7 Most Effective Tips on How To Manage Time in IELTS Reading

How to Manage Time in IELTS Reading- “I’ve seen people who complete their IELTS Reading question papers on time and get good results. However, when I attempt the same test, I find myself far from completing the question paper. I struggle to finish the reading section, and many questions remain unanswered. As a result, my score never seems to improve.”

This is a common problem for many students with the IELTS reading module. The main issue is that time is limited, and the passages are not only lengthy but also difficult. How can one navigate through these challenging passages in a limited time? The difficulty level often leaves students with unanswered questions.

In this article, we are going to discuss how to tackle these challenges effectively. So, if you are also looking to achieve a good band score in the IELTS reading module, please read this article till the end and pay attention to the small details. Sometimes, ignoring these small details can hinder our score improvement, regardless of how much effort we put into it.

Effectively managing time is crucial, especially when facing the challenges of the IELTS exam. IELTS is like a test for your proficiency in the English language. Here, it’s important to have excellent planning and organization skills and to divide your time well across different sections and tasks. If time management is a problem for you, it can lead to stress and affect your performance, potentially impacting your overall band score negatively.

However, if you strategically divide your time in sections and tasks, it can enhance your productivity. Your focus can improve, and your chances of achieving desirable band scores can also increase. So, it’s crucial to handle your time wisely to navigate the challenges ” that IELTS poses” effectively. (how to manage time in ielts reading)

Overview of the IELTS Reading Test

The IELTS Reading examination is a 60-minute test comprising 40 questions where you will be provided with passages and related questions to answer.  This test aims to assess a diverse set of reading abilities. These include reading to grasp the main concept, identifying key ideas, delving into specifics, quickly scanning text, comprehending logical arguments, reading comprehension skills, and understanding the writer’s purpose.

In IELTS Reading, there are two test types: Academic and General. Both have 40 questions and 60 minutes and have three sections with passages. However, the academic topics and format differ a bit. (how to manage time in ielts reading)

Why Time Management is Important in IELTS

Understanding one thing here is crucial—you only have 60 minutes for 40 questions, and these passages are lengthy, around 2600 words. It becomes challenging to read approximately 2600 words and answering 40 questions in 60 minutes means dealing with a lot of material. And it’s tough!!

Not managing time well during reading test can make you hurry through answers, leave things unfinished, and feel super stressed. But if you use good time management tricks, you can work better; stay focused, and give each part enough time in the IELTS Reading test. This helps you handle things evenly, understand everything well, and give smart answers, making your performance better. (how to manage time in ielts reading)

How a Single Incorrect Answer Can Impact Your Band Negatively

Each correct answer holds a great amount of importance. Because one incorrect answer can drop your band substantially. For example, in the case of General Students, if all 40 answers are correct they get a 9 band however, one single incorrect answer can drop their band to 8.5. Similar is the case with Academic students, for 39-40 correct answers they get a 9 but, just 2 incorrect answers and their band will fall to 8.5.

Hence, understanding the Reading Band Descriptor is vital—it outlines how many correct answers get you which band. So, you need to understand how the marking is done so that you can plan accordingly. For that, you should comprehend the Reading Band Descriptor, and you can follow the given link to get more insight into your Reading Module Band Conversion Table.

Now, to have a better understanding of the IELTS Reading Module concerning time management first, let’s have a good grip on the basics of this module to have the best results. (how to manage time in ielts reading)

IELTS Reading – Academic Training

Purpose

This module is designed for individuals seeking admission to higher education institutions or professional registration. It assesses the ability to understand and analyze complex academic texts, which are similar to those encountered in university studies.

Content

The texts in this module are more academically oriented, and often sourced from:

• Journals,
• Books,
• Articles
• Magazines

They are designed to reflect the type of reading required in academic settings, covering subjects such as science, social science, and humanities, etc.

Text Length and Complexity

The passages in the Academic module are often longer and more complex, reflecting the type of reading materials encountered in a university setting.

Sections Overview

There are three sections:

1. Section 1 – Passage 1 – Around 800 words: 13-14Q to Answer
2. Section 2 – Passage 2 – Around 800 words: 13-14Q to Answer
3. Section 3 – Passage 3 – Around 1000 words: 13-14Q to Answer

Total: Approximately 2600 words to read.

IELTS Reading – General Training

Purpose

Geared toward individuals planning to migrate to an English-speaking country for work or training purposes, this module evaluates reading skills in a more general, everyday context.

Content

The texts here are more varied and may include excerpts from:

• Newspapers,
• Advertisements,
• Instruction manuals, or
• Workplace-related documents.

The content is aimed at assessing the ability to understand practical information in daily- life and work situations.

Text Length and Complexity

Texts are generally shorter and more straightforward, resembling the kind of reading encountered in everyday life or workplace scenarios. (how to manage time in ielts reading)

Sections Overview

There are three sections:

Section 1

• Passage based on Social Survival

• 2 or 3 short texts

• 300-400 words each

• 13-14Q to Answer

Section 2

• Passage based on Workplace Survival

• 2 short texts

• 600-700 words each

• 13-14Q to Answer

Section 3

• Passage based on General Context

• 1 Long Passage

• 1000 words

• 13-14Q to Answer

Total: Approximately 2600 words to read.

Questions Types for both – Academic and General

In both the General and Academic Reading tests, a diverse range of question formats can be expected, including:

• Identifying Information – In the form of True/False/Not Given
• Identifying a Writer’s Views/Claims – In the form of Yes/No/Maybe
• Sentence Completion
• Summary, Note, Table, Flow-Chart Completion
• Diagram Label Completion
• Short-answer Questions
• Multiple Choice Single Answer
• Multiple Choice Multiple Answer
• Matching Information
• Matching Headings
• Matching Features

To kick start, it’s essential to efficiently read all the passages in 60 minutes and answer the 40 questions accurately, ensuring you achieve your desired score. Follow the tips given below for “how to manage time in IELTS Reading” and excel in your exam. (how to manage time in ielts reading)

Best Time Management Tips for the IELTS Reading Test

Keep 50 minutes Target

Yes, right. You should aim to complete your question paper within 50 minutes. I know the time is already limited, and suggesting to cut 10 minutes might seem counterintuitive, but this is the correct approach. If you desire your desired score in the IELTS reading module, it’s essential.

Try to understand, that when we take any exam, we should save time at the end to proofread and correct it. If we submit our exam paper without proofreading, even if some of our answers are correct, they might be marked incorrect due to typos or silly errors. Therefore, complete your paper within 50 minutes and keep 10 minutes for proofreading. This ensures that you submit an error-free paper and secure the marks you deserve. (how to manage time in ielts reading)

Follow Section Wise Approach

In the IELTS Reading exam, as we discussed earlier, whether it’s the Academic Module or the General Module, there are three sections. It’s crucial to understand that the difficulty level varies across these sections. The first section is a bit straightforward, the second section is somewhat more challenging, and the third section, well, that’s the tough one. As you progress through the sections, the difficulty level increases.

Therefore, adopting a section-wise strategy is essential, where you approach each section differently. Let’s now explore how you should deal with your passages in a section-wise manner. (how to manage time in ielts reading)

Section 1 – Look for Topic Sentence

The first section is a bit easier, where there is a passage and a set of questions. Now, let’s see how to approach it.

Whenever we read a passage, there is a topic sentence. So, your focus should be on the topic sentence. A topic sentence can be one or two sentences.

What a topic sentence does is that it gives you an idea of what the upcoming topic is about. Just by reading those one or two sentences, you can understand what the rest passage is about. It gives you a clue. After that, the sentences that follow explain and provide details about that topic. (how to manage time in ielts reading)

Have a look at the following extract of a passage:

“The Persians, who lived in present-day Iran, were one of the first civilizations to build tunnels that provided a reliable supply of water to human settlements in dry areas. In the early first millennium BCE, they introduced the qanat method of tunnel construction, which consisted of placing posts over a hill in a straight line, to ensure that the tunnel kept to its route, and then digging vertical shafts down into the ground at regular intervals. Underground, workers removed the earth from between the ends of the shafts, creating a tunnel.”

You could figure out from the first sentence of this passage that it’s about individuals residing in Iran who were part of civilization. The discussion revolves around tunnels, ensuring a water supply, especially in dry areas.

The green signal is on. Now you know what your passage is going to be about. The next step is to read your questions and try to understand what kind of information the questions are asking you to find in the passage.

Once you know the type of answers the questions are looking for, reading the passage will become easier for you. It won’t take more than 5 to 7 minutes to complete the first passage. (how to manage time in ielts reading)

Section 2 and 3- Thorough Understanding as Long and Complex Passages Ahead

The second and third sections tend to be more complex than the first. If you’re careless here, rest assured your score will suffer. Merely relying on the topic sentence won’t cut it.

You need to truly understand the passage in these sections. Spend the first 15 minutes carefully reading each article, and then in the next 5 minutes, answer all the questions. This approach is crucial for tackling the complexity of these sections effectively.

Have a look at the following excerpt:

“Time travel took a small step away from science fiction and toward science recently when physicists discovered that sub-atomic particles known as neutrinos – the progeny of the sun’s radioactive debris – can exceed the speed of light. The unassuming particle – it is electrically neutral, small but with a “non-zero mass” and able to penetrate the human form undetected – is on its way to becoming a rock star of the scientific world.

Researchers from the European Organisation for Nuclear Research (CERN) in Geneva sent the neutrinos hurtling through an underground corridor toward their colleagues at the Oscillation Project with Emulsion-Tracing Apparatus (OPERA) team 730 kilometers away in Gran Sasso, Italy. The neutrinos arrived promptly – so promptly, in fact, that they triggered what scientists are calling the unthinkable – that everything they have learned, known, or taught stemming from the last one hundred years of the physics discipline may need to be reconsidered…..” 

I understand that this might feel a bit challenging. Yes, it is indeed challenging. If it genuinely feels difficult for you, you should start practicing by reading editor’s articles from newspapers.

Analyze the language used and observe how these articles are structured, as they typically range from 1200 to 1800 words or even more. Begin your practice from there. (how to manage time in ielts reading)

As you progress, you’ll find yourself finishing these articles more quickly, and your reading speed will gradually increase. The ultimate benefit of this practice will reflect in your ability to handle IELTS reading passages.

Keep practicing until you can confidently finish Section 2 and 3 reading passages in 15 minutes. The day you feel you’ve got a good grip on it, understand that your success in achieving a high score in IELTS is almost guaranteed. (how to manage time in ielts reading)

About to Reach Finish Line

Let’s do the calculations. We spent 7 minutes on the first passage, 15 minutes on reading for the second passage, and 5 minutes on answering. For the third passage, it’s again 15 minutes of reading and 5 minutes of answering.

This means we used a total of 47 minutes. Let’s assume it is 50 minutes, considering rounding up. Now, the last 10 minutes are crucial. Here, we are going to proofread, checking for things like typos and errors.

This is where we ensure the accuracy of our answers. So, essentially, we’ve utilized the entire 50 minutes to complete our question paper, and the last 10 minutes are reserved for careful proofreading for the following points:

1. Are my spellings correct?
2. Is my answer grammatically correct?
3. Have I followed the word limit?
4. Was the location of my answer correct or do I need to check it again?
5. Am I confident about my answer?
6. Is there something tricky about this particular question that was missed?
7. Have I marked all the answers against the correct question numbers?

(how to manage time in ielts reading)

Must Read:

1. 11 Most Important Do’s and Don’ts in IELTS Speaking
2. Most Important Do’s and Don’ts in IELTS Writing Task 1 and Task 2
3. 50 Odd Myths and Facts about IELTS
4. Are There Any Repeated Questions in the IELTS Exam?

Time Management Common Tips for all the sections of IELTS Reading

We’ve looked at how to handle each section differently. Now, let’s understand some tips that apply to all sections equally to enhance our IELTS reading module score:

Try to Predict Your Answer

When you start predicting answers after reading a question, consider whether there will be a number involved and, if so, what kind of number it might be. Will it be a date, a century, or a different type of number? If there isn’t a number, think about what kind of information will be required. Will it be a person’s name, an organization’s name, an animal’s name, or something else?

This approach helps you focus your concentration specifically on what the question demands. If it’s a number-related question, your attention stays on numbers in the passage, saving you time, and you won’t need to read the entire passage again. (how to manage time in ielts reading)

Beware of Distracters

In Reading Passages, there are instances where different pieces of information are connected, leading to confusion. The question might seem to imply one thing, while the passage states another. Let’s take an example:

Passage: “Mohan had food today. Cutlet was prepared.”

Question: “Mohan ate cutlet today”

Assume this is a “True/False Not Given” type of question.

Many might think the answer will be “True” because Mohan had food, and Cutlet was prepared. However, this is the trick. The passage never explicitly mentions that Mohan ate the Cutlet that was prepared today. It is the question that mixed both informations.

So, the answer is “Not Given” because half of the information is there (Mohan had food), but the other half (Mohan ate Cutler) is not explicitly given in the passage. When it’s half true and half not given, you should lean towards “Not Given.” (how to manage time in ielts reading)

As you start understanding these distracters, you begin to save time because your mind already knows that they are just a way to disturb you, distracting you from the answers.

You recognize that dealing with these distractions is a strategy to save time. You read the question multiple times, and you read that specific part of the passage several times as well. Recognizing that these distracters are just there to disrupt you, you efficiently navigate through them, ensuring that your time is not wasted. (how to manage time in ielts reading)

Keep on Highlighting the Keywords While Reading

As you read through your passages, consider highlighting keywords. When you highlight the keywords, you won’t need to re-read the entire passage when answering your questions.

Instead, you can focus on the keywords you’ve already highlighted. This will help you quickly locate the relevant information, making the process more efficient and saving you valuable time during the exam. (how to manage time in ielts reading)

First Read the Questions then The Passage

When starting your reading passages, prioritize reading your questions first, rather than the passage itself. This approach helps you get an idea of which type of questions are there to answer.

Not every line in the passage will contain relevant information for your questions. In a lengthy passage, only certain questions need to be answered. Once you have an idea of which specific topic your questions are referring to, you can quickly locate that information within the passage. This targeted approach saves you time and allows you to focus on answering the questions efficiently. (how to manage time in ielts reading)

Do not Leave any Question Answered

The best part of IELTS is that there is no negative marking here. Even if you happen to get an answer wrong, you don’t need to stress about it. Your answer won’t be negatively marked.

So, you should take advantage of this. How can you do that? Whether you find the answer to a question or not, or if you have any doubts about the answer to a question, answer it.

Don’t skip any question; if your answer is wrong, it’s okay. Mistakes happen. But if your answer is correct, it will be beneficial for you. However, if you don’t answer, then there won’t be any chance of anything positive happening. Therefore, you must answer all your 40 questions.

Don’t Stuck, Move Ahead – Tips to manage time in the IELTS exam

If you are unable to find the answer to a particular question, leave it for the time being. Don’t dwell on it because spending 5 minutes trying to find the answer to that one question might cause you to miss the chance to answer the next five questions.

Therefore, leave that question for the time being. When the last 10 minutes are left, go back and concentrate on that question again, then provide the answer. (how to manage time in ielts reading)

Let’s Conclude – How to Manage Time in IELTS Reading

Now that we have understood everything, our last step is to follow all the strategies in each session and practice extensively.

Practice,

Practice, and

More practice.

Practice because there is no shortcut to success.

Another thing, mere hard work does not yield results; smart work is also required.

Please share your feedback for the current post, and don’t forget to explore our other articles for additional information. Your insights are highly valued!

Prepare Well!!

All the Best!!

(Tips to manage time in the IELTS exam)

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