101Helpful Hints for IELTS

101 Helpful Hints for IELTS
READING TEST HINTS
WRITE YOUR ANSWERS ON THE ANSWER SHEET
It is most important to write your answers on the Answer Sheet as you do the Reading Test. If you
do not, you may find yourself in the unfortunate position of having completed the test in the given
time of 60 minutes but without having recorded any answers to any questions at all! This would
require you to make a special request of the IELTS marking team to refer to your Reading Test
booklet for the answers. The problem is that your quickly written answers might be difficult to read.
This could easily mean that a correct answer you gave might be marked as incorrect. (See also IELTS
Test-Basic Hint 15.)
Write your answers on the Answer Sheet provided as you do the Reading Test
DO NOT READ THE READING PASSAGE FIRST
It is a mistake to begin reading a passage without first having a reason to read. There are 3 parts to
the Reading Test, and many candidates begin each part in the same way - by reading the passage.
They might read it in detail, or scan it quickly to find out what the topic of the passage is and to get
a general idea of the contents. However, candidates who do this first have forgotten the need to
predict information. They do not have a good enough reason to read the passage so soon.
Always have a reason to read a passage before you begin to do so. Have a question in your mind -
something you are looking for - otherwise you will not be managing your time well. (See also IELTS
Test - Basic Hint 6 and Listening Hint 17.)
READ THE TEST IN A LOGICAL ORDER
The following sentence gives a suggested order in which to look at the information in any of the 3
parts of the Reading Test:
"To HAVE BRIGHT PROSPECTS, INTELLIGENTLY ANSWER EACH QUESTION".
Read each part of the test in the order given by the first letter of each word of the sentence:
T - The Title of the reading passage should give you a rough idea about the main topic of the
passage. If you do not understand the meaning of the title or some of the words it contains,
it does not matter. Try and work out the meaning of the title while you continue to read.
H -
The Headings for each section of the passage refer to what is contained in each section, and
where information can be located. They also help you to predict what the passage is about.
B - Bold printed words indicate that those words are of some importance. They can also help
you to predict information contained in the passage.
P - It is said that a Picture is worth a thousand words. Always look at illustrations, figures,
tables, graphs and diagrams that accompany a reading passage. They often summarise, add
important detail, or make information in the passage more clear.
I - The Instructions contain important information that you must read. If you do not read the
instructions, you will almost certainly answer some of the questions in the wrong manner.
The instructions may also contain clues about the information contained in the passage.
A -
What kind of Answers do you need to give? The instructions will tell you. The kind of
answers that are required also tell you more about the information within the passage.
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