Сайт: IELTS Reading: Question Types, Latest Practice Tests, Band Score, Tips

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“Familiarize yourself with every aspect of the IELTS Reading exam and master the
tips and techniques shared in this blog to achieve the top reading band score!“

Whether you're aiming for the Academic or IELTS General Training module, gaining
a decent band in the IELTS Reading section is important in achieving your desired
band score.
To do so, you have to know everything related to the IELTS Reading exam and read
some expert IELTS reading tips before you begin!
Hence in this blog, we'll help you with the specifics of the test, explore its format, and
question types, and provide valuable IELTS Reading tips and techniques to avoid
mistakes and help you succeed!

Understanding IELTS Reading

Format
The IELTS Reading test is one of the tricky modules in the IELTS exam. It is different
for IELTS Academic and General Training, though the time, question types, and
number of questions remain the same.
So, look at the table below to get an idea of the IELTS Reading first!

Topic Details
Purpose of the Designed to evaluate your reading skills, requiring you to
IELTS Reading Test show your ability to understand and evaluate the provided
passages.

Sections and Has 3 sections, with a total of 40 questions.

Questions

Duration 60 minutes.

It is advised not to spend more than 20 minutes on each

passage.

Scoring Each of the 40 questions carries 1 point, and there is no

negative marking for wrong answers.
 Question Types 1.​ Short Answer Type Question
2.​ True/False/Not Given
3.​ Matching Headings
4.​ Matching Features
5.​ Sentence Completion
6.​ Matching Information
7.​ Multiple-choice Questions
8.​ Matching Sentence Endings
9.​ Summary Completion
10.​Yes, No, Not Given

Difference between IELTS Academic & IELTS General

As mentioned above, there are some differences between IELTS Academic Reading
and the General Reading module. Read ahead to know more!

IELTS Reading Question Types

There are 10-11 different kinds of questions for each of the passages that appear in
the IELTS reading exam. Read ahead to know more about them!

1. Multiple Choice Questions

Question Type Description

IELTS ​ It has about 3-4 options from which you have to

Multiple-choice choose your answer.
questions ​ This might be in the form of a question & answer
type or a choose a correct ending to a sentence
type.
​ These answers appear in chronological order
according to the passage.

2. True/False/Not Given Questions

Question Type Description

IELTS ​ These questions are very tricky as they consist of
True/False/Not several statements: If the statement is present in the
Given article as it is then you need to mark it as true.
​ If the statement is found to be the opposite of the
sentence which is there then it should be marked as
false.
​ If the statement given in the question is not at all
present in the article then it should be marked as not
given.
​ Do not spend a lot of time finding the sentence which is
not there.

3. Yes/No/Not Given Questions

Question Type Description

IELTS Yes, No, ​ Similar to the True/False/Not given questions, these

Not Given also have various statements.
​ But here you are asked to agree or disagree with the
statement based on the opinion of the author.

4. Matching Headings
 Question Description
Type

IELTS ​ Here, a list of headings will be given and you are asked
Matching to match these headings with a paragraph in the
Headings passage.
​ You should read the headings before you begin reading
the text.
​ To get the correct answer, you have to read the
complete paragraph and not just stop with the first few
lines of the paragraph.
​ There will also be many other headings that are not
related to any of the paragraphs given in the passage, in
such cases, try to identify those types of headings too.

5. Matching Information

Question Type Description

IELTS Matching ​ Here, you have a list which contains information taken
information from the paragraphs.
​ You are asked to find out the paragraph from which the
information is taken.
​ Sometimes the question may be tricky because the
information given might not be in exact words as given
in the paragraph instead it will be paraphrased.
​ So you need to read the paragraph to understand the
meaning/idea behind it to answer these questions.

6. Matching Features

Question Description
Type

IELTS ​ Here, there will be a list of items in the box and you need
Matching to match these items by reading and understanding
Features some sentences in the passages.
​ The list may be of the name of people or cities. For
example, If there is a name of a person in the box of
items then the question may be to match the sentence
with the person who said them.
​ Like other types of match questions, some of the items
mentioned may not be available in the passage.
​ So, to save time, read the passage before answering
each question.
7. Matching Sentence Endings

Question Type Description

IELTS Matching ​ In this, you need to connect two halves of the

Sentence Endings sentences.
​ The first half of the sentence will be already given
and you need to find out which is the appropriate
ending for the sentence from the list given.
​ While choosing from the list you need to keep the
following things in mind: There should not be any
grammatical errors in the sentence.
​ The ending sentence chosen by you should make
sense.
​ The sentence should have the same meaning as the
sentence in the passage.

8. Sentence Completion and Short-Answer Questions

Question Type Description

IELTS Sentence ​ These are almost similar. In sentence
Completion and IELTS completion, you’ll be asked to fill in the blank
Short Answer Type spaces using the words given in the text.
​ Whereas, in short answers, you’ll have to take
words from the given text to write the short
answers.
​ It is important to pay close attention to the
instructions that are given in the question
because in some instructions there will be a
word limit mentioned and you may lose marks
if you don’t follow it.

9. Note, Table, Diagram and Summary Completion

Questions

Question Types Description

 ​ IELTS ​ All of these question types come under the
Summary Completion questions.
Completion ​ In these, you will be asked to complete a set of
​ IELTS notes, tables, diagrams or a summary based on the
Reading information given in the text.
Note ​ Sometimes the question will be to write a short
Completion answer and sometimes you’ll have to choose from
​ IELTS the list of answers given.
Reading ​ Usually, these kinds of questions will only be based
Table on one part of the passage, so you won’t have to
Completion read the whole passage to fill in the important
​ IELTS information.
Reading
Diagram
Completion
​ IELTS
Reading
Flowchart
Completion

Latest IELTS Reading Practice Materials

Have a look at the following IELTS Academic and IELTS General Reading practice
tests and kickstart your practice!

IELTS Academic Reading Practice Tests

Practice Practice Practice Practice Practice

Test 1 Test 2 Test 3 Test 4 Test 5
 Practice Practice Practice Practice Practice
Test 6 Test 7 Test 8 Test 9 Test 10

Practice Practice Practice Practice Practice

Test 11 Test 12 Test 13 Test 14 Test 15

IELTS General Reading Practice Tests

Practice Practice Practice Practice Practice

Test 1 Test 2 Test 3 Test 4 Test 5

Practice Practice Practice Practice Practice

Test 6 Test 7 Test 8 Test 9 Test 10

Practice Practice Practice Practice Practice

Test 11 Test 12 Test 13 Test 14 Test 15

IELTS Reading Band Score

The IELTS reading band score is calculated based on the number of correct
answers. Since there are a total of 40 questions, answering all of them correctly can
help you score Band 9.
Note: There is a slight difference in the calculation of the IELTS Academic reading
band score and that of IELTS General Reading due to the slight variation in difficulty
level.
Therefore, you can use the IELTS Reading score table given below to calculate your
IELTS Reading band score for the Academic and General training sections,
respectively.

Correct Answers for IELTS Correct Answers for IELTS Reading

Academic Reading IELTS GT Reading Band Score

40-39 40 9

38-37 39 8.5

36-35 38-37 8

34-33 36 7.5

32-30 35-34 7

29-27 33-32 6.5

26-23 31-30 6

22-19 29-27 5.5

18-15 26-23 5

14-13 22-19 4.5

12-10 18-15 4

9-8 14-12 3.5

7-6 11-9 3

5-4 8-6 2.5

How to Complete IELTS Reading in Less than

an Hour?

The IELTS Reading section is quite challenging, especially when you have to :

​ Read 3 long texts (5 in the General Training exam)

​ Answer 40 different questions
​ Transfer your answers to the answer sheet accurately

Managing your time in the test is essential in the IELTS Reading section, as you only
get 60 minutes to complete the above-listed tasks. So, read our expert IELTS exam
preparation tips for reading to complete the module in less than 1 hour!

Tip Details

1. Learn about the Familiarize yourself with various texts and questions
test format before test day to enhance your reading skills, helping you
manage time and avoid surprises.

2. Learn about Understand the 14 different types of questions, practice

different question answering them, and manage your time effectively. Read
types questions first, then passages.
3. Implement Use skimming to read quickly and scanning to locate
skimming and specific information, which helps find answers faster and
scanning more accurately.

4. Use context Context clues help determine the meaning of unfamiliar

clues words, improving comprehension and aiding in locating
answers.

5. Distribute your Spend 20 minutes on each passage in Academic Reading.

time appropriately
In General Reading, allocate more time to the third
passage as it is more complex.

6. Build your Enhance your vocabulary to quickly find the correct

vocabulary answers, as many questions involve understanding
synonyms and paraphrasing.

7. Transfer your Transfer your answers to the answer sheet right away after
answers completing each passage to save time and avoid
concurrently last-minute rushing.
 8. Read and Regularly practice sample papers and read lengthy texts to
practice more often improve accuracy, pace, and familiarity with difficult words
and phrases. Ensure to study from reliable sources.

Advanced IELTS Reading Tips and Strategies

Before we move on to the open secret of how to ace the IELTS reading section, let's
get introduced to two important keyword techniques and know about Skimming and
scanning as well!
Before we move on to the open secret of how to ace the IELTS reading section, let's
get introduced to two important IELTS Reading keyword techniques.

Skimming & Scanning

Skimming: This is to read a text rapidly to get a general overview of the material (i.e.)
to know the main theme or idea behind the passage.
Scanning: This is to read a text rapidly to find specific information such as figures,
names, etc.
Now, let’s look at a few IELTS Reading tips and steps to help you get your dream
band score!

Step Details

1. Skim the passage Skim the passage to understand the

general idea.

2. Read the question and identify the Identify the question type after reading it.
type

3. Remember the technique behind Use the strategy specific to the question
the question type type to find the answer.
 4. Find the keyword Locate the keyword in the question and
find it in the passage.

5. Read around the keyword Read sentences before and after the
keyword to find the answer.

6. Learn to guess the meaning Use context clues in the passage to infer
the meaning.

7. Write the answer Write down the answer and move on to

the next question quickly.

Then, repeat all the steps!

Common Mistakes to Avoid in IELTS Reading

To avoid the common errors made by most IELTS candidates, you have to know
them. So, check out the list below and implement ways to dodge them effectively.

Issue Details
 1. Misinterpretation Read instructions and questions carefully to avoid
of questions incorrect answers due to misinterpretation.

2. Disregarding Follow instructions closely, especially regarding word

instructions limits for each question type, to ensure your answers are
correct.

3. Overlooking While skimming, ensure you don't miss crucial details

details that could be essential for accurate answers.

4. Ineffective Time Avoid spending too much time on a single question or

Management passage, as it could prevent you from completing the
entire section.

Latest IELTS Reading Topics of 2024

Let us look at the IELTS reading topics list along with IELTS reading examples for
IELTS Reading in general, as well as for IELTS Academic and IELTS General.

​ In Praise Of Amateurs IELTS Reading Answers

​ The True Cost Of Food Reading Answers
​ Climate Change And The Inuit Reading Answers
​ Zoo Conservation Programmes Reading Answers
​ A Workaholic Economy Reading Answers
​ Research Using Twins Reading Answers
 ​ The Little Ice Age Reading Answers
​ What's So Funny Reading Answers
​ The Scientific Method Reading Answers
​ Numeration Reading Answers
​ Delivering The Goods Reading Answers
​ Eco Tourism Reading Answers
​ Collecting Ant Specimens Reading Answers
​ The Impact Of Wilderness Tourism Reading Answers
​ Visual Symbols And The Blind Reading Answers
​ The Dover Bronze Age Boat Reading Answers

IELTS Reading eBooks

These are the list of reading IELTS books which you can use as study material for
your IELTS Reading preparation.

​ Reading Skills Ebook – Jeremy Taylor & Jon Wright

​ Essential Reading for IELTS
​ IELTS Reading Recent Actual Tests Volume 2 (Ebook)
​ Recent Actual Tests Volume 4 (Ebook)
​ Recent Actual Tests Vol 5 (Ebook)
​ Recent Actual Tests Vol 6 (Ebook)
​ IELTS Reading Tests by Sam McCarter & Judith Ash (Ebook)
​ Improve Your Skill – Reading For IELTS 6.0 – 7.5 With Answer Key ( Ebook )
​ Collins Reading For IELTS by Els Van Geyte (Ebook)

Success in the IELTS Reading test demands a strategic approach, consistent

practice, and familiarity with the test format. By implementing the tips and techniques
outlined in this guide and avoiding common pitfalls, you can enhance your
confidence and performance in this critical component of the IELTS exam. Moreover,
if you need any sort of guidance, feel free to interact with our IELTS experts or be a
part of IELTS webinars.

Other Useful Articles

 ​ How to complete IELTS Reading in less than 1 hour
​ Useful IELTS Reading Website Resources & material for both Academic &
General Training Module
​ 101 IELTS Reading Past Papers With Answers PDF Download
​ 15 Days’ Practice for IELTS Reading (PDF) with Answers (General And
Academic)
​ IELTS Listening Reading and Writing Answer Sheet
​ Should You Use All Capital Letters in the IELTS Listening and Reading Tests
​ Calculating General and Academic Band Scores
​ Time management in IELTS Reading – A key to get a high band score
​ IELTS Reading Tips And Techniques To Increase Your Reading Speed
​ How to Do Short Answer Type of Questions in IELTS Reading?

Frequently Asked Questions

How many reading passages are there in the reading module of IELTS?

There are 3 passages in IELTS Academic Reading, while there are 5-6 passages in
IELTS General Training Reading.

Is IELTS score of 7 good in reading?

Indeed, if you have got a band score of 7, it is quite good. Also, a good band
indicates that you have a better grip on the English language. However, the more will
always be, the better. So, if you can, always attempt above 8.

How do I improve my reading skills for IELTS?

Use techniques like skimming and scanning, and make sure you practise until you’re
extremely good on your test day. Along with this, you must also develop skills for
every question type. Each day, concentrate on only one type of question and
develop strategies to find out and write down answers without consuming a lot of
time.
Do I have extra time at the end of the IELTS Reading module to transfer my answers
to the answer paper?

Unfortunately, you will not have anything more than an hour. The answers for the
reading section will be written on the answer sheet directly. You will not be given any
extra time beyond the allotted 60 minutes.

Should I spend the same amount of time on each section of IELTS Reading?

Generally, it is recommended that you should spend at least 20 minutes on every

passage. However, since the last one is usually harder than the first two if you are
not extremely good with the language, do work on the third passage for a longer
time. While doing so, make sure you are always wary of keeping time.

Would I find all of the answers of the reading passage for IELTS in an order?

No, you will not. Only some of the questions will have answers in the same order as
the information available in the passage. You would have to understand which
questions have answers in order and which do not.

Will there be any issue if I write the answers to the IELTS Reading questions in all
caps?

Whether you are jotting down answers to the IELTS Reading questions in the capital
or small letters will not create any issue or affect your marking in any way. Moreover,
using capital letters can also work in your favour as this way, your words and letters
appear more legible.

Will I lose points for incorrect answers in the IELTS Reading module?

Fortunately, you will not lose any points, even if your answer is incorrect. Therefore,
even if you don’t know an answer or are clueless, make sure you always
guess-attempt the question. Anyway, you will not have anything to lose here.

What should I do if I don't understand a word or phrase in the passage?

If you encounter unfamiliar vocabulary during the IELTS Reading test, try to
understand the meaning from the context. Look for surrounding words or phrases
that might provide clues to the word's definition. If you're still unsure, try to figure out
the overall meaning of the passage rather than getting stuck on individual words.

How can I improve my score in the True/False/Not Given question type?

The True/False/Not Given question type can be tricky, as it requires careful attention
to detail. Practice identifying the subtle differences between true information, false
information, and information that is not given in the passage. Pay close attention to
keywords and avoid making assumptions. Remember, if the information is not
explicitly stated in the passage, it is considered "Not Given."

Practice IELTS Reading based on

question types

Reading Multiple Choice Questions

True/False/Not Given

Yes/No/Not Given

Reading Sentence Completion

Reading Summary Completion

Reading Table Completion

Reading Matching Headings

Reading Matching features

Reading Diagram Completion

Reading Matching Sentence endings

Reading Short Answer Questions