IELTS Reading Test Skills

The reading tasks of the IELTS are designed to test the candidate's ability to correctly answer questions solely of the basis of reading. Reasons people read for instance, who read regularly, to acquire knowledge, to retain information, or for pure pleasure are never taken into account for these test purposes. Any candidate who learns and retains the information on these tests has left with a bonus. Stay focused to the question however.

The reading test lasts one hour and is broken up into three readings of about thirteen minutes each and composed of approximately 40 questions in each reading test section. This will vary from test to test, so don't anticipate your test questions. Concentrate on the time to read the questions and readings, and then arrive at the correct answer. This requires fast reading, but not speed reading in the general sense of the word.

The reading and reading related skills tested include:

- Following instructions. The tests are made up of ten or so question types and no two reading tests are alike. It is important that the candidate understand the question type and its unique way in which it is to be answered. The test question may require multiple answers or have a single correct answer. Use the most precise and direct answer to the test question.

- Identify the main ideas. Don't slow yourself down by trying to comprehend everything in a specific reading. If there is no question pertaining to a particular word, sentence of paragraph, your understanding it doesn't matter. What is important is that you grasp the principle ideas, then knowing what they are and where they are in the text. This will aid you in giving quick and accurate answers to the test questions.

-Finding how the principle ideas of a reading passage are connected. There are several types of questions that are conspicuous in their matching. This requires the candidate to look for the connection between main ideas. Almost all the questions will require the reading test candidate to see the relationship between the ideas and how they are connected to arrive at the correct answer.

-Testing of the truthfulness in statements of the questions and testing the "word strings" found in the reading text. The IELTS reading task of words, most often true and false and fact or fiction, make up a series of words that can be found in the same form in the reading. Be careful of any phrases or clauses that appear before the word string. These can appear to turn facts into opinions or true statements into false ones.

-Grasping ideas underlying main arguments. There are some questions that cause the candidate to find the writer's motivation in his organization of the passage for the reader to see it in it's final appearance. These concepts can be found by the reader if he or she is careful to find the evidence knowing that there are questions about them.

- Understanding the writer's point of view. This can be the most difficult of reading skills. It will require the candidate to understand not just the words, but the perceptions and attitudes supporting them. Often the readings have a "point" that is not stated directly. These motivations can be uncovered if you look for the words that the writer chooses in addressing their subjects, most commonly used are judgment words. The reading candidate should also look for the writer's feelings if there are any. They are the techniques speakers term "reading between the lines".