From Stuck at 6 to a Soaring 8: An IELTS Reading Success Story

Does this sound familiar? You’ve been studying for the IELTS for weeks, maybe even months. You’ve done countless practice tests, but your Reading score just won’t budge from a Band 6. It’s a frustrating and demotivating experience that causes many test-takers to lose hope.

But what if you could break through that plateau? What if you could change your strategy and see a dramatic improvement? This is the story of “Alex,” a student who was stuck at a Band 6 in Reading but, by making a few key changes, managed to achieve a soaring Band 8. Here’s how they did it.

The “Before” Picture: Alex’s Struggles

When Alex first started their IELTS preparation, they made a few common mistakes that kept their score stagnant:

• They tried to read every single word: Alex believed they needed to fully understand the entire passage before looking at the questions. This meant they were always rushing and running out of time before they even finished.
• They got lost in the details: They would get bogged down in complex sentences and unfamiliar vocabulary, losing sight of the main ideas and the overall structure of the text.
• They panicked on “tricky” question types: Questions like “True/False/Not Given” and “Matching Headings” were a constant source of anxiety and lost marks. They would read the same paragraph over and over, wasting precious minutes.

The Transformation: Alex’s Winning Strategy

Frustrated with the lack of progress, Alex realised they needed to work smarter, not just harder. They abandoned their old habits and adopted a new, strategic way of tackling the Reading test.

1. They Mastered Skimming and Scanning The biggest change Alex made was to stop reading every word. Instead, they learned two crucial skills:

• Skimming: They would first read the passage very quickly (in 2-3 minutes) to get a general understanding of the topic and the purpose of each paragraph.
• Scanning: After reading a question, they would scan the text for specific keywords, names, dates, or numbers to locate the answer quickly without re-reading the whole section.

2. They Developed Specific Tactics for Tricky Questions Instead of panicking, Alex learned clear rules for the hardest questions:

• For “True/False/Not Given” questions, they treated each statement like a police investigation. If the text proved the statement correct, it was True. If the text directly contradicted the statement, it was False. If they couldn’t find any information to prove or disprove it, it was Not Given.
• For “Matching Headings” questions, they stopped reading the headings first. Instead, they read the first and last sentence of each paragraph to identify the main idea, and only then looked for the heading that best matched that idea.

3. They Built a “Reading-Focused” Vocabulary Alex stopped trying to memorise long, random word lists. Instead, they started a vocabulary journal and, after every practice test, wrote down new words they encountered in context. They noted the word, its meaning in that sentence, and a synonym. This made the vocabulary far more memorable and useful.

4. They Made Timed Practice a Priority Alex made sure to do all their practice tests under strict, timed conditions. This built their mental stamina and improved their speed. They learned to allocate roughly 20 minutes per passage and, crucially, to move on if they were stuck on a single question for too long.

The “After” Picture: A Confident Test-Taker

By implementing these new strategies, Alex’s Reading score jumped from a 6 to an 8. They were no longer intimidated by the long passages or tricky questions. They approached the Reading test with confidence and a clear, effective plan.

Your “From 6 to 8” Action Plan

You can follow in Alex’s footsteps. Here’s a summary of their winning strategy:

• Stop reading every word. Master the art of skimming and scanning.
• Learn specific strategies for each question type. Don’t use the same approach for all of them.
• Build your vocabulary in context from your practice readings.
• Practice, practice, practice under timed conditions.

Your Next Step: Start Practicing Smarter

Alex’s story is a testament to the fact that with the right approach, you can make a dramatic improvement in your IELTS Reading score. The key is to work smart and to practice consistently.

To help you on your journey, our IELTS mock test app offers a wide range of reading passages, all the different question types, and timed practice features. It gives you everything you need to implement these strategies and achieve your target score.