Decoding the Paraphrase
IELTS Reading is not a test of comprehension speed. It is a test of one specific skill: recognising the same idea dressed in different words, under time pressure. Everything below serves that one skill.
Module 1
Paraphrase Recognition
The passage and the question are never worded the same way — if they were, the test would be too easy. Band 8+ readers stop looking for matching words and start looking for matching meaning.
| Passage says | Question says |
|---|---|
| increased dramatically | rose sharply / grew substantially |
| caused widespread concern | led to public unease |
| the majority of scientists believe | most researchers are convinced |
| became obsolete | fell out of use |
| essential to | a key requirement for |
| declined steadily | fell at a consistent rate |
Drill
When you underline a keyword in a question, immediately ask "what are three other ways this idea could be written?" before you scan the passage. That mental habit alone lifts most students half a band.
Module 2
Skimming vs. Scanning
Skimming — build the map
Done once, at the start of each passage. Read the title, the first sentence of every paragraph, and any headings. Goal: know what each paragraph is about, not what it says in detail. 30–45 seconds per passage, no more.
- You should finish skimming knowing "Para 2 = causes, Para 3 = counter-argument, Para 4 = solutions" — without having read a single full sentence of Para 4.
Scanning — hunt the answer
Done per question, after skimming. Your eyes move fast looking for a specific keyword type — a number, a proper noun, a date, a capitalised term — not reading for meaning at all.
- Looking for "in which year was the observatory built" — your eyes scan only for four-digit numbers, ignoring every word around them.
Module 3
True / False / Not Given — the Decision Tree
This is where most students lose marks — specifically the line between False and Not Given. The logic is strict once you see it correctly; there is no genuine ambiguity.
- 1
TRUE
The passage confirms the statement, possibly in different words. You could point to the exact sentence.
- 2
FALSE
The passage says the opposite. Not silence — an active contradiction.
- 3
NOT GIVEN
The passage never addresses this at all. No confirmation, no contradiction — just absence. Outside knowledge doesn't count, even if you know it's true in real life.
Passage: "Solar energy is now the cheapest form of electricity in many countries, though panel manufacturing still relies heavily on rare earth minerals sourced primarily from China."
TRUE — "Solar power costs less than other electricity sources in several nations."
cheapest → costs less · many → several · countries → nations. All paraphrase, meaning intact.
FALSE — "Solar energy is currently the most expensive electricity option."
Passage says cheapest. Direct contradiction.
NOT GIVEN — "China plans to reduce its rare earth mineral exports."
China is mentioned as a source — but nothing about future export plans is stated anywhere. Silence, not contradiction.
The tie-breaker question
Stuck between False and Not Given? Ask "does the passage say anything that contradicts this?" Yes → False. Completely silent on the topic → Not Given. It is never both.
Module 4
Match the Function, Not the Topic
Wrong approach: find the paragraph that mentions the same noun as the heading. Right approach: identify what job the paragraph is doing — defining, contrasting, giving an example, proposing a solution — then match that function to the heading.
Ask this
Is this paragraph defining something, giving history, presenting a problem, offering evidence, or proposing a solution?
Trap headings
Distractor headings often summarise only one detail from a paragraph, not its main idea. If a heading matches a single sentence but not the whole paragraph, it's a decoy.
Order
Match the easy, unambiguous paragraphs first, then use elimination for the two or three that feel close — headings are used only once each.
Module 5
Summary, Sentence, Table, and Note Completion
The word-limit rule
"No more than two words" is enforced literally — 3 words on a 2-word-limit answer scores zero, even if correct. Always recount before moving on.
- Limit: ONE WORD ONLY → "rapidly" ✓ · "very rapidly" ✗
The grammar check
The answer must fit grammatically into the given sentence. If the gap follows "a," the answer is a singular noun. If it follows "to," it's likely a base verb. Grammar eliminates wrong-but-tempting answers before you even check meaning.
- "...caused by a sudden ___ in temperature" → needs a noun (rise), not a verb (rose).
Module 6
The 60-Minute Blueprint
| Phase | Time | Action |
|---|---|---|
| Skim passage | ~1 min | Build the paragraph map before reading any question |
| Work questions | ~16 min | Scan for keywords per question, in question order where possible |
| Transfer & check | ~1–2 min | Spelling, word limits, and blank answers filled with a best guess |
The one rule that saves the most marks
Leaving a blank. There is no penalty for a wrong answer, so an educated guess always beats silence — especially on Multiple Choice and TFNG, where you have a 33–50% baseline chance even blind.