Duration: 90 minutesModule: ReadingFocus: Keyword scanning, matching people to views, grammar-driven completion
Objectives
Scan quickly for names, titles, and the views attached to each.
Match by paraphrase, not by exact wording.
Apply word-count and word-form rules to sentence completion.
Recognise misleading info — similar views attached to the wrong person.
0:00 – 0:10
Warm-Up: Keyword Hunt Game
Three IELTS-style sentences. In teams, race to identify the Subject (who or what), Action (the main verb), and Key Detail (the important number, opinion, or qualifier). First team done correctly scores.
Three sentences to break down
Sentence 1. Dr. Elena Ramirez argues that early childhood reading habits significantly improve later academic performance, with effects measurable up to age 18.
Subject
Action
Key detail
Sentence 2. The Roman aqueducts, constructed primarily between 312 BC and 226 AD, supplied an estimated 1 million cubic metres of water daily to Rome at the empire's peak.
Subject
Action
Key detail
Sentence 3. Professor Kenji Tanaka rejects the claim that bilingual children are slower learners, citing studies of over 5,000 students.
Subject
Action
Key detail
Subject: Dr. Elena Ramirez · Action: argues · Key detail: childhood reading improves academic performance (measurable to 18)
Subject: The Roman aqueducts · Action: supplied · Key detail: 1 million cubic metres of water daily
Subject: Professor Kenji Tanaka · Action: rejects · Key detail: bilingual children are NOT slower learners (5,000-student study)
The capitalised name is your scanning anchor. The verb tells you the kind of view (argues / rejects / cites / claims). The detail attaches the data point to the name.
0:10 – 0:35
Matching Features — People to Views
Matching Features asks you to pair items (usually people) with statements (their opinions or findings). Names are the easiest things to scan for — they're capitalised. The hard part is paraphrase: the question almost never uses the same words as the passage.
Strategy
Find each name in the passage. Mark it.
Underline the view/opinion next to each name.
Read each question statement and find its paraphrase next to one of the names.
Beware: one person can have several views. Some views may not match anyone (write NB / No Match).
Answers are not in order — unlike most other question types.
Passage
In the debate on climate change solutions, several experts offer differing opinions. Dr. Alan Foster, a climatologist, believes that carbon capture technology is essential for reducing emissions quickly, as it can store CO2 underground. However, environmental activist Lena Kim argues that relying on unproven tech distracts from immediate actions like reforestation, which she says could absorb 15 gigatons of CO2 annually. Economist Raj Patel warns that high costs of carbon capture might burden developing countries, suggesting instead global subsidies for solar energy. Finally, policy advisor Sofia Chen states that international agreements, such as the Paris Accord signed in 2015, are the key to unified action, though she admits enforcement remains a challenge.
Match people to views
People: A Dr. Alan Foster · B Lena Kim · C Raj Patel · D Sofia Chen. Write NB if no person matches.
Solar subsidies are needed to avoid economic strain on poorer nations.
Global pacts like the Paris Accord need better enforcement.
Wind power should be prioritized over solar.
Carbon capture is a vital method for emission reduction.
Reforestation offers a natural way to absorb large amounts of CO2.
C — "economic strain on poorer nations" paraphrases "burden developing countries"; "solar subsidies" matches directly.
D — "enforcement" is the literal match, but the framing "need better enforcement" paraphrases "enforcement remains a challenge".
NB — wind power isn't mentioned at all. Trap for anyone who assumes "solar" = "wind".
A — "vital" paraphrases "essential".
B — "natural way to absorb large amounts" paraphrases "reforestation … could absorb 15 gigatons".
Common trap
Two people may discuss the same topic but with different views. Read carefully — don't pick a name just because they mentioned the keyword.
0:35 – 0:55
Sentence Completion
Sentence completion is summary completion's stricter cousin: you must use words exactly from the passage. Don't change the form. Don't paraphrase. Don't add extra words.
The rules
Word count: respect it strictly ("NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS" means 2 max).
Words from the passage: exact words only, in the form they appear.
Don't change forms: if the passage says "developed", don't write "develop".
Passage extract
The invention of the smartphone in 1992 by IBM marked a turning point in communication. These devices integrate calling, internet access, and apps, leading to widespread adoption. By 2023, over 6.8 billion people used smartphones globally. Challenges include privacy risks from data collection and addiction among young users. Governments are introducing regulations to protect consumers.
Drill 1 — Exact words (grammar focus)
Complete each sentence using NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS from the passage.
The smartphone was invented in by IBM.
Smartphones have led to adoption worldwide.
Over billion people used them in 2023.
Drill 2 — Synonyms & word limit
The main issues are privacy and user addiction.
are creating rules to safeguard users.
Drill 3 — Full context
IBM's invention represented a major in how people communicate.
Notice answers come directly from the passage. If you wrote "advance" instead of "turning point" — that's a paraphrase, and it would be marked wrong on sentence completion.
Timing
About 20 seconds per blank in the real test. Read the sentence first, predict the word type, then scan. Don't read the whole passage every time — locate one blank, find the answer, move on.
0:55 – 1:25
Timed Practice — Both Types Together
20 minutes. Annotate the passage as you read, then answer both question sets.
20:00
Mixed practice — 20 min
Passage: The Debate Over Genetically Modified Crops
The use of genetically modified (GM) crops remains one of agriculture's most contested topics. Professor Hannah Wright, a plant geneticist at Cornell, argues that GM technology has prevented millions of deaths from vitamin A deficiency through innovations like golden rice, first developed in 2000. Dr. Marcus Liang, an agricultural economist, contends that GM crops have largely benefited large agribusinesses rather than smallholder farmers, citing that 80% of GM seed patents are held by just four corporations. By contrast, food-safety researcher Anita Bose emphasises that decades of human consumption data have shown no measurable health risks, though she acknowledges public mistrust persists. Carlos Mendoza, a soil scientist, raises a different concern: that herbicide-resistant GM crops have led to overuse of glyphosate, contributing to a 50% increase in resistant weed species since 2010.
Questions 1–4 — Matching Features
A Hannah Wright · B Marcus Liang · C Anita Bose · D Carlos Mendoza. Write NB if no match.
Long-term consumption hasn't been shown to harm human health.
GM crops have produced humanitarian benefits in nutrition.
An unintended ecological effect has been the spread of resistant plants.
The financial gains have gone mostly to a small number of large companies.
Questions 5–8 — Sentence Completion (NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS)
Golden rice was developed to address deficiency.
According to Dr. Liang, just corporations hold most GM seed patents.
Public in GM technology has not gone away.
Herbicide-resistant crops have caused increased use of .
Matching: 1 C (no measurable health risks = hasn't harmed health) · 2 A (golden rice = nutrition) · 3 D (resistant weed species) · 4 B (four corporations = small number of large companies)
Completion: 5 vitamin A · 6 four (or "4") · 7 mistrust · 8 glyphosate
Notice 7: "mistrust" is what the passage says. If you wrote "distrust" or "skepticism", they'd be wrong despite being correct synonyms — sentence completion is unforgiving.
Last 25 min
Timed Drill — Matching Features + Sentence Completion
A harder, exam-style passage with several named researchers. Match each view to the right person, then complete the sentences with words from the passage. Start the timer, then Check answers for an instant score.
1:25 – 1:30
Wrap-Up & Homework
Tomorrow is the full mock test. Sleep tonight, eat breakfast, bring water. 60 minutes, 40 questions, 3 passages, no breaks.
Tonight's homework
Write a paragraph using 10 common IELTS academic words from this week. Words to try: contrast, increase, theory, process, factor, evidence, significant, demonstrate, consequence, primarily. About 30 minutes.