ReadingStrategies
Skimming, scanning & reading for general meaning
PET parts in this lesson · mixed-skill spiral
Why this lesson now? Introduces Reading 2, Listening 3 and Speaking 2 photo — all reappear in Labs.
CEFR Pathway · You are here
Get ready · 01
5 minGet talking
How long do you usually spend on a 250-word PET text? Too long? Too fast?
When do you read fast in real life? When do you read slowly?
What slows you down most: vocabulary, panic, or re-reading?
Grammar for the Exam · 02
8–10 minThree reading speeds, three jobs
Skim for general meaning (30s) · Scan for a fact (10s) · Read intensively only to confirm an answer.
PET Reading is short on time. Train three different speeds. SKIM = eyes move fast over the whole text to grasp the topic and tone. SCAN = hunt for a specific word or number. INTENSIVE = read one sentence carefully to lock in the right option.
→ Skim a Part 3 text in 45 seconds — say what it's about in one sentence.
→ Scan a timetable for '14:30' — don't read anything else.
→ Intensive: read ONE sentence twice to choose between A and B.
Question 1.You need the writer's overall opinion. Which speed?
Question 2.You need to find the train time. Which speed?
Question 3.You're choosing between two close multiple-choice options. Which speed?
Question 4.Which is NOT a sign of slow reading?
Quick check 1.First move when you open a Part 3 text:
Exam Vocabulary · 03
5–7 minWords & phrases to own
read fast to get the general meaning
Skim a news headline now — say the topic in 5 words.
the sentence that tells you what a paragraph is about
Where is the topic sentence usually placed?
to look for important words quickly
Pick 2 keywords from the question 'What time does the museum open?'
Activation · Personalise · Recycle
Use the strategies as you talk about them.
Ask your partner
- When do you skim in your own language?
- When did you last scan something today?
- Give the general meaning of a recent film in 8 words.
Rank from FASTEST to SLOWEST reading speed.
- 1intensive reading
- 2scanning
- 3skimming
Then compare with a partner — justify your top choice.
"The topic sentence is usually…"topic sentence
Write a 30-word tip for a friend taking PET tomorrow.
Tap a person, then tap the text that best matches their needs.
The 5 people
The 8 texts
Pronunciation for Speaking · 04
3–4 minSaying numbers, dates and times clearly
Stress the number, not the unit: TEN past THREE, not ten past THREE.
- • The shop opens at QUARTER past NINE.
- • TWO HUNDRED and FIFTY euros.
- • The TWENTY-THIRD of MAY.
- • Platform NUMBER SEVEN.
Reading Skills · 05
8–10 minPET Reading Part 3 — Why fast readers don't read every word
Most PET candidates run out of time. The reason is rarely the vocabulary — it's the reading style. Slow readers translate silently, sound out every word and re-read whole paragraphs. Strong readers move through a text three times, each time looking for something different.
The first pass is the skim: eyes sweep over the whole text in about forty-five seconds, just to grasp the topic and the writer's tone. The second pass is scanning: hunting for a name, a number or a key word from the question. Only on the third pass do strong readers slow down — and only on the few lines that contain the answer.
It feels strange at first, because school often teaches us to read 'properly' from start to finish. But in an exam, time is what you're really being tested on. The good news? These three speeds can be trained in two weeks. The trick is to stop trying to understand everything, and start trying to find what the question is asking.
Question 1.What is the main reason candidates run out of time?
Question 2.How long should the skim take?
Question 3.When do strong readers slow down?
Question 4.The writer's main message is that you should…
Question 5.How long does the writer say the three speeds take to train?
Listening Skills · 06
8–10 minPET Listening Part 2 — A study skills podcast (extended dialogue)
Listening audio
Tap play to listen. Replay as many times as you need.
Show transcript
Host:Today we're talking about reading speed. Dr Khan — why do students panic in reading exams?
Dr Khan:Mostly because they read one way only — slowly. They don't realise good readers actually use three speeds.
Host:And the first one is skimming?
Dr Khan:Yes. Eyes only, no inner voice. About forty-five seconds for a typical exam text.
Host:What's the most common mistake?
Dr Khan:Translating. Once students stop translating in their heads, their speed jumps by half almost immediately.
Question 1.How many reading speeds does Dr Khan recommend?
Question 2.What's the most common mistake?
Question 3.How much faster can students read after stopping translation?
Exam Strategy · 07
5 minPET Reading — pacing the whole paper
45 minutes ÷ 6 parts ≈ 7 min per part. Use a watch.
Task
Spend no more than 7–8 minutes on any single Reading part. If you're stuck, mark it, move on, come back.
Example
Stuck on R3 Q3? Choose your best guess, circle it, finish R3-Q4 and Q5, then come back if there's time.
Writing Task · 08
5 minPut it in writing
Q1.PET Reading Part 6 — type ONE word: 'It feels strange ____ first.'
Q2.Type ONE word: 'The good news ____ that you can train this.'
Q3.Type ONE word: 'Read every text three ____.'
PET Writing Part 1 (email, ≈100 words). An English friend writes: 'I have my reading exam next week and I keep running out of time! Any advice?' Reply covering: 1) why people run out of time, 2) ONE skimming tip, 3) ONE scanning tip, 4) one encouraging message.
Your writing draft
0 words SavedShow model answer & examiner comment
Hi Sam, sorry to hear you're stressed! Don't worry — most people run out of time because they read every word slowly. My advice: first, skim the whole text in about 45 seconds, just to grasp the topic. Then read the questions and scan for one keyword at a time — don't re-read. And honestly, stop translating in your head — it slows you down massively. You've got this! Let me know how it goes. Good luck, Alex
Examiner comment
| 5 | All content points covered; consistent style; range of structures; minor errors only. |
| 3 | Content mostly covered; mostly suitable style; some range; errors don't stop the reader understanding. |
| 1 | Limited content; intrusive errors; very basic structures; under-length. |
Speaking Task · 09
10–15 minMake it a real conversation
PET Speaking Part 3 — discussion task. Look at the visual prompt together and decide which TWO options are the most useful for studying for the PET exam.
Examiner
"Here are some things you could use to study for PET. Talk together about how useful each one is, and then decide which TWO are the most useful."
Discuss together
Which TWO of these are the most useful for studying for PET?
Now decide together
Now decide together: which TWO would you choose, and why?
Useful discussion language
Candidate A — Reading in the park
Need help? Show prompts (try describing with no help first)
- • What can you see?
- • What time of year is it?
- • How does the person feel?
- • Why might they be reading here?
Candidate B — Family cooking
Need help? Show prompts (try describing with no help first)
- • Who are these people?
- • What are they preparing?
- • How do they feel?
- • Do you enjoy cooking with others?
Useful phrases
- • In the photo I can see…
- • It looks like…
- • They seem to be…
- • In the background…
Optional · Teacher-led
Teacher Activities
Make the three speeds physical and visible. ~28 min total
Homework · 10
Take-homeTake it home
Self-study — everything you need is included below. All four skills are covered so you keep the spiral going between lessons; pick the order that suits you.
PET Reading skim-and-scan drill — read 3 short texts below in 45 seconds each. Write the topic in ONE sentence.
Your response
0 words SavedMaterials included
Text 1 (45s)
Text 2 (45s)
Text 3 (45s)
Attempt the task first, then check your answers.
PET Writing Part 1 mock — reply to Alex's email (below). Cover all four notes in 100 words.
Your response
0 words SavedMaterials included
Stimulus email
4 notes (handwritten style)
Attempt the task first, then check your answers.
PET Listening 'strategy-spotting' — read the clip below aloud twice at natural speed. Tick every strategy word you hear.
Your response
0 words SavedMaterials included
Clip (~2 min, read aloud twice)
Tick if you hear it
Attempt the task first, then check your answers.
Recap · 11
2–3 minWhat you've learned
- Three speeds: skim (general meaning), scan (fact), intensive (answer).
- Skim first — 45 seconds is enough.
- Stop translating silently.
- Spend max 7–8 min per Reading part.
- Look for keywords, not whole sentences.