Reading ARTICLES as a related activity to improve your language skills:

When it comes to reading as a sub-work in IELTS, it is not reading something simply to understand what it is about, rather it is, what I call, quizzical or analytical reading. What I mean by this is this:
• As you go on reading, look more for how an idea is presented than for what the idea is. This may help you identify the structure, the tense form, coherence and cohesion of ideas and finally, the related vocabulary being used by the writer.
• Remember the best way pick up vocabulary is to find them used, not by looking at dictionaries and thesaurus. They do help of course, but it is more about how they are used than about what they actually are.
• Remember no two persons write, speak, listen or read alike. So is the case with you: You are what your language is, at least in IELTS. Therefore, keep in mind the fact that every article you read has something new for your life. AJAYPEESDOC. 18.2.012
• The best way to master grammar and structure is to read the write ups in the media. These are written masters and they have their own way of writing. Read out their thoughts, identify their language skills, locate what you need, and finally internalize the idea every article brings in.
• Reading a newspaper daily is like attending language class handled my many people. Read those articles you are interested in. Let be sports, business, politics, or whatever. What matters most is not what you read or how long you read a day, but it is whether read regularly or not.
• While reading, you my see new words and expressions. Stop at them, read the sentence again, check whether the idea the author wants you understand is coming up. If it is not, guess. And ask someone who you have around you. And finally go for a dictionary. Dictionary is the last resort. You have to make your available language skills to work before you go for a consultation.
• And finally, all the articles you may read may not look useful, but let me tell you, all those articles have something to offer you in the long run. It is not for nothing people read, it is not out of any prejudice teachers and trainers tell you; read, read and read.
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With this is a set of press clippings on various areas of interest: local, national and international. You may read them strictly following the ideas I have mentioned up. You can rest assured that something will strike when you speak, listen, read and write later.

IELTS IS A LANGUAGE TEST. THAT TEST PROCESS IS DONE BY USING YOUR KNOWLEDGE BASE: SO LET YOUR KLOWLDEDGE BE THE PLATFORM YOU MAY PERFORM ON. DO NOT BE HIGHSOUNDING.

Please do not be obsessed with the number and size of your points. It is much better to convincingly prove a point with a single idea than to parade a series of points in poor, broken language. Cohesion, coherence, grammar/structure, punctuation and vocabulary: do not compromise on these. Please Remember, you can make mistakes, but decent mistakes.

• How writers introduce, connect, contrast, compare, exemplify, agree, disagree, agree to disagree, emphasize, support, oppose, criticize and counter, punctuate, give punch to, and prove points or simply present ideas? This is what you are expected of READING while you get trained for IELTS. Good luck: May the right words be with you!!!!