The Reading test in brief
The IELTS Reading test lasts 60 minutes and has 40 questions across three passages. There is no extra transfer time in the computer-delivered test, and in the paper test you write your answers directly on the answer sheet within the hour.
- Academic Reading uses three long passages from books, journals and magazines, often on science, history or social topics.
- General Training Reading starts with short everyday texts such as notices and adverts, moves to workplace texts like job descriptions and staff policies, and ends with one longer general passage.
To reach band 7, Academic candidates typically need around 30 out of 40. General Training candidates need more correct answers for the same band, so do not assume GT Reading is the easier option.
Question types you will meet
Our 52 Reading sets cover the full range, with explanations for every answer:
- TRUE / FALSE / NOT GIVEN (and YES / NO / NOT GIVEN for opinions)
- Matching Headings to paragraphs
- Matching Information (which paragraph contains a detail)
- Summary completion, with or without a word box
- Multiple choice, sentence completion and short answers
- Diagram, table and flow-chart completion
On the computer test, headings and word-box answers are dragged into place. Our sets use the same drag-and-drop, highlighter and flag-for-review tools, so the screen will not surprise you on the day.
A timing strategy that works
The passages usually become harder, so do not split your time equally.
- Passage 1: about 17 minutes.
- Passage 2: about 20 minutes.
- Passage 3: about 23 minutes.
Skim each passage for one or two minutes to see what each paragraph is about, then go to the questions. Find key words in the question that are easy to spot, such as names, dates and numbers, and scan for them. When you reach a hard question, flag it, give your best guess and move on. A blank answer can never score.
The traps that catch students in Muscat
Students who studied in Arabic-medium schools and then moved to English at college or university often read carefully and accurately, which is a strength, but sometimes too slowly for IELTS. Expatriate professionals who read English at work every day are often fast but over-confident with True/False questions. Both groups fall into the same traps:
- NOT GIVEN vs FALSE. FALSE means the passage says the opposite. NOT GIVEN means the passage does not say. If you need your own knowledge to decide, the answer is usually NOT GIVEN.
- Matching Headings by single words. A heading that repeats a word from the paragraph is often a distractor. Choose the heading that matches the main idea of the whole paragraph.
- Word limits. "NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS" means three words is wrong, even if the meaning is right.
- Paraphrase. The question rarely uses the passage's exact words. "Declined" in the question might be "fell sharply" in the text.
- Spelling. Copy words exactly from the passage. A spelling error makes the answer wrong.
How to practise Reading in a busy week
Reading suits short sessions. One passage takes about 20 minutes, which fits a lunch break or the time between lectures at SQU or your college.
- Weekdays: one passage a day, timed, then read every explanation, including for questions you got right by guessing.
- Once a week: a full three-passage set in 60 minutes without stopping.
- Review: every wrong answer goes into your Mistake Notebook automatically. Look back at it each weekend and notice patterns, for example, that most of your mistakes are NOT GIVEN questions.
Build reading speed outside the test as well. Read one longer English article a day on topics IELTS likes: the environment, technology, health, education and urban planning. Muscat's English-language newspapers and international news sites both work. Add new words to your flashcards and to the free Daily Vocabulary habit.
Charged sets for band 7 and above
If you are regularly scoring 30 or more, our Charged Reading sets are harder, with denser passages and closer distractors. They are designed for students who need 7 or above, for example for a competitive master's programme in the UK or for professional registration abroad.
Start practising
Try the free sample Reading set first, then unlock all 52 sets and the Charged sets with Full Access for $12 for 2 months. Your IELTS Reading practice can start today: create a free account or explore the practice tests.