Reading &Listening Strategies
Skim, scan, signposts & paraphrase — exam skills
CEFR Pathway · You are here
Get talking · Section 1
5 minWarm up
When you read in English, do you read every word? Why / why not?
What's the hardest thing about listening exams for you?
A question asks 'What time does the train leave?'. What kind of answer are you hunting for?
Grammar focus · Section 2
8–10 minSix strategies: three for reading, three for listening
READING — switch mode for every question: 1.
→ Skim → 'The article is about home-working trends.'
→ Scan → 'The number is 42%.'
→ Close read → 'The writer is doubtful — she uses "supposedly" twice.'
→ 'It was great… HOWEVER, the food was awful.' → the answer is the food.
→ Audio: 'I changed my mind.' Option: 'She altered her decision.' → match.
More detail
SKIM (10–15 seconds a paragraph) for the gist: 'What is the text about?' 2. SCAN (5–10 seconds) hunting a name, number or date: 'In which year…?' 3. CLOSE READ, slowly, for inference: 'Why does the writer say…?' Look for opinion words — supposedly, seems, apparently, unfortunately. LISTENING — you only hear it once or twice, so prepare: 1. PREDICT the answer type before you press play (a time, a place, a feeling). 2. SIGNPOSTS — however, actually, in fact, on the other hand, overall. The real answer usually arrives just AFTER the signpost. 3. PARAPHRASE — the options never repeat the audio words. 'It was packed' = 'It was crowded'. Match meaning, not words. Both papers use DISTRACTORS: options that contain words from the text or audio but say something the speaker did not mean.
When to use
- Gist question → skim.
- Fact, number or name → scan.
- Opinion or 'why' question → close read.
- Any listening task → predict, then listen for the signpost.
| Question type | Reading mode | Listening move |
|---|---|---|
| What is it about? | Skim | Listen to the first and last lines |
| Which year / how many? | Scan | Predict: a number is coming |
| How does she feel? | Close read opinion words | Catch 'overall' / 'to be honest' |
| Which is NOT true? | Check each option in the text | Beware the distractor |
Questions first, always
In reading, read the questions and underline one keyword each before you touch the text. It's the single biggest score lift.
Don't hunt for identical words
If an option repeats the exact words you heard, it is often the distractor. Match the meaning.
90-second rule
Stuck for more than 90 seconds? Skip it, come back at the end, and never leave a blank.
Question 1.Which mode for 'What is the text about?'
Question 2.Which mode for 'In which year?'
Question 3.Which is a signpost?
Question 4.The listening answer usually comes…
Question 5.Best first step in a reading paper?
Quick check 1.Gist =
Quick check 2.A wrong option that sounds right =
Quick check 3.Options are usually a…
Vocabulary · Section 3
5–7 minWords & phrases to own
Don't just read these — say one out loud, then use it about your life.
to skim
read quickly for the main idea
"I skimmed the article over coffee."
Skim today's passage in 20 seconds.
to scan
search a text for one specific item
"She scanned the page for his name."
Scan the passage for a number.
gist
the main idea
"Give me the gist in one sentence."
Give the gist of any news article.
signpost
a word that shows where the speaker is going
"'However' is a key signpost."
Find three signposts in a podcast.
to paraphrase
say the same thing in different words
"Paraphrase 'exhausted' as 'very tired'."
Paraphrase three sentences now.
distractor
a wrong option that sounds right
"Watch out for the distractor."
Find a distractor in any quiz.
Discuss with a partner
- →Tell your partner the gist of a headline you read today.
- →Give an example of an inference question and a fact question.
Finish the sentence about you
- I'll skim first, then… …
- The signpost there was… …
- I'd paraphrase that as… …
Pronunciation · Section 4
3–4 minHearing weak forms — and stressed instruction words
- • What're ya gonna do?
- • Could've, would've, should've.
- • Choose the BEST answer.
- • Which is NOT mentioned?
How to say it
Two ears, two jobs. In the audio, natural speech hides words: 'Have you been there?' sounds like /əv jə bɪn ðeə/ — learn the shape, don't chase every sound. On the paper, instructions hide their meaning in one stressed word: 'Choose the BEST answer' means several are partly right; 'Which is NOT mentioned?' turns the whole task around.
Reading · Section 5
8–10 minThe four-step method that works for both papers
Most B1 candidates lose marks to time, not to vocabulary. The fix is the same in both receptive papers: stop reading or listening for everything, and start hunting for one thing at a time. Step 1: read the QUESTIONS first and underline one keyword in each — a name, a number, a feeling. Step 2: get the shape. In reading, skim the text in under a minute; in listening, use the pause before the audio to predict what kind of answer each question needs. Step 3: hunt. Scan the text for your keyword and read only the sentence around it; in the audio, listen for the signpost — however, actually, in fact, overall — and grab the next five words. Step 4: check the trap. If an option repeats the exact words of the text or audio, ask yourself whether it really means the same thing. Students who train these four steps for a month usually gain 15–20% without learning a single new grammar point.
Read carefully, then answer the detail questions. Underline the words in the text that gave you each answer.
Question 1.What do most candidates lose marks to?
Question 2.What should you do first?
Question 3.Possible improvement in a month?
Q1.You should read the questions before the text.
Q2.Options usually repeat the exact words of the audio.
Q3.Opinion words help with inference questions.
Listening · Section 6
8–10 minA talk full of signposts (and distractors)
Listening audio
Tap play to listen. Replay as many times as you need.
Show transcript
Speaker:So, our office used to be in central London. It was lovely — great cafés, lots of light.
Speaker:However, the rent kept going up.
Speaker:Last year we moved to a smaller building in Hackney.
Speaker:Actually, in fact, the team loves it more — fewer distractions, better focus.
Speaker:On the other hand, the commute is longer for two members of the team.
Speaker:Overall, I'd say it was the right move.
Listen once for the whole picture, then again for the details before you answer.
Question 1.Where is the office NOW?
Question 2.How does the team feel?
Question 3.Final verdict?
Exam skills · Section 7
5 minCambridge PET Reading & Listening — one method, two papers
Task
Do a 5-question reading task in 12 minutes, then a 6-question listening task using prediction.
Strategy
READING: questions → skim → scan → close. Underline the keyword in every question first. If two options look right, choose the one supported by an actual line of the text. LISTENING: predict the answer type, listen FOR the signpost, then match meaning rather than words. In both papers, skip after 90 seconds and never leave a blank — an educated guess between two options is worth marks.
Example
Q: 'How does the speaker feel about the move?' a) regretful b) satisfied c) angry. Audio: 'Overall, I'd say it was the right move.' The signpost 'overall' flags the verdict; 'right move' paraphrases as 'satisfied'. Answer: b.
Practice · Section 8
8–10 minFill in the blank
Question 1.____ the questions before the text.
Question 2.I'll ____ for the number 42.
Question 3.The ____ of the text is climate change.
Question 4.'However' is a key ____.
Question 5.A wrong option that sounds right is a ____.
Q1.Mode for: 'What is the writer's opinion?'
Q2.Mode for: 'How many people…?'
Q3.Paraphrase 'It was packed':
Writing · Section 9
5 minPut it in writing
Write your own version first, then open the model and compare — what would you change?
Your task
Write a 150-word study guide for a younger student sitting a B1 exam. Cover the four steps, three reading modes and the two listening traps (signposts and paraphrase). Give two concrete examples.
Compare with the model
EXAM SURVIVAL GUIDE. (1) Read the QUESTIONS first and underline one keyword in each. (2) Get the shape: skim the text in 60 seconds, or predict the answer type before the audio starts. (3) Hunt: scan for your keyword and read only the sentence around it; in listening, wait for the signpost — however, actually, overall — and grab the next five words. (4) Check the trap: if an option repeats the exact words, ask whether it really means the same thing. EXAMPLES: 'In which year…?' → scan. Audio says 'exhausted', the option says 'very tired' → that's your answer. Don't get stuck: skip after 90 seconds, come back, and never leave a blank.
Speaking · Section 10
10–15 minMake it a real conversation
EXAM COACH ROLEPLAY · Pairs. A is a nervous candidate, B is the coach. B walks A through a sample reading paper using the four steps, then drills prediction: A reads a listening question, B names the answer type in under two seconds. Swap roles.
Useful phrases
- • Read the questions first.
- • Underline the keyword.
- • Skim — under a minute.
- • The answer type is…
- • Match the meaning, not the words.
- • Skip and come back.
Role-play & swap
Role-play the scenario once. Then swap roles and change two details so the second run is not a repeat.
- AI always start by reading the whole text twice.
- B_______________
- ANone of the options were in the audio.
- B_______________
Optional · Teacher-led
Teacher Activities
Drill mode-switching and prediction until they are automatic; the content itself is easy. ~24 min total
Homework · Section 11
Take-homeTake it home
Do one sample reading paper with the four-step method and time yourself.
Listen to a five-minute clip and list every signpost you hear.
Paraphrase ten sentences in writing, changing every keyword.
Recap · Section 12
2–3 minWhat you've learned
- Both papers reward strategy, not perfection.
- Reading modes: skim (gist), scan (facts), close read (inference).
- Listening moves: predict, catch the signpost, decode the paraphrase.
- Distractors repeat words but change the meaning.
- Skip after 90 seconds; never leave a blank.
Extra Practice
Grammar · Vocabulary · Speaking · Review
Found this lesson tricky? Practise the language from Lesson 47 again.
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