Can you get 9 in IELTS Reading?

The IELTS reading test is a one-hour test in which one has to answer 40 questions in 60 minutes. The test assesses your ability to read a fairly long passage in a short time to find the relevant information and answer the questions correctly. It aims to test a student's ability to read a passage quickly and effectively, to extract information without being distracted by details, to be able to understand the main ideas in a text and identify specific details too. Many test takers find the reading module in the IELTS test intimidating, and they believe that it is impossible to get the perfect ‘9 band score’ in reading, more so for non-native speakers. 

Many coaching institutes provide access to IELTS study material online free of charge which many of the test takers use to hone their reading skills but they still have doubts regarding their ability to get all their answers right. The doubts are mostly because they are not confident about their vocabulary, and their ability to manage time to answer all the questions in one hour.     

Well, the good news is that you can definitely get a 9-band score in reading!

Although it is not the Herculean task it is made out to be, it is not a piece of cake too. Despite extensive practice with IELTS reading material, for most students, ‘9’ ends up being an elusive band score. Test takers who aspire for 9 bands in reading should definitely read this article to know what it takes. 

First, students need to get rid of all the misconceptions they harbour in their minds about the IELTS reading test. Let’s first understand what these are. 

• I cannot answer the questions without reading the text/passage word by word, completely and thoroughly. Many students fear that without reading the passage in detail, they will not be able to find the answers to all the questions.  However, they fail to comprehend that the purpose of skimming and scanning is to find the answers to the questions in the text and not to understand the passage completely, word by word. Once they practice reading tests consistently with the IELTS preparation materials using the speed reading techniques, they will realise how wrong they were.
• One hour is ample time, enough to do detailed reading and answer all the questions. 60 minutes seems like sufficient time to answer just 40 questions. But, the catch is that there are three long passages with different types of questions wherein the student is required to employ different techniques to find the answers.  
• I need to be a pro at vocabulary and have excellent command over the language.  Remember, it is possible to understand the meaning of a sentence from context even without knowing the meaning of a particular word in it. So, being an expert in the English language is not a prerequisite to getting a 9 band in reading.  

Now that we are familiar with mind blocks that students need to overcome, let us understand what they need to do to achieve the seemingly impossible perfect reading score. 

The reading test evaluates a student’s ability to interpret and comprehend written English information. There are three passages, with around twelve to fourteen questions based on each. The aim is to test a range of reading skills which include understanding logical arguments and identifying specific information. Crucial aspects to consider in the preparation stage using IELTS reading material are - 

Time Management:

Manage your time effectively such that you answer all the questions comfortably in the 60 minutes at your disposal. The difficulty level normally increases with each section with section 3 being the toughest. Try not to take more than one minute to answer each question in sections one and two. This gives you more time to answer the tougher questions in section 3. It goes without saying that you have to employ the techniques of skimming and scanning to ensure that all the questions are answered.

Skimming and Scanning: 

A test taker aiming for band 9 will exhibit the advanced reading skills of skimming and scanning. These include -

• Skimming the text to comprehend the gist of it
• Reading the introductory and concluding paragraphs thoroughly to get a hang of the author’s point of view       
• Identifying keywords in the passage while skimming. Proper nouns like names of places and people, numbers, dates, headings, sub-headings, and words in bold or italics are all keywords you should underline or highlight while skimming the passage.  
• Underlining or highlighting keywords in the question and being able to locate them or their synonyms in the passage to arrive at the answers quickly.    

A test taker who is able to skim and scan effectively will be capable of quickly identifying essential information, understanding the main ideas, and comprehending the overall structure and flow of the text. Hence, one needs to practice skimming and scanning to develop speed and accuracy in finding critical information and answering questions correctly.

Speed Reading:

It is important to work on improving one’s reading speed while practicing with  IELTS study material online free. Additional practice can be done by reading passages from various academic books, journals and magazines. The attempt should be to read chunks of words together rather than individual words and to avoid rereading. Remember, the intent is to locate answers, not to understand the text word for word.  Avoid mouthing out words or subvocalization while you read as it impairs your speed of reading.  The ultimate goal is to read around 200 words per minute. 

Practice:

Practice as many tests as possible, with IELTS study material online free, provided by many of the reputed coaching institutes. After all, students can hone their skills of speed reading, skimming and scanning and learn to manage time only if they practice the actual reading tests. The practice also helps the students to devise their own strategies by focusing on their strengths and overcoming their weaknesses.   An important aspect of the practice is to check the wrong answers and understand why you went wrong. This will help to avoid repetition of similar mistakes. Check out some free IELTS preparation materials to get access to some of the best reading resources available online, that too without having to shell out a dime.

IELTS Coaching:

For those aiming for the 9-band score in reading, training under an expert tutor would help them get access to all the reading tips and strategies as well as personalized guidance and feedback. 

To conclude nothing is impossible when you set your mind to it. Start by doing what’s necessary; then do what’s possible; and suddenly, you have achieved the impossible. It’s all about being dedicated and focused!