IELTS Reading: Complete Preparation Guide
IELTS Reading Test Format
Duration
60 minutes
Questions
40 questions
Passages
3 passages
Text Length
2,150-2,750 words total
Academic vs General Training:
- Academic: Taken from books, journals, magazines and newspapers for academic audiences
- General Training: Taken from notices, advertisements, company handbooks, official documents, books, magazines and newspapers
Reading Band Score Chart
| Correct Answers | Band Score |
|---|---|
| 39-40 | 9.0 |
| 37-38 | 8.5 |
| 35-36 | 8.0 |
| 33-34 | 7.5 |
| 30-32 | 7.0 |
| 27-29 | 6.5 |
| 23-26 | 6.0 |
| 19-22 | 5.5 |
| 15-18 | 5.0 |
Quick Calculator
Enter your raw score to see your band:
Free Reading Practice Tests
Academic Practice Test 1
Topics: Climate change research, Ancient civilizations, Technology in education
Question Types: Multiple choice, True/False/Not Given, Matching headings, Summary completion
General Training Practice Test 1
Topics: Workplace policies, Travel advertisements, Health and lifestyle
Question Types: Multiple choice, Yes/No/Not Given, Sentence completion, Note completion
Question Types & Strategies
Strategy
- Read the question and options carefully
- Identify key words in the question
- Scan the passage for these keywords or synonyms
- Eliminate obviously wrong answers
- Choose the best answer based on the passage
Common Traps
- Options that are true but don't answer the question
- Extreme language (always, never, all, none)
- Information from different parts of the text
- Answers that contradict the passage
Key Distinction: TRUE means the statement agrees with the passage. FALSE means it contradicts the passage. NOT GIVEN means there's no information about it.
TRUE
The statement matches information in the passage exactly or is a clear paraphrase.
FALSE
The statement contradicts information in the passage clearly.
NOT GIVEN
There is no information about this statement in the passage.
Strategy
- Read all headings first - there are more headings than paragraphs
- Read the first and last sentence of each paragraph
- Identify the main idea of each paragraph
- Match the main idea to the most suitable heading
- Cross out used headings
Tip: Look for synonyms and paraphrases rather than exact word matches.
Strategy
- Read the summary to understand the context
- Identify what type of word is needed for each gap
- Check word limits carefully
- Look for the relevant section in the passage
- Find words that fit grammatically and make sense
Word Limit: Pay close attention to instructions like "NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS" or "ONE WORD ONLY".
Proven Reading Strategies
Skimming Technique
Purpose: Get the general idea quickly
- Read title and headings
- Read first and last paragraphs
- Read first sentence of each paragraph
- Look at any diagrams, charts, or images
- Time limit: 2-3 minutes per passage
Scanning Technique
Purpose: Find specific information quickly
- Identify keywords from questions
- Look for numbers, dates, names
- Don't read every word
- Move your eyes quickly across text
- Stop when you find the information
Time Management
Recommended allocation:
- Passage 1 (easiest): 15-17 minutes
- Passage 2 (medium): 18-20 minutes
- Passage 3 (hardest): 22-25 minutes
- Final check: 2-3 minutes
Dealing with Unknown Words
- Don't panic - you don't need to know every word
- Use context clues around the word
- Look for prefixes and suffixes
- See if the word is defined in the text
- Continue reading - the meaning might become clear
Common Reading Topics & Vocabulary
Academic Topics
- Science & Technology
- Environmental Issues
- Education & Learning
- Psychology & Behavior
- History & Archaeology
- Business & Economics
General Training Topics
- Workplace Issues
- Travel & Transport
- Health & Medicine
- Social Activities
- Accommodation
- Shopping & Services
Key Vocabulary Areas
- Academic vocabulary
- Transition words
- Synonyms & paraphrases
- Technical terms
- Descriptive language
- Opinion expressions
Additional Practice Resources
Daily Reading Routine
- Academic texts: Read 1 journal article or academic paper (20 min)
- General reading: Newspapers, magazines, websites (30 min)
- Timed practice: Complete 1 passage under exam conditions (20 min)
- Vocabulary: Record and review new words (10 min)
Academic Sources
- Scientific American
- National Geographic
- The Economist
- BBC Science
General Reading
- BBC News
- The Guardian
- TIME Magazine
- Reader's Digest