Is IELTS Reading Giving You Nightmares? Scale up from 5 to 7 Bands in Your 1st Attempt Itself

Introduction

IELTS test takers often fear the reading skill test as the texts presented during the exam are either lengthy and time-consuming or entirely from unfamiliar topics. This blog will bring to light some typical yet useful strategies that will help you ameliorate your scores in the 1st attempt itself without any consternation. Scoring 7 bands in IELTS reading will become a cake walk after you go through this blog completely and it is also advisable to connect with an IELTS-certified faculty serving at the best study abroad consultancy. to get a complete roadmap.

Know the format: General V/S Academic Reading

Practicing blindly without being aware of the format will lead you nowhere. It is essential for you to understand the purpose of taking the IELTS exam. If you are willing to go on a student visa, then the Academic test is for you but if you are an aspirant willing to work or gain a Permanent Residency (PR) in a foreign country, then a General test will best suit your profile.
In both General and Academic reading, the candidate will encounter 40 questions which are to be solved in 60 minutes. The question types are also similar in both the tests. Something that varies is the length of the texts and the content. General Reading consists of a mixture of long as well as short texts and is divided into sections. The texts are of General or work-specific in nature, while Academic Reading consists of 3 long passages and is literal or academic in kind.

What are the types of questions?

Understanding various types of questions will aid you in sailing smoothly when preparing for your exam. The types of questions that are asked in your IELTS exam are as under:

• True/False/Not Given OR Yes/No/Not Given: Here you will have to figure out whether the information given in the passage is correct, incorrect or is completely missing. Yes, No and Not given deals with the writer’s viewpoint and should be dealt in a similar way
• Multiple Choice Questions (Single Answer): Here, only one option will be correct and points will be given based on each answer per question.
• Multiple Choice Questions (Multiple Answer): As the name suggests, you will be supplied with a question and 3-4 options out of which you have to select the best option that justifies the demand of the question.
• Summary Completion: A small summary from the passage will be presented to you with a box of options below the text. You should place the words in the gaps after reading the passage. Ensure to predict the synonyms of words in the blanks.
• Match Paragraph Information: In this question type, you will be given the information and you need to mention the paragraph number/letter in which that information can be found.
• Fill in the blanks: This question type deals with texts with blanks and should be filled in by using the words given in the passage. Read the instructions carefully to know the number of words to write.
• List of headings: The trickiest question type is List of headings. Here, you will be given the list of titles, where you need to finalize which title suits best for each paragraph.
• Label the diagram/flow chart: A diagram in the form of a map or a flow chart will be given to you and you are supposed to label it as per the process mentioned in the paragraph. This is the easiest question type.
• Match the names: It is somewhat similar to matching the paragraph information. The only difference is, here, you have to match the names of researchers with their opinions mentioned in the questions.

What to do regularly?

There are certain steps you need to follow on a regular basis in order to increase your speed and accuracy in IELTS reading. The tasks are as under:

• Read every day: Read 10-20 pages of a novel, a magazine, a journal or a newspaper on a daily basis. This might consume an hour or so depending on the content you opt for.
• Learn new words:While reading any material, make sure to jot down new words and also write the meanings. This will help you to understand the passage rapidly.
• Take practice tests:Mock tests help you know your level of comprehending passages and will also let you know your areas of improvement.
• Know your weakness: Recognizing your weak points and improving them will help you to read quickly with less wastage of time.
• Prepare a study schedule: It’s not necessary to devote all the hours of your day to reading. Just an hour can work but that should be done without any distraction. Make a study plan and work accordingly.

How to master time management skills?

Reading feels like a herculean task if not managed wisely. Time management is the central pillar to skyrocketing your score. The following are the steps to learn this skill.

1. Avoid re-reading the statements: Once you have answered the question, do not re-read the question. This will confuse you and you may end up writing the wrong answer which could be correct at the 1st place if not rectified.
2. Set a timer always: While practicing mock tests, see to it that you time your reading. It is advisable to solve 1 passage in 20 minutes which means 3 passages can easily be solved by allocating 20 minutes to each passage/section.
3. Read questions first: Make a point to read the questions before reading the whole passage. This will aid you in finding the answers simultaneously
4. Practice from genuine materialsThere are many sources available on the internet but not all are authentic. Always opt for Cambridge IELTS materials, IDP exam essentials or take help of any IELTS faculty serving at the overseas consultancy Ahmedabad.
5. Be pragmatic: Do not expect to score 7 or above bands right from day 1. Start with solving each question type and then move to reading full passages. If you are from a vernacular background, you may score as low as 4 bands, but that should not obstruct your practice.
6. Avoid frustration: Finding answers may sometime consume more time than usual. Ideally, 1 question should be solved within 1 or 1.5 minute(s). If you feel that a question is taking more time then don’t get agitated. Leave and move to the next. You can solve it late if time permits.
7. Not all words are important to understand:If any word is bothering you, then just consider it to be ‘X’ and move forward. Knowing every word will reduce your pace.
8. Instructions play a major role: Avoiding reading instructions may hinder your band score. Look at it carefully before answering any question.

Tips to beat your exam day stress

Exam day happens to be your day of proving your mettle. Hence, handling it with patience is extremely vital. On that day

• Do not try to memorize any strategies.
• Breathing deeply and thinking positively will help calm down your nerves and you shall then be able to perform better.
• Trust yourself, your efforts and your practice.
• Take a sound sleep a day before your exam so that you can wake up with a fresh mind.
• Avoid referring to any material at the last moment.

Conclusion

ELTS reading is as simple as taking a candy from a baby but there are strings attached. Everyday practice guided by an experienced faculty of a student visa consultant in Ahmedabad can assist you in achieving your dream of scoring a minimum of 7 bands in IELTS Reading in your 1st attempt itself. Remember, repetition is the mother of mastery.