Important Tips

1. Understand that it is not just a reading test; it is more of a vocabulary test.
2. For the pen-and-paper test, you will write your answers on an answer sheet, whereas for the computer-based test, you will select answers using dropdowns or multiple-choice options. The time limits remain the same for both test formats.
3. Be careful with the word limits of each section, as exceeding the word limit will result in the answer being marked wrong.
4. Be careful while spelling the words; misspelled words must also be marked wrong.
5. Take the time to read the section’s questions before recording those sections. The practice of reading questions will help you to answer quickly and accurately.
6. Don’t limit yourself to practice reading tests. Make a habit of reading for at least 15 minutes daily; you can read your favorite novel.
7. Time management is critical in reading tests; always practice finishing your reading test in 50 minutes.

Strategy to score Band 9 in the reading test:

1. Firstly, understand the format of the IELTS reading module, which is discussed under the test information section of this page; the test is designed so that the difficulty level increases from sections 1 to 3. There is no specific format or type of question like listening.
2. My first tip is always to read the instructions carefully. Understand what the question asks for and the word limit for the answers. Refer to the following table to get an idea of the number of words and their considerations:

• Focus on time management; your goal is to complete the test in 50 minutes, as section 1 is the easiest; practice so that you spend the least time in section 1 and the most significant time in section 3.
• Another important and underrated fact is that you should always practice from reliable resources and actual reading tests. Check the reliable resources section for more details.
• First, familiarize yourself with all the questions in the paragraph. Then, focus on the first question. Read it again and read the passage, aiming to locate the answer. Pause where you find the answer, mark it, and finalize your response. Once done, move on to the next question. This process continues, where you read the subsequent question and return to the passage to find its corresponding answer. This method is particularly effective when questions follow a sequential order.

However, in the case of unordered questions sequentially, after reading all the questions for the given passage, skim and scan the passage, underlining potential locations where answers might be found. Then, start with the first question by rereading it and reading the passage carefully to locate and finalize the answer. Then, proceed to the next question, re-reading the previous parts of the passage as well, if necessary, to locate subsequent answers. Repeat this process for each question until you finish all the questions.

• Remember, for each type of question, you have a strategy; refer to the “types of questions and strategies” section for more details. Follow these strategies in your practice test. Practice them regularly and make them your habit.
•  Be honest during practice; if you cannot complete the reading test in 60 minutes, that’s okay. It’s important to recognize and accept your weaknesses initially so you can work on improving them.
• After completing the test, check your answers by referring to the official answer key.
• Analyze the questions you got wrong and identify the reasons behind the mistakes. For example, if many of your errors are in section 3, it could be due to vocabulary issues; if most errors are in True/False/Not Given questions, you might need to be more familiar with the strategy for that type. Reread the passage with the correct answers in mind to better understand your mistakes and avoid repeating them. In this step, we will analyze our pattern of repeating mistakes.
• Focus on your main challenges or critical problem areas and practice these areas specifically.
• The most common problem people need help with is vocabulary. The best way to tackle this is firstly try to understand the meaning from the context and then
• When you are finally confident about your preparation, an attempt at least four tests with exam conditions such as strict timing of 60 minutes, transferring answers on the answer sheet, and attempting it directly after 40 minutes of reading the test, as this pattern will remain same on the exam as well.
• Apply to the IELTS test when you constantly get at least 0.5 or 1 higher band than your target band score in all the attempted practice tests.

Types of questions and their strategies:

1. Sentence completion:

1. The main issue with these types of questions is needing to read the instructions and spelling mistakes.
2.  To tackle these effectively, the first and foremost thing to do is to read and follow the instructions carefully, especially the word count.
3. Read the incomplete sentence statements first before reading the passage.
4. Predict the answer without even reading the passage. It does not need to be correct, but it will help you enhance your understanding and thinking abilities to tackle these questions effectively.
5. Consider the synonyms for the main keywords in the statement.
6. Now read the given passage and stop at the point where you think you have found your answer.
7. Now look for the possible answer for your statement that needs to be completed.
8. Once again, read the question by substituting your answer in the blank space for sentence completion, and then decide by reading the correct answer and matching it with the location where you found it.
9. Finalize your answer and move on to the next statement and repeat the same procedure for each given statement.
10. Make this strategy a natural habit when completing sentences in reading tests.

Summary Completion:

1. The main issue with these questions is not reading the instructions and poor understanding of grammar.
2.  To tackle these effectively, the first and foremost thing to do is to read and follow the instructions carefully, especially the word count.
3. Read the complete summary text first before reading the passage.
4. Think of what type of word (noun, verb, adjective) can fit into each fill in the blanks
5. Now read the given passage and stop at the point where you think you have found your answer.
6. Now look for the possible answer for your statement that needs to be completed.
7. Once again, read the question by substituting your answer in the blank space for sentence completion, and then decide by reading the correct answer and matching it with the location where you found it.
8. Finalize your answer and move on to the next fill-in-the-blank.
9. After filling in all the blanks in the summary text. Now, read the text and ensure each sentence makes sense as a summary text.
10. Make this strategy a natural habit when completing sentences in reading tests.

3. MCQs:

1. The main Problem with MCQs is that all the options look the same.
2. the essential tip is to read the question first and then the passage to find the answer.
3. The best way is to understand the question (what is being asked) and give options by highlighting the main keywords in the question and all the options given.
4. Understand the difference between each provided option.
5. Now read the passage (skimming) and stop at the point where you think that it
6. Now eliminate the Don’t write the first option you hear. Always listen to full context and then mark your answers.
7. Focus less on a single question. If one is messed up, let it go and move to the next one.
8. Be careful about qualification statements, for example, however, but, etc.
9. Think about synonyms and paraphrasing too.
10. After looking at all the aspects of the question, finalize the answer and move to the next one.

4. Short Answer Type

1. The

Reliable resources:

1. IDP
2. British Council
3. IELTS
4. Cambridge English Official website and books (Paid)

Exam Day Tips

Exam Day Tips

Although some tips are the same as those discussed in the general discussion, they are crucial for exam day as well, so here is a summary of those tips and tricks:

1. Always check the quality of the headphones at your test center before the start of the test. If you face any issues with it, promptly notify the coordinator to have the headphones fixed or replaced.
2. Read the instructions for each part carefully.
3. For a pen-and-paper-based test, you must listen and write your answers on question paper simultaneously, and you will get an extra 10 minutes to transfer answers on your answer sheet. Similarly, you must listen and type your answer simultaneously in computer-based tests. But be aware that you will get 2 minutes to check your answers; there will be no extra time for writing your answers as your answers are already on the computer.
4. Always utilize the time given to read questions before each part’s recording starts.
5. Don’t panic if you lose focus at some point; make an educated guess for the current question and keep moving to attempt the next ones.
6. Don’t overthink the following question: keep your 100% focus on current questions.
7. Write ALL answers in CAPITALS to avoid confusion related to Capitalizing only the Names of places, people, etc.  
8. Don’t panic on the exams if you don’t know the meaning of some words, especially in section 4. Use the strategy discussed under this page’s “Strategy to get Band 9 score for listening test “section.
9. Make sure to attempt all 40 questions, even if unsure about some answers.