Dear sir,
I am going to give my real IELTS test on 20th December 2008. I have some problems in the term of reading module, specially its about timing. Every single passage is taking 30 mints. If possible please help me.How can I reduce my time and how can I answer summery or fill in the gap type of questions within short time? I know practise is necessary but for short period to solve the mentioned area what would be your advise?

It is noticeable to mention, within short time which tips I should follow as your advise from over all sense to ensure better band score including other modules?

Asif

Dear Asif,

Thank you for your question. Here are some general reading techniques that should help you to do the reading tasks in the allotted time (20 mins per reading passage).

1. Read the passage quickly (2-3 mins) and underline the first sentence of each paragraph. This is the topic sentence and should introduce the topic of the paragraph. Focusing on the subject of this sentence should help help you to locate the answers to the questions more quickly.

2. Identify what type of task you are being asked to do. There are a variety of task types in the Academic Reading paper including:

- multiple-choice answers
- matching headings to paragraphs
- matching statements to options
- true/false/not given statements
- yes/no/not given statements
- short answer questions
- matching categories to pieces of information (classification)
- labelling a diagram
- completing sentences
- completing a summary

3. Underline the keywords in the questions/statements/options/headings/summary/diagram

4. Locate the paragraph in the text that corresponds with the question and read it again, underlining the keywords. You should be able to do this quickly enough if you have already underlined the topic sentence of each paragraph. The order of the questions usually corresponds with the order of the text, but not always!

5. Once you have found the relevant place in the text you can start focusing on the right answer. This may require finding an exact word or phrase in order to answer a question or complete a sentence or summary. Or it may require matching the general topic of the paragraph with a suitable heading. It may also require an understanding of the writer’s opinion in order to answer a yes/no or true/false question.

There are different techniques you can use for different types of tasks. If you are having difficulty with a particular type of task let me know and I will give you some more detailed tips.

Best of luck in your exam on the 20th.

Don’t forget to let us know how you get on.

Jenny
The iPass Team

Dear sir,
thank you for your immediate response. Can you advise me about the type of questions below that how can I solve these within short time.

* multiple-choice answers
* completing a summary
* yes/no/not given statements
* matching categories to pieces of information (classification)

Waiting for your reply.

Dear Asif,

Ok, let’s deal with each one separately:

Multiple-choice

- read the text once quickly
- read the question carefully
- look at each option individually
- locate the relevant part of the text (it might not be the same paragraph for all options)
- read the relevant part of the text again and decide if the option is one of the answers or not

Completing a summary

- read the whole text quickly
- read the summary quickly and decide if it is a summary of the whole text or just part of it
- look for clues - does the summary have a title?
- look at the words before and after the gap and decide what words you are looking for (adjectives/verbs /nouns)
- the words used in the summary are not the same as those used in the passage so you will need to identify synonyms to locate the exact part of the text you need
- remember to use exact words from the text to complete the summary (usually a maximum of 3 words)

Yes/No/Not given Statements

- read the whole text quickly
- look at each question one-by-one
- find the relevant part of the text
- read the question carefully and the relevant part of the text again
- decide on your answer

Classification (matching pieces of information to categories)

- read the whole text quickly
- find the parts of the text in which the categories appear and just refer to those paragraphs
- find the answers (this may require you to match words and phrases from the text to words and phrases in the questions, but it could also require you to match ideas)

Hope you find the new practice reading material useful too!

Best wishes.

Jenny
The iPass Team

Dear sir,

I was sick and for my personal cause I could not reply you. I got 4.5 in reading. I think Its only for the lack of my enough time after your advice. My total IELTS score is 5.5. Very bad. But I think I have enough talent to get even 7 band. If I take IELTS next time, surely I will inform you about what is going on. Thank you for your co-operation and its my pleasure.

Asif

Dear Asif,

Sorry to hear that you didn’t achieve the IELTS score that you wanted. Keep practising and I’m sure you will improve next time.

Please let me know if I can be of any further assistance. Perhaps you would benefit from our Key Membership, which is only €34.95 for a 3-month subscription and allows you to access all the iPass practice material and send us up to 4 writing tasks for assessment.

For more information please go to our sign-up page.

Best wishes,

Jenny
The iPass Team

Hi Asif,i have read your recent topic posted 16th july.Are you sure you are ready to take the IELTS test? Many students attempt to take the test without being fully prepared.In my opinion it is better to take your time with your studies,in order that you have a realistic chance of success in obtaining the grades you require.Too many failures can often lead to a lack of confidence and may impair your results.