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Reading: Short Answer Questions
A straightforward question type that requires exact vocabulary and strict word limits.
Mini-Masterclass: Beating the Word Limit Trap
Let’s look at how the word count limit can turn a correct understanding of the text into a score of zero if you are not careful.
Read the Text Extract:
“The rhinoceros is Africa’s armoured giant – like a tank on legs – and has been on our planet for millions of years.”
Question:
“What is the African rhinoceros compared to?”
Step 1: Match Paraphrasing. The question asks what it is “compared to”. The text uses the word “like”. We are in the right spot.
Step 2: Check the Rules. The instruction says NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS AND/OR A NUMBER.
Step 3: Extract the Answer. If you write “a tank on legs”, you have written FOUR words and will score a zero. You must write tank on legs.
Step 2: Check the Rules. The instruction says NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS AND/OR A NUMBER.
Step 3: Extract the Answer. If you write “a tank on legs”, you have written FOUR words and will score a zero. You must write tank on legs.
The 6-Step Scanning Strategy
Use this systematic method to save time and ensure you don’t fall for the examiner’s paraphrasing traps.
1
Check the Rules
Read the instructions very carefully. Note exactly how many words you are allowed to write (e.g., NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS). Remember, hyphenated words count as a single word, and numbers (e.g., 100) count as a number.
2
Read the Questions First
Never read the passage first. Read the questions so you know exactly what information you are hunting for. Try to understand what specific detail is being asked (a name, a percentage, a reason).
3
Highlight Keywords
Underline the keywords in the question. Think about possible synonyms for them. If the question asks for “illegally killed”, prepare your brain to scan for words like “poached”, “hunted”, or “murdered”.
4
Skim Read the Text
Do a fast skim read of the text. Read the first sentence of each paragraph in a little more detail than the rest, as this usually introduces the main idea of that section.
5
Scan and Locate
Go back to Question 1. Scan the text for the keywords you underlined. Remember: The answers always come in order! Question 1 will likely be in Paragraph 1 or 2.
6
Read in Deep Detail
Once you find the keyword (or its synonym), stop scanning. Read that specific sentence in deep detail to extract the exact word or words you need to answer the question. Check your spelling and grammar.
10 Quick Strategy Challenges
Click to reveal how you should analyze these common Short Answer scenarios.
1. The limit is “NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS”. The text says “the local library”. What should you write?
You can write “local library” or “the library”. Writing all three words (“the local library”) will be marked wrong!
2. True or False: The answers will appear in chronological order as you read down the text.
True! Short Answer questions ALWAYS follow the chronological order of the text. Let the numbers guide you.
3. The question asks: “What percentage of rhinos…”. The text says “96% of them…”. What is the answer format?
Write “96%”. You do not need to spell out the word “percent” unless the instruction specifically asks you not to use symbols. The symbol ‘%’ is treated as part of the number.
4. The question asks for a date. The text says “The first of May”. How should you format your answer?
“1 May” or “1st May” are both perfect and count as one number and one word.
5. You are looking for the keyword “a hundred” but cannot find it anywhere. What should you do?
Look for the numerical format “100”. Examiners love to switch between words and figures to test if you are really paying attention.
6. You find the answer for Question 1 in Paragraph A, and Question 3 in Paragraph C. Where should you scan for Question 2?
Scan the end of Paragraph A and all of Paragraph B. The answers always follow the chronological order of the text.
7. The question asks: “How have the criminals improved…”. The text mentions “poachers have got increasingly better equipped”. What is the paraphrase?
“Criminals” is paraphrased as “poachers”. “Improved” is paraphrased as “increasingly”. The answer is “better equipped”.
8. The limit is “ONE WORD ONLY”. The text says “a protective outer casing”. The question asks “What is the material wrapped in?” What do you write?
Answer: casing. You must drop the adjectives “protective” and “outer” to fit the strict one-word limit.
9. You find the perfect word, but it’s spelled strangely in the text (e.g., ‘colour’ vs ‘color’). Which spelling should you use?
Copy the spelling EXACTLY as it appears in the reading passage. If you alter the spelling and make a mistake, you will lose the mark.
10. You spend 3 minutes looking for one answer and feel completely stuck. What is your next move?
Stop searching. Make an educated guess, write it down, and move immediately to the next question. Do not sacrifice your time management.
10 Full Short Answer Practice Tests
Put your strategies to the ultimate test with these full IELTS Reading Short Answer tasks.
