Reading Strategies | Skimming, Scanning, and Reading for Detail
Reading Section Overview
Overview of the IELTS Reading section➧ 3 sections, 40 questions
Types of passages
➧ Academic articles, advertisements, instructions, etc.
Differences between Academic and General Training Reading tests
Skimming Techniques
Definition➧ Reading quickly to get a general understanding of the text
When to use skimming
➧ Before answering questions, to identify the main ideas
Techniques
➧ Reading the title, subheadings, and the first and last sentences of paragraphs
Scanning Techniques
Definition➧ Searching for specific information without reading the entire text
When to use scanning
➧ Locating dates, names, numbers, or keywords in the text
Techniques
➧ Moving eyes quickly over the text, looking for keywords and phrases
Reading for Detail
Importance of reading for detail➧ Answering questions that require in-depth understanding
Techniques
➧ Slowing down and focusing on complex sentences, understanding the meaning of words from context
Balancing skimming, scanning, and detailed reading
Applying Reading Strategies
➧ Practice skimming a short passage to identify the main idea➧ Practice scanning a passage to find specific information
➧ Practice reading a paragraph in detail to answer comprehension questions
Common Question Types
➧ Multiple-choice➧ True | False | Not Given
➧ Matching headings
➧ Sentence completion
➧ Summary completion
➧ Short-answer questions
➧ Practice Test - Section 1 Reading