For many English exam students, the reading part of the exam in either Cambridge or LanguageCert can be one of the more difficult sections of the assessment. This is not only due to the difficulty of the questions but often because of the number of parts or even the density of information that you need to process to find the correct answers. But don’t panic! By following these simple steps, you will be able to sail through this part of the exam with ease!
- Read the questions carefully.
This might sound obvious but it is something that many candidates often take for granted. It’s important to look out for key words in the questions such as time expressions, names of people or organisations and especially if the question is in the affirmative or negative. One great way to do this is by first reading the questions and underlining the keywords so that you know what you need to look for in larger texts.
- Learn expressions
In the higher level assessments such as B2 and C1, the understanding of complex structures and expressions is essential for success in the Use of English sections of the exam. When studying, take some time to practise the use of idioms and phrasal verbs that could possibly come up in these parts. These expressions could also be used in the speaking and writing sections of the exam so learning as many as you can is a must! I would recommend creating a list of expressions and phrasal verbs in a notebook where the expression is presented in a table format like this:
| Expression | Meaning | Example sentence |
| Find your feet | Accostumbrarse /Become accustomed to a new situation | “My first year at university was difficult, but after 2 years of studies, I think I have found my feet.” |
| A piece of cake | Something that is very easy | “Don’t worry about the maths exam, it will be a piece of cake.” |
I would recommend reading over this table from time to time to refresh your memory and better reinforce your understanding.
- Divide your time wisely
Understanding how long it usually takes for you to complete the reading part of the exam is key. This will depend on the person but typically the reading part of the exam is longer than the listening part but not as long as the writing for most people. Do practise activities to see how long it takes and don’t forget to time yourself to discover how long on average each task takes to complete. Also, don’t forget that you also have to complete the writing exercises so don’t spend an excessive amount of time on the reading if you still haven’t started the writing. Both parts are equally important so find that balance!
- Break up big texts paragraph by paragraph
The reading part 5 in Cambridge B2 and C1 and parts 3 and 4 in LanguageCert are notorious for being long, dense texts with a number of questions to complete afterwards. The best way to tackle this mass of information is to read the first question and then read the first paragraph to find the right answer. Repeat this process with the following sentences and paragraphs until the task is completed. This strategy can save you a lot of time and prevents candidates becoming so overwhelmed with the quantity of information in the text.
- Practise and become familiar with the structures.
Becoming familiar with the structure of each part of the exam is fundamental to succeed in the reading part of the exam. The more practise that you do, the easier it will be when you actually do the exam. There are a wide range of websites that have example questions for you to have a go at exam-style exercises. DAWAY in particular, has a wide range of reading exercises which are tailored to the level that you wish to prepare for. So if you’re looking for a structured course where you can see real improvement quickly, then look no further than DAWAY!
I hope that these tips were useful for you and that you now feel more confident for your upcoming exams. Take a look at the quiz below for an example reading exercise to test your knowledge:
If you liked this quiz and would like to do more interactive activities like this then check out the wide range of courses available on the DAWAY website. Don’t forget to use the code BLOG20 for a 20% discount!
