How to Score 9 in IELTS Reading: My Comprehensive Guide

I have an overall 8.5 score with a ✨9✨ in Reading (makes me giggle for some reason), but while I was practicing for the main exam, I kept struggling to meet the time requirements and scoring less. It was always at the 32-33 mark but I was aiming for a 100% score.

I’ve been an avid reader for as long as I can remember, and while it has definitely helped me read faster, I’ve learned the hard way that speed doesn’t always guarantee comprehension. So, here’s a concise rundown of everything I made sure to cover while preparing for the main exam:

1. Understanding the IELTS Reading Test

• Get an overview of the test structure. Check out the YouTube video by E2 IELTS on Reading.

• Familiarise yourself with different question formats. There are 14 different types, including multiple choice, true/false/not given, matching headings, etc. (See below for all the question types).
• Understand the instructions and time management.

2. Strategies for Effective Reading Comprehension

• Develop skimming and scanning techniques to locate key information. Read, read, read. A LOT!
• Build vocabulary to understand complex passages. Watch IELTS specific vocab building videos (and read a lot!!)
• Practice active reading: annotating, summarising, and predicting content.

3. Practical Tips for Preparation and Performance

• Set up a study schedule and STICK. TO. IT. I can’t emphasise this more; you need to dedicate yourself to it.
• Utilise resources such as practice tests, sample questions, and study materials.
• Implement test-taking strategies: managing time, eliminating answer choices, and staying calm under pressure.

Don’t worry if you keep hitting walls. It’s not always going to be the same and you’re not going to get the same score every time. Practice makes progress, not perfect. 🥁

IELTS Reading Question Formats (with tips)

In IELTS Reading, there are 14 different types of questions that you can be given. You will have only one hour to read 3 passages and answer 40 questions. These questions are always divided into different types of questions which you must complete. Each passage usually has about 3 or 4 different types of questions to answer.

In order to prepare well for your test, you must make sure that you practice each type of question. Below is a list of the question types you can get in IELTS reading with information and tips to help you:

• Matching Headings Questions
• True False Not Given / Yes No Not Given Questions
• Matching Paragraph Information Questions
• Summary Completion Question
• Sentence Completion Questions
• Multiple Choice Questions
• List Selection
• Choosing a Title
• Classification Questions
• Matching Sentence Endings
• Table Completion
• Flow Chart Completion Questions
• Diagram Completion Questions
• Short Answer Questions

I suggest keeping the Matching questions for last because they never come in order. So by the time you’re done with the other questions, you’d have skimmed the passage multiple times.

Matching Headings Questions

• Task: Choose a heading that matches a section or paragraph in the passage.
• Skills: Understanding section aims, identifying main ideas, and analysing paragraphs.
• Tips: Read headings before the passage, analyse options, and note that answers may not come in order (so I suggest keeping it for last).

True False Not Given / Yes No Not Given Questions

• Task: Decide if information matches the passage.
• Skills: Identifying specific information and understanding writer’s opinions.
• Tips: Understand answer meanings, paraphrase statements, and note answers come in order.

Matching Paragraph Information Questions

• Task: Match question information with a paragraph.
• Skills: Identifying specific information and scanning.
• Tips: Paraphrase questions, find information, note answers may not be in order (so solve them at the end), and check instructions.

Summary Completion Question

• Task: Fill gaps in a summary with words from the passage.
• Skills: Scanning, understanding ideas, and selecting appropriate words.
• Tips: Identify word types needed, locate information, note answers usually come in order, and ensure grammatical correctness.

Sentence Completion Questions

• Task: Fill gaps in sentences with words from the passage.
• Skills: Scanning, selecting words, and understanding information.
• Tips: Identify word types needed, locate information, note answers usually come in order, and ensure grammatical correctness.

Multiple Choice Questions

• Task: Choose correct answers from options.
• Skills: Scanning, understanding information.
• Tips: Paraphrase questions/options, locate precise information, note answers come in order, and read instructions carefully.

List Selection

• Task: Choose correct option from a list.
• Skills: Scanning, understanding information.
• Tips: Read list and questions, locate information, note answers come in order, and read instructions carefully.

Choosing a Title

• Task: Choose most appropriate title from options.
• Skills: Identifying passage aims.
• Tips: Compare titles, pay attention to passage structure, and manage time effectively.

Classification Questions

• Task: Decide which category information belongs to.
• Skills: Locating information, categorizing.
• Tips: Locate information, decide categories, and watch for paraphrases.

Matching Sentence Endings

• Task: Match sentence beginnings with correct endings.
• Skills: Locating information, understanding.
• Tips: Read sentences and endings, find information, and ensure grammatical correctness.

Table Completion

• Task: Completing the table using the correct word from the passage.
• Skills: Locating specific information, choosing appropriate words, understanding details.
• Tips: Read the column headings, identify word types needed, scan the passage for information, note answers are often located in specific parts of the passage, and check how many words can be used for each answer.

Flow Chart Completion Questions

• Task: Completing the flow chart using the correct words from the passage.
• Skills: Locating specific information, choosing appropriate words, understanding details and order of information.
• Tips: Identify word types needed for each part of the flow chart, scan the passage for information, note answers do not always come in order, use the direction of arrows and boxes to follow the order of information, and select appropriate words from the passage.

Diagram Completion Questions

• Task: Labeling a diagram.
• Skills: Locating information in the passage, relating the information to the diagram, choosing appropriate words.
• Tips: Identify word types needed for the answer, find the information in the passage, note the information is usually located in one or two specific paragraphs in the passage, check how many words can be used for the answer, and note answers do not always come in order.

Short Answer Questions

• Task: Answering questions regarding details in the passage.
• Skills: Locating information in the passage, understanding detail and specific information.
• Tips: Identify the type of words needed for each answer, paraphrase vocabulary in the questions, scan the passage to locate information, check how many words can be used for the answers, and note answers come in order.

By understanding the task, honing the required skills, and applying the provided tips for each question format, you’ll be well-equipped to tackle any challenge that comes your way in the IELTS Reading section. Happy studying and best of luck on your IELTS journey!

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Check out this video below which helped me out a lot!