Welcome to the Active IELTS reading page.
The IELTS reading test is different for General Training and the Academic IELTS but many things are similar. Both
exams test your ability to find ideas, the writer's opinion and specific information, and both have many different
types of questions.
How long does the test last?
The test lasts for one hour – you write your answers on the answer sheet as you work.
How is the test?
There are three sections and 40 questions in total. Each answer is one mark.
For the Academic test, there is one long text in each section. Each text is the kind of thing you may have to read
on a university course. There may also be pictures, diagrams and tables.
For the General Training test, it's different. Section 1 may have several shorter texts such as advertisements or
leaflets, Section 2 is usually two texts and Section 3 is one long text. The questions get more difficult.
What kinds of questions are there?
There are several different kinds of questions in the reading test, and you should practice each one. You can
download examples of each and advice on how to answer them on the free worksheets for reading page.
Practising
Read as much as you can and as many different kinds of things as you can.
For the Academic test, read professional and academic magazines, journals, books, websites and newspapers.
For the General Training test, read these things but also read advertisements, timetables, leaflets and brochures,
college prospectuses and guides, and rules and regulations for things like libraries and universities.
The key to success in the reading test is different kinds of reading. Practice reading quickly to find information
(scanning), reading quickly for a general idea (skimming), and reading carefully to understand everything. You will
find more information on these on the free worksheets for reading page.
Try reading things that are quite difficult. Get used to not understanding everything you read. You don't need to
understand everything in the test.
In the exam
The IELTS reading test is hard. It is very difficult to read everything and answer everything, and many people
don't finish. This is not a problem. Use your time well, don't rush, and make sure you write your answers on the
answer sheet as you find them.
If you have problems with a question, leave it and move on. You don’t want to fall behind. Concentrate on what
you are doing and the next question.
When you transfer your answers to the answer sheet, be very careful. There have been examples of candidates
getting confused about which questions they were answering and putting 5 correct answers next to the wrong
question number on the sheet – this means 5 wrong answers.
Take care with spelling – your answers need to be spelt correctly or they will be marked wrong.
If the question tells you to use three words in the answer, USE THREE WORDS. No more.
You can write on the question sheet if you want. This can be useful if you are for example completing a summary
or sentences, as it will help you see if the answer is right and the spelling and grammar are OK. But don't forget to
transfer your answers to the answer sheet immediately.
Ready to practise? Here are some example questions
The IELTS reading test is different for General Training and the Academic IELTS but many things are similar. Both
exams test your ability to find ideas, the writer's opinion and specific information, and both have many different
types of questions.
How long does the test last?
The test lasts for one hour – you write your answers on the answer sheet as you work.
How is the test?
There are three sections and 40 questions in total. Each answer is one mark.
For the Academic test, there is one long text in each section. Each text is the kind of thing you may have to read
on a university course. There may also be pictures, diagrams and tables.
For the General Training test, it's different. Section 1 may have several shorter texts such as advertisements or
leaflets, Section 2 is usually two texts and Section 3 is one long text. The questions get more difficult.
What kinds of questions are there?
There are several different kinds of questions in the reading test, and you should practice each one. You can
download examples of each and advice on how to answer them on the free worksheets for reading page.
- choose the best answer from four possibilities
- write a short answer to the question
- finish a sentence based on the text
- complete some notes, a summary or a table with information from the text
- label a diagram with information from the text
- choose the best titles for parts of the text
- find information
- find the writer's opinions and ideas
- classify information
- match information
Practising
Read as much as you can and as many different kinds of things as you can.
For the Academic test, read professional and academic magazines, journals, books, websites and newspapers.
For the General Training test, read these things but also read advertisements, timetables, leaflets and brochures,
college prospectuses and guides, and rules and regulations for things like libraries and universities.
The key to success in the reading test is different kinds of reading. Practice reading quickly to find information
(scanning), reading quickly for a general idea (skimming), and reading carefully to understand everything. You will
find more information on these on the free worksheets for reading page.
Try reading things that are quite difficult. Get used to not understanding everything you read. You don't need to
understand everything in the test.
In the exam
The IELTS reading test is hard. It is very difficult to read everything and answer everything, and many people
don't finish. This is not a problem. Use your time well, don't rush, and make sure you write your answers on the
answer sheet as you find them.
If you have problems with a question, leave it and move on. You don’t want to fall behind. Concentrate on what
you are doing and the next question.
When you transfer your answers to the answer sheet, be very careful. There have been examples of candidates
getting confused about which questions they were answering and putting 5 correct answers next to the wrong
question number on the sheet – this means 5 wrong answers.
Take care with spelling – your answers need to be spelt correctly or they will be marked wrong.
If the question tells you to use three words in the answer, USE THREE WORDS. No more.
You can write on the question sheet if you want. This can be useful if you are for example completing a summary
or sentences, as it will help you see if the answer is right and the spelling and grammar are OK. But don't forget to
transfer your answers to the answer sheet immediately.
Ready to practise? Here are some example questions
Important - what's your strategy? Will you read each text quickly, then look at the question? Will you read the questions first then look at the text? Will you read each text carefully then the questions? All of these might be useful. |
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| ©Active IELTS 2006 |
Other useful pages
The reading answer sheet
How is the IELTS writing test marked?
Links and tips to help you
What does my score mean?
Which exam do I need to take?
IELTS questions and answers
The reading answer sheet
How is the IELTS writing test marked?
Links and tips to help you
What does my score mean?
Which exam do I need to take?
IELTS questions and answers