How to develop reading skills to score higher on the IELTS test?

Reading is one of the four skills that is tested in your IELTS to gauge your English language proficiency. To score high on this, it is important to work on your reading skills so that you are able to comprehend the questions and respond appropriately.

What are the qualities of a good reader?

Being a good reader involves actively engaging with texts, using various strategies to comprehend and interpret the content, and continuously expanding one's skills and knowledge through regular reading and reflection. You can include the following qualities to develop good reading skills to score high on the IELTS test:

1. Good readers regularly read a wide range of texts: This means that individuals who are skilled at reading make a habit of reading various types of materials, such as books, articles, newspapers, and more. By making themselves familiar with different genres and subjects, they expand their vocabulary, knowledge, and understanding of diverse topics.

2. Good readers use different skills: Effective readers include a variety of techniques while reading. These skills can include identifying main ideas, making inferences, analysing text structure, recognising context clues, and more. By using a combination of these skills, they can better comprehend and interpret what they read.

3. Good readers guess the meaning of words they don’t know: Skilled readers have the ability to deduce the meanings of unfamiliar words based on the context of the sentence or passage. They use the surrounding words, phrases, or the overall theme to make educated guesses about the word's meaning. This helps them understand the text without needing to look up every unfamiliar word.

4. Good readers reflect on what they read: After reading, proficient readers take the time to think about what they've read. They consider the main ideas, key points, and the author's message. Reflection can also involve forming opinions, asking questions, and connecting the text to their own experiences or prior knowledge. This deeper level of engagement enhances their understanding and retention of the material.

Tips to develop reading skills to score higher in the IELTS Reading test

Here are some tips to help you develop your reading skills and score higher on the IELTS Reading test:

1. Practice regularly: Consistent practice is key. Read a variety of materials, including newspapers, articles, and academic texts, to improve your comprehension and speed.

2. Skim and scan: Practice skimming to quickly get the main idea of a text and scanning to find specific information. These techniques save time during the test.

3. Focus on keywords: Identify keywords in questions and look for them in the passage. Keywords often lead you to relevant information.

4. Understand question types: Familiarise yourself with different question types like multiple choice, matching, true/false/not given, and sentence completion. Understand what each type requires.

5. Predict answers: Before looking at the options, predict the answer based on your understanding of the passage. Then find the closest match among the given options.

6. Improve vocabulary: A strong vocabulary helps with understanding complex texts. Learn new words and their meanings in context.

7. Time management: The IELTS Reading test has a time limit. Practice managing your time so you can answer all the questions.

8. Take notes: Jot down key points or create a brief outline while reading to help you remember the main ideas.

9. Practice with different texts: Challenge yourself with texts of varying difficulty levels, from simple to complex.

10. Identify opinion vs. fact: Distinguish between the author's opinion and factual information to answer questions accurately.

11. Avoid overthinking: Sometimes the answer is straightforward. Avoid overthinking or reading too much into the question.

12. Review incorrect answers: After practicing, review the questions you got wrong to understand your mistakes and learn from them.

13. Use context clues: If you encounter a difficult word, try to understand its meaning from the context of the sentence.

14. Summarise paragraphs: After reading a paragraph, try summarising its main idea in a few words. This helps reinforce your understanding.

15. Stay calm: On test day, stay calm and focused. If you're stuck on a question, move on, and come back to it later if needed.

Remember that improving your reading skills takes time, so be patient and persistent in your practice. Gradually, you'll become more comfortable with different types of texts and questions, leading to better performance on the IELTS Reading test.

Also, if you want to know more about the IELTS test, you can get in touch with your nearest IDP IELTS test centre. Our team of IELTS experts will help you with all your doubts.