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IELTS Reading: Practice Test, Topics, Band Score, Tips
The IELTS reading exam consists of three passages, for which candidates must answer 40 questions within a 60-minute time frame. These passages are typically taken from a variety of sources such as books, journals, magazines, and newspapers, and cover topics that highlight descriptive facts, main ideas, logical arguments, writers’ opinions, purposes, and attitudes. Both the IELTS general reading and IELTS academic reading tests are scored on a scale from 1 to 9. Achieving a band score of 7 or higher in this section is often necessary for candidates seeking admission to top universities.
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IELTS Reading Practice Paper
To be proficient in the reading section, the IELTS reading practice test is a great way to prepare. Candidates can consider preparing for their IELTS exam by undertaking the IELTS reading practice test given in the following table.
Check: IELTS General Reading Practice Test
- Slow Food Reading Answers PDF
- Adopt a Wild Dolphin Reading Answers PDF
- Diving: Taking the Plunge Reading Answers PDF
- Laughter is the Best Medicine Reading Answers PDF
- Distance Learning Reading Answers PDF
- No-Waste Recycling Guide IELTS Reading PDF
- Online Tutors Reading Answers PDF
- Recipe for Long Life Reading Answers PDF
- A Career in Hotel Management Reading Answers PDF
- Discover Hidden Island Reading Answers PDF
- Long-haul Flights Get Longer IELTS Reading PDF
- Border Regulations and Visa Applications Reading Answers PDF
- Self-Catering Holiday Cottages in the Lake District National Park Reading Answers PDF
- Skara Brae Reading Answers PDF
- Clubs for Students IELTS Reading Answers PDF
Check: IELTS Academic Reading Practice Test
- IELTS Academic Reading Practice Test 1
- IELTS Academic Reading Practice Test 2
- IELTS Academic Reading Practice Test 3
- IELTS Academic Reading Practice Test 4
- IELTS Academic Reading Practice Test 5
- IELTS Academic Reading Practice Test 6
- IELTS Academic Reading Practice Test 7
- IELTS Academic Reading Practice Test 8
- IELTS Academic Reading Practice Test 9
- IELTS Academic Reading Practice Test 10
- IELTS Academic Reading Practice Test 11
- IELTS Academic Reading Practice Test 12
- IELTS Academic Reading Practice Test 13
- IELTS Academic Reading Practice Test 14
- IELTS Academic Reading Practice Test 15
IELTS Reading Band Score
The IELTS reading band score is credited based on the number of correct attempts made by the candidates. This section includes a total of 40 questions. Answering a total of 40 questions correctly can help score band 9. Provided below is a table that highlights the IELTS reading band score. A separate column for each test type has been denoted.
| Correct Answers | IELTS Academic band score | Correct Answers | IELTS General Training Band score |
|---|---|---|---|
| 40-39 | 9 | 40 | 9 |
| 38-37 | 8.5 | 39 | 8.5 |
| 36-35 | 8 | 37-38 | 8 |
| 34-33 | 7.5 | 36 | 7.5 |
| 32-30 | 7 | 34-35 | 7 |
| 29-27 | 6.5 | 32-33 | 6.5 |
| 26-23 | 6 | 30-31 | 6 |
| 22-19 | 5.5 | 27-29 | 5.5 |
| 18-15 | 5 | 23-26 | 5 |
| 14-13 | 4.5 | 19-22 | 4.5 |
| 12-10 | 4 | 15-18 | 4 |
| 9-8 | 3.5 | 12-14 | 3.5 |
| 7-6 | 3 | 9-11 | 3 |
| 5-4 | 2.5 | 6-8 | 2.5 |
IELTS Reading Marking Criteria
Candidates' IELTS reading scores are determined using a band scale ranging from 0 to 9, with points awarded for each correct answer provided. An IELTS Band Score of 9 indicates that all 40 questions were answered correctly, whereas a low score suggests a lower level of proficiency. The IELTS reading assessment assigns one mark per question. Generally, the IELTS academic reading test is considered more challenging than the IELTS general training reading test. By meeting the IELTS reading marking criteria, candidates can achieve a higher band score.
| Task Achievement (Task 1) | To present accurate information To provide an overview To highlight key features or stages Supporting detail with appropriate data |
| Task Response (Task 2) | To address the task accurately To provide relevant points that support the answer To present an opinion when necessary To provide a conclusion |
| Coherence and Cohesion | To organise information into paragraphs To present a central idea in each paragraph To apply range of linking devices |
| Lexical Resources | Use collocations Avoid errors and spelling mistakes Use good vocabulary and paraphrase |
| Grammar Range and Accuracy | Use a wide range of sentence structures Proper use grammar tenses Proper use of punctuation Avoid errors |
IELTS Reading Samples
Check IELTS Reading Samples
- The Benefits of Being Bilingual Reading Answers
- Voyage of Going: Beyond the Blue Line 2 Reading Answers
- Psychology Of New Product Adoption Reading Answers
- Health in the Wild Reading Answers
- Going Nowhere Fast Reading Answers
- Malaria Reading Answers
- Biofuels Reading Answers
- Two Wings and a Toolkit Reading Answers
- Fair Games Reading Answers
- Owl Secrets Reading Answers
- A spark, a Flint How Fire Leapt to Life Reading Answers
- The Risk Agriculture Faces in Developing Countries Reading Answers
- The Rainmaker Design Reading Answers
- Back to the Future of Skyscraper Design Reading Answers
- Nanotechnology Its Development and Uses Reading Answers
- Have Teenagers Always Existed Reading Answers
- The Story of Coffee Reading Answers
- A Bad Image Not Justified Reading Answers
- The King of Fruits Reading Answers
- Giant Camel Fossil Found in Arctic Reading Answers
IELTS Reading Questions Types (General and Academic)
The table below portrays question types in IELTS reading test:
| Task Type | Task Description | Skills Assessed |
|---|---|---|
| Matching Headings Question | To choose a heading from the list that matches a paragraph or a section in the passage. | To understand the aim of the section, to identify between supporting points and the main idea. |
| True, False, Not Given/ Yes, No, Not Given | To decide whether the writer’s opinion or the information is in the question statements or not. | To identify and understand the information for true, false, not given questions and to understand the opinion of the writer for yes, no, not given questions. |
| Matching Paragraph Information Questions | To match the information given in question with the information given in the passage. | To scan and find out specific information. |
| Summary Completion Questions | To complete the summary by filling the blanks with the words taken from the passage. | To select appropriate words and understand supporting ideas. |
| Sentence Completion Questions | To complete the sentence with the words taken from the passage. | To select appropriate words and understand supporting ideas. |
| Multiple Choice Questions | To choose the correct answer from three or four possible options. | To scan and understand specific information in the passage. |
| List Selection | Choose the correct option from a list of words. It is different from multiple choice because all questions are related to only one long list of possible answers. | To scan and understand specific information in the passage. |
| Choosing a Title | To choose the correct title from a given list. | To identify the main aim of the passage and to distinguish between details. |
| Classification Questions | To decide which information belongs to which specific category from the given list. | To locate and categorize the information in the passage. |
| Matching Sentence Endings | To complete the sentence by matching its start and ending given from the list. | To locate and understand the information. |
| Table Completion | To complete a table by using the words from the passage. | To choose and locate appropriate words and information from the passage. |
| Flow-Chart Completion Questions | To complete the flowchart by using the words from the passage. | To choose and locate appropriate words and information from the passage. |
| Diagram Completion Questions | To label a diagram. | To locate and relate any information regarding the diagram. |
| Short Answer Questions | To answer questions by taking details from the passage. | To locate and understand the detailing of the information. |
IELTS Reading Topics
IELTS reading topics are unpredictable in nature.IELTS Reading includes a pool of topics. To prepare for IELTS reading topics you can include reading books, magazines, newspapers and journals in your daily life.
IELTS Academic Reading Topics
The IELTS Academic Reading test is 60 minutes long. There will be 3 sections and each section will have a long text which will be up to 150-750 words.
The texts which are given in the exam are taken from journals, newspapers, magazines. These topic reading IELTS will be of general interest and are given for non-specialist audiences.
IELTS General Reading Topics
The IELTS General Reading Test is 60 minutes long. Candidates will be given a particular topic to read and answer. In the General training also there will be 3 sections and different topics will be given for each section.
| IELTS General Reading Topics | Sample Topics |
|---|---|
| Space science | An Asteroid |
| News | Latest management model adopted by LCP technologies |
| Pedagogy | How to advertise a product |
| Child growth and learning | Learning By Examples |
| Movies | The History of Cinema |
| Digitalization | - |
| Employment | - |
| Places of tourist attraction | History of Shimla in India |
| Employee benefits | Hiking on snow in Australia paternity leave |
| Organizational management | Types of vacation activities |
| Strategic management | - |
| Leadership qualities | - |
| Employee management | - |
| Communication improvement in an organization | - |
| Feedback policy in workplace | - |
| Domestic and international travel | Hiking on snow in Australia Bart train schedules |
| Travel restrictions | A cave and hiking in the cave with essentials |
| Working hours | Safety instructions for workers on a construction site |
| Workplace growth | - |
| Employee-employer relation | Workspace Survival |
| Organizational decency | - |
| Managerial theory | How The Other Half Thinks: Adventures In Mathematical Reasoning |
| Clarity in HR policies | Social Survival |
| Recruitment | - |
| Job-status in different country | - |
| Job satisfaction | Office air quality |
| Work-life balance | Stress of Workplace |
| Business deals | Eco-Resort Management |
| Social issues | Dirty River But Clean Water |
| Economic status of the company | Job opportunities in the diving industry |
| Economy of the state or country | - |
| Crisis management | - |
| Risk management plan | Applying for a work exchange program |
| Issues in leadership | Literate Women Make Better Mothers? |
IELTS Academic Reading vs. IELTS General Reading
The question types and number of questions remain the same for IELTS academic reading and IELTS general reading. However, there are certain points that are different when compared, these are mentioned below:
| Academic Reading | General Training Reading |
|---|---|
| Includes three sections. | Section 1 comprises two or three factual texts related to happenings from everyday life. |
| One long text is mentioned with questions below it. | Section 2 presents factual text related to work. |
| Texts are excerpts from books, journals, newspapers and magazines. These texts highlight academic topics of general interest. | Section 3 in general training has one complex text that highlights general topics. |
| IELTS Academic Reading is considered by candidates for academic purposes. | General training reading is considered by candidates for nimmigration and job related purposes. |
| There is a difference between scoring patterns. For eg. 30 in general training reading is considered 23 in IELTS academic reading. | Major difference is there in the scoring pattern. For eg. 23 in academic reading means a score of 30 out of 40 in IELTS general training reading. |
IELTS Reading Preparation
The preparation for IELTS requires candidates to practise and account for IELTS preparation. Candidates can prepare a definitive schedule and ensure a IELTS preparation time. A candidate that requires to account for an appropriate level of preparation requires to undertake IELTS reading materials and IELTS reading passages. Undertaking practice with the help of IELTS reading material and IELTS reading test online can help candidates develop proficiency in language aspects. You must read newspapers daily and learn the meanings of new words. For this, candidates need to prepare a defined schedule that portrays appropriate IELTS preparation time. The next step to secure a high IELTS reading score is applying the knowledge you acquire every day. Take IELTS practice speaking and IELTS practice reading tests online. Below mentioned are some of the IELTS reading preparation tips:
- Test your skill with a diagnostic test before starting your preparation.
- Candidates can frame suitable study time followed by a proper schedule.
- Prepare from IELTS general training books such as Cambridge IELTS general training book, Barron’s, and many more.
- Account for a number of IELTS reading practice tests to check your time management skills.
- Improve and speed up your reading skills.
- Focus on vocabulary development.
- Devote a timeline of 6-8 weeks for IELTS preparation time.
IELTS Reading Tips & Tricks
Candidates have to attempt passages from a wide array of IELTS reading topics. Candidates are assessed on a few points:
- Ability to understand and evaluate the facts or the comprehensive idea.
- To highlight opinions or ideas from argumentative or discursive contexts.
- To highlight dedicated and particular facts.
- To evaluate the distinction between main and supporting ideas in IELTS reading passages
Few essential IELTS reading tips will help the aspirants to understand the techniques required for better scores. Top few tips for IELTS reading are as follows:
- Time is Important
To attempt 40 questions, candidates get 1 hour. So, the aspirants must get each section done in 20 minutes. One must spend 15 minutes to read the passage and find out the answers, and 5 minutes to transfer the answers. - Skimming and Scanning
Skimming is needed to get an overview of the theme behind the IELTS reading passage and identify the question types for the passage. - Good Vocabulary Skill
Candidates must have good vocabulary skills for IELTS reading passages. One must learn the meaning of any unknown word from the context given in the reading passage. - Read the Questions At First
Once the candidate reads the question before answering, it helps to remember the questions in groups of three or four. While reading the text, one can easily find out the answers to the questions. - Focus on Introduction and Conclusion
If the candidate reads the introduction and the conclusion carefully, can easily answer the questions. The point of view of the author is clearly mentioned in the conclusion and the introduction. - Answer Every Question
As there is no negative marking, one must attempt all questions. Due to lack of time, candidates leave the questions abruptly but with an educated guesses, one can attempt the answer correctly. - Don’t Panic
Candidates may find some questions to be easy and some difficult. Candidates should not spend too much time on one question and move on to the next when the answer cannot be found. - Find Clues
Candidates may not understand every word in the passage. The trick is to find clues and ideas in relevance to the words heard and answer the questions accordingly. - Check All Answers
Candidates should make sure that they have at least 20 minutes of time allocated for checking the answers. Checking answers can help improve scores for the candidates. Any question that was found difficult by the candidate could be answered during this time.
IELTS Reading Materials
Candidates can develop their understanding of the IELTS exam pattern by following several books. Below mentioned are some books and websites that can help candidates to prepare for the IELTS reading test. These books can also account for IELTS reading practice.
IELTS Reading Websites
Below are some websites that can be considered by candidates for IELTS reading preparation:
- IELTS Liz
- IELTS Buddy
- IELTS Mentor
- IELTS Test Preparation Course (Magoosh)
- British Council
- IELTS Band 7+ Complete Prep Course (Udemy)
IELTS Reading Books
Below mentioned are some books that can be considered by candidates to prepare for IELTS reading tests:
Frequently Asked Questions
Ques. How can I score a band of 8.5 in IELTS reading?
Answer: In order to score a band of 8.5 in IELTS reading, candidates are required to answer a minimum of 36 questions out of the total of 40 questions.
Ques. Is IELTS reading difficult?
Answer: IELTS reading difficulty level depends on the preparation of an individual. The more you practice, the better you ace the exams.
Ques. How many reading passages are there?
Answer: There are a total of three reading passages for the academic paper and three different sections for the general training paper with each section having one or two texts.
Ques. Is the reading test the same for everyone?
Answer: No, there are two different tests for IELTS reading; IELTS academic and IELTS general training. Candidates will get to decide which IELTS test they would like to appear for. Make a note that the test candidates are appearing for will impact both their reading and writing papers.
Ques. What kind of reading passages are there in the IELTS academic test?
Answer: Each of the passages in the academic reading paper are long. These passages are excerpts from books, magazines, and newspapers. It might contain complicated language, academic vocabulary, and at times diagrams, maps or other kinds of illustrations.
Ques. Do I lose a point if my answer is wrong?
Answer: No, there are no point deductions for a wrong answer. Thus, never leave an empty space in the answer sheet, always write something and have a guess for an answer.
Ques. How long should I spend on each passage?
Answer: It is recommended that a candidate shouldn’t spend more than 20 minutes on each passage. Ensure that you are effectively managing your time while attempting the questions.
Ques. Am I allowed to write on the reading question paper?
Answer: Yes you are allowed to do so. You can make notes, underline words, and write on any part of the question paper.
Ques. Is it necessary to use capital letters?
Answer: No, it is not necessarily needed to write using capital letters. You may or may not use them.
Ques. Should I use a pen or a pencil?
Answer: For the reading and listening test, you must use a pencil. Thus, do remember to carry an eraser with you. However, for writing test, you can use pen.
*The article might have information for the previous academic years, which will be updated soon subject to the notification issued by the University/College
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