Video summary

How This One Simple Method Helped Me Get Band 9 Twice in IELTS Reading

Main summary

Key takeaways

Educational

Main ideas / lessons conveyed

  • Use a time-management strategy to avoid re-reading the passage.
  • Don’t answer questions strictly one-by-one. Instead, answer multiple question types at the same time so you finish within the time limit.
  • Use clear reading goals per paragraph (what to find vs. what to ignore).
  • For True/False/Not Given and summary questions, find and use keywords to locate answers efficiently.
  • Use headings strategically: eliminate clearly wrong options first, then confirm quickly.

Method (detailed bullet steps)

1) Before reading: plan to prevent repeated reading

  • Identify the question types in the task:

    • Heading questions
    • True/False/Not Given questions
    • Summary questions (cover the whole passage)

  • Key rule:

    • If you do heading questions first (which requires reading all paragraphs), and then do T/F/NG and summary questions, you will likely re-read parts of the text.
    • This can make it hard to finish under 20 minutes.

  • Do this instead:

    • Read and answer different question types simultaneously (especially headings + T/F/NG + summary) so you don’t revisit paragraphs unnecessarily.

  • Special rule for summary questions:

    • The summary answer may appear earlier than later-numbered questions (e.g., Q38 may be before Q37).
    • Therefore, don’t postpone summary questions to the end.

2) While answering: use keyword targeting (especially for T/F/NG and summary)

  • For each question:

    • Identify keywords (the “anchor words” that should exist in the passage).
    • Highlight keywords to speed up locating the answer.

  • Example keyword logic:

    • For: “There are no permanent residents living on Easter Island”
      • Focus on: “permanent residents”
    • For summary questions:
      • Focus on: “statues”
      • Add paraphrase clues such as plateaus and references to other parts of the island.

3) Read each paragraph with explicit goals

When reading any paragraph (A, B, C, etc.), use three goals:

  • Get the general idea of what the paragraph is about (to pick the correct heading).
  • Check whether it contains evidence for specific keyword-linked questions (e.g., permanent residents / trees / statues / Jared Diamond).
  • Stop and confirm based on what you find (instead of reading deeply for everything).

Core instruction:

  • Always have a goal.
  • Never read without a purpose.

4) True/False/Not Given strategy

  • If you’re uncertain:
    • Don’t waste time trying to force an exact decision.
    • Move on, because later parts of the passage can clarify.
  • If the paragraph explicitly contradicts the statement:
    • That supports True (or False, depending on the wording).
  • If there isn’t enough evidence:
    • Choose Not Given.

5) Choosing the correct heading: eliminate wrong options first

  • After reading the paragraph:
    • Quickly rule out absolutely incorrect headings.
    • Narrow down to a few plausible options.
    • Confirm the best heading via a quick scan (as you would in the exam).

Example of elimination approach:

  • If a paragraph mentions “explorers” and “mystery,” eliminate headings about unrelated topics (e.g., universe, research site, population decline, or statue cultural significance) if those details don’t appear.

6) Summary question technique: match paraphrases + grammar cues

For summary-fill-style blanks, focus on:

  • Keywords around the blank (very important)
  • How the passage paraphrases the idea
  • Grammar requirements (e.g., adjective vs. noun vs. adjective+noun)

Process:

  • Read the paragraph carefully but efficiently only when needed (to avoid forgetting while still saving time).

  • Find a sentence that matches the blank’s meaning via paraphrase (e.g., “located in other parts of the island” → “spread across the island”).

  • Validate quickly whether the word type fits the blank.

7) Function question technique

For “function” blanks:

  • Search specifically for text explaining what the item “served” as / its purpose.
  • Use keywords.
  • Track whether a named person like Jared Diamond appears, since it can act as a locator for where key ideas might be.

8) Apply the same method to remaining paragraphs quickly

  • For later paragraphs (E–H in the example):
    • Read quickly for heading selection.
    • Stop and read carefully mainly when Jared Diamond appears, because that’s where function or key comparative ideas are likely to show up.

9) Final takeaway: the method is fundamentally about time management

  • The claimed reason for a Band 9 result:
    • Finish faster by avoiding repeated reading.
    • Answer multiple question types concurrently.
  • Claimed outcome:
    • The “easiest passage” (usually Passage 1) was finished in about 15 minutes, leaving more time for harder passages.

Speakers / sources featured

  • IELTS Reading test context (implied; no specific test author)
  • Jared Diamond (mentioned as a referenced authority whose ideas the writer largely agrees with)
  • Jacob Roggeveen (Dutch captain; mentioned as first European to set foot on Easter Island)
  • Thor Heyerdahl (Norwegian explorer; mentioned regarding a disputed origin theory)
  • Easter Island researchers / unnamed researchers (mentioned generally, e.g., research and DNA extracts, carbon dating)

Original video