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IELTS Reading

IELTS Reading practice

The Academic Reading test is 60 minutes, three passages and 40 questions. The passages get longer and harder as you go, and there is no extra time to copy answers onto the answer sheet, so you work directly on it.

Start with the free practice test to see your band today, then work through the question types one at a time. Each guide shows what the question looks like, a method that works, a worked example and short practice items with answers.

Time
60 minutes
Passages
3, about 2,150–2,750 words in total
Questions
40, one mark each
Band 7
about 30 correct answers
IELTS Academic Reading practice test
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IELTS Reading guides

True, False, Not Given questions
How to answer IELTS Reading True/False/Not Given questions
Yes, No, Not Given questions
How to answer IELTS Reading Yes/No/Not Given questions about the writer's views and claims, how they differ from True/False/Not Given, with a worked example and practice
Matching headings questions
How to answer IELTS Reading matching headings questions
Matching information questions
How to answer IELTS Reading matching information questions (which paragraph contains…)
Matching features questions
How to answer IELTS Reading matching features questions
Matching sentence endings
How to answer IELTS Reading matching sentence endings
Reading multiple choice questions
How to answer IELTS Reading multiple choice questions, including 'choose TWO letters'
Sentence completion questions
How to answer IELTS Reading sentence completion
Summary completion questions
How to answer IELTS Reading summary completion questions, from the passage or from a box of words
Note, table and flow-chart completion
How to answer IELTS Reading note, table and flow-chart completion questions
Diagram label completion
How to answer IELTS Reading diagram labelling questions
Short-answer questions
How to answer IELTS Reading short-answer questions
Skimming and scanning
How to skim and scan in IELTS Reading

Reading test hacks

False vs Not Given
False means the passage says the opposite. Not Given means the passage doesn't say either way. Don't use your own knowledge.
Why it works: Confusing False and Not Given is an easy trap: choosing False when the passage simply says nothing about the point.
Answers usually follow passage order
For most question types (True/False/Not Given, gap-fill, multiple choice) the answers appear in the same order as the passage.
Why it works: Once you find answer 3, answer 4 is almost always after it. You'll search a much smaller area.
Hunt for synonyms, not the same words
Questions paraphrase the passage. Look for words with the same meaning, not identical words.
Why it works: Matching exact words often leads to the distractor; the real answer is usually paraphrased.
Skim first sentences first
Spend about two minutes reading the title and the first sentence of each paragraph before the questions.
Why it works: First sentences usually state the paragraph's main idea, which is exactly what heading-matching questions test.
Twenty minutes per passage
You have 60 minutes for 3 passages and 40 questions. Aim for about 20 minutes each, and move on if you're stuck.
Why it works: Passages usually get harder; don't spend your time on one tough question early on.
Matching headings: think main idea
A heading sums up the whole paragraph, not one detail. Read the first and last sentences, then decide the main point before looking at the list.
Why it works: Wrong headings usually match a single detail word in the paragraph.

Frequently asked questions

How many questions do I need for band 7 in Academic Reading?

About 30 out of 40. The exact conversion varies slightly between test versions; 23 correct is roughly band 6 and 35 roughly band 8.

Is there extra time to transfer answers in Reading?

No. Unlike Listening, Reading has no transfer time, so write your answers on the answer sheet (or on screen) as you go.

Do spelling mistakes lose marks?

Yes. A misspelled answer is marked wrong, even if the meaning is clear. Copy words exactly from the passage.

Should I read the whole passage first?

Not word for word. Skim it for the main idea of each paragraph in two or three minutes, then read the questions and scan for the parts you need.

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