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IELTS Reading Short Answer: Expert Guide for Aspirants

Learn about the various strategies and tips that you can apply to ace the IELTS reading short answer questions and get a high band score.

By Tanu Shree SharmaPublished 4 months ago 3 min read

IELTS is a proficiency test for checking English skills. It is the test that enables you to pursue higher studies abroad. Out of the four modules of the exam, many students find the IELTS reading to be more challenging. It can be due to the variety of questions that it has. Furthermore, one of these questions is the short-answer task. In this article, experts from online classes for IELTS will discuss the methods for solving this task.

Strategies to Solve Short Answers

This is a very common category of questions that students have been answering for a long time. The exams in schools also include this type of question. Therefore, the test takers generally tend to do well in the short-answer tasks. However, there are still some grounds for mistakes in this. For instance, rushing through the question can make you commit silly errors. That is why the online classes for IELTS share some of the ways students can avoid even the smallest of errors.

Instructions and Questions

Go through the instructions carefully to know the number of terms you can use in your response. Along with that, use the Wh-words to grasp the type of detail you need to find. For example, what in the question usually indicates that the answer is a noun. Moreover, the Where will require you to name a place, and When indicates time.

Keywords

The key terms are crucial tools to find the right response in the case of IELTS reading tasks. Note them and then scan the passage for them. After that, with the aid of these feature words, you can easily look for your answers.

Understand Context

Sometimes, it happens that the response you are looking for is not in the line that contains the keyword. However, it can be in the lines around it. That is why it is essential to grasp the context of the paragraph to get to the right answer.

Synonyms

Sometimes, the questions can contain synonyms or paraphrased lines. It can confuse some of the students. Therefore, the online classes for IELTS suggest its scholars be aware of alternative terms for the words as well. Other than that, focusing on the overall meaning can also make it simple to get to the reply.

Information

This task aims to assess the ability of a learner to locate the details and then convey them precisely. Therefore, you mustn't write answers based on your assumptions. It should be related directly to the information from the text.

Proofreading

After writing all the replies, check for spelling and grammar errors. It is because they can also lead to a fall in the score. So check your answers before submitting.

The right method will lead you to the answer. However, these tips will keep you from making any silly mistakes.

Tips to Ace the Short Answer Questions in IELTS Reading

If you are worried about the short-answer questions in the IELTS reading passage, then these tips from the experts of IELTS will prove quite useful for you.

  • Follow the word count so as to avoid getting your answers marked incorrect for exceeding it.
  • With the help of the key terms, try to locate the paragraph that can contain the response.
  • Make sure to write the correct spelling of the words. In addition, you can write in capitals to avoid incorrect spellings.
  • Use the same terms directly from the passage in the IELTS reading short answer task.
  • Work on your word power so that you will be able to easily identify the synonyms.
  • Before reading the text, go through the queries first. This will give you an idea of what to look for.
  • The questions in the text are in an orderly manner, which can help you locate the reply as well.
  • Lastly, the response you are giving should have correct grammar.

Next up are some common mistakes that test takers often make.

Mistakes to Avoid in the IELTS Reading Task

When test takers solve the IELTS reading task, sometimes they come across issues that can be resolved with practice. The following are a few examples:

  • You read the complete passage to find the answers, which takes up your time. Hence, make use of the skim and scan technique.
  • When writing the answers, do not misspell the words. So, knowing your spelling is crucial.
  • The details that are paraphrased can be confusing. Hence, you need to look for the main context.

Conclusion

To sum up, these are some methods for solving the short-answer questions in the IELTS reading passage. Also, with the help of expert guidance from an online class, you can easily overcome this test. In addition, if you want to know more about the same, connect with mentors at Gradding. They will offer you valuable resources and other study materials for the exam. These further include a free mock test and coaching to prepare well for the test.

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About the Creator

Tanu Shree Sharma

Our IELTS reading practice test is designed to build skills that go beyond exams. Visit us:https://www.gradding.com/test-preparation/ielts/mock-test/reading-practice

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