IELTS Reading is a vocabulary test
You can't get a high score in the IELTS reading test without
having a profound
knowledge of understanding paraphrased or reworded forms,
that is conveying the
same message in other words by changing the words or grammatical structures in a sentences.
Look at the examples below ;
By Words: I need some water. = I am thirsty.
By Structures: John is taller than Pat. = Pat is not as tall
as John (is).
Here are some more examples of similar words and phrases that you may find in academic reading passages;
- · remained = stayed
- · took a long time = slow
- · of varying (size, price etc) = of different (size, price)
- · virtually any = almost any
- · non-stop = continuous
- · unblemished = perfect, without a mark or scratch
- · molten (glass or metal) = in liquid form due to heat
- · instant commercial success = made a profit straight away
- · flaws = faults, mistakes, weaknesses
- · detecting = locating, finding, discovering
Tip: Write the new words or phrases that you read or hear and their synonymous
equivalence in a notebook - that's the best way to improve
your vocabulary knowledge
step by step. Don’t forget that vocabulary learning is a gradual and time taking process.
While you are looking for keywords it is not necessary to understand every word in the passage.
However, you must know over 50% of the words if you want to understand
the main points of the passage. It is very important to have
a program of vocabulary
development to learn 5 to 10 new words a day. One good useful way to do this is by reading articles that you find interesting in newspapers, magazines, encyclopedias and textbooks. The best way to improve your vocabulary knowledge is to read things that interest you.
Collect vocabulary (words, collocations, phrases) in a notebook. For every
new word you learn, find a good example sentence which
includes the new word in it.
Expanding your vocabulary is important not only for your
reading, but also for your
writing, speaking and listening.