What the Reading test looks like
You get 60 minutes for three passages and 40 questions. There is no extra time to transfer answers on the paper test, and on the computer test you type directly into the boxes. Each correct answer is one mark, and the raw score is converted to a band.
- Academic Reading uses three long texts from books, journals, magazines and newspapers, often on science, history or social topics. Passages get harder as you go.
- General Training Reading moves from short everyday texts such as notices and adverts, to workplace documents such as job descriptions or staff policies, and finally to one longer general-interest text.
As a rough guide, band 7 in Academic Reading needs about 30 out of 40. General Training needs more correct answers for the same band, because the texts are considered easier.
The question types you will meet
Our 52 practice sets cover every common type, each with an explanation of why the right answer is right:
- TRUE / FALSE / NOT GIVEN (and YES / NO / NOT GIVEN for opinions)
- Matching Headings to paragraphs
- Matching Information to paragraphs
- Matching Features, such as researchers to findings
- Summary, note or table completion, with or without a word box
- Multiple choice and sentence completion
- Short-answer questions with a word limit
The two traps that cost the most marks
NOT GIVEN versus FALSE
FALSE means the passage says the opposite. NOT GIVEN means the passage does not say it at all. The mistake many students make is using their own knowledge. If the statement says "Indore is the largest city in Madhya Pradesh" and the passage only says the city is "a major commercial centre", the answer is NOT GIVEN, even if you know the statement is true. Judge only by the text.
Matching Headings
The trap here is word matching. A heading that repeats a word from the paragraph is often a distractor. Read the first two sentences and the last sentence of the paragraph, ask yourself "what is the main point?", and then choose the heading that expresses that idea, usually in different words. Do these questions first if they come before the passage, because they help you understand the whole text.
A timing strategy that works
- Aim for about 17 minutes on Passage 1, 20 on Passage 2 and 23 on Passage 3. The last passage is usually the hardest.
- Skim each passage for one to two minutes before you look at the questions, just to see what each paragraph is about.
- Most question types follow the passage order, except Matching Headings, Matching Information and Matching Features. Use that to locate answers quickly.
- Never leave a blank. There is no negative marking, so guess and flag it.
- Watch word limits. "NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS" means a three-word answer is wrong even if the meaning is correct.
On our test screens you can highlight words, add notes and flag questions to revisit, just as on the computer-delivered IELTS.
Reading practice for Indore students
Students here often have a strength the Reading test rewards: engineering, pharmacy and commerce courses at DAVV, SGSITS and the private universities involve plenty of technical English. The challenge is speed with unfamiliar topics such as archaeology, ecology or art history.
Build reading into your day in Indore:
- On the bus or as a passenger in a cab or shared auto, read one long-form article from an international newspaper or magazine on your phone and summarise each paragraph in a few words.
- In a college free period, do one passage against the clock rather than a full set.
- At the weekend, do a full timed set and review every wrong answer in your Mistake Notebook.
Add five new words a day with Daily Vocabulary, focusing on synonyms, because Reading answers are almost always paraphrased.
Charged sets for band 7 and above
Once you are scoring around 30 out of 40 regularly, standard sets stop stretching you. Our Charged Reading sets use denser passages, closer distractors and more paraphrasing, so the real test feels manageable by comparison. They are designed for students targeting band 7 and above, for example for UK or Australian universities or for professional registration.
Start practising
Try the free sample Reading sets on the practice tests page, then use the Band Score Calculator to convert your raw score. Register free to save your progress.