IELTS Reading Exam Tips

The IELTS Exam

The International English Language Language Testing System (IELTS) is one of the most widely-used English language comprehension and evaluation tests in use today. The primary goal of the IELTS examination is to assess whether a candidate has the language skills necessary to integrate into an English-speaking environment. For those choosing to study abroad - particularly in an English-speaking country - the IELTS Academic is the standard exam given. Below, we will outline the basic structure and nature of the IELTS Reading exam, as well as give you several useful tips to help prepare yourself.

What Is The IELTS Reading Exam?

The complete IELTS test consists of four main parts; speaking, listening, reading, and writing. The IELTS is designed to assess a non-native speaker’s ability to function in English in a variety of natural settings that are likely to be encountered in the real world. While not as daunting as the written portion of the exam, the IELTS reading exam presents a unique challenge to candidates as it will assess more than just knowledge of vocabulary and grammar; to score well on the IELTS reading exam a candidate must be able to read between the lines and demonstrate an ability to truly comprehend abstract ideas from the text.

How is The IELTS Reading Exam Structured?

The structure of the IELTS reading exam is quite simple; you will be given 60 minutes to answer 40 questions based on the passages provided. The test contains three separate reading passages and contains a total of 2,000 to 2.750 words. All answers must be filled in on the provided answer sheets and the test must be completed within the 60-minute time limit. Each section is roughly the same length, so no more than 20 minutes should be spent on any one text. This all comes out to about 90 seconds per question - and that doesn’t include reading time.

The three texts may come from a variety of sources, but typically include excerpts from journals, books, magazines, or newspapers. The texts are written as to be understood by non-specialists; in the event of a text containing technical terms, a small glossary is provided. Texts may contain detailed logical arguments, graphs, or diagrams.

As for the questions themselves, there are 14 types of questions that will be asked of the texts. The 14 types of questions for the IELTS reading exam are:

Multiple Choice Questions - Select the proper answer (A, B, C, or D), Only one answer is correct.
True/False/Not Given - Determine whether the statement provided is true or false based on the text provided. Note, that not all questions may be mentioned in the text, in this case, “Not Given” is the correct answer.
Information Matching - Identity in which paragraph a given topic should be placed.
Headline Matching - Match the provided headline with the appropriate section.
Sentence Completion - Complete the given sentence with specific words from the text.
Summary Completion - Select a given number of words from the text to complete the summary provided.
List Selection - Select the correct option(s) from a list of names or data.
Title Selection - Choose the best title for a text from a list.
Classification Questions - Sort the provided data into the appropriate types.
Match Sentence Endings - Match the first and last halves of multiple sentences.
Table Completion - Fill in the given table with words and data from the text.
Flow Chart Completion - Fill in the given flow chart with words and data from the text.
Diagram Completion - Fill in the given diagram with words and data from the text.
Short Answer - Answer the direct question about the text.

How Is The IELTS Reading Exam Scored?

The IELTS reading exam is scored on a 9 band system with a score of 7 denoting a “good” English level. Your score for the exam is based directly on how many questions are answered correctly. There is no penalty for incorrect or unanswered questions. The number of correct answers needed to achieve a given score is outlined below:

Band Score	Correct Answers
5	15
6	20
7	23
8	35

Note that these numbers are for the IELTS Academic test, the scoring for the general exam is slightly different, requiring fewer correct answers to achieve the same score.

How Can I Study For The IELTS Reading Exam?

It may sound obvious, but the best way to prepare for the IELTS reading exam is to read. But, nothing is ever just that simple. Not all reading is created equal, and your choice of what - and how - to read will be key to your success on the IELTS reading exam. Here are a few of our top tips to help you get the most out of your study time.

Read Articles

While reading your favorite book is indeed great practice for English in general, for the IELTS reading test you need to practice reading articles. This will ensure that you are skilled at reading short- to mid-length texts that have a concrete beginning, middle, and end. Articles typically strive to make a single point; being able to identify that point, to find supporting arguments, and to explain it all in clear terms will be the keys to success on the IELTS reading exam.

Don’t Read the Whole Article

This might seem entirely contradictory to point 1, but it is vital to being able to complete the test on time. With only 20 minutes per task, speed is extremely important. Practice skimming articles quickly, try to find the key information from each sentence or paragraph and move on to the next part of the text. You are not reading this to squeeze out every last drop, you are trying to extract only the most important bits of information.

Read The Questions First

How do you know what to skim an article for? Start by reading the questions and looking for as many keywords and concepts as you can. What do these questions have in common? What do you think the text will be about based on the vocabulary and ideas presented in the questions? By reading the test already primed with a rough idea you will be able to identify the relevant sections more easily.

Read For Concepts Not For Content

The IELTS reading exam is meant to test your ability to understand and use English in a natural way. The questions and texts will likely contain the same concept worded differently. If you look only for the same words in the same order you will likely not find them. You need to understand what the question is actually asking, not just what the words in it mean.

Prioritize Your Answers

Since time is a critical factor answer the questions you are sure of first. Only after answering the “easy” questions should you spend time trying to track down the ones you may have missed. If you are running low on time, guess. There is no difference between a wrong answer and a blank answer.

Practice, Practice, Practice