the IELTS exam, because they spend too much time on some sections and do not finish the test. It is very important to attempt to finish the test. You will not have time to read and enjoy the passages; instead, you should learn to work out what the question you are doing requires and find each answer as quickly as possible.
Candidates often find it difficult to leave a question that they cannot answer. This is understandable, but in the IELTS it is disastrous. While you are not answering a difficult question you could be answering two or three, or even more, easier ones. Then you can come back to those you have left blank afterwards.
Topics
The reading passage topics vary, but are all of an academic nature. Candidates sometimes panic when they are faced with a reading passage on a subject about which they know nothing at all. It is important to remember that the answers to all of the questions are in the text itself. You do not need any specialist knowledge of the topic to be able to answer the questions. The test is designed to test your reading comprehension skills, not your knowledge of any particular subject.
Students often ask what is the best way to read for the exam.
Below are some hints about what you can do.
- Read as widely as you can eg. newspapers, journals, specialist magazines and so on. If you are preparing for a particular academic subject at university eg. law, medicine, engineering, you should make sure that you develop the skills of reading with speed outside your subject area.
- As you read, look for patterns in the organization of the texts. The different types of paragraphs are finite, but their arrangement can make them appear infinite in variety.
- When you are reading, try to train yourself to read to understand the meaning of the passage rather than just reading the words.
- As you read, always practice predicting what you are about to read.
- As you read generally, try to summarise a paragraph by giving it a brief heading. This will then come to you automatically with practice.
- Learn to increase your speed while still reading the organization and meaning of a passage.
- Students often focus on words they do not know. This is dangerous in the exam, as it wastes time. You have to learn to let go and look at the overall meaning.
- Spend a specific period each day reading.
- Don’t try to focus on all of the above at one time. Even focusing on one for a short period of time each day is tiring.
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