IELTS Reading

• 1 hour
• 40 questions

Basic Exam Techniques:

1. Don’t read the passage first

2. Just read the title

3. Then go to the first question

4. Underline ‘keywords’ in the question

5. Then search for those words in the passage

6. Underline them

7. Read that part of the passage carefully

8. Try to get the answer

9. Read at normal speed

10. Only skim / scan for names or numbers

11. Miss any difficult questions, get to the end

Question types:

1. Gap-fill
2. True / false / not given
3. Yes / no / not given
4. Multiple choice
5. Matching paragraph headings
6. Matching paragraph information
7. Matching sentence endings
8. Matching other features e.g. names
9. Short answer questions

Gap-fill

Types of ‘gap-fill’ question:

1. Fill the gaps with words from the passage
2. Fill the gaps to label a diagram
3. Fill the gaps with words from a list / box
4. Fill the gaps in a table

You can normally find the answers IN ORDER in the passage

Keyword Table:

Keywords in questions	Similar words in the passage
inside	containing
shaded	shady
moist	damp
not classed as parasites	never parasitic
seen as	considered
special qualities	sense of calm, age and stillness
to dress wounds	as dressings on soldiers’ wounds

True, False, Not Given, Yes, No, Not Given

Is there a difference between the following?

• True, False, Not given

  when the passage is about facts

• Yes, No, Not given

  when the passage is about the writer’s views

Tips: These differences are not important! We can approach both question types in the same way. Just think: correct, incorrect, not given.

Remember:

True / Yes - the correct information is given

False / No - different information is given, contradicting the statement

Not given - we don’t know the answer there isn’t enough information

Find the ‘keywords’ and then compare the question and passage carefully

Answers are always in the correct order in the passage

Keyword Table:

Keywords in questions	Similar words in the passage
more intricate	more complex
made out of wood	constructed out of logs
majority of cities	most cities
poor sanitation	sewerage… so inadequate
the industrial era	during the industrial Revolution
posed a health risk	source for the outbreak of disease
complete network	comprehensive system

Matching paragraph headings

‘Paragraph headings’ questions are difficult…

because the answers are not in order in the passage and because some of the headings may be similar

Techniques:

1. Do ‘paragraph headings’ questions last
   • Do all other questions for that passage first
   • You will then be more familiar with the passage
   • You might get some of the answers from memory
2. Underline ‘keywords’ in each heading on the list
3. Then read the shortest or easiest paragraph
   • Read at normal speed
   • Underline the main ideas in the paragraph
   • Compare with all of the headings
   • Choose the best one

Which paragraph contains?

• List of statements
• Find which paragraph contains the information in each statement

‘Which paragraph contains’ questions are difficult…

• because the answers are not in order in the passage
• the same paragraph may contain more than one answer
• some of the paragraphs may not contain any answers

Techniques:

1. Do ‘which paragraph contains’ questions last
   • Do all other questions for that passage first
   • You will then be more familiar with the passage
   • You might get some of the answers from memory
2. Underline ‘keywords’ in each statement
3. Then start with the easiest statement
   • Information that you remember reading about
   • Easy keywords that you can scan for

Multiple choice questions

Multiple choice questions can be difficult because there is a lot to read, and the choices can be similar and confusing.

You can normally find the answers in order in the passage

Vocabulary:

coined = first used (to coin a phrase or term)

post-war = after the war

the allure = the attraction

source countries = countries that people are leaving

host countries = countries where migrants are going

a remittance = money sent as payment or as a gift

initiatives = schemes

established = implemented

some countries = some governments

Keyword Table:

Keywords in questions	Similar words in the passage
people first used the term	the term was coined
to refer to	to describe
skilled Europeans	scientists and technologists from Europe
after the Second World War	in the 1950s… post-war
brain drain the result of	…contribute to the brain drain
problems people face	lack of opportunities, political instability etc.
allure of a better life	offer better living conditions
when people emigrate	migrating individuals
help families by sending money home	send remittances home to family
to curb negative effects of brain drain	to retain skilled workers
schemes have been implemented	initiatives have been established
in some countries	some governments have…
to bring migrants home	assist professionals to return to their home countries

Matching names

• A list of question statements
• A box containing a list of names

‘Matching names’ sections can be difficult because…

• the answers are not in order in the passage
• one name may be used for more than one answer (if it matches more than one of the statements)
• some of the names may not be needed

Techniques:

1. Underline ‘keywords’ in each statement
2. Scan the passage to find all of the names
   • Highlight each name clearly (e.g. circle them)
3. Choose the name with the shortest description
   • read the sentences around that name
   • underline the main ideas relating to that name
4. Compare with all of the question statements
   • go through the question statements to see if any of them match what you read

Keyword Table:

Keywords in questions	Similar words in the passage
genes play a role	50%genetically determined
taking a long-term view	work out a long term policy
being unhappy can affect a chemical	cortisol levels 48% higher
people compliment us	praise of others
cannot be achieved without action	requires activity or action
negative experiences sometimes valuable	some pains are worthwhile
lead to future happiness	lead to greater pleasures

’Short answer’ questions

keyword technique

Keyword Table:

Keywords in questions	Similar words in the passage
group of theories about humour	types of theories… humour
good for us	very healthy
what function did comedy have	comedy has been used as
royal courts	courts of the Western kings
of the past	throughout history

Matching sentence endings

keyword technique

Remember:

1. Underline keywords in the sentence endings
2. Then start with the first question
3. Underline keywords in the question
4. Read the passage at normal speed
5. Underline keywords that you find
6. Compare the passage with the sentence endings
7. Choose the best one

Keyword Table:

Keywords in questions	Similar words in the passage
assess subjects	examine a person’s
unwilling to express their thoughts	reluctant to describe their thinking
based on the belief that	the assumption is that
according to their own specific perceptions of line	based on person-specific needs, motives and conflicts
original aim was not	never intended
diagnose a mental disorder	diagnosis of schizophrenia

Course summary

1. The main technique - Keyword technique

2. It’s a vocabulary test

3. Question types

   keyword techniques

   1. Gap-fill
   2. True / false / not given
   3. Yes / no / not given
   4. Multiple choice
   5. Short answer questions

   Keyword techniques + other techniques

   1. Matching paragraph headings
   2. Matching paragraph information
   3. Matching names
   4. Matching sentence endings

4. The time problem

   • use the keyword technique
   • miss any difficult questions
   • 20 minutes for each passage

5. Lots of practice

   • official Cambridge IELTS books
   • my videos and blog lessons
   • slowly and carefully
   • high score first, get faster later