IELTS Reading Tips

Below are some of the most helpful IELTS reading preparation tips to guide the test-takers through the preparation process.

IELTS Reading Strategies to Answer IELTS Reading Question Types

IELTS reading comprises 14 question types each of which has distinctive techniques to be answered:

Do not try to know each word in IELTS Reading Passages

Accessing the dictionary for every unknown word doesn’t help to improve IELTS reading score. You can look at the words and sentences around it to assume a rough meaning. In this way you can have a gist of the sentence and what is it trying to say. You don’t have to understand the meaning of each word. Even IELTS teachers and other native speakers don’t know every word in the reading test.

Check IELTS Academic Reading Score

Ignore the Previous Knowledge about the IELTS Reading Topic

You are tested only on the basis of your understanding of the given text and not your knowledge of the IELTS reading topic. Similar to this, also don’t make unnecessary assumptions to support any argument. This will also lead to marking the incorrect answer based on the false assumption. The next IELTS reading tips and tricks state to ignore the previous knowledge of the subject and only answer based on the facts given in the passage.

Carefully transfer the IELTS Reading Answers

A common mistake that candidates do is to leave very little time for the transfer of answers. This creates a lot of silly errors since the students come under pressure and panic. One of the proven IELTS reading test tips is to practice with an IELTS answer sheet and check how much time it takes to transfer all their answers. This will make you more comfortable with the process and you will have good judgment on the test day.

Manage Time during IELTS Reading Test

Spending too much time on a single question will result in less time for the rest of the questions and ultimately leading to silly errors. The IELTS reading test tip is to get each section finished in 20 minutes. This can be divided into 16 minutes of reading time and 4 minutes of transferring and verifying your answers.

Skimming and Scanning during IELTS Reading Test

Skimming is the process of gathering the general idea about the IELTS reading passage in 2 to 3 minutes. The IELTS general reading tips as well as academic state to skim before answering questions. Scanning is another IELTS reading tip that requires the candidate to locate a specific keyword or portion in the passage.

Speed up your IELTS Reading

Since there is a time constraint, most of the IELTS academic and IELTS general tips and tricks state to quickly scan the passage. Gaining information that will help in answering is the most important task.

Focus on Learning vocabulary

Especially for non-native English speakers, IELTS reading tips and techniques suggest gaining knowledge about vocabulary. The IELTS reading passages contain some difficult vocabulary that requires daily reading practice from proper sources.

IELTS Reading Preparation Books

Both IELTS reading tips and tricks academic and general require candidates to study from the best IELTS reading books. Only books having detailed guidelines, tricks, authentic question types, and numerous IELTS reading practice papers can help. Here we have listed the best IELTS preparation books:

• The Official Cambridge Guide to IELTS – Check PDF
• Cambridge IELTS’ Book 14 for Academic with Answers – Check PDF
• Official IELTS Practice Materials – Check PDF
• Barron’s IELTS Superpack – Check PDF
• Target Band 7 – Check PDF

These are books that will help in IELTS reading tips and tricks academic PDF and general as well.