IELTS READING: THE TOPIC SENTENCE AND HOW IT HELPS

Every passage is divided into separate paragraphs and each paragraph represents a specific idea or set of ideas presented in a sequence. Hence each paragraph contains a sentence or sometimes (but rarely) a couple of sentences which introduce the topic which is discussed in that particular paragraph. Now look at the following two examples,

The first image shows how a passage is divided into individual paragraphs: (this passage is taken from the Cambridge IELTS 5)

(this passage is taken from the Cambridge IELTS 5)

Observe that the above passage is divided into separate paragraphs and each paragraph presents a specific idea or concept. Can you spot the idea being presented? Read more to learn how to locate the topic sentence and utilize in answering the questions:

What is a Topic Sentence and how to locate it?

To put it simply a topic sentence "introduces the idea or concept being discussed in the passage."

Look at the following example: the topic sentence has been underlined in red color. The passage has been taken from Cambridge IELTS 5 with answers.

Read the above paragraph. You can see that it presents a detailed discussion of what goes in a person's brain when he/she listens to a joke and then makes an attempt to understand it. However, the whole concept is quite precisely summed up in the expression: "he found evidence that understanding a joke involves widespread mental shift" You can read the paragraph again and will agree that the paragraph explains this "widespread mental shift" in detail. Hence the main theme or topic is that "understanding a joke involves widespread mental shift".

Why is Topic  Sentence important and where can it be used?

Topic sentences are used in answering questions like:

• Choosing a "heading" for paragraph(s) from a list of choices
• Matching paragraph(s) with possible topic sentences
• Answering True, False or Not Given questions.

Activity:
Read the above paragraph and try to suggest an appropriate heading for it.

SUB TOPICS

Some paragraphs have a topic sentence which explains the main topic. However, the paragraph also has sub-topic(s) which give deeper detail of what is being discussed and in many cases they provide an idea of what will be explained further or may be in the next paragraph. This can also be easily spotted in the paragraph.

Look at the following example. Paragraph taken from Insight into IELTS by Cambridge University Press.

Read the paragraph and observe that two different sentences are underlined. One in red colour and the other in blue.

• The sentence underlined in red colour shows the topic which the writer has discussed in detail in this paragraph
• The sentence underlined in blue colour shows the:
• concept the writer is going to discuss further on.
• It is also like a conclusion he has reached or the analysis he has made from his writing experiences.

CONCLUSION:
Locating and underlining topic sentences and sub-topics (or other important ideas) in the passage can help a candidate not only understand the paragraph (and the whole passage better) but also locate vital information more easily while answering questions. Remember, all the questions are from the passage and comprehending it well can help you answer questions more accurately and get a better score. :)

IELTS PREPARATION IN A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME

How to prepare for IELTS in a short period of time?

Running out of time to prepare for your IELTS exam? Do not despair. Here are a few very practical and useful tips to get you back on track and ready for your IELTS exam.
Firstly, keep in mind that in this crucial time you should not harp on learning "new" stuff, you should make most of the skills and knowledge you already have. Here's how to do so:

1. Completely familiarize yourself with every single aspect of every module (Listening, Reading, Writing and Speaking). It is highly essential. For example,

o How many parts does each module have?

o How many questions are there in each part?

o How much time is allowed for each module and the individual parts of that module?

o What is expected from the candidates?

o What does the answering sheet look like?

o Will I get time to transfer answers to sheet (like in Listening Module) or not (like in Reading Module.

 These are absolutely essential things and unfortunately many candidates waste time on other things while ignoring them completely. If you do not know what the paper looks like chances are that you might panic on seeing it the first time on exam day. If you already know what the "pattern" of the paper is you will feel at ease and more comfortable in attempting the questions.

2. You must have heard, "practice makes perfect", and rightly so. Practice prepares your brain for the real thing, the IELTS test. The more you expose yourself to the real exam material, the more you will get familiar with it, the more your mind will get adapted and the more "comfortable" you will feel in attempting the real exam on the big day. So practice IELTS past papers whole-heartedly and soon you will start feeling a difference.

3. Practicing also has another major benefit: it exposes you to more information and "enhances" your existing knowledge. So when practicing IELTS papers, when you encounter new and difficult words, write them down in your diary or journal and look up their meaning to give a boost to your vocabulary. So this will be like killing two birds with one stone. You will be practicing the exam papers while building your word power at the same time. (By the way, it pays to build your word power!)

4. As you practice, also take not of useful idioms and phrases which you might be able to use in your own writing in the Writing Module. Remember idioms and phrases (like killing two birds with one stone OR it pays to build your word power OR an apple a day keeps the doctor away etc.) are universal. "Everyone" can use idioms and phrases in their writing! Just make sure the phrase or idiom you are using is correct and you know how to use it accurately!

5. When you are practicing try to complete the tests within the time frame. When you start preparing, you do not need to do all the modules in one go. Do one module at a time but try to remain within the time allowed. This will prepare you for attempting the paper within the time frame on the big day.

6. When practicing IELTS papers, remember to check your answers and give yourself honest marks (but only after you have finished doing the test). This will not only give you a clear picture of where you stand, how much effort you need to put in but also help you monitor your own progress and give you a sense of achievement as you improve! This acts as a huge motivation. It’s a must try!

7. Since time is crucial, make everywhere and anywhere your learning arena. Confused? Don't be. You read the newspaper everyday or at least different articles on the Internet. Make the most of them. After you have read them ask yourself. What was it about? Was it well written? How did it benefit me? Or just simply, did I like it? If possible write down your ideas in your diary, or type on a MS document, you can even write it in an email and share with a friend. Then again, listening to the radio or news (in English) can boost your learning. Try to concentrate on what is being said. Seek out important information from just every day news. Try writing a summary of the most important news or try talking about it with a friend. You can even record it on a tape recorder or your cell phone. This will improve your speaking power and give you confidence to speak fluently.

8. Improve your concentration span. The longer you can stay focused on the set target, the better the chances of success. Do not let yourself get distracted when you have sat down to study. Keep study time separate from entertainment, work and other stuff especially when practicing papers. Try to keep conditions as close to the real exam conditions as possible, especially when you are approaching the exam day.

9. Use all the practical tactics when attempting the IELTS test (practice exam or real test). Read for meaning, underline key words in passages and in questions for better comprehension, write clearly and use accurate grammar as far as possible (as much as you know), do not waste time on one question, go on to the next, you can always come back to it. If you waste too much time on one question then you might not get time to answer other questions to which the answers you might know very well. So use time effectively; it is precious, especially in exam conditions.

10. Take lots of rest and eat a balanced diet. Do not neglect your health while preparing for exams. Health is wealth, after all. (An other useful phrase for you). So do not stay up too late, studying or "watching TV" or "surfing the Internet just for nothing", rest, sleep well and see the difference. You will be pleasantly surprised how good you feel and how ready you are for exam preparation and the real exam when you have rested and slept well. Do not take it for granted and do not ignore your own well being at any cost. This is vital for doing well in the exam.

Finally, stay focused, monitor your own progress, practice the exam papers and go well prepared on the exam day and you will see that you will feel a lot more confident in attempting the paper. The better prepared you are and the more confident you are, the greater the chances of success! Best of Luck!

IELTS Reading - COMPREHENSION SKILL: Understanding the “theme” of the whole passage

You can improve your score by improving your comprehension skills. An important part of "comprehending" a given passage or part of the passage (a paragraph) is to understand the essence and theme of it.

 

What is the theme of a passage/paragraph?
A theme is the “main” idea or concept.

 

If a reader can locate and/or understand the theme or main idea then comprehending the rest of the passage becomes a lot easier.

 

How to locate and comprehend the “theme”?

The theme of the “whole passage” can usually be found in the heading and subheading. For example look at the following examples of headings:

 

 

1. APICULTURE.

 

Beekeeping has been practiced by humans for ages.

 

 

 

2. AT THE MERCY OF HUMANS

 

Ecosystem under threat because of the development done by humans

 

 

 

3. INSOMNIA

 

Inability to sleep

 

 

• What comes to your mind after reading each of the above headings?

 

• What do you think the passage which follows will be about?

 

• Do you find it helpful to have an initial idea of what the passage might be about?

 

Most candidates of IELTS test feel more comfortable in attempting the questions if they have an idea of what the passage is about. The easiest way to do so is to read the “heading”. Most headings clearly define the theme of the passage.

 

The above headings clearly give us an idea what the passage will be about:

• Heading #1 tells us that the passage will be about “beekeeping”.
• Heading#2 tells that the passage will be about how ecosystem is badly affected by the developments being made by humans. 
• Heading#3 tells us that passage will be about “sleeplessness” (the inability to sleep).

 

FURTHER PRACTICE:

 

Magazines, News Papers, Newsletters etc both paper based and electronic (available electronically on the Internet) are excellent resources for reading headings and sub-headings in order to understand the possible theme of the passage. As you practice more, you will feel a lot more comfortable in reading different texts of which you have no prior knowledge. You will specifically be focusing on the given text and that’s what the IELTS test expects you to do: read and understand the text and then answer the questions!

IELTS READING: Which points should be underlined?

This advice is applicable to both IELTS Reading Academic and General Modules

In the previous post, the importance of underlining key points was discussed. In this post, you will learn that what are the actual important, key concepts and points which should be underlined.The whole passage is full of lots of sentences made up of verbs, nouns, articles, prepositions, adjectives, adverbs, etc. So how do we decide which words are important and need to be underlined?

Here are some important tips to pin point the points which are important. You should be looking for:

• facts (important names like Dr. Someone or Professor someone etc., some important activities like research, skydiving, mining etc.)
• figures (dates, amounts, quantities like two whales, 150 research participants etc.)
• locations
• descriptions (tall, short, gold, blue, deep, shallow, etc.)
• comparisons or contrasts

These are simple tips to get you started, as you practice you will get better at spotting the important point and there importance will be proved when they also help you answer questions.

Some more useful tips:

• Do not underline every single word as this will only confuse you when you come back to the text to look for answers.
• Do not underline articles like the, a etc unless it helps in understanding a quantity Example 1: There was only an apple on the table and nothing else. Here "an" shows quantity that is "one" apple. Example two: The baby was crying. Here the article, "the" does not need to be underlined.
• Do not underline prepositions like in, on, etc, unless they help pin point the importance of something. Example 1: I live in a bungalow. Here the prepositions "in" does not need to be underlined. Example 2: The squirrel was hiding in the tree hole and was not sitting on a branch. Here, in can be underlined as it shows significance of the location of the squirrel.

Here is an important underlining example. The following passage has been taken from Insight into IELTS (Cambridge University press). Key words have been underlined personally to show you a practical example of "how to underline" key words?

Passage courtesy of Insight into IELTS but underlined personally!

IELTS READING: Importance of Underlining Key Points

These tips are applicable to both academic and general reading modules.

Many teachers recommend their students to underline the more important ideas and key concepts in a reading passage in order to understand the passage and find answers to the questions which follow the passage. So how does underlining really helps? Underlining important points in a passage helps to:

• pin point key points
• quickly skim through the text to find answers
• Most questions ask for main ideas and if you have underlined them it is easier to get back to them in the provided passage.
• Finally, underlining key concepts helps us comprehend the topic being discussed.

So What should be Underlined? This is explained in detail in the post: IELTS READING: Which points should be underline in the passage?

Incorporate Self-Study Strategies into Your Daily Routine

Taking out time for study in the busy schedule is in itself a challenge and mere book learning though very helpful is not sufficient on its own. So here's an easier way, incorporate learning in your daily life! Some candidates might be thinking that how can we read a book while on our way to work or practice writing while watching a movie or listening to the radio. What candidates need to fully understand is that IELTS is a test of "English", so if you cannot practice the papers on the go, you can certainly "learn" English in many different and unique ways....after all, if you are good at English you can handle any test in English!

EVERYDAY READING AND WRITING STRATEGY

• Reading the Newspaper/News on a website: Many of us like to get our daily dose of the news. We all want to stay in touch with whats happening around us and around the world. Most (authentic) Newspapers or other News sources like news on the Internet make sure to use grammatically accurate and error free English. After you have read your very favourite article, column, or a stunning piece of news just put aside five minutes to jot down the main points about it. Prefer a computer over the conventional paper and pencil, go ahead type the main ideas in a word document. This will:
• improve your understanding ( or comprehension)
• give you ideas for writing (for example prospective essays for IELTS)
• improve your vocabulary
• improve your writing expression (sentence structure and grammar)
• save you a lot of time as you do not need to set a time aside and you will be learning while doing something interesting (like reading your favourite column in the paper!
• This will improve both reading and writing skills, talk about killing two birds with one stone!

Self-Study Strategies: Know Your Learning Style

Preparing for IELTS can be a self-study venture or people can choose to take formal classes. However with the busy schedules most of us have today many of us are more comfortable with self-study strategies, like self-study books, online resources etc. However, before starting self-study try to find "your" very own learning style. How do you like to learn best?

• Reading (Visual)
• Listening (Auditory)
• Everyday practice (Kinesthetic: practically doing things)
• Making notes (learning by writing)
• Charts etc.(Visual)

There are various other ways people learn. Some have a specific learning style, others use mixed learning strategies to enhance the learning effect (like listening, watching, reading and making notes to incorporate the lesson in their mind).

You can find out your very own learning style on the following link: http://www.metamath.com/multiple/multiple_choice_questions.html

Simply put, your learning style is the way in which you feel most comfortable to study. When you are sure about your learning style, move on to read the next post about how to incorporate study in your daily routine.
Good Luck everyone!

Reading Module - a few basics!

These points and tips are applicable to both academic and general training modules

What is expected from the candidates?


The reading module assesses a candidate’s ability to comprehend written material in English language. Simply put, you are given a score on “how well” you can understand the given passage(s). You can answer the questions only if you understand the given passage(s).

Key to reading and “comprehending” the passages:

The key to do well in the reading module is to underline important points and key concepts, as you read the given text. Thinking it is pretty obvious? Yes it is and unfortunately also often taken for granted! Firstly, it must be understood that the questions are usually set on the key issues being discussed in the passage and if we overlook them then it might be a little difficult to answer particular types of questions.

Secondly, by underlining important points, it is easier to come back to the text and look for an answer rather than groping and looking for it by reading the whole text or a part of the paragraph again. (How to pin point key ideas will be discussed in detail in later post.)
Be confident because the questions are 100% “from” the given passage(s) and you are not required to have any additional or previous knowledge regarding the topic. (Every passage will have a set of questions which follow it. There are three passages for the candidates to read and answer questions regarding them.)

You need to:

• Be able to fully comprehend/understand text written in English.

• Have a good reading speed (points to improve speed will be discussed in detail)

• Answer the questions (answers must be written on the provided answer sheet and “not” on the question paper).

Tips on answering different types of specific questions (like True, False and Not Given, Fill in the blanks/gaps, matching etc.) will be discussed in detail in following posts.