What is something you do that has to be done in the right order?
For some IELTS Reading questions, it’s vital that you know whether the answers will be found in order.
Today we’ll share strategies that will help boost your IELTS Reading scores.
Today’s question
Today’s question was asked on YouTube by @RohitShil-w6j.
On IELTS Reading, should we do in order questions first, then move to questions that aren’t in order?
The answer to this question is a resounding yes!
There are very specific reasons for this.
#1: Saving time
It is faster to find answers that appear in order.
For many IELTS question types, the answers appear sequentially in the passage.
Once you find answer 3, you don’t have to start over.
You can continue from there to find answer 4.
This prevents you from constantly jumping around the text.
This also reduces rereading.
If you start with matching headings or matching information first, you may scan the entire passage multiple times.
Ordered questions let you progress steadily instead of repeatedly searching the same paragraphs.
#2: Becoming familiar with the passage
With each question set you complete, you build a mental map of the passage.
As you move through the article in order, you naturally learn where topics are located.
Then later “out-of-order” tasks like matching headings or matching information become faster because you already remember the structure.
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#3: Improves accuracy under time pressure
IELTS Reading is a timed exam.
It is difficult to find all 40 answers in just 60 minutes.
Following the text from top to bottom lowers the chance of skipping lines, mixing up answers or choosing information from the wrong paragraph.
#4: Helps you stay organized
Many students lose points because they panic and jump randomly through the text. Ordered questions create a clear workflow:
- identify keyword
- locate section
- find the answer
- move on
A common high-scoring strategy is:
- Quickly skim the passage
- Identify which questions are in order
- Do the “in-order” questions first
- Finish with harder tasks with answers that are not in order like:
- matching headings
- matching information
Which answers are found in order?
Don’t miss our series about which answers are found in order and which aren’t.
Part 1 about which questions have answers in order can be found here.
You can find Part 2 about questions that aren’t in order here.
Are you good at doing things in the right order? Yes or no
Takeaway
You absolutely should do questions that are in order first!
This will save you time and help you get more answers correct.
It will help you be more familiar with the passage before finding answers that are not in order.
Practice this before test day so you can immediately recognize which question types to tackle first!
What questions do you have from today’s episode?
Please leave a comment below.
