How to Prepare for the IELTS Reading Test

Step-by-Step Guide

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   Step 1: How to Read:Many students are unfamiliar with the idea of adapting their reading habits according to the text and the task.

   They may have been trained (at school, for example) to read every word slowly and carefully, and not to move on until they have understood everything.
   
   It is important to break these habits.
   
   The paragraphs which follow outline some of the skills that students need to acquire or practice.
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   Step 2: Cohesion:It is important to develop in students an awareness of the different ways that the meanings in one sentence in a text are connected with the meanings in other sentences.

   There are a number of different ways of showing connections between sentences.
   
   These include: the use of reference words such as pronouns (it, he, she, this, those etc.) and the use of articles (first reference may be with ‘a’ and the next references to the same thing with ‘the’) the use of words referring to the same thing; either the same word repeated or synonyms or class terms used the use of connecting words to show the relationship in meaning such as ‘also’, ‘as a result’ and ‘in contrast’ the use of substitution words such as ‘such’ or ‘so’ that take the place of whole phrases or sentences the omission of words that the reader is expected to understand because they were used in a previous sentence , Always have a reason to read a piece of text before you begin to do so.
   
   It is crucial to have a logical plan before intending to read the Reading Passage. ,,, If you can not answer a question quickly, leave it and come back to it later. , Skim and scan them to find the relevant information. , Therefore, do the earlier questions as quickly as possible, to give yourself more time for the difficult questions. ,, Go through them again and again, but quickly. , The questions generally follow the order of the information in the text.
   
   However, the questions in one section can overlap another and they may be jumbled. ,, For example, a multiple-choice question can test for detail or understanding of a whole text. , The exam is testing whether you can use your English to find your way around a written English text. , The instructions will tell you where to find the answers, what you need to do, what kind of answer is required, and how many words you need to write.
   
   The instructions will also tell you if an option can be used more than once, and will remind you to transfer your answers to your Answer Sheet. ,,, You can also practice scanning for paraphrases of key words. , Short-answer Questions, the answers have to be grammatically correct and spelt correctly.
   
   Accuracy in spelling and word form are very important and you will be penalized for incorrect spelling. ,,,, to help you locate information. ,,, This can be discouraging, as they do not see the rapid progress they would like.
   
   You should read widely, e.g. newspapers, journals, magazines and books, and use materials from these sources when preparing for the test. , Practice the full range of IELTS Academic Reading task types.
   
   Take time in class to discuss the differences between task types and the skills that are being tested. , Some students believe that they must read every text slowly and carefully, underlining every unknown word and stopping to worry about it.
   
   You should remember that your main aim is to locate the answers to the questions.
   
   You do not need to read in the same way you would if you needed to memorize something.
   
   You should try not to worry too much about the presence of unknown words, and you should also practice guessing meaning from context.
   
   Try not to look up every unknown word in the dictionary. ,,,,, Copying incorrectly will lead to loss of marks. ,,, Candidates should be aware that poor spelling and grammar are penalized. ,,, if you do not, you may find yourself in the unfortunate position of having completed the test in the given time of 60 minutes but without having recorded any answers at all!
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   Step 3: Do not read the reading texts first:It is a mistake to begin reading a passage or text with out first having a reason to read.

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   Step 4: Read the text in a logical order.

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   Step 5: Do not forget to read the glossary:The glossary (if provided) helps the examinee understand the meaning of the unfamiliar terms and therefore it helps them have a better comprehension of the reading texts.

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   Step 6: Answer the questions quickly and accurately.

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   Step 7: As the passages are long

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   Step 8: you don't have to read them in detail.

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   Step 9: The level

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    Step 10: the texts and the tasks become progressively more difficult.

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    Step 11: You have roughly one and a half minutes for each question.

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    Step 12: Do not panic if you can only do maybe three questions out of seven.

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    Step 13: When you finish one passage

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    Step 14: check your answers and try to fill any gaps.

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    Step 15: The questions are usually paraphrases of the text so look for the meaning in the text

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    Step 16: not the exact words.

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    Step 17: Some question types are used to see how you deal with specific information and general meaning.

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    Step 18: The questions do not test your knowledge of English

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    Step 19: but your ability to use your English.

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    Step 20: Remember to read the instructions carefully.

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    Step 21: Remember that the questions for certain task types follow the order of information in the reading passage.

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    Step 22: Remember to read all the questions very carefully.

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    Step 23: Practice scanning for key words in the extracts or the reading passage that match the items.

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    Step 24: Remember that in most tasks which involve writing words or numbers

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    Step 25: Use the information provided in the notes

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    Step 26: tables

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    Step 27: diagrams or flow-charts

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    Step 28: as well as any examples

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    Step 29: to predict the type of information that is required.

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    Step 30: In classroom activities

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    Step 31: discuss the type of information you need for each task type you might meet in the test.

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    Step 32: Underline key words and phrases when you read as well as paying attention to key words in the questions.

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    Step 33: Practice using synonyms

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    Step 34: summary words etc.

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    Step 35: Practice different ways of expressing the same ideas or information in a text.

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    Step 36: Practice reading skills such as skimming and scanning for information.

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    Step 37: Some students are convinced that only test practice will really help them

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    Step 38: and want to do test after test.

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    Step 39: Be aware of the different text types and how best to approach them.

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    Step 40: You should make sure that you understand that there is more than one way to read a text.

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    Step 41: Make sure that you read the instructions carefully in every case: many task types contain variations

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    Step 42: and it is easy for you to confuse them if you do not check carefully what it is you are required to do.

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    Step 43: You should remain conscious of time limits during the test

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    Step 44: and you should move on rather than spending too much time on a particular question to which you are unable to find the answer.

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    Step 45: Be aware of the dangers of relying on locating the exact words in the text that you find in a question: practice using paraphrases and locating paraphrase in a text.

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    Step 46: In task types where the information is located in order in the text

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    Step 47: remember you don't need to go back to the beginning of the text for each question.

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    Step 48: Take care when you need to copy a word or words from the text onto your Answer Sheet.

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    Step 49: Make sure that you get some practice in using an Answer Sheet.

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    Step 50: Answers which exceed the word limit will be marked incorrect.

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    Step 51: All words that candidates will need in order to answer the questions will be given in the passage

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    Step 52: so they should be encouraged to transfer their answers to the Answer Sheet with care.

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    Step 53: Remember maximum word requirements

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    Step 54: Guess the meaning of unknown words from context

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    Step 55: It is important to write your answers on the answer sheet as you do the Reading Test.

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