Reading · Unit 2: Common mistakes
R18: No time left for Passage 3
Target band 6 to 6.5
This is a very common Reading story. "I did fine on Passages 1 and 2, but I only had 8 minutes for Passage 3." The problem isn't Passage 3. The problem is the time you lost earlier, without noticing. This lesson helps you find the leak and fix it.
Why this matters
Passage 3 has about 13 or 14 questions. If you only have time for half of them, you lose about 6 or 7 marks. That's often the difference between band 6 and band 7. Fixing your time can raise your score more than any vocabulary list.
Where the time goes: the five leaks
- Reading Passage 1 too carefully. It feels easy, so you relax and read every word.
- Getting stuck. One hard question takes 4 minutes (R14).
- Rereading the passage from the top for every question, instead of using order (R17).
- Double-checking easy answers while you go. You check them again at the end anyway.
- Not looking at the clock until it's too late.
Find your leak
In your next practice test, write down the time when you start each passage, and when you finish each question block. After the test, look at the numbers. Where did you spend more than you planned? That's your leak.
Fix it with checkpoints
Use the smart plan from R07:
| Checkpoint | Time used | You should be... |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 17 minutes | starting Passage 2 |
| 2 | 37 minutes | starting Passage 3 |
| 3 | 60 minutes | finished, with every box filled |
If you reach a checkpoint late, don't finish the passage slowly. Guess the remaining questions quickly and move on.
Should I do Passage 3 first?
Some students do Passage 3 first, because it's the hardest. This can work, but it has risks. Passage 3 can eat up 30 minutes, and then you rush the easier passages. My advice: keep the normal order, unless you've practised the other way many times and it works for you.
Speed up Passage 1
Passage 1 is usually the most factual. Many of its questions are completion or True/False/Not Given, which follow order. Move through it steadily, top to bottom. Aim to finish in 17 minutes. The minutes you save are Passage 3's minutes.
Try it yourself
A student's times: Passage 1 took 24 minutes, Passage 2 took 23 minutes, Passage 3 got 13 minutes. Where's the leak, and what should they change?
Show the answers
Passage 1 is the main leak, 7 minutes over the smart plan. They should push Passage 1 to 17 minutes, using skimming and the order rule, and use the 90-second rule on hard questions.
Honest note
When you first speed up, your Passage 1 score might drop a little. That's okay. The marks you gain in Passage 3 will more than make up for it.
Your task today
Do a full Reading test and record your times. Find your biggest leak.