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Understanding IELTS Reading Module

Exam Information:

  • Duration: 60 minutes
  • Questions: 40 questions (1 mark each)
  • Passages: 3 long texts (academic)
  • Skills tested: Skimming, scanning, identifying key details, understanding opinions, matching information

Question Types:

You should practice all of these:

1. Multiple Choice
2. True / False / Not Given
3. Yes / No / Not Given
4. Matching headings / features / information
5. Sentence completion
6. Summary / Table / Flow-chart completion
7. Short-answer questions

Step-by-Step Preparation Plan:

1. Build Reading Speed

  • Read English newspapers, journals, or websites (BBC, National Geographic, The Guardian).
  • Practice skimming (get the main idea) and scanning (find specific info).
  • Target speed: about 150–200 words per minute.

2. Practice Strategies

  • Don’t read every word – move quickly, focus on keywords.
  • Underline keywords in the question and locate them in the passage.
  • Be careful with synonyms (IELTS rarely uses the exact word from the question).
  • If unsure, guess and move on — never leave blanks.

3. Daily Practice Routine (60 mins)

  • 10 mins: Skim an article (find main idea).
  • 20 mins: Solve 10–15 IELTS reading questions.
  • 20 mins: Timed practice on one passage.
  • 10 mins: Review mistakes and learn why.

4. Improve Vocabulary

  • Focus on academic words: environment, education, technology, history, medicine.
  • Learn synonyms (e.g., "increase" → "rise," "growth," "boost").
  • Use a notebook for difficult words from practice tests.

5. Mock Tests

  • Take full 1-hour practice tests at least 2–3 times a week.
  • Check answers carefully and identify which question types are hardest for you.