IELTS is a very popular test taken by many students each year. One of the exam's hardest and most confusing sections is the IELTS Reading practice section. In each subsection, there is a long paragraph. The passages or texts are generally taken from books, magazines, etc., and are generally from an authentic source.
They are written for a novice audience and contain academic topics of general interest. It also generally contains three texts and 40 questions.
The International English Language Testing System, or IELTS, is primarily used by people who want to study, immigrate, or work in an English-speaking country. However, over 10,000 organizations recognize it in over 100 countries, and the results are valid for two years.
This article will provide you with a list of essential tips to ace the IELTS Reading practice test. We will also inform you about the Cambridge grammar for IELTS students and introduce topics like academic reading.
Essential Tips for IELTS Reading Practice
First and foremost, it is important to note that the IELTS Reading section is divided into two categories: Academic and General Training.
Make sure you're signed up for the correct version of the IELTS before you sign up for it. If you are unsure which test you must take, contact the institution requesting the results, and they will direct you to the correct one.
The IELTS Reading Section is intended to assess various aspects of reading skills, such as reading and comprehending the main idea, summarizing, recognizing the author's opinions/argument, and the ability to analyze the same.
Regardless of which version of the IELTS you take, there will be a time limit of 60 minutes and 40 questions in the Reading Section.
It is regarded as the IELTS's most difficult section. It evaluates your comprehension of academic, social, and professional English materials.
After the Listening section comes the second part of the test. The reading section assesses your command of the English language through a variety of questions drawn from three readings.
Categories of IELTS Reading Section
General Test:
This IELTS version is designed for candidates who want to continue their secondary education, find employment, or take part in specialist training courses. It could also be a requirement for those seeking immigration.
In contrast to the Academic Test, the IELTS General Test does not assess your capacity for higher-order thinking or academic critical reasoning. Instead, it aims to evaluate your level of comprehension and communication, which is essential for surviving and communicating in a foreign setting where English is the primary language.
The passages and assignments on the General Test are drawn from the types of sources you would often encounter regularly, including advertising, company manuals, newspapers, novels, and magazines.
Format:
There are three sections in your Reading test (General Training)
Two or three brief factual pieces, one of which may be a composite, make up
Section 1: (Consisting of 6-8 short texts related by topic, e.g. hotel advertisements). The subjects are pertinent to life in an English-speaking nation.
Section 2: Two brief factual pieces that concentrate on topics relating to the workplace (e.g. company policies, applying for jobs, salary, workplace facilities, or staff development and training).
Section 3: Contains a text on a general subject that is a little bit lengthier and more sophisticated. It will be a quote that was extracted from actual notices, business manuals, advertising, books, government records, periodicals, or newspapers.
Academic Test:
Candidates who wish to pursue their further education at a university in an English-speaking nation must take the Academic Test.
It is the most difficult of the two IELTS exam options because it gauges a candidate's university-level analytical, critical thinking, and reading abilities. This is to determine whether you can effectively explain your views and stay up with the course material.
There are three lengthy, in-depth chapters to read that are drawn from a variety of sources, ranging from academic writings and journals to newspapers and magazines. As was already noted, compared to the General Test, these passages are university-level and call for a higher order of thought.
Format:
You will find three portions in your Reading (Academic) test, each with one long text.
These are extracts from books, magazines, and newspapers. You don't need to be a professional to answer these questions because they usually revolve around issues of public interest.
These extracts can be factual, descriptive, analytical, and discursive. Non-verbal features such as graphs, diagrams, and drawings may be included. A glossary will be provided if any jargon or technical terms are used.
Tips to keeping mind while preparing for IELTS Reading Test
If you are attempting the IELTS exam, preparing for the IELTS Reading practice section is very important. As it will not only give you a score boost but will also help you stay confident throughout the exam. Here is a list of helpful tips for IELTS Reading Practice:
Understand the text-
Many students have been instructed to use a dictionary to check up on any word they don't understand. The idea behind this is sound; having a large vocabulary is essential for a high IELTS score, yet, stressing about all the terms you don't understand on the reading exam is one of the worst things you can do.
There are two options if you don't understand a word on the reading test. You can either hunt for clues to its meaning in the words and sentences surrounding it, or you can move on. You are not required to know the meaning of every word.
Candidates who are concerned about the meaning of each word panic and spend too much time considering terms that are unrelated to the question. Don't worry about the terms you don't understand; instead, concentrate on the ones that are relevant to the inquiry.
Practice your reading skills-
Many students do not get a sense of balance between practicing for the IELTS overall exam and practicing the IELTS Reading Practice test. You should figure out your weaknesses and try to overcome them as swiftly as possible.
Becoming familiar with the IELTS reading test, IELTS reading tips, and the different types of questions is critical. It's also crucial to learn from your errors. Students who only prepare for IELTS tests, on the other hand, are missing out on an excellent opportunity to develop their general reading skills. Thousands of blogs, newspapers, magazines, and newspapers are available on the internet. It is said that practice makes perfect.
Read the instructions thoroughly-
Good IELTS candidates lose a lot of simple scores because they don't read the instructions carefully. This is particularly true in reading and listening assessments, which provide highly explicit directions. You will get the question wrong if you do not follow these guidelines exactly.
We all know there is a lot of pressure while giving an exam, but many students fail to follow the instructions and lose points. Try to avoid such mistakes and read out all the instructions beforehand, which will help you avoid errors later on.
Keep Your Calm-
Some of the questions will be simple, while others will be highly challenging. The key to answering a difficult question is to remain calm. Because some of the questions are so difficult, nearly all of the IELTS teachers I know have to double-check the answers.
Spending a lot of time on one question and not enough time on the rest of the questions is a bad idea. Instead, if the answer does not appear, move on to the next question. You may always return to the harder questions later; answering the other questions will frequently assist you.
keep track of time-
You need to keep track of the time given to each question as you might miss out in case the time runs out. In addition, you should try and practice at home by attempting the sample papers and notice the time required for you to complete the IELTS Reading Practice test.
Finally, don't get stuck on one question; you will have less time for the other questions if you spend too much time on one question; yet, if you rush through the test, you will lose material and may become confused.
Carefully transfer the answers-
You will be asked to transfer your answers to an answer sheet during the test. Spending too much time reading and answering questions while allowing little time to transfer the answers is a common mistake. When people are under pressure, it's only normal for them to make stupid mistakes.
Conclusion
The IELTS reading test can be frightening and difficult to prepare for, but it doesn't have to be. We hope that these suggestions will assist you in better preparing for and acing the reading component of your IELTS exam.
To acquire a good IELTS reading score, be sure to answer all questions, read all passages accurately, and read the header of the passage and questions to better grasp the idea of the passage and seek answers.
Additionally, avoid the aforementioned common blunders and remember to practice your reading skills. You will be able to boost your reading test scores as well as your overall IELTS band score in this manner.
FAQs
How can I practice for the IELTS Reading practice test?
There is a list of things that you can do to prepare for the IELTS Reading practice exam. Start by staying calm at the beginning of the test and reading all the instructions. In addition, you should go through the sample papers while keeping track of the time. By doing so, you will complete your exam in time without missing any questions.How can I get 8.5 in IELTS reading?
You can easily achieve this score with lots of practice and by widening your vocabulary skills. During the test, you can rely only on your reading and vocabulary skills. If you forget the meaning of any given word, do not panic and try to make sense of the given section.Is the IELTS Reading Practice test difficult?
The IELTS reading practice section is considered the most difficult section amongst all the others because it tests a candidate's understanding skills. These skills are developed over time, during which they expand our vocabulary skills as well. Thus an in-depth knowledge of the language is required to ace this section.
