IELTS Reading Module

The IELTS Reading Module is designed to assess your ability to understand written English through a range of texts. The test lasts 60 minutes and includes 40 questions. Unlike the Listening test, there is no extra transfer time—all answers must be written directly on the answer sheet (paper-based) or submitted on screen (computer-based).

The Reading test differs between Academic and General Training IELTS, but both are scored on the same band scale.

IELTS Academic Reading

• Consists of 3 long texts taken from books, journals, magazines, or newspapers.

• Topics are academic but accessible to candidates preparing for university or professional registration.

• Texts may include:

  • Descriptive and factual information

  • Discursive or analytical writing

  • Non-verbal material such as diagrams or graphs

• Designed to test skills like skimming, scanning, identifying main ideas, and understanding detail.

IELTS General Training Reading

• Consists of 3 sections with a variety of shorter texts.

• Text sources include advertisements, notices, newspapers, instruction manuals, company handbooks, or magazines.

• Difficulty increases with each section:

  • Section 1: Social survival – everyday notices, timetables, advertisements.

  • Section 2: Workplace survival – job descriptions, company policies, training materials.

  • Section 3: General reading – longer, more complex texts similar to magazine or newspaper articles.

Question Types

You will answer a wide variety of question formats, including:

• Multiple choice

• Identifying information (True/False/Not Given)

• Identifying writer’s views/claims (Yes/No/Not Given)

• Matching headings, features, or sentence endings

• Table, flowchart, or summary completion

• Short-answer questions

Scoring

• The test has 40 questions, each carrying 1 mark.

• Raw scores are converted to the IELTS Band Scale (0–9).

• Academic and General Training Reading use slightly different scoring scales because of the text difficulty.

Example conversion (Academic Reading):

• 30/40 = Band 7.0

• 35/40 = Band 8.0

Skills Assessed

The Reading Module evaluates:

• Understanding of main ideas and supporting details

• Recognizing writers’ opinions, attitudes, and purpose

• Identifying key features and arguments

• Ability to skim, scan, and read for detail

• Understanding of academic vocabulary and paraphrasing

Tips for Success in IELTS Reading

• Practice skimming and scanning to find information quickly.

• Highlight or underline keywords in the questions before reading.

• Be aware of synonyms – the text may use different words than the question.

• Manage your time: about 20 minutes per passage/section.

• Answer all questions, even if unsure – there is no negative marking.

• Improve your vocabulary by reading widely (newspapers, journals, magazines).

Remember: The IELTS Reading test is not only about understanding words—it’s about recognizing meaning, analyzing ideas, and finding information efficiently under time pressure.