| Reading Duration | 60 Minutes |
| Test Parts | 3 Passages |
Questions
There are 40 questions. A variety of question types are used and are chosen from the following:
- Multiple choices
- Identifying information
- Identifying a writer's view or claim
- Matching information
- Matching headings
- Matching features
- Matching sentence endings
- Sentence completion
- Note completion
- Table completion
- Flow-chart completion
- Diagram label completion
- Short-answer questions
The texts are all real and are taken from books, magazines and newspapers. They have been written for a non-specialist audience and are on academic topics of general interest, which means you do not need specialist knowledge to do well.
The texts are appropriate and accessible to candidates entering undergraduate or postgraduate courses or seeking professional registration.
Texts range from the descriptive and factual to the discursive and analytical. Text may contain nonverbal material such as diagram graphics or illustrations. If texts contain technical terms, then a similar glossary is provided.
General Training
- Section 1: Contains two or three short factual texts, one of which may be composite (consists of 6–8 short texts related by topic, e.g., hotel advertisements). Topics are relevant to everyday life in an English-speaking country.
- Section 2: Contains two short factual texts focusing on work-related issues (e.g., applying for jobs, company policies, pay and conditions, workplace facilities, staff development, and training).
- Section 3: Contains one longer, more complex text on a topic of general interest. You will be reading real passages taken from, advertisements, official documents, books and newspapers.
Skills Assessed
- Reading for gist
- Reading for main ideas
- Reading for detail
- Understanding inferences and implied meanings
- Recognizing the writer's opinions, attitudes and purpose
- Following the development of an argument
Marking
Each correct answer receives one mark. Scores out of 40 are converted to the IELTS 9-Band scale. Scores are reported in whole and half bands.
Top 5 approved examiner reading tips
- To improve your performance in the reading test, you need to practice reading a variety of English texts. This will help you develop the ability to read quickly, as is required under test conditions.
- Read every question carefully before reading the passages. This will make it easier for you to find the answers. Underline possible answers as you go.
- When you come to read the passage, read it quickly the first time in order to get a general idea of what it is about. Don't worry about words you do not understand. Then, read each question again to remember which parts of the passage you will need to read again in detail.
- If you are copying words from a question or reading passages to use in your answer, remember that your spelling must be accurate.
- If you are asked to label a diagram, you will find the words you need in the text. Be sure to copy them carefully from the text with the correct spelling.
