JurassicLast reviewed:
Keep inference proportionate to the evidence. A passage may support a cautious conclusion without supporting a stronger claim about intention, certainty or every member of a group. The route towards band 7 therefore gives special attention to scope and to disciplined Not Given decisions. An evidence log makes reasoning visible when two answers both seem defensible.
This page describes common priorities when aiming for this band. It is not an assessment of your level; only an IELTS test or a teacher's assessment can confirm your band.
What usually needs to be in place
- Separate an implication from an explicit statement.
- Notice qualifiers such as some, mainly and may.
- Distinguish an author view from a quoted view.
- Explain why an unsupported claim remains undecided.
These priorities are teaching hypotheses for planning practice, rather than a checklist that awards a result; use unfamiliar material and feedback from a qualified teacher to decide which part of the route deserves more attention.
Common sticking points on the way to band 7
- A likely explanation becomes a claimed intention. RDG-TFNG-ASSUME
- One example is expanded into a statement about everyone. RDG-DENSE-DECODE
- An uncertain statement is marked False without an actual contradiction. RDG-TFNG-ASSUME
One practice step you can do today
Use a passage describing a pilot project. Underline what the writer directly reports and circle what you infer. In the evidence guide, pair each inference with a limiting word. Change an answer only when you can identify new textual evidence, and record the reason rather than erasing your first thought.
Open the practice tool or guide →
Keep a short record of the prompt, the decision you made and the evidence for the correction, including whether the difficulty arose while understanding the task, choosing a response or checking the final answer, and take that distinction into account when selecting fresh material, so that the next session tests a specific learning question rather than simply repeating material you already remember.
IELTS test format — Reading
Reading uses marked answers to test questions, with Academic and General Training treated as distinct papers; consult the scoring explanation for how results are reported rather than converting a local drill into a band. A short exercise covers only part of the paper, so a useful review looks at the reasons for answers on new material before drawing any broader conclusion about learning needs; the priorities above are our teaching choices and are not separate Reading band descriptors.
Read the assessment explanationChecked 5 Nov 2026
Jurassic teaching method
Discuss the smallest claim the passage supports. Compare two defensible readings and test their scope against the exact wording. This develops a review habit without pretending that a few carefully discussed questions establish a full test result.
Questions about this practice route
Is a sensible inference always a correct answer?
It must answer the question at the supported level of certainty; a sensible extra assumption can still go beyond the text.
How do I justify Not Given?
State which required fact is missing and show why nearby information neither confirms nor contradicts it.
Should I keep my first answer?
Retain or change it for an evidence-based reason, rather than treating first instincts as a universal rule.