Reading GT – Session 2 – Everyday Texts

What is it?

Everyday texts in the IELTS General Training Reading exam refer to types of texts that are commonly encountered in daily life. The average reader is expected to understand them. These writings may contain advertising, notices, brochures, product descriptions, and other similar forms of text. This type of text often appears in parts 1 and 2.

Notices are texts that provide information about a specific event, service, or product, such as a job opening or a change in a store’s open hours.

Product or service descriptions are written texts that provide information about a particular product or service, such as its features, benefits, and specifications. They are commonly used in catalogs and on websites to help customers make informed purchasing decisions.

How to deal with it?

In the IELTS General Training Reading exam, these everyday texts may be presented in a variety of formats, such as short paragraphs, bullet points, tables, or diagrams. The test assesses your ability to understand the main ideas, details, and purpose of these texts, as well as extract relevant details from them. So, when you get an everyday text, there are a few points you should keep in mind.

Purpose and main ideas/main messages

Understanding the text’s purpose is critical in determining what information is most relevant. Only by understanding the text’s purpose can you guess what the questions might be about and what to concentrate on. 

For example, if the text is an advertisement, you should pay attention to identifying the product or service being promoted, and the advertisement’s main message. If the text is a notice, you should look at the notice’s purpose, as well as any important details or instructions.

Main Ideas

Pay close attention to the main ideas presented in the text because this information is likely to be the most useful in answering questions. Make certain that you understand the connections between various pieces of information. There are 2 common types of connections between details in IELTS Reading

• Cause and effect: If this link appears in the text, there will almost certainly be questions about cause or effect. If the cause appears in the question, the effect is the answer. And vice versa, if the effect is in the question, the cause is the answer. Understanding the connection can help you determine what is required to answer the questions.
• Similarities and differences: This connection can be found in almost every IELTS GT Reading exam, where the text emphasizes the similarities and differences between various products or services. If the text contains several similarities, the questions will most likely focus on the differences. If there are many differences mentioned in the text, the questions will ask for information on the similarities.

Details

Pay close attention to specific details presented in the text, such as dates, times, numbers, and names. These details are frequently used to provide answers to specific questions.

Vocabulary

Vocabulary is without a doubt one of the most important aspects of understanding any piece of writing. The topics on the IELTS GT Reading exam are unpredictable and broad. Familiarize yourself with the vocabulary and terminology used in the text to make it easier to find the answers later. Don’t be concerned if you don’t understand the terminology. Special words are usually explained after they are mentioned in the text to ensure that you understand them. Furthermore, those words are usually kept consistent between the texts and the questions, so you won’t have trouble finding them when you need them.

Format

Different formats come with different meanings. Understanding the format can help you identify which information is needed, and which information is just a distraction, which helps you better understand the text and answer the questions.

• Bullet points: normally include details. You will not find the main ideas with bullet points.
• Tables: like bullet points, tables normally include a lot of details, but there are usually instructions and descriptions to guide you to the right location of the needed details. You can find the main ideas in the titles of the tables.
• Diagrams: represent processes. You can find the main ideas in the titles of the diagrams.