IELTS ACADEMIC READING · PRACTICAL GUIDE

Build reading vocabulary from the passage

Make saved definitions and passage examples useful through retrieval and active practice.

Keep the context

A definition alone rarely shows everything you need. Keep the sentence that explains how a word is used. Notice whether it names a process, describes a quality or connects ideas. The same word may have different meanings in different subjects. Start with its meaning in this passage.

An example: canopy

In urban ecology, canopy can describe the upper layer formed by tree crowns. “The canopy shades the pavement” links the word to a structure and an effect. Make your own sentence, such as “A wider canopy can shade more of the footpath.” Using the meaning goes beyond recognising the spelling.

Retrieve before rereading

Cover a saved definition and try to explain the term, then check its definition and passage example. If retrieval fails, return to the example and make a clearer sentence. A workable practice schedule is later the same day, a few days later and the following week. Adjust the intervals to match what you remember.

Notice paraphrases

Compare a question with its supporting passage sentence and record how different wording preserves meaning. “Recover after disruption” might explain resilience in one context. Similar words are not automatically interchangeable: conditions, degree and the direction of a comparison still matter.

Use your repository deliberately

Complete a rehearsal while signed in to save important vocabulary in your IELTS Rehearsal account. Review definitions and examples, then choose a small set for active practice. Write a sentence or a short summary using them correctly. Keeping every word is convenient; returning to a manageable selection makes it useful.

Check the official IELTS Academic Reading format for current exam information.

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