Strategies for skimming and scanning in the IELTS Reading test

In the fast-paced environment of the IELTS Reading test, mastering the art of skimming and scanning is essential for achieving success. Skimming and scanning in IELTS are two effective reading techniques that enable test takers to quickly locate key information and grasp the main ideas of a passage without getting bogged down in every detail. By employing strategic skimming and scanning strategies, candidates can optimise their time, improve comprehension, and confidently tackle the diverse range of reading tasks that await them in the IELTS examination.

Skimming and scanning in the IELTS Reading test – Differences outlined

Here's a comparison between skimming and scanning. These differences highlight how skimming and scanning in the IELTS test serve distinct purposes in the Reading test, offering test takers different approaches to efficiently navigate through a text based on their specific goals:

What are skimming techniques?

Skimming techniques involve considering the title, headings, and topic sentences of reading passages, as they are the main ideas. When skimming an IELTS reading passage, it is important to carefully read the major parts, such as the titles and headings. This approach helps in grasping the main idea of the entire reading, sections, or paragraphs within the passage.

Another effective skimming technique is to read either the first sentence or the first and last sentence of a paragraph. By doing so, one can gain sufficient information about the overall overview of the paragraph. This technique proves helpful in answering questions related to heading match and title match.

For instance: By reading the first and last highlighted sentences, it is possible to extract the main idea of paragraphs.

“There are now over 700 million motor vehicles in the world - and the number is rising by more than 40 million each year. The average distance driven by car users is growing too - from 8 km a day per person in western Europe in 1965 to 25 km a day in 1995. This dependence on motor vehicles has given rise to major problems, including environmental pollution, depletion of oil resources, traffic congestion, and safety.”

• There are now over 700 million motor vehicles in the world - and the number is rising by more than 40 million each year

• This dependence on motor vehicles has given rise to major problems, including environmental pollution, depletion of oil resources, traffic congestion, and safety

By reading the extracted sentences mentioned above can give you a brief about the paragraph in the article and it will help you save you time too.

Also read: Importance of time management in IELTS

What are the scanning techniques?

The most crucial aspect of scanning is identifying keywords. When scanning a text, focus on vocabularies such as proper nouns, dates, numbers, and times. These elements hold the information you are searching for, along with specific details that can be uncovered through scanning techniques.

When scanning Reading passages, it is essential to be aware of the keywords in the question to effectively locate them within the passage.

Identify specific details, there are various approaches to scanning a reading passage. Consider employing the following techniques:

• Tracing your finger or using a pen/pencil as a guide to enhance your scanning process.

• Encircling or underlining keywords within the reading passage.

• Highlighting all the keywords in the paragraph.

By employing these methods, you can improve your scanning skills and efficiently extract the information you need without missing important details.For instance: Mark all the keywords in the paragraph with a highlighter:

“There are now over 700 million motor vehicles in the world - and the number is rising by more than 40 million each year. The average distance driven by car users is growing too - from 8 km a day per person in western Europe in 1965 to 25 km a day in 1995. This dependence on motor vehicles has given rise to major problems, including environmental pollution, depletion of oil resources, traffic congestion, and safety”.

Here is the suggestion:

There are now over 700 million motor vehicles in the world - and the number is rising by more than 40 million each year. The average distance driven by car users is growing too - from 8 km a day per person in western Europe in 1965 to 25 km a day in 1995. This dependence on motor vehicles has given rise to major problems, including environmental pollution, depletion of oil resources, traffic congestion, and safety.

In order to enhance your efficiency in completing the Reading section of the IELTS test, it is essential to practice and master the skills of skimming and scanning IELTS Reading techniques. These valuable techniques can significantly reduce the time required for reading comprehension. By effectively skimming and scanning, you can swiftly locate key information and improve your overall performance on the test.

Read more insightful articles:

• IELTS Reading matching headings

• How to increase IELTS Reading speed

• How to prepare for IELTS Reading test

• True False not given IELTS Reading test

• IELTS Reading question types

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