IELTS is a standardized language test that is accepted and approved globally by many organizations. This test is used to check the proficiency in English language of a non-native speaker. Many people who are planning to migrate to a country like Canada must take the IELTS exam to show their English language Proficiency. The test report form plays an important role in the immigration process and is accepted by the IRCC (Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada). The reading section of IELTS can be quite challenging without adequate preparation. The test taker needs to spend 60 minutes on the reading test and answer 40 questions, in total.

The Reading module could be difficult without good practice. Many candidates lose scores due to poor time management, inability to comprehend, incorrect vocabulary, etc. They are chances that the test taker lose focus when the reading section becomes more complex – in Section 3. Therefore, the test taker needs to thoroughly practice with the help of mock tests. Reading daily is the key to getting better scores on the test. In this article, we will discuss the technique of Skimming and Scanning to become a good reader and perform better in IELTS reading test.

What is skimming & why is it important?

Skimming refers to reading a passage quickly to understand the main or overall idea. You do not have to read each word to understand what the passage is all about rather you can skim through the passage and still get an idea about what the reading passage is about.

How to skim through an article?

• Start reading through the title of the passage which will help you understand what the passage is all about.
• Read the introduction and the conclusion part of the passage. This is essential as the main idea followed throughout will be provided in the introduction and the conclusion.
• You can guess the main points by reading the subtitles and headings which break down the passage into smaller parts.
• Always read the first and the last sentence in a paragraph which talks about the main idea and the point discussed within the paragraph.

What is scanning & why is it important?

Scanning refers to searching for specific keywords or phrases within the passage to answer the question. It can help the test taker to locate the answers more quickly when questions are related to dates or names of a person, or a place are asked in the question.

How to scan through an article?

• It is important to underline the keywords in the question and scan for the answers in the passage which will help the test taker locate the answers easily.
• Scan through the text to locate the underlined keyword or phrases from the question to find the answer from the passage.
• Understand the context of the question asked and answer accordingly to avoid making mistakes.
• Learn to skim and then scan which will save your time further.

To excel in both skimming and scanning, persistent practice and preparation is required. As these techniques cannot be excelled in one or two practice sessions, be consistent in your preparation so that you will be able to learn the art of skimming and scanning and obtain high scores in the Reading module.

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