Composition of IELTS passages

The Introduction

• The introduction of a passage usually contains the main idea or topic of the passage.
• Usually the answer to finding a suitable heading or title of a passage can be found in the introduction.

The Conclusion

• The conclusion summarizes the main points of the passage.

The following give more clues

• Title and sub-titles
• Instructions / Questions
• Examples
• Illustrations, figures, tables, graphs, diagrams
• Bold printed words

Titles and Subtitles

• The title of the passage itself can give a rough idea about the main topic of the passage.
• Sub-titles for each section of the passage tell us what is contained in them.

Skimming

• Skim through the passage in a minute to get an overview of the passage.
• It helps to know the topic, what the passage is about and the writer’s purpose.