Every IELTS Reading guide tells you to skim and scan. But almost nobody explains when to use which — and using the wrong one on the wrong question type will cost you significant time.
What's the Difference?
Skimming means reading quickly to get the general idea of a passage. You read topic sentences, look at headings, and get a sense of what each paragraph is about. Speed: very fast (30–60 seconds for a whole passage).
Scanning means moving your eyes quickly through text to find a specific piece of information — a name, a number, a date. You're not reading for meaning; you're looking for a specific target. Speed: extremely fast once you know what you're looking for.
When to Skim
- Matching Headings — you need to understand what each paragraph is about, not find specific facts.
- Choosing a title for the passage — requires overall understanding.
- Before any question type — a 60-second skim at the start helps you know where information is located.
When to Scan
- True/False/Not Given — you've read the statement, now find the relevant part of the text.
- Short-answer questions — looking for a specific fact, name, or number.
- Sentence completion — locating the section of the passage being referenced.
The 3-Step Approach for Every IELTS Reading Passage
- Skim the passage (60 seconds) — get a mental map of which paragraph covers which idea.
- Read the questions carefully — underline key words in each question.
- Scan for those key words — go back to the relevant paragraph and read that section carefully.
Time Management
You have 60 minutes for 40 questions across 3 passages — that's 90 seconds per question. Don't read the whole passage carefully first. Use your 60-second skim, then work question-by-question.
If you can't find the answer after 90 seconds, move on and return to it. Spending 4 minutes on one question while leaving 3 questions unanswered at the end is the most common Reading mistake.