What's the best way to use Cambridge IELTS practice Reading tests?
Cambridge IELTS practice Reading tests are useful for two things:
- assessing your level
- identifying your weaknesses
If you got a question wrong, you need to figure out WHY you got it wrong.
First, check the answer key. Can you understand why the answer is correct?
- If no --> you need to improve your vocabulary. If you can't understand why the answer is correct, it means there are too many words you don't know or too much of the text that you cannot understand. If you do not improve your vocabulary, you will not increase your reading score.
If you rely on figuring out the answers to a particular Cambridge IELTS practice reading test, you will make progress very, very slowly, and you will run out of practice tests.
Instead, follow Chris' advice in the Vocabulary Improvement Plan in the Vocabulary course.
- If yes --> analyse your mistake using the process explained in the lesson Learning from your mistakes in the Reading Academy course. If you got a question wrong, you have a weakness, and you need to figure out what that is. You will only increase your reading score if you identify and improve your weakness.
A common mistake students make with reading is thinking that more practice tests will increase their reading score. It's like believing you can become a star football player simply by playing one match every weekend and doing nothing else. You cannot.
