Course Overview

The reading test

In the Reading test there are 40 questions, designed to test a wide range of reading skills.
These include reading for gist, reading for main ideas, reading for detail, skimming,
understanding logical arguments and recognising writers’ opinions, attitudes and purpose.
The test takes 60 minutes.
The IELTS Academic Reading Test includes three long texts which range from the
descriptive and factual to the discursive and analytical. These are taken from books,
journals, magazines and newspapers. They have been selected for a non-specialist
audience but are appropriate for people entering university courses or seeking professional
registration.
The IELTS General Training Reading Test has three sections. Section 1 may contain two or
three short texts or several shorter texts. Section 2 comprises two texts. In Section 3, there
is one long text. These texts include extract from books, magazines, newspapers, notices,
advertisements, company handbooks and guidelines. These are materials you are likely to
encounter on a daily basis in an English-speaking environment.

Tips for the test:

1. The timing factor holds immense importance.

You’ll be allotted just one hour to tackle 40 questions, making time management essential. I recommend dedicating approximately 20 minutes to each section. This approach allows for around 16-17 minutes to read and respond to the questions and 3-4 minutes for reviewing and transferring your answers.

2. Carefully heed the provided instructions.

In the IELTS Reading section, numerous strong candidates lose points due to inadequate attention to the instructions. Pay significant attention to the instructions given to avoid missing out on easily attainable marks.

3. Maintain composure.

Among the questions you encounter, some will prove straightforward while others may present formidable challenges.

The unwise course of action is to spend excessive time on a particularly difficult question. If the answer doesn’t readily come to mind, proceed to the next one. You can always return to the more demanding questions later.

Maintaining your composure and managing nervousness is crucial. Acknowledging that perfection is not the goal and that you may not answer every question correctly can assist in managing anxiety and maintaining control over your pacing on test day.

4. Essentially, it’s a test of vocabulary.

In many aspects, the IELTS Reading test is more akin to a vocabulary assessment than a pure reading evaluation. This is because a broad vocabulary is essential for comprehending the provided text passages. Additionally, an understanding of synonyms and paraphrasing is vital for identifying the necessary information to answer questions accurately.

5. Don’t anticipate grasping every word.

If you encounter an unfamiliar word during the test, consider examining the words and sentences surrounding it for contextual clues about its meaning. Alternatively, you can simply move forward without dwelling on it.

Concentrate on words directly related to the questions at hand, and don’t allow unfamiliar terms to distract you.