IELTS Reading Exam: 5 Ways To Improve Your Reading Skills

IELTS Reading Exam can be one of the most difficult part of the IELTS Exam--but it doesn't have to be that way. Many students are intimidated by the length and the complexity of the passage. Even though the reading topic might seem challenging, the materials will not need your prior knowledge in order to correctly answer the questions. However, you will need these test-taking skills in order to pass this part of the IELTS exam in flying colors.

In this post, I'll share with you 5 tips on how to improve your reading skills and to prepare for the Reading Test in the IELTS Exam.

1: IELTS Reading Exam #1 Tip : Read a lot!

One of the best ways to improve your reading skills for the IELTS Reading Exam is to read as much as possible. This will help you learn new vocabulary, improve your grammar, and develop your comprehension skills. Try to read a variety of different materials, such as newspapers, magazines, books, and online articles. And don't forget to practice your IELTS Reading Exam questions so that you are prepared for the test!

2: Identify and Eliminate Difficult Words

One way to improve your IELTS reading score is to identify and eliminate difficult words. This can be done by looking up the definitions of words you don't know and/or using a dictionary to find synonyms for difficult words. While it may take some extra time to do this, it will pay off in the long run as you will be better able to understand the text and answer the questions correctly.

However, I realized that you will NOT know every word.  No one knows every word--not even the native speakers.  The good thing about this is that you DO NOT need to know every word in order to understand the sentences.  During the exam, ignore the words you don't know and use the words that you DO know to help understand the passage.

3: Memorize Key Vocabulary from the Text

One way to improve your IELTS reading score is to memorize key vocabulary from the text. This will help you to understand and remember more of what you read, and will also enable you to answer questions more accurately.

To do this effectively, try the following tips:

• Make a list of key vocabulary before you start reading. As you come across new words and phrases, add them to the list.
• When you come across a word or phrase that you don’t know, look it up in a dictionary or online. Write down the meaning and make a note of how it is used in the context of the text.
• Try to use the new words and phrases in your own writing and speaking. This will help to embed them in your memory.
• Test yourself periodically on the words and phrases on your list. Cover up the text and see if you can remember what each word or phrase means.

4: Teach Someone Else About the Reading

Assuming that you want tips for teaching someone else about the IELTS Reading Exam:

One way to help another person improve their IELTS Reading score is to have them focus on practicing identifying main ideas in a text. This can be done by finding a variety of articles on different topics and having the person read them and identify the main idea of each one. Once they get better at this, move on to having them identify supporting details and how those support the main idea.

Another way to help someone improve their IELTS Reading score is to have them focus on improving their speed and accuracy when reading. This can be done by finding short texts on a variety of topics and timed reading practice where they try to read the text as quickly as possible while still understanding it. Once they get better at this, move on to longer texts.

A third way to help someone improve their IELTS Reading score is to have them focus on specific question types. This means becoming familiar with the types of questions that are asked on the IELTS Reading exam and practicing answering those types of questions. For example, if a person struggles with matching information questions, find texts that contain information in a table or chart format and have the person practice answering questions about that information.

5: Force Yourself to Finish Any Reading Some Part of It

When you are taking the IELTS Reading Exam, one of the best ways to improve your reading skills is to force yourself to finish any reading material, even if you only read a small part of it. This will help you become more familiar with the types of passages that are often used on the test and will also help improve your speed and accuracy when reading. Additionally, try to find time to read for pleasure outside of the exam in order to further improve your skills.

IELTS Reading Exam is easier that you think.

As with the objective of the IELTS Exam, they want you to truly acquire these actual skills to use on the exam and in real life situations. Do not treat this test as something you memorize and then forget. Doing this will not make you more proficient in the English language skills and it will make your experiences aboard quite difficult.

Join our FREE Webinar "IELTS for ESL Learner" to learn how to navigate through this life-changing exam. You will also receive our 1,000 IELTS words e-book to help you gain more vocabulary knowledge for the IELTS Reading Exam.