R08: Computer IELTS Reading: highlighting, notes and split screen

In Bangladesh, IELTS is now only on computer. According to IDP Bangladesh, paper-based IELTS ended after 31 January 2026. So your Reading test will be on a screen. The questions are the same as the paper test, but the way you work is different. If you've only practised on paper, test day will feel strange. This lesson helps you get comfortable before then.

Why this matters

On paper, students underline, circle and write notes in the margin. On a computer, you can't. You need different habits. Students who practise on screen before the test feel calm. Students who don't, lose time figuring out the tools.

What the screen looks like

• The passage is usually on one side of the screen and the questions on the other.
• You scroll each side separately.
• A timer shows how much time is left.
• A navigation bar at the bottom shows the question numbers, so you can jump between questions and see which ones you've answered.

Tools you can use

• Highlighting. You can select words in the passage and highlight them. Use this instead of underlining.
• Notes. You can add short notes to parts of the text.
• Answer types. Some answers are typed into boxes. Others are chosen by clicking an option or selecting from a list.

The exact tools can change, so practise with the official familiarisation test on the IELTS website.

New habits for the screen

1. Highlight sparingly. If you highlight everything, nothing stands out. Highlight only names, numbers and key words linked to questions.
2. Type carefully. There's no spellcheck. Copy words from the passage letter by letter.
3. Use the navigation bar. Before time ends, check for empty questions. Fill every one.
4. Keep track of where you are. Scrolling can make you lose your place. Use paragraph letters, like A, B, C, as landmarks.

Reading on screen is tiring

Screens are harder on the eyes than paper. Many of us read long texts on paper, but only short messages on phones. So build screen stamina:

• Read one long article a day on a laptop, not your phone.
• Do your Cambridge practice tests from a PDF on a laptop sometimes, if you have a legal copy.
• Sit at a desk, with the screen at eye level.

Try it yourself

True or false?

1. You can underline words with a pen on the computer test.
2. You can highlight words in the passage.
3. There's spellcheck in the answer boxes.
4. You get extra time at the end to transfer answers.

Honest note

The official screens and tools can be updated. What I describe here is general. Do the official familiarisation test at least twice before your exam so the real screen feels normal.

Your task today

Find the official IELTS computer familiarisation test and do the Reading section. Try the highlight and notes tools at least once.