Keyword Ladder Visual
Visual representation of the keyword ladder.
Click to zoom
Prioritize keywords that cannot be changed or paraphrased.
Use the question's key words to predict what kind of answer to look for before you search.
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Teach predicting what kind of answer/evidence is needed.
Many IELTS students lose time because they read a question, pick a random word, and immediately start reading the passage. This leads to aimless reading and getting stuck on difficult vocabulary.
To scan effectively, you must build a Search Plan. Step one is predicting exactly what you are looking for.
Visual representation of the keyword ladder.
Prioritize keywords that cannot be changed or paraphrased.
Fixed keyword, flexible keyword, idea keyword, trap keyword.
These cannot be paraphrased easily. They stand out visually in a text. Always scan for these first.
These are highly likely to be replaced by synonyms in the passage. Use them to confirm you found the right sentence.
Words like 'research', 'development', or the title of the essay itself. These appear everywhere and are terrible for scanning.
Learner predicts noun, number, person, place, cause, result, opinion.
Predicting the answer type before scanning the text is a crucial strategy for the IELTS Reading exam. For example, if a question asks 'How many participants were involved?', you should instantly predict that the answer will be a . When a question asks 'Who developed the new theory?', your predicted answer type must be a . For a sentence completion task like 'The rare bird is usually found in a...', the preposition indicates you are looking for a . If the heading discusses 'When the legislation was passed,' you must scan the paragraphs specifically for a . In your daily study routine, always analyze the question stem to determine the exact you need before looking at the passage. This active prediction method prevents passive reading and helps you quickly locate the correct under time pressure.
Learner marks strong and weak keywords in a question.
Terms
Definitions
AI reviews learner’s keyword choices.
Analyze the question above. Identify your Fixed Keywords to scan for first, your Flexible Keywords to confirm meaning, and what type of answer you predict you will need.
What will you scan for first because it won't be paraphrased?
What words will help you confirm you found the right sentence?
What specific type of information is the question asking for?