IELTS Academic Reading Strategies 💜

🧪 IELTS Academic Reading Strategies
🔹 IELTS Reading Facts
40 questions / 60 minutes
No extra time for transferring answers
Academic passages are long & dense

✅ IELTS Question-Type Strategies
1️⃣ Matching Headings
Trick:
Read first & last sentence of each paragraph
To understand the MAIN IDEA of each paragraph
Ignore details (names, dates, examples, or numbers)
🔑 One paragraph = one main idea
❌ Don’t match by repeated words✅ Match by idea

🔹 Step-by-Step Strategy (Very Important)

1️⃣ Read the list of headings first
Underline key words
Notice similar headings (these are traps)
❌ Do NOT read paragraphs first

2️⃣ Skim the paragraph (20–30 seconds)
Read only:
First sentence (topic sentence)
Last sentence
Repeated words or ideas

3️⃣ Summarize the paragraph in your own words
Ask yourself:
“This paragraph is mainly about ______.”
If you cannot answer this, do not choose a heading yet.

4️⃣ Match meaning, NOT words
Headings are paraphrases
Exact words rarely repeat
Example:Paragraph: “Many employees feel exhausted when switching tasks frequently.”Heading: “The mental cost of multitasking” ✅

5️⃣ Eliminate wrong headings
Cross out headings that:
Are too specific
Focus on examples
Mention ideas not in the paragraph

🔹 Special Exam Tips (High-Score Secrets)

✅ Tip 1: Some headings are extra
You will NOT use all headings
Don’t panic if some don’t fit

✅ Tip 2: Paragraph order ≠ heading order
Do NOT match in sequence automatically
Each paragraph is independent

✅ Tip 3: Beware of contrast words
Words like:
However, But, In contrast, Although
Often signal the real main idea.

2️⃣ True / False / Not Given
Golden rules:
Trick:
If partly true → ❌ FALSE
If unsure → probably NOT GIVEN

🟢 . True / False / Not Given
True → same meaning
False → opposite meaning
Not Given → not mentioned at all

✅ Tip 1: Opinion vs Fact
YES / NO / NG = opinion
TRUE / FALSE / NG = fact
If you see “the writer thinks / argues / suggests”, it’s YES/NO/NG

✅ Tip 2: One sentence = one decision
Do NOT combine ideas from different paragraphs
One clear match or contradiction is enough

❌ Tip 3: Do NOT use your own knowledge
Even if the statement is true in real life
👉 If the passage doesn’t say it → NOT GIVEN
❌ Tip 4: Be careful with extreme words
Words like:
always, never, completely, only, best
Often lead to NO if the passage is softer.

3️⃣ Sentence Completion / Short Answer
Strategy:
Answers appear in order
Use exact words from passage
Check word limit (VERY important)
❌ Grammar errors = wrong
❌ Extra words = wrong

4️⃣ Multiple Choice
Trick:
Eliminate 2 wrong options first
Look for paraphrases, not copied words

🕒 Time Tip (IELTS)
Passage 1 → 15 min
Passage 2 → 20 min
Passage 3 → 25 min

🎯 OVERALL STRATEGY (Works for ALL exams)
The 3-Step Rule
Questions first
Keywords → Scan
Confirm with the text
📌 Never answer from memory or feeling.
   • IELTS Academic Reading Strategies 💜  
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