R06: Skimming, scanning, detailed reading: when to use each

Good readers don't read everything at the same speed. They change gears, like a driver. Sometimes they read fast to get the general idea. Sometimes they search for one name or number. And sometimes they slow down to read one sentence very carefully. IELTS Reading rewards students who know which gear to use.

Why this matters

If you read every word slowly, you won't finish. If you only read fast, you'll miss details and lose marks. The skill is switching: fast to find, slow to answer.

Gear 1: Skimming (reading for the main idea)

Skimming means reading quickly to understand what a text is about, without reading every word.

How to skim a passage in about 2 minutes:

1. Read the title and any subtitle.
2. Read the first sentence of each paragraph. It often tells you the topic.
3. Glance at the last sentence of each paragraph.
4. Notice names, dates and numbers, but don't stop on them.

Use skimming for: matching headings, understanding the passage structure, and multiple choice about the main idea.

Gear 2: Scanning (searching for something specific)

Scanning means moving your eyes quickly to find a specific word or piece of information. You're not reading. You're searching, like looking for your name on a results list.

Easy things to scan for:

• names of people and places (they start with capital letters)
• dates and numbers
• technical words or words in italics

Use scanning for: matching features, short-answer questions, and finding where a question's answer is.

Gear 3: Detailed reading (reading carefully)

Once you've found the right place, slow down. Read the two or three sentences around it very carefully. This is where you decide the answer.

Use detailed reading for: True/False/Not Given, sentence completion, and multiple choice.

The pattern for most questions

Skim once at the start. Then for each question: scan to find the place, read carefully to answer.

Practice passage

The Return of the Tram

In the early twentieth century, trams were common in many European cities. By the 1960s, most had disappeared, replaced by buses and private cars. However, since the 1990s, more than 100 cities have reintroduced trams.

City planners give several reasons for this return. Trams produce no exhaust fumes on the street, which improves air quality. They can also carry far more passengers than a bus. In Strasbourg, France, the new tram network opened in 1994 and now carries hundreds of thousands of passengers each week.

Not everyone is convinced. Critics argue that building tram lines is extremely expensive and causes years of disruption during construction.

Try it yourself

1. Skim: In one sentence, what is the passage about?
2. Scan: In which year did Strasbourg's tram network open?
3. Read carefully: According to critics, what are the two problems with trams?

1. Trams are coming back in many cities, for good reasons, though some people disagree.
2. 1994. (Your eyes should have jumped to the number and the capital letter in Strasbourg.)
3. They are very expensive to build, and construction causes years of disruption.

Honest note

Skimming feels uncomfortable at first. You'll worry you're missing something. You are, and that's fine. You'll come back to the details later, only when a question needs them.

Your task today

Take one Cambridge passage. Skim it in 2 minutes with a timer. Then write the main idea of each paragraph in five words or fewer.