Mastering Strategies for IELTS Reading Module

Understanding the Reading Module

• The Reading paper has three sections and texts totaling 2,150-2,750 words.
• There will be a variety of question types, such as multiple choice, short-answer questions, identifying information, identifying writer’s views, labeling diagrams, completing a summary using words taken from the text and matching information/headings/features in the text/sentence endings.
• Test takers should be careful when writing down their answers as they will lose marks for incorrect spelling and grammar.
• Three reading texts, which come from books, journals, magazines, newspapers and online resources written for non-specialist audiences.
• All the topics are of general interest to students at undergraduate or postgraduate level.
• The scoring system is designed according to the table shown:

Band Score	9.0	8.5	8.0	7.5	7.0	6.5	6.0	5.5	5.0	4.5	4.0	3.5	3.0	2.5
Reading raw score (Academic)	39-40	37–38	35–36	33–34	30–32	27–29	23–26	19–22	15–18	13–14	10–12	8–9	6–7	4–5

 

General Strategies Given by British Council to Govern Reading Module

• Look out for the title, headings and any special features such as capital letters, underlining, italics, figures, graphs and tables
• Make sure that you understand the questions and follow instructions carefully
• Pay attention to timing; do not spend too long on one passage or question
• Do not try and read every word; remember, you are reading for a purpose
• If you do not know the answer to a question, attempt it but do not waste time; move quickly onto the next one
• Do not panic if you do not know anything about the subject of the text; all the answers can be found in the text
• The word(s) you use must be taken from the Reading text; you must not change the form of the word(s) in the text
• Do not worry if there is a word that you do not understand – you may not need to use it
• Check your spelling & grammatical applications.
• Be careful to use singular and plural correctly
• Focus precisely on what you are asked to do in ‘completion’ type questions
• If the question asks you to complete the note ‘in the…’ and the correct answer is ‘evening’, just use ‘evening’ as your answer; note that ‘in the evening’ would be incorrect
• Pay attention to the word limit; for example, if you are asked to complete a sentence using no more than two words, if the correct answer is ‘silk shirt’, the answer ‘shirt made of silk’ would be incorrect
• Attempt all questions; there are no penalties for incorrect answers, so you have nothing to lose
• Check your answers

 

Perceive the Question Pattern

One will come across 14 different types of questions as you read through the IELTS Reading passages.

 

Multiple choice questions

• Read the instructions carefully and check how many letters you need to circle.
• Answers come in order with respect to the passage & they are usually letters (A, B, C or D).
• Scan and skim all the questions and the answer choices quickly while one needs to mark the cue-words with respect to the specific and relevant part of the text.
• It is suggested to paraphrase the information given.
• One should try to get a synopsis from the vocabulary of the questions to relate it to the answer and the passage.
• One needs to look at any illustrations or diagrams that go with the text.
• Try every single question to attempt without leaving.

 

Sentence completion questions

·       This type of questions need completing sentences by filling in the gap with words from the passage and require completing the end of a sentence.

·       The questions generally appear in the same order as the information in the text. A question will always tell to complete with no more than three words. If one thinks he/she needs more than three words then the answer is probably incorrect.

• One needs to scan for specific information and select the appropriate words.
• It is necessary to understand information in the passage identify the type of word needed for each gap; e.g.: noun/verb/adjective etc.
• It should be kept in mind that the sentences must be grammatically correct which can help one in choosing the right word for the gap check how many words can be used for each answer.
• The sentences should make sense both logically and grammatically.
• It is highly suggested to look out for synonyms and parallel expressions because the questions are not likely to use the same words as those in the text.
   

Summary Completion questions

·       This type of questions need completing a summary by filling in the gaps with words from the passage or words given in a box.

·       Answers usually come in order.

• One needs to scan for specific information and select the appropriate words.
• It is necessary to understand information in the passage.
• One needs to identify the type of word needed for each gap; e.g.: noun/verb/adjective etc.
• One has to locate the information in the passage in order to choose the right word.
• The sentences should make sense both logically and grammatically.

 

Short Answer questions               

• This type of questions needs answering questions regarding details in the passage.
• Answers usually come in order.

• One needs to scan for specific information and select the appropriate words.
• It is necessary to understand the detail and specific information in the passage.
• One needs to identify the type of word needed for each gap; e.g.: noun/verb/adjective etc.
• One has to scan & locate the information in the passage in order to choose the right word.
• Paraphrasing of the vocabularies in the passage is an urge for this type of questions.
• It is important to check how many words can be used for the answers.
• One has to underline the keywords and look out for question words like ‘where’ and ‘who’ which indicate
• Specific things like places and people should be found out definitely.
• One doesn’t have to write a complete sentence but it does have to be grammatically correct.
  One may use his/her own words.
• The answer could be one word, two words or three words but not four or more to make the answer corrected.

 

Yes, No, Not Given / True, false, Not Given question             

• In this type of questions, one has to decide if the information or writer’s opinion is found in the question/ passage or not.
• One needs to read the instructions carefully.
• It is needed to scan and understand the given information (T/F/NG questions)
• Understanding the meaning of each answer is an urge.
• ‘yes / true’ that the same information is found in the passage.
• ‘no / false’ means that the opposite information is found in the passage.
• ‘not given’ means that information is not found in the passage.
• Paraphrasing of the statements before trying to locate the answers is also necessary to find the correct answer.

 

Choosing a Title 

• In this type of questions, one needs to choose the most appropriate title from a list to identify aims of a passage.
• It is necessary to find out the differences between the possible titles to choose the best one.
• It is an intelligent step to read the opening and closing paragraph firstly to get the synopsis.
• One needs to make it sure that the title has been chosen can sum up the entire paragraph.
• One has to make his/her own title and then look at the options matching the visualized title.

 

Matching Paragraph Information questions

• In this type questions, one has to match the information given in the question with information found in one of the paragraphs in the passage.
• One needs to identify specific information & paraphrase the information in the question.
• It should be kept in mind that answers do not come in order and not all paragraphs may be used
• Instructions should be read carefully.

 

List Selection questions

• The task here is to choose the correct option from a list of words, information or names.
• One needs to understand and identify the ideas with a view to relating to others.
• The list is to be read thoroughly to prepare paraphrases.
• Answers don't come in order in this type of questions.
• This differs from multiple choice because the questions all relate to only one long list of possible answers.

 

Matching Heading questions

• In this type questions, one needs to choose a heading from the list which matches a section or paragraph in the passage to understand the aim of a section
• In order to find the answer one has to read the headings before you read the passage
• Answers are often numerals (i, ii, iii, iv etc.) and they do not come in order
• The headings are to be analyzed before one starts trying to match them to sections or paragraphs.

 

Matching Sentence Endings

• To complete sentences by matching the start of the sentence with the correct ending given in a list is the task in this type of questions. There are more than one endings given than one needs.
• One needs to read through the sentences and then read through the possible endings.
• One should choose the best ending to match the information in the passage & make paraphrases to check.
• A sentence must be grammatically correct with the right form of spelling.
• Beginnings of sentence follow the order of information the passage.

 

Categorization questions

• One needs to decide which category the information belongs to from a list for this kind of questions. Answers come in order here.
• He/She has to locate specific information in the passage for finding & categorizing information
• One may get helped by making paraphrases and completing the table using the correct word from the passage by means of understanding details.
• The column headings are to be read carefully & the type of words are to be identified needed for each part. One needs to be cautious about the number of words that is instructed to use.                

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            

Flow Chart Completion

• The test taker needs to complete the flow chart using the correct words from the passage.
• The specific information in the passage is to be located by means of scanning & choosing appropriate words.
• It is very important to understand the details and order of information simultaneously.
• The type of words are to be identified needed for each part. One needs to be cautious about the number of words that is instructed to use. The appropriate words are to be selected.            
• Answers do not always come in order in this type of questions.
• The direction of the arrows and boxes are to be used to follow the order of information in the chart.

 

Diagram Completion

• In this type of questions on needs locating information in the passage to relate the information to the diagram.
• One needs to find the specific information in the passage located in one specific paragraph or two in the passage by means of choosing/selecting appropriate words.
• The type of words are to be identified needed for each part. One needs to be cautious about the number of words that is instructed to use. The appropriate words are to be selected.            
• Answers do not always come in order in this type of questions.

 

Crafts to Crack Reading Module

 

• Set a Synopsis: An active reading of scanning and skimming the passage with induced attention is to be generated to set a synopsis of the passage in the brain which may help to take the decision quickly keeping oneself away from the chaos of unnecessary information and to save vital time. The more one practices the more this efficacy excelled.
• Fueled from First & Last:  Fuel is generated by rapid reading at an attentive fast pace. The reading module questions of the verbal reasoning is to be initiated by being fueled initially from the first and last paragraphs or lines contain principal perception in most passages. One can read, scan, and skim the body of the passage bordered by the first and last with respect to the urge of the questions to save time.
• Start with Questions:

• In the time of reading one should trigger questions in every turn of the passage by asking own self to excel the way of answering with simultaneous reading process : what is the main idea/purpose of the passage, what are the problems mentioned, what are the solutions, why does the fact happen, why any specific vocab is utilized, what/why does the author opine a realization, what are the supporting/opposing/dubious/weakening facts, what can be inferred from the passage.
• Firstly one should quickly flick through the stipulated first question and start reading. This will help one to be touched with the answer of that question asap and to save few vital time of the test.
  • Detect the Directives: In reading module one can encounter words or phrases in the given passages functioning as directives by giving signals to go in forward or reverse direction respectively with the flowing message given by the passage.

• Forward transitions indicate that the passage is going to continue in the same stream of direction what has already been mentioned earlier; e.g.: And,  As well as,  In addition, Also, Moreover, Likewise, Similarly etc.
• Backward transitions with the words/phrases: But, However, In spite of, On the other hand, Nevertheless, Nonetheless, On the contrary, etc. give that the passage needs a change in direction and what follows will be in a contrast.
• IELTS test sometimes evaluates the efficacy of understanding and logical lucidity on the basis of the way how the transitions of time is driven; e.g.: After, Currently, During, Earlier, Later, Meanwhile, Now, Until, Recently, Simultaneously, Subsequently etc.

• Concise the Question: The more simplified and direct the interpretation of a question, the better one will be able to navigate through the passage when looking for an answer. The given questions are to be simplified, reoriented or rephrased at one’s own ease and pace.
• Anticipate the Answer: One needs to anticipate the answers while reading the passage to match the answer with the given choices especially in dealing with a question wants one to find the purpose of the passage. The anticipated answer then applied to match with given answer options and select the appropriate answer to make sense and fit the passage.
• Eliminate the Extremities: The answer choices is then eliminated with respect to the anticipated answers. The choices which provide very extreme supporting base are to be eliminated to be more specified. In this process, one needs to be aware of the wrong answers where the choice may assume too much or anything absurd, provide anything beyond the scope and information of the given passage, or showing anything true in the real sense but absent in the passage. One should have the keen observation on the answer choices that are recycled from the passage, words/phrases that come directly from the passage, strong language or opinions with unnecessary comparisons and absurd contrast to eliminate the wrong.
• Eschew the External Knowledge: IELTS reading module evaluates the capability of logical reasoning through reading and answering. This section is not concerned with the knowledge of anyone regarding the information beyond the scope of the passage. So, one should eschew or avoid any kind of external knowledge to be applied to answer the question so that the internal message given by the passage is used with reading efficacy.
• Avoid any Assumption: Any assumption is also prohibited for the reading module so that one can utilize the whole passage without any fabricated or real information out of the reading realm. One can infer anything with the perception which is even very useful and strategic because anything inferred is extracted from the message while anything assumed can’t maintain the link with the passage and so it may drive towards wrong answers.
• Valuate the Vocabulary: In order to walk in the reading module with ascending confidence and cognition, one needs to have a good command over vocabularies which helps to utilize the understanding with lucidity and to eliminate the wrong answer simultaneously. It will help to extract the right answer choices from the crowd with pacified ease. One should navigate with vocabs to relate it with the passage so that he/she can specify the exact meaning in the juncture of the passage where the vocab is used.

 

Premises of Practices

The most important step to enhance the skill of reading module is to read as much as we can which will give us a keen understanding along with help enlarging our vocabulary and excelling the perception capability. We can follow the countries where the state language is English to improve our vocabulary and meaning-extraction skill. So the reading material should have the standard reflected and resembled by the standard of American and British English. We can read newspapers, stories, novels, magazines and journals.

Newspaper/Journal/Magazine

USA Today The New York Times The Wall Street Journal The Washington Post New York Post Reader’s digest Economics The Guardian The Times The Daily Telegraph Financial Times The Atlantic Monthly Popular Science

Books of William Shakespeare Books of Dan Brown The Harry Potter Series by J.K. Rowling A Long Walk to Freedom by Nelson Mandela  Ulysses by James Joyce The Old Man and The Sea by Ernest Hemingway The Aubrey-Maturin Series by Patrick O’Brian Gulliver’s Travels by Jonathan Swift Moby Dick by Herman Melville Roots: The Saga of an American Family by Alex Haley To kill a mocking bird by Harper Lee Cosmos by Carl Sagan

 

Reading is one of the greatest activities to merge the perception & vision together. One can make the best result out of any kind of reading in a test applying the knowledge over strategies. The strategies can be adapted to apply as a maestro on the basis of patience & practice. The practice always aids to superpose the vision i.e. sense of sight and perception i.e. thoughts so that one can crack the reading passage with a candid concentration.