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Mastering Rapid Skimming Techniques: Read 900 Words in 2 Minutes Mastering Rapid Skimming Techniques: How to Read a 900-Word Text in Under 2 Minutes to Locate Key Ideas Time is your ultimate currency when tackling complex reading exams like the IELTS, academic research papers, or heavy professional briefs. Imagine opening a lengthy document containing exactly 900 words. Under normal circumstances, an average reader takes anywhere between three to four minutes to digest this volume of text. However, when the clock is ticking, you don't have the luxury of traditional reading. You need a strategy that shifts your reading paradigms completely. Welcome to the art of rapid skimming techniques . Skimming is not merely "reading fast" or casually skipping lines; it is a highly structured, deliberate, and cognitive process ...
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IELTS Phrasal Verbs | Essential Vocabulary for Band 7-9
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IELTS Phrasal Verbs | Essential Vocabulary for Band 7-9
Essential multi-word verbs for natural, fluent English – a hallmark of Band 7-9 candidates.
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Why Phrasal Verbs Matter for IELTS
Native speakers use phrasal verbs constantly. Using them naturally in Speaking (and occasionally in Writing) demonstrates fluency and lexical range. This guide focuses on the most useful ones – avoid rare or overly informal phrasal verbs in Writing Task 2.
Top 30 Essential Phrasal Verbs
🔍 Look / See
look after
take care of
"My grandmother looks after my younger brother."
look forward to
anticipate with pleasure
"I'm looking forward to my holiday."
look up
search for information
"I looked up the word in a dictionary."
find out
discover information
"I need to find out the train schedule."
📚 Study / Work
keep up with
stay at same level
"It's hard to keep up with my classmates."
catch up
reach the same level
"I need to catch up on my reading."
go over
review
"Let's go over the notes before the exam."
hand in
submit
"Please hand in your assignments by Friday."
⏰ Time / Progress
carry on
continue
"Carry on with your work."
get on with
continue / have a good relationship
"I get on well with my colleagues."
go through
experience
"She went through a difficult time."
put off
postpone
"Don't put off your homework until tomorrow."
💪 Effort / Success
give up
quit
"Never give up on your dreams."
carry out
perform / execute
"Scientists carried out an experiment."
come up with
produce an idea
"She came up with a brilliant solution."
figure out
understand / solve
"I can't figure out this maths problem."
🗣️ Communication
get across
communicate effectively
"He struggled to get his point across."
point out
mention / highlight
"The teacher pointed out my mistake."
talk into
persuade
"She talked me into joining the club."
call off
cancel
"The meeting was called off due to weather."
🌱 Growth / Change
end up
finally reach a state
"We ended up staying home."
turn into
transform into
"The caterpillar turned into a butterfly."
cut down on
reduce
"I need to cut down on sugar."
take up
start a hobby
"I took up photography last year."
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Phrasal Verbs by IELTS Topic
🌍 Environment
cut down on
"We must cut down on plastic waste."
throw away
"Don't throw away recyclable items."
wipe out
"Pollution could wipe out certain species."
phase out
"Many countries are phasing out coal power."
🎓 Education
catch up
"I need to catch up on my homework."
fall behind
"Don't fall behind in your studies."
drop out
"He dropped out of university."
go over
"Let's go over the key concepts."
💼 Work & Business
take on
"She took on extra responsibilities."
carry out
"We carried out a market survey."
set up
"They set up a new company."
run out of
"We ran out of office supplies."
🏠 Daily Life
get up
"I usually get up at 7 am."
turn on/off
"Please turn off the lights."
clean up
"Help me clean up the kitchen."
hang out
"I like hanging out with my friends."
Separable vs Inseparable Phrasal Verbs
📌 Separable (object can go between)
turn off → "Turn the light off" / "Turn off the light"
put on → "Put your coat on" / "Put on your coat"
take off → "Take your shoes off" / "Take off your shoes"
🔗 Inseparable (object must come after)
look after → "Look after the baby" (NOT "Look the baby after")
get over → "Get over the illness" (NOT "Get the illness over")
run into → "I ran into an old friend"
Phrasal Verbs for Speaking vs Writing
✅ Good for Speaking (informal/natural)
come up with
figure out
get along with
look forward to
put off
📖 Better for Writing (formal alternatives)
come up with → propose / suggest
figure out → determine / solve
get along with → have a good relationship with
put off → postpone
Use phrasal verbs sparingly in Writing Task 2 – they can be too informal. Use them more freely in Speaking.
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Practice Exercise
📝 Fill in the blanks
Complete the sentences with the correct phrasal verb from the list:
Word bank: look after, give up, put off, come up with, figure out, carry out
1. Please __________ the dog while I'm away.
2. Don't __________ your homework until the last minute.
3. She __________ a brilliant solution to the problem.
4. I can't __________ why the machine isn't working.
5. They __________ a series of experiments.
Answers: 1. look after, 2. put off, 3. came up with, 4. figure out, 5. carried out
Complete Phrasal Verbs PDF
100+ essential phrasal verbs with meanings and examples – free download.
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