IELTS Reading has three sections, 40 questions and 60 minutes, with no extra time to transfer answers. Aim for about 20 minutes per section, and do not try to read every word before answering.
Manage the clock
Most candidates who struggle in Reading do not run out of understanding. They run out of time. Set yourself roughly 20 minutes per section, and if a question is taking too long, guess, mark it and move on. There is no penalty for wrong answers, so never leave a blank.
Skim, then scan
- Skim the passage in about two minutes to understand what each paragraph is about.
- Read the questions and underline keywords.
- Scan for those keywords, or their synonyms, and read that part carefully.
Most answers follow the order of the passage, except for some matching and heading questions.
True / False / Not Given (and Yes / No / Not Given)
This question type causes more lost marks than any other.
| Answer | Means |
|---|---|
| True / Yes | The passage says the same thing |
| False / No | The passage says the opposite |
| Not Given | The passage does not say. You cannot tell |
The trap is using your own knowledge. If the passage does not state it, the answer is Not Given, even if you know it is true in real life. True/False questions are about facts; Yes/No questions are about the writer's views.
Matching headings
Read the list of headings first, then read each paragraph's first and last sentences to find its main idea. Headings describe the whole paragraph, not a detail in it. Do the paragraphs you are confident about first; the remaining choices get easier.
Academic and General Training differ
Academic Reading uses three long, complex texts. General Training uses shorter everyday texts in the first two sections and one longer text in the third. The skills are the same, but General Training needs more correct answers for the same band.
How to practise
Do timed sections, then review every wrong answer and find the exact sentence that gives the answer. Over a few weeks you start to see the patterns examiners use, especially synonyms and paraphrases, and both speed and accuracy improve.
See our IELTS Academic and IELTS General Training programmes, or read how long IELTS preparation actually takes.
Frequently asked questions
How long is IELTS Reading?
60 minutes for 40 questions across three sections, with no extra time to transfer answers.
What is the difference between False and Not Given?
False means the passage says the opposite of the statement. Not Given means the passage does not give the information, so you cannot tell.
Should I read the whole passage first?
Skim it quickly for the main idea of each paragraph, then scan for answers. Reading every word carefully first usually leaves you short of time.
Is there negative marking in IELTS Reading?
No. A wrong answer scores the same as a blank, so always write an answer.
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Written by the Learning Bubble teaching team. If something here does not match your situation, ask us. We would rather give you a straight answer than have you guess.