How to do IELTS Reading test and common types of questions

Reading is one of the four important parts in the exam. IELTS, assesses the candidate's ability to read, understand and summarize information. This part of the test is often considered the most difficult because it requires fast reading speed, effective information processing ability and high accuracy. This article, ETEST English for Study Abroad will provide you with the knowledge you need to know How to do IELTS Reading, including test structure, scoring scale, common types of questions and effective IELTS Reading tips for each type.

IELTS Reading test structure

The IELTS Reading test consists of 3 reading passages of approximately 800-1500 words each. The reading passages are taken from a variety of sources such as newspapers, magazines, science books, etc.

Exam time: 60 minutes

Number of questions: 40 sentences

Number of exams: 3 readings

• Part 1 (Passage 1): 13 questions
• Part 2 (Passage 2): 13 questions
• Part 3 (Passage 3): 14 questions

From part 1 to part 3, the difficulty of the readings increases, and the topics of the readings often belong to different fields. The reading content can include common topics such as the environment, transportation, education, health, as well as less common topics such as archaeology, astronomy, and behavioral sciences.

You can refer to the article for details. IELTS test structure!

IELTS Reading Score

IELTS Reading scores are scored on a raw scale from 0 to 40. Each correct answer is worth 1 point. Below is a table of correlation between the number of correct answers and the Reading score:

In addition, cases where answers are not counted correctly in the IELTS Reading test include:

• Misspelling: If the candidate locates and selects the correct word but misspells it when transferring it to the answer sheet, the answer will not be counted.
• Confusion between True-False-Not given and Yes-No-Not given: If the candidate writes “Yes” instead of “True” or vice versa, the answer will not be counted.
• Unclear writing: If the writing is so unclear that the examiner cannot recognize it, the answer will not be scored.
• Choose more than 1 option in each sentence in multiple choice format: If a candidate chooses more than one option in the same question, the answer will be counted as incorrect.

You can learn more details in the article. IELTS Reading scale

Các dạng bài Reading IELTS và cách làm bài Reading Ielts hiệu quả

The IELTS Reading test consists of many different types of exercises, each of which requires a specific strategy to achieve the best results. Below are common IELTS Reading types and effective ways to solve each type:

Multiple Choice – Choose the answer

This is the most common type of question in IELTS Reading, requiring candidates to choose the best answer from four options given for each question.

Test-taking strategy:

• Read the question carefully to determine what information you are looking for.
• Quickly scan the reading for places that might contain relevant information.
• Read the passage containing relevant information carefully and compare the options to choose the best answer.
• Eliminate incorrect choices based on the information in the reading.

True/False/Not Given – Yes/No/Not Given format

True/False/Not Given and Yes/No/Not Given are two of the most common question types in the IELTS Reading test.

This type of question requires candidates to determine whether the information mentioned in the question is true (Yes), false (No) or not mentioned in the reading passage (Not Given).

To do the test effectively, candidates need to rely on facts in the text. A sign to recognize is “Do the following statements agree with the information given in Reading…?” or “Do the following statements agree with the claims of the writer in Reading…?”.

With True/False/Not Given questions, candidates should note:

• True: The information in the question appears completely and accurately in the text.
• False: Information that contradicts the information mentioned in the text.
• Not Given: Information not mentioned in the text.

As for Yes/No/Not Given questions, candidates also need to reason according to the author's opinions and viewpoints.

Test-taking strategy:

• Read the question carefully to determine what information you are looking for.
• Quickly scan the reading for places that might contain relevant information.
• Read the passage containing the relevant information carefully and determine whether the information matches the question.
• Select Yes/True if the information matches, No/False if the information does not match, or Not Given if the information is not mentioned in the reading.

Matching Information

The Matching Information type of question in the IELTS Reading test is common and requires candidates to have the skills to grasp information and connect parts of the reading passage accurately.

In this type of question, candidates will receive information from the reading passage and have to connect it with the corresponding paragraphs containing that information in the reading passage. To do this, candidates need to analyze and reason carefully.

There are five main types of information that candidates may encounter in the Matching Information test, including:

• a fact

• a reason

• a definition

• a summary

• An example (an example)

Test-taking strategy:

• Skim through the headings to get the gist of what each one is about.
• Skim through each paragraph in the reading to determine the main idea of each paragraph.
• Compare the main idea of each paragraph with the headings and choose the most appropriate heading for each paragraph.
• Removes selected headings for other paragraphs.

Matching Ending Exercises – Complete Incomplete Sentences

The Matching Ending task in the IELTS Reading test requires candidates to connect two incomplete sentences together to form a complete and logical sentence.

In this test, candidates will be given a list of incomplete sentences (no endings) and another list containing endings. The candidate's task is to choose words or phrases from these two lists based on the content of the reading passage and combine them into complete sentences.

Although this type of question does not often appear on the exam, mastering and practicing this skill will help candidates become more confident and flexible.

Test-taking strategy:

• Read incomplete sentences carefully to understand the context and meaning.
• Skim through the links to get the gist.
• Remove connecting parts that are grammatically or logically inappropriate to the incomplete sentence.
• Choose the most appropriate semantically and logically appropriate connector to complete the sentence.

Sentence Completion Form

IELTS Reading Sentence Completion tests require candidates to use vocabulary or phrases available in the text to fill in the blanks in sentences and create complete sentences.

Test-taking strategy:

• Read the instructions carefully to determine how many words are needed and what type of word (noun, verb, adjective, etc.).
• Skim through the summary sentences to get the main idea.
• Quickly scan the reading for information relevant to the blank.
• Fill in the blanks with the most semantically and logically appropriate words, ensuring correct grammar.

Notes/Table/Flow Chart Completion format

Notes/Table/Flow Chart Completion is a common Gap Fill type in the IELTS Reading test. In this type of test, candidates will read a passage and use the information provided in that passage to fill in notes, tables, or charts.

Notes, tables, or charts often appear as questions or statements that require candidates to find and fill in the blanks in the order or context provided. This requires candidates to read and make inferences from the information in the reading passage to fill in the blanks correctly.

Test-taking strategy:

• Carefully read the headings and content contained in the table of contents, summary table, or flow chart to understand the information structure.
• Candidates need to determine the type of word to fill in the blank, which can be a noun, verb, adjective, or other types of word based on the context and requirements of the question.
• Candidates need to pay attention to check the number of words allowed to fill in the blanks.
• Fill in the blanks with the most suitable information based on the content of the reading.

Matching Headings Question

Matching Headings is one of the most common types of questions in the IELTS Reading test. It is a heading matching task in which candidates have to match a list of headings provided with sections or paragraphs in the reading passage.

Test-taking strategy:

• Read the full article: This helps you grasp the main idea of the reading and create an overview of the content.
• Use synonyms: Pay attention to using synonyms in titles and text, and avoid falling into word traps.
• Logic check: Read each heading carefully and link it to each paragraph, making sure that each heading accurately reflects the content of the corresponding paragraph.
• Focus on specialized vocabulary: Find out the IELTS vocabulary Look for special words in each heading and look for them in the reading, this helps you identify the correct heading for each section of text.
• Skip and return: If you have difficulty with a particular question, skip it and do the other questions first to save time, then come back to it after you have an overview of the content of the passage.

Matching Features Exercise

Dạng bài Matching Features là một phần quan trọng trong bài thi Reading IELTS, yêu cầu sự hiểu biết và kỹ năng tìm kiếm thông tin chính xác trong bài đọc. Dưới đây là một số mẹo để làm bài hiệu quả:

• Define context: The most important thing is to understand the context of the passage to choose the correct corresponding feature.
• Find synonyms: Don't try to match words exactly. Instead, look for synonyms or related words to identify the feature mentioned in the question.
• Practice scanning skills: You need to get used to quickly scanning the reading to find the information you need. This will save you time and increase your chances of finding the correct answer.

Diagram Labelling Exercises

Doing IELTS Reading tasks like Diagram Labelling requires attention and the skill to identify the correct information from the reading text. Here are some tips to do it effectively:

• Determine the word type to fill in: First, you need to identify the type of word that needs to fill in the blank, whether it is a noun, verb, or preposition. This will help you find the appropriate information in the reading.
• Locate information: Try to locate the necessary information in the reading. Often, the details about the graph will be found in a specific section of the text.
• Note the word count: Always stick to the word count required by the question. This will help you avoid using too many or too few words, which will reduce your chances of getting a high score.

Short Answer Questions

Short Answer Questions is the last type of IELTS Reading test that you need to pay attention to. This type of test requires you to answer questions related to the content of the reading passage, within the allowed word limit.

Here are some tips for effective IELTS Reading:

• Identify the word type to answer: Before answering, identify the word type you need to use. It may be a noun, a verb, or another word type. This will help you find the right information in the reading.
• Prepare many expressions: Prepare several ways to paraphrase your answer to ensure that you can find the right word in the reading.
• Scan text and locate information: Quickly scan through text to locate important information relevant to the question. This saves you time and helps you find answers efficiently.
• Check the number of words allowed: Luôn kiểm tra số lượng từ mà đề bài yêu cầu để đảm bảo rằng câu trả lời của bạn không vượt quá giới hạn được chỉ định.

IELTS Reading Practice Strategy

Ngoài việc nắm rõ các dạng bài và chiến lược làm bài cho từng dạng, bạn cũng cần trang bị một số chiến lược chung để đạt hiệu quả cao trong phần thi Reading IELTS:

• Quản lý thời gian hiệu quả: Bạn chỉ có 60 phút để hoàn thành 3 bài đọc và trả lời 40 câu hỏi. Vì vậy, hãy phân bổ thời gian hợp lý cho từng bài đọc và tránh dành quá nhiều thời gian cho một câu hỏi khó.
• Phát triển kỹ năng skimming và scanning:

• • Skimming: Đọc lướt qua bài đọc để nắm được ý chính nhanh chóng. Điều này giúp bạn xác định các đoạn văn có thể chứa thông tin liên quan đến câu hỏi.
  • Scanning: Quét nhanh bài đọc để tìm các từ khóa hoặc cụm từ cụ thể liên quan đến câu hỏi. Kỹ năng scanning giúp bạn tiết kiệm thời gian và đi thẳng đến thông tin cần thiết.
• Không đọc hiểu chi tiết: Mục tiêu của bạn không phải là hiểu toàn bộ bài đọc một cách chi tiết, mà là tìm ra thông tin cần thiết để trả lời câu hỏi.
• Chú ý đến các từ đồng nghĩa và paraphrase: Thí sinh cần lưu ý rằng thông tin trong câu hỏi có thể được diễn đạt lại bằng các từ đồng nghĩa hoặc paraphrase trong bài đọc.
• Đừng vội điền đáp án: Đọc kỹ tất cả các lựa chọn đáp án trước khi điền vào bài thi. Loại bỏ các lựa chọn rõ ràng sai và chọn đáp án phù hợp nhất với thông tin trong bài đọc.
• Đừng bỏ trống câu hỏi: Ngay cả khi bạn không chắc chắn về câu trả lời, hãy cố gắng đưa ra một phán đoán sáng suốt. Bỏ trống câu hỏi sẽ bị trừ điểm.
• Thực hành thường xuyên: Cách tốt nhất để cải thiện kỹ năng Reading IELTS là thực hành thường xuyên. Giải các đề thi Reading ielts mẫu, kiểm tra thời gian và xem lại lỗi sai để cải thiện kỹ năng làm bài.

Trên hành trình ôn luyện kỹ năng Reading cho kỳ thi IELTS, việc được hướng dẫn chi tiết và hỗ trợ chuyên môn là vô cùng quan trọng. Mong rằng, qua những chia sẻ của Anh Ngữ Du Học ETEST, bạn đã biết cách làm reading IELTS. Đồng thời, bạn đã được trang bị những mẹo và kỹ thuật cần thiết để tự tin làm bài các dạng câu hỏi khác nhau trong phần Reading. Tuy nhiên, để đạt được kết quả cao nhất trong kỳ thi IELTS, việc có sự hỗ trợ từ các chuyên gia và môi trường ôn thi chất lượng là điều không thể thiếu.

ETEST English for Study Abroad tự hào là trung tâm Anh ngữ dược hàng ngàn học viên lạuw chọn trong việc IELTS test preparation. Với đội ngũ giáo viên giàu kinh nghiệm, phương pháp dạy hiệu quả và các tài liệu ôn IELTS practice đa dạng, ETEST English for Study Abroad cam kết mang lại cho bạn sự chuẩn bị tốt nhất cho kỳ thi quan trọng này. Họ sẽ không chỉ giúp bạn nắm vững kiến thức và kỹ năng cần thiết, mà còn tạo điều kiện tốt nhất để bạn tự tin vượt qua mục tiêu của mình.

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