Many students worry that they read too slowly, and they ask me for advice about reading faster. These students are surprised when I tell them that it might be better to slow down and read "better" rather than faster.
If you read too quickly, or if you try to find the answers by skimming and scanning, you probably won't fully understand what you're reading, and you might miss the answers that you're searching for. On the other hand, if you read at normal speed, you're more likely to understand what you're reading, and you'll have plenty of time to find the answers.
If you struggle to finish all 40 questions in one hour, it's probably because you didn't understand the passage well enough, not because you didn't read it fast enough. So, you need to analyse your mistakes and look up the words and phrases that you didn't understand. In other words, work on becoming a better reader, not a faster reader.
Sir,
I am a great follower of you. I overcame all other modules except Reading. I spent lots of time for reading, but still I can not understand sentence meaning accurately. Please give me some suggestions
Posted by: Amit | November 25, 2019 at 20:04
Hi Simon,
If writing down a short hint in each para, is it helpful for reading test?
Posted by: Evay | November 27, 2019 at 03:06
Dear Simon,
I have a question about Reading questions short answers. For example in General Training Book 14, test 1, questions 19, 20 the instruction say "NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS AND/OR A NUMBER".
So for q.19 I wrote pre-arranged permits, q.20 i wrote outside Concorde Building, but in the answer keys, the correct answer for q.19 is "permits" and for q.20 is "Concorde Building".
Well, are my answers marked as wrong??
Thank you.
Posted by: faride | November 29, 2019 at 17:55
Dear Simon,
I read this post and exactly found the answer to my questions.
https://ielts-simon.com/ielts-help-and-english-pr/2019/08/ielts-reading-problems-with-cambridge-14-answers.html#comments
Thank you
Posted by: faride | November 29, 2019 at 18:02
Thank you, this tip may give me some help during the IELTS Reading exam. I sometimes zoom off while reading the passage sometimes :(
Posted by: Yoon | December 11, 2019 at 12:41
This is true though
Posted by: Vũ | January 21, 2020 at 09:04
Simon, you are my hero and I am proud of you
You are best of the best
Good health to you.
Posted by: Asadbek | March 04, 2020 at 17:48