Part 5: Advanced Strategies
This part teaches how to handle complex passages and academic vocabulary with confidence. It emphasizes precision, paraphrase recognition, and psychological endurance for the full 60-minute test. Band 7 vs Band 9 strategies show learners how small adjustments can lead to higher scores.
Chapter 18: Handling Complex Passages
Purpose: Some passages are dense, with long sentences, difficult vocabulary, or abstract topics. You need to read smart, not fast.
Strategies:
-
Break down long sentences into subject + verb + object. Ignore clauses initially.
-
Focus on keywords related to the question rather than every detail.
-
Identify paragraph function: Is it giving an example, a cause, a contrast, or a conclusion?
Example:
Passage:
“Although climate change mitigation policies have been implemented in many countries, their effectiveness is debated, with some arguing that more drastic measures are necessary to prevent ecological collapse.”
-
Strategy: Look for question keywords (e.g., “effectiveness of policies”)
-
Main idea = policies exist, effectiveness uncertain → answer accordingly
Chapter 19: Advanced Vocabulary and Paraphrasing
Purpose: High-level passages often use formal academic vocabulary. Recognizing synonyms is essential.
Common Academic Words and IELTS Equivalents:
Academic WordQuestion/Answer Word
-
implement → carry out / do
-
mitigate → reduce / ease
-
argue → claim / suggest
-
drastic → extreme / significant
-
debated → discussed / questioned
Mini Exercise:
Passage: “Governments have implemented measures to mitigate air pollution.”
Question: Governments have taken steps to reduce air pollution.
-
Answer: True (implemented = taken steps; mitigate = reduce)
Chapter 20: Precision and Attention to Detail
Purpose: Higher band scores are achieved by avoiding small mistakes, such as misreading negatives, qualifiers, or numbers.
Strategies:
-
Pay attention to negatives: not, never, hardly, few.
-
Check quantifiers: all, most, some, many, few.
-
Confirm dates, names, and figures carefully.
Mini Exercise:
Passage: “Only a few students passed the final exam last year.”
Question: Most students passed the final exam last year.
-
Answer: False
Chapter 21: Psychological Endurance
Purpose: 60 minutes of continuous reading can be exhausting; staying alert is key.
Tips:
-
Divide time by section: ~20 minutes per passage.
-
Use short mental breaks after 10–15 questions to refocus.
-
Mark tricky questions and return if time allows.
Mini Exercise:
Practice reading a long paragraph for 3 minutes, then answer 3 questions under strict timing, simulating exam conditions.
Chapter 22: Band 7 vs Band 9 Strategy
Key Differences:
-
Band 7: Mostly correct answers; minor paraphrase or speed errors.
-
Band 9: All answers correct; excellent paraphrase recognition; minimal time wasted; handles complex passages with confidence.
Tips to move from 7 → 9:
-
Master synonyms and paraphrases.
-
Reduce time per question without losing accuracy.
-
Always read questions carefully for negatives, qualifiers, and word limits.
Mini Exercise:
Passage: “Renewable energy, though initially costly, has proven to be economically viable in the long term.”
Question: Renewable energy is too expensive to be useful.
-
Answer: False (negatives / qualifiers: “initially costly” vs “economically viable”)
Summary of Part 5
-
Focuses on handling difficult passages, advanced vocabulary, and precision.
-
Emphasizes psychological strategies to maintain focus throughout the 60-minute test.
-
Prepares learners to bridge the gap from Band 7 to Band 9 with careful attention to detail and paraphrase mastery.