The following are some tips on how to improve reading skills in IELTS that might help you increase your score in both the General Training and Academic modules of the IELTS reading tests.

Read a lot

Before we get into the IELTS reading section tips and approaches, it's important to understand why reading abilities are important. IELTS exam takers should practise reading through multiple resources, just as athletes work on their stamina and the tactics for that particular score.

It gets easier to read the content in the IELTS exam and helps you answer the questions if you are acquainted with reading. Several test-takers find reading and answering questions in a timed test scenario difficult; hence many IELTS reading practice tests should be completed to become comfortable with the actual test scenario.

Use strategies – Skimming and Scanning

Many test-takers begin reading the test text and read every word in the paragraph, wasting time. To begin with, this is not the best strategy. It would help if you worked on your reading abilities by practising tactics such as skimming, in which you read only enough to obtain a general idea and not read the entire passage.

You should keep an overview and concentrate on the essential points while skimming through. Then you scan the IELTS reading questions, which is reading with a specific goal in mind. You can find accurate answers in less time with this method.

Students who read the entire literature are frequently unable to answer all 40 questions on the test. It may appear challenging at first, but it will help you enhance your IELTS reading score as you get used to it.

IELTS Reading – Question Types

It is recommended that you practise the different types of questions asked in the IELTS reading test. You can increase your score by taking IELTS to practise exams and recognising the questions that you find difficult to answer.

The IELTS reading exam includes many questions: Complete the blanks, Sentence completion, summary completion, note completion, table completeness, flowchart completion, and diagram label completion are examples of inquiries. MCQs and short answer questions are two more categories.

Answering questions like TRUE – FALSE – NOT GIVEN or YES – NO – NOT GIVEN in identifying information or recognising the writer's views/claims and matching headings or matching the content is often difficult for students. To increase your IELTS reading score, you should seek IELTS instruction from a professional.

To become comfortable with different question kinds, you should practise several IELTS mock tests for reading. The Cambridge IELTS books include authentic examinations and a large database of questions. These can be utilised to prepare for the IELTS reading section efficiently.

Build your vocabulary

Although lexical resources is an assessment criterion in the IELTS writing portion, a test taker's vocabulary range is indirectly examined in the reading component. Many reading questions can only be solved with a broad vocabulary. It cannot be developed in a short period; hence attempts to improve these resources should be made.

If you want to raise your score, you should practise reading from various sources and keep track of any unusual terms you come across. Attempt to look up synonyms and antonyms for those words as well. This will gradually but steadily improve vocabulary. This method will make it easy to find the right answers.

Manage your time well

The reading phase is 60 minutes long, with no extra time for transferring answers. As a result, answers should be copied to the answer sheet simultaneously. Because this is done side by side on a computer-based test, test takers aren't concerned about losing time.

A typical IELTS reading test requires reading around 2200 words, which takes a lot of time and effort. As a result, skimming and scanning techniques, as well as keyword marking, become useful. While finishing the reading segment, you must also keep track of the remaining time.

If you need to use the restroom during the test, you will not be given any extra time. While practising, you can also set out a time for each phase. When you take IELTS to practise exams before the exam, you can indicate how much time you spend on each section.