Strategies To Solve M.C.Q In IELTS Reading

1. Understand the Question First

Read the question stem carefully (not the options first).

Identify: What is being asked — fact, detail, opinion, or reason?

Keywords — names, numbers, dates, adjectives, verbs.

Example:

What is the main reason for the decline in fish population?
Keywords: main reason, decline, fish population.

2. Highlight Keywords

Underline or mentally note keywords in both the question and options.

Look for synonyms and paraphrases in the passage.

Remember that the same words rarely appear in the text.

Example:

“Increase in temperature” → may appear as “rising heat” or “global warming.”

3. Read the Passage Quickly for Context

Do a skim-read of the relevant section.
Usually, the answers follow the order of the text, so read around the area where your keyword appears.

Strategies To Solve M.C.Q In IELTS Reading

4. Eliminate Wrong Options

Use the process of elimination (POE):

Eliminate options that contradict the passage.

Eliminate those that are too general or too specific.

Eliminate those that sound correct but include extra information not mentioned in the passage.

5. Match Meaning, Not Words

The IELTS reading test uses paraphrasing, not direct repetition.

Focus on the idea, not the same vocabulary.

Example:

Passage: “Children are prone to obesity due to lack of outdoor activities.”
Question: “Why do many children gain weight?”
Correct answer: “They don’t spend enough time playing outside.”

6. Be Careful with “Traps”

Watch out for distractors — answers that seem right but are partially true.

Avoid choosing an option just because it uses familiar words from the passage.

Check if the option fully answers the question.

7. Manage Time Wisely

Don’t spend too long on one MCQ.

If unsure, mark it and move on. You can return later.

Always guess — there is no negative marking.

8. Check for Logical Consistency

Ask yourself:

Does this option make sense based on the passage?

Does it answer exactly what the question asks?