Linguaskill General - Reading
Linguaskill General Reading is delivered together with Listening as one computer-adaptive module. The texts are everyday materials: notices, adverts, emails, short articles and longer factual pieces. Question types include multiple choice, gapped text, matching and short gap-fill items. The test checks gist, specific detail, inference, cohesion and vocabulary in context. Results are reported on the Cambridge English Scale and mapped to CEFR levels. Because the module is adaptive, each answer affects the difficulty of the next question, so treat every item as final.
Core rules
- Read the question first, then scan the text for the relevant section. Do not read every word at the same speed.
- For multiple choice, eliminate options that are true but do not answer the question. The correct option usually paraphrases the text.
- For gapped text, use pronouns, linkers and lexical chains: “this”, “however”, “the company” must refer back logically.
- For gap fill, check the word class and grammar of the sentence before choosing.
- Leave no blank answers; an educated guess is better than an empty item.
Worked example
Text: “The library will close at 5 p.m. on Friday for maintenance. Items borrowed on Friday will be due back on Monday, not Saturday. The returns box will remain open.” Question: What is different about Friday? A The library opens later. B Borrowed items have a later return date. C The returns box is closed. Answer: B. Reasoning: the text says “due back on Monday, not Saturday”, which changes the normal return date. A is not stated; C contradicts “remain open”. The word “Friday” appears in all three options, so matching the word is not enough.
Traps
- Choosing an option because it repeats a word from the text.
- Missing “not”, “except” or “only”.
- Over-inferring beyond what the text says.
- Spending too long on one item in an adaptive test.