Speed Reading Techniques - Ways to Read Faster during IELTS Reading Test

Updated on Oct 13, 2025 13:09 IST

By Avleen Kaur, Sr. Executive Training

Speed reading is technique that helps you read faster. You still understands what you're reading though. How does it works? It changes the way you looks at text. Your eyes moves more efficiently across the page when you use this method. Instead of stopping lot of times on each line, you make less stops. That's one of the key things about speed reading. You also process groups of words at same time. Not just individual words one by one like you probably does now.

This technique lets you cover more material in less time, which is pretty useful right? The key ideas gets retained with less effort too. So basically, speed reading trains your brain to work different. You can read through lot more content quickly while still maintaining comprehension of what your reading.

Why is Speed Reading crucial for IELTS Reading

Here are some reasons with examples how speed reading can help in IELTS Reading test.

Time Management: Learn to manage the time to avoid anykind of hassle.
Handling Complexity: Speed reading helps you understand main meaning by looking at context and key sentences instead of getting stuck.
Quick Information Retrieval: For True/False/Not Given questions about a year or name, scanning helps you find the right part in seconds, no need to read everything word by word.
Reduced Stress: If you spend too much time on first passage, you will panic about next ones. Speed reading helps you keep pace, avoid rush, and focus better.
Maximized Accuracy: While matching headings to paragraphs, speed reading helps you see main idea faster and leaves more time to check tricky questions.

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Scientific Background of Speed Reading and its application in IELTS Exam

Speed Reading Technique	Logical Explanation	Scientific Basis	Application in IELTS Reading
Skimming	Quickly scanning the text to get a general idea of the content.	The brain processes chunks of text, focusing on headings, subheadings, and key phrases, utilizing peripheral vision.	Helps identify main ideas, topic sentences, and overall structure of the passage to locate relevant sections quickly.
Scanning	Searching for specific information, such as numbers, names, or keywords.	The brain filters out irrelevant data using selective attention, reducing cognitive load on working memory.	Efficient for finding answers to detail-based questions like matching information or locating dates and names.
Chunking	Reading groups of words instead of individual words.	Improves reading efficiency by reducing eye fixations and leveraging short-term memory to process information.	Useful for processing dense information or understanding paragraph summaries in less time.
Previewing	Reading headings, subheadings, and first sentences of paragraphs to predict content.	Activates prior knowledge and schema, aiding comprehension and improving recall of related concepts.	Helps form an expectation of the passage content, speeding up comprehension during detailed reading.
Minimizing Subvocalization	Reducing the internal voice that “reads aloud” in your mind.	Subvocalization slows reading speed as the brain processes phonetics unnecessarily; visual recognition is faster.	Allows candidates to read faster while still comprehending key ideas for answering questions under time constraints.
Using Contextual Clues	Relying on surrounding words or sentences to infer meanings of unfamiliar words.	The brain uses semantic and syntactic clues to fill gaps, leveraging its predictive capabilities.	Helps quickly interpret unknown vocabulary or complex sentences, which are common in IELTS passages.
Avoiding Regression	Limiting the habit of re-reading previously read text unnecessarily.	Reduces cognitive interruptions and keeps working memory focused on progressing through the text.	Ensures smoother reading flow and efficient use of limited test time.
Timed Practice	Regularly practicing reading under timed conditions to improve speed and accuracy.	Builds automaticity in decoding and comprehension, creating neural pathways that enhance reading fluency.	Trains candidates to manage the 60-minute time limit effectively for completing all three passages.
Highlighting Keywords	Marking important words or phrases during reading.	Engages active reading strategies, helping memory retention and quick location of answers.	Simplifies finding answers when cross-referencing text with questions, especially in True/False/Not Given tasks.
Focusing on Task Types	Tailoring reading strategy to the specific question type (e.g., matching headings, summary completion).	Different task types activate different cognitive processes, improving task-specific accuracy.	Saves time by employing a targeted approach for multiple-choice, sentence completion, or matching headings questions.

How to Implement Speed Reading Technique in IELTS Exam

Speed Reading Technique	How to Implement	Example
Skimming	Start by reading the first and last sentences of each paragraph and the headings to understand the main idea of the passage.	If a passage is about climate change, read the headings and the first sentences of each paragraph to know it discusses causes, effects, and solutions.
Scanning	Quickly move your eyes over the text to find specific words or numbers that match the question.	If a question asks, "What year did the industrial revolution start?", scan for numbers (e.g., "1760") or keywords like "industrial revolution."
Chunking	Train your eyes to move smoothly and read phrases or short groups of words in one go, rather than pausing at each word.	Instead of reading "The rapid increase in urbanization has led to various social problems," read it as "rapid increase urbanization social problems" in one visual chunk.
Previewing	Before reading a passage, scan the title, headings, and any subheadings. Predict what each section will cover to better anticipate the content.	For a passage titled "The Benefits of Renewable Energy," look at subheadings like "Solar Power" and "Wind Energy" to expect information on the advantages of different energy sources.
Minimizing Subvocalization	Try to read with your eyes only, not moving your lips or silently "saying" each word. Focus on understanding the meaning rather than pronouncing the text.	When reading "Global warming is the result of human activities," avoid saying it aloud in your head and instead, see it as a whole idea.
Using Contextual Clues	Look at the words before and after an unfamiliar term to guess its meaning from context.	If you come across "The scientist devised an ingenious method to solve the problem," the phrase "to solve the problem" helps you understand "ingenious" as "clever."
Avoiding Regression	Train yourself to read continuously without backtracking. If you miss something, keep moving and find it later.	If you don't understand the detail about the causes of deforestation, don’t re-read the entire paragraph. Use scanning later to locate it quickly.
Timed Practice	Set a timer for 20-25 minutes and read one passage, answering all questions in that time. Repeat regularly to improve speed.	Practice with a 20-minute timer and one passage to mimic test conditions. Increase practice gradually to develop speed and accuracy.
Highlighting Keywords	As you read, underline or highlight key terms and phrases that relate to the main idea or answer the questions.	If a passage is about "pollution," highlight keywords such as "air quality," "industrial waste," or "emissions" to easily find answers related to pollution.
Focusing on Task Types	Identify the question type first (e.g., Matching Headings, Multiple Choice, True/False/Not Given) and adapt your reading strategy accordingly.	For Matching Headings, skim the main idea of each paragraph. For Multiple Choice, scan for keywords from the question within the text.

Conclusion for Speed Reading Techniques

In conclusion, speed reading can really help you read and understand things faster, but it needs lot of practice and focus. You can get better by reducing subvocalisation, practising skimming and scanning, train your eyes to move quick, and learn more vocabulary.

For IELTS Reading Exam, these speed reading techniques are very useful. They help you manage time and find and understand information fast. Using technology, doing regular practice, and maybe professional training can help you improve more.

With patience and practice, learning speed reading can help you do better in IELTS, read faster, and understand things quicker in other situations too.

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