Top 10 Tip For success in Reading

Each of these 10 IELTS Reading tips could make a significant difference to your score so take the time to read them carefully and practice any techniques and strategies recommended.

1.    Learn skimming and scanning skills

The first our IELTS Reading tips identifies two key skills that you need to master for a high score. Together they will speed up your reading and help you to locate the answer quickly.

If you’re not sure what these terms mean, here are the definitions:

• Skimming – to read a text quickly in order to understand the general meaning. You don’t read each word or study the text in detail as you’re only trying to get the gist of what it’s about.

• Scanning – to read a text quickly in order to find specific information such a key words, names, numbers, dates or synonyms, that will help you locate where the answer is.

2.    Don’t expect to understand every word

Many of my students have been taught to look up every word in a dictionary they don’t understand in a dictionary. The theory behind this is good, a wide vocabulary is key to getting a good score in the IELTS test, but worrying about all the words you don’t understand in the reading exam is one of the worst things you can do.

Candidates who worry about the meaning of every word, panic and spend too much time thinking about words that might not be related to the question. Focus on the words that are related to the question and don’t worry about the words you don’t understand.

3.    Practice your reading skills NOT your IELTS skills

It is important to familiarise yourself with the IELTS reading test, IELTS reading tips and gain an understanding of the various questions. It is also important to learn from your mistakes (see below). However, students who just practice IELTS exams are missing out on a good opportunity to improve their general reading skills.

IELTS reading texts can be a little boring and you are more likely to read regularly if you read about something you are interested in. Reading for pleasure a little every day will not only improve your English skills but also improve your vocabulary. There are thousands of blogs, newspapers, magazines, and newspapers to choose from online. Practice makes perfect.

4.   Read the instructions VERY carefully:

So many easy marks are lost by good IELTS candidates because they fail to read the instructions properly. This is especially true in the reading and listening tests because they give very specific instructions. If you don’t follow these instructions exactly, you will get the question wrong.

For example, the instructions might state ‘write two words and/or a number’. This could mean:

One word
One word and a number
Two words
Two words and a number

5.   Don’t panic:

Some of the questions will be easy and some will be extremely difficult. The key is not to panic when trying to answer a difficult one. Nearly all of the IELTS teachers I know have to check the answers to some questions because they are so difficult.

The wrong thing to do is spend a large amount of time on a question and fail to spend enough time on the rest of the questions. If the answer does not present itself, move on to the next. You can always come back to the difficult questions later and answering the other questions will often help you.

Time and nerves need to be controlled in order to do well in the reading test all the IELTS reading tips in the world won’t help you if you can’t control your nerves. You are probably not going to get all of the questions correct and accepting this will help you to control your time and emotions on test day.

6.   It’s really a vocabulary test:

In many ways, the reading test is more of a vocabulary test than a reading test. They will use synonyms and paraphrase sentences to test how wide your vocabulary is. To prepare for this I advise my students to do three things: read, note, and review.

7.   Timing is crucial:

If you spend too much time on one question you will leave less time for the other questions, however, if you try to do the test too quickly you will miss information and may get confused.

8.   Ignore anything you already know about the topic:

The higher the level the more this problem affects people. Please remember that you are being tested on your understanding of the text only; your own knowledge of the topic should not influence your answers.

For example, when you read the title of this article ‘IELTS reading tips’, you probably made lots of assumptions about what was in it and you probably knew some tips already, but I’m sure there have been some that have surprised you or even contradicted your views.

 

9. Be careful when transferring your answers

In the test, you will be asked to transfer your answers to an answer sheet. A common mistake is to spend too much time on reading and answering questions and leaving very little time to transfer the answers. It is only natural that silly mistakes are made when people are under pressure.

I advise my students to practice with an IELTS answer sheet and see how much time it takes them to transfer their answers. This will allow you to familiarise yourself with the process and have confidence on test day.

10. Leave no blanks

This might seem one of the most obvious IELTS reading tips but you would be surprised how many people leave blanks. Even if you don’t know the answer, make sure you attempt every question. You might get lucky and you have nothing to lose.

IELTS Overview

 Content Scoring Weight:

Lessons, Tips and Strategies 5 Steps to a Band 7 in IELTS Writing Task 2:

 

IELTS Writing Task 2 is the second part of the writing test, where you are presented with a point of view, argument or problem and asked to write an essay in response. Your essay should be in a formal style, at least 250 words in length and you should aim to complete it in under 40 minutes.

These IELTS writing task 2 lessons, strategies and tips will show you how to write an IELTS essay. They go through all the various types of essay that you may get and instructions on how to best answer them.

5 Steps to a Band 7 in IELTS Writing Task 2:

1. Understand the question.

You must understand the question before you attempt to answer it. This way, you’ll know exactly what the examiner is looking for. One of the biggest mistakes students make is not answering the question fully, which stops them from getting a score higher than a Band 5.

To analyze the question, you must first identify the question type, then identify the keywords in the question and finally identify the instructions words. This will help you understand exactly what the examiner wants you to do with the question.

2. Plan your answer.

The students who get the highest marks in Writing Task 2 always plan their answers for up to 10 minutes. Planning helps you organise your ideas and structure your essay before you write it, saving you time and helping you produce a clear and coherent essay.

3. Write an introduction.

The introduction should tell the examiner what the rest of the essay is about and also answer the question directly. This tells the examiner that you know what you are doing straight away and helps you write your main body paragraphs.

4. Write the main body paragraphs.

This is where you give the examiner more detail. You do this by stating your main points and supporting these with explanations and relevant examples.

5. Write a conclusion.

In your conclusion, you should provide a summary of what you already said in the rest of your essay.

Essay Types:

Problem Solution Essays
Learn how to write a problem solution essay for the IELTS test - a quick method that will produce a well-organized answer.

IELTS Opinion Essays
Get an overview of the various types of essay that ask for your opinion in the test.

Advantage Disadvantage Essay
This lesson shows you how to write an IELTS advantage disadvantage essay that requires you to give an opinion. 

A Complex Essay Question
This lesson shows you how to answer a more complex IELTS essay question that does not have a straightforward 'task' given to guide you.

TIPS FOR IELTS GENERAL TASK 1:

 

1.      Identify the type of letter you are being asked to write.

Formal

Semi-formal

Informal

 

2.      Identify the purpose of the letter.

 

Read lots of sample questions. Decide whether the question requires a formal, semi-formal, or informal response.

 

3.     Open and close the letter correctly. Do this based on the type and purpose of the letter.

4.      Start the letter appropriately.

a. Open a formal and semi-formal letter with a formal sentence and paragraph. Get down to business and say why you are writing. Don’t try to be friendly, as you do not know the person you are writing to.

Formal:
Dear Sir/Madam,
I am writing to inquire about…
I am writing in connection with…

Semi-formal
Dear Mr Johnson,
I am writing to inform you that…
I am writing to…

 

b. Open an informal letter with a general, friendly paragraph. Acknowledge your friendship first, before explaining the reason for your letter. In fact, the first paragraph could include just friendly small talk, unrelated to the reason for your writing.

 

5.      Learn and use standard written phrases.

In English letter writing, we use a number of standard expressions and phrases. These not only save time and effort, but also make it easier for the reader to understand our meaning. You can add on the specific information you wish to communicate to these standard phrases. See the list of Useful Expressions below.

 

6.     Spell commonly used words correctly. Learn and practice the correct spelling of words you are likely to use on the exam. Examples are: “sincerely”, “faithfully”, “in connection with”, “apologize”, and so on. This is an easy way to boost your score.

 

7.     Divide your letter into paragraphs.

Usually you need four paragraphs:

Introduction

Problem / Situation

Solution / Action

Conclusion

Make sure to signal the start of a new paragraph in one of two ways:

Indenting: Do NOT leave a line space between paragraphs. Start writing a little to the right of the left margin.
Skipping a line: Leave a line space between paragraphs. Start writing directly from the left margin.

 

8.     Use clear handwriting. Make sure your writing is neat and legible, so your words can be read easily and do not appear to have spelling mistakes. Get feedback from a teacher on your handwriting. Pay special attention to how you form and connect letters such as a, e, i, u, n, r, and w.

 

9.     Write at least 150 words. Practice writing letters till you know what 150 words feels like and looks like. You will lose marks if you write less. You will not lose marks if you write more.

 

10.             Include all three bulleted points. If you exclude even one of the points given to you in the question prompt, you will get a lower grade. Answer all the points.

In your letter:

explain the problem

describe why it disturbs you

suggest a solution

 

11.             Finish in time.

The IELTS General Task I letter is worth about 30% of your writing score, so      make sure you complete the whole letter. Though you have to make up a story to explain the situation, keep it simple so you don’t run out of time. Make sure to keep 40 minutes to complete the essay in Task 2, which is worth much more in terms of points.

 

12.             Read model letters but don’t memorize them. 

Instead, read the letters to get an idea of the overall flow and to pick up new vocabulary and expressions. Make sure to consult only reliable sources, such as Good Luck IELTS, for model answers.

 

13.             Understand the scoring criteria. Learn how to get a high score by knowing what examiners look for and how they award or deduct points.

 

IELTS General Task 1 Grading Criteria

 

14.             Practice writing letters regularly and get them checked by an IELTS trainer. 

Not every English teacher understands the demands of this particular exam, so find someone who has IELTS teaching experience, if possible. Practice writing answers to sample questions every day in order to improve your skills, your speed, your confidence, and your score!

 

IELTS top 10 tips for success

 

We have compiled a top-10 list to help students preparing for the IELTS exam:

 

1)    Understand what’s in the IELTS exam and how it works. A lot of people don’t really find out much about the exam and its content so they don’t know what to expect.

2)    Practice as much as possible. Work on your global level of English; read lots of academic and general texts, read English newspapers and magazines; watch films so that you improve your listening.

3)    Concentrate on time management. Make yourself a revision timetable as this can help to keep things in perspective. Over time you can see real progress and concentrate on the areas that are problematic.

4)    Be positive. Don’t let insecurity hinder all your hard work. Show the examiner what you know, don’t be afraid to try. If you make a mistake, carry on. Find a ‘study buddy’ and practice together. You don’t even have to be in the same room, you can use skype, instant messaging or Google Hangout.

5)    Boost your vocabulary. Vocabulary lists are one way of learning – mind maps, word association, picture matching, synonyms and antonyms, and placing words in context will all aid vocabulary memorization. For example, if you are learning about food, think about where you buy it, store it, cook it. Then visualize yourself buying food or ordering a meal at a restaurant and use the new words in sentences. You can even do some role play with your study buddy, where, for instance, you are the waiter and your buddy is the customer. Other good study techniques include carrying a vocabulary notebook that can go everywhere with you, use post-its and your phone to store words lists.

6)    Listening hint. Read through the questions to predict what the topic will be about. It will be easier, if you have an idea of what you are going to hear. Use the time allowed for reading the questions to identify the signposts to the answers.

7)    Reading hint. Read the questions first. Identify the key words and then scan-read the text for the answers.

8)    Writing hint. Write clearly, making sure you include paragraphs and use a varied vocabulary. Most of all, answer the essay questions and stick to the topic. Check the word count when you are done.

9)    Speaking hint. Try to give full answers. Give your opinion and then add reasons and examples to support it. If you don’t understand a question or a word, tell the examiner and ask for clarification.

10)            Last wise words: watch the clock on the big day and don’t leave any gaps. Guess the answer if you don’t know it.

IELTS Speaking test: 10 Tips from Experts:

 

Test takers are often nervous about facing an examiner on test day but with these 10 tips from our IELTS Experts, and plenty of practice, you will be well on your way to building your confidence and getting the IELTS band score you need.

Tip 1: Don't memorise answers:

Don't memorise answers, especially in Part 1. Memorised language doesn't give the examiner an accurate measure of your English-language skills. The examiner will be able to tell if you have memorised your answers and this may influence your final band score.

Tip 2: Don't use big and unfamiliar words:

You may want to impress the examiner with big and complex words in your Speaking test. But to be safe, avoid using words you are not familiar with. There is a higher chance of making mistakes by either mispronouncing words or using them in the wrong context. Mistakes can affect your final band score.

Use a range of vocabulary that you know which is relevant to the topic being discussed. Look at the topics in Tip 10, making vocabulary lists or mind maps to help you learn more words and phrases connected to these topic areas.

Tip 3: Use a range of grammatical structures:

When IELTS examiners asses your speaking skills, they mark you against the following assessment criteria:

·         Fluency and coherence

·         Lexical resource

·         Grammatical range and accuracy

·         Pronunciation

Try and use a range of grammatical structures using complex and simple sentences to express what you want to say. Know your own errors and practice speaking to friends in English, or record yourself to see if you can spot errors. If you hear an error, make sure to correct yourself. You are assessed on your ability to use different grammatical structures accurately, so it's important to practise speaking about the past, the present and the future using correct tenses.

Tip 4: Don't worry about your accent:

With a face-to-face Speaking test, the IELTS examiner understands a wide range of accents so will be able to understand what you say, unlike an AI machine. If you can communicate well, then there is nothing to worry about. But do be aware of sounds that you have difficulty with and make sure to use stress and intonation as English is a stress-timed language. Practice with friends and they will tell you if they can't understand what you are saying.

Tip 5: Pause to think:

There is no harm in taking a brief pause to think about what to say. We all do it to process questions. You can use phrases to give you time to think during the Speaking test - phrases such as:

·         That's an interesting question

·         I have never thought about that, but...

·         Let me see

·         That's a good point

·         That's a difficult question, but I'll try and answer it

·         Well, some people say that is the case, however I think...

·         Let me think about that for a minute

Tip 6: Avoid using fillers:

Speak confidently and avoid using filler words. We generally use fillers when we don't know what to say, however, this shows the examiner that you can't access the appropriate language or ideas so it's important to avoid them and to use the phrases we gave you in Tip 5.

·         Avoid the following fillers:

·         Like

·         You know

·         Umm...

·         Ahh...

·         Ehh...

·         Well

·         Yeah...

Tip 7: Extend your answers:

Try and answer the examiner's questions in full. Extend your answers and don't wait for the examiner to prompt you with a question. When your answers are short, this shows the examiner that you cannot talk in detail about a topic. If the examiner says 'Why?', they are prompting you to give a reason for your answer and to extend more fully.

Tip 8: Smiling helps pronunciation:

Smiling can help calm your nerves which in turn helps your pronunciation. Make sure to enunciate clearly, opening your mouth wide enough so that sounds come out clearly. When we smile, our mouth is bigger and the tone of our voice is more friendly. Using clear enunciation and tone will show the examiner that you can use a range of pronunciation features.

Tip 9: Don't speak in a monotone:

Sometimes when we speak, we produce a flat sound, a monotone, with little variation. This makes it more difficult to express what you say and makes it more difficult for the listener to identify what parts of your message are important. Putting emphasis on certain words and pausing at sections in your speech can make your conversation with the IELTS examiner more engaging. When we emphasise certain words it makes it easier to compare and contrast ideas by stressing key words. It also increases the flow of conversation, so remember:

·         Don't speak in a monotone

·         Vary the stress and intonation to add emphasis

·         Use your hands to gesture and help the rhythm of the conversation

Tip 10 - Practice common IELTS topics:

Part 2 of the IELTS Speaking test requires you to speak on a given topic for about 2 minutes. Practice common IELTS topics with friends, family or colleagues to improve and to learn vocabulary associated with each topic.

Common topics you can practice for the Speaking test include:

·         Tourism and travel

·         Education

·         Transport

·         Environment

·         Family life

·         Sport and recreation

·         Crime and punishment

·         The internet

·         Advertising and retail