Scanning is a reading skill used to quickly find a specific word, phrase, or piece of information in a text. Your eyes move quickly over the passage until the exact word or detail you’re looking for stands out.
Scanning helps you locate answers to specific questions fast, while skimming is used to get a general understanding or main idea of the text.
Why do you scan?
In the IELTS Reading test, you scan a passage for two purposes.
- To find answers to Short Answer questions. In this question type we scan for key words in the question and for the specific information needed to answer the question. The specific information could be:-
- names to answer a question beginning “Who…?”
- places to answer a question beginning “ Where…?”
- dates to answer a question beginning “When…?”
- numbers to answer a question beginning “How much…?” “ How many…?” “How long …?”
- other information to answer a question beginning “What…?”
- For all other Specific Information question types, to locate where an answer is in the passage. In other question types, you scan for a specific phrase or key word (or words with a similar meaning) from the question. When you find this key word or phrase in the passage, you can then read intensively for detail to get an answer.
The scanning process
The following three-step process can be followed to scan:-
| Step 1 Identify the key words in the question. These words indicate what you need to scan for. Underline them. Keep them in your mind. ⇩ |
| Step 2 Scan the passage for the key words (or words with similar meaning) from the question.When you locate these key words (or words with similar meaning) in the passage, circle them. ⇩ |
| Step 3 Read the sentence(s) with the key words to find the answer. ⇩ |
Demonstrating the process of scanning
Let’s look at an example Short Answer question for the passage:-
| Title: The Educational History of Comics Paragraph A Comics, or something very similar to them, have been used as tools for instruction for thousands of years. Sequential or serial art—a series of images that convey a narrative—has existed almost as long as human civilization itself. Long before written language was developed, humans relied on visual storytelling to share knowledge, such as depicting a successful hunt or important cultural rituals. In prehistoric caves such as Lascaux in France, early humans created detailed wall paintings that illustrated simple stories, likely used to teach or preserve traditions. These early visual stories functioned as educational aids for those who could not read or write. |
Example
| Question 1 Answer the following question using NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS for each answer. 1 Where can prehistoric cave paintings be found? |
Let’s now use the three-step scanning process below to answer Question 1.
| Step 1: Identify Key Words in the Question Look for the most important words in the question that tell you what to scan for. Key words: Where → This tells you the answer will be a place. prehistoric cave paintings → These are the main terms to search for in the passage. 📌 Tip: Keep these words in your mind as you scan the text. |
| Step 2: Scan the Passage for the Key Words or Synonyms Use your finger or pencil to move quickly across the text. Look for: The exact phrase “prehistoric cave paintings” or similar wording. A place name, since the question is asking “Where?”. 💡 Helpful Tip: If you have already skimmed the passage before, use your notes or circled items (like names and places) to decide which paragraph to scan first. In this case, Paragraph A is most likely to contain the answer. |
| Step 3: Read the Sentence Carefully to Find the Answer Once you find the key phrase (e.g., “prehistoric cave paintings”), read the whole sentence to understand the context. Look for a place name mentioned in connection with the paintings. Example sentence from the passage: “In prehistoric caves such as Lascaux in France, early humans created detailed wall paintings that illustrated simple stories…” ✅ The phrase “such as Lascaux in France” tells you where the cave paintings were found. Correct Answer: Lascaux |
For all other question types that require you to find more detailed information, the scanning process is the same, but the purpose is slightly different. The purpose is to find the location of the answer in the passage.
By scanning you do not find the answer but you find where the answer is located. Now you need to read slowly around these words to find the answer. This is reading intensively for detail.