IELTS Reading: Syllabus, Question Pattern, Preparation Tips and Scores
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Content Curator | Updated On - Jun 1, 2024
Highlights
- Types of reading tests: There are two types of reading tests, namely IELTS academic reading and IELTS general reading
- Number of questions: There are 40 questions consisting of 1 mark each
- Time duration and segments: Three segments will be there in the examination, and you need to complete all three secretions in 60 minutes
- Question types: There are 9 types of questions, varying in number for each segment.
- A common topic for academic reading exams: The common topics for IELTS reading are Language, Technology, and Dominant features of Western countries
- A common topic for general training exam: Space science, News, and Pedagogy are some common topics for the examination
IELTS reading is a way to measure the cognitive and time management skills of the participant. You will be asked to quickly read three passages and then respond to the relevant questions. IELTS reading test or the content of it is different for academic and general training. Within the 60-minute timeframe, you need to answer 40 questions. For academic tests, each three sections will consist of 10–17 questions, carrying 1 mark for each one. The same follows for general training tests too. For the academic test, you will get extracted material from Books, Journals, and Magazines. In the case of general tests, you will get materials from Newspapers, Advertisements, Handbooks, and Notices. The question types are common for both exams. You need to answer multiple-choice questions, match information, complete a sentence, and do similar kinds of tasks.
IELTS Reading Examination Pattern
IELTS exam reading test aims to judge the variety of reading skills of the participants. While the question style is the same for academic and general tests, however, the section differs. You can check the best apps for IELTS preparation. You need to answer 40 questions (divided into three sections) that will evaluate your reading skills like
- Scanning
- Skimming
- Reading for details
The below table will help you understand the IELTS reading exam pattern or the academic and general tests.
| Sections | Academic Reading Test | General Reading Test |
|---|---|---|
| Section 1 | Multiple choice questions: With 4 possible answers to the question | Short text: You need to answer 2-3 short texts or more than that short text. |
| Section 2 | Information identification, where you need to write true or false based on the reading passage | Text explanation: This segment consists of two texts where you could be asked to write multiple choice questions, match the information |
| Section 3 | Identifying Writer’s View or Claim: Here you need to justify your answer, whether you agree or disagree with the given claim | One long text: Here you need to read one long test and answer as per the instructions given. |
Apart from the multiple-choice, information matching, and writer view, there are other types of questions, applicable for IELTS academic writing tests. The details of the question types applicable for academic and general tests are listed in the below section.
IELTS Reading Question Types
Are you looking for IELTS Reading Question Pattern? Then, you are at the right place. There are 9 types of questions which are common for both cases. If you want a high IELTS band score, then you have to know about the reading question type. The number of the mentioned question types varies for both the academic and general text exams. You need to answer 40 questions as a whole. However, IELTS reading practice test will help you to get better clarification regarding the question types. The common topics are listed in the below table.
| Task Type | Task Description | Skill Assessed |
|---|---|---|
| Multiple Choice Questions | Choose the correct answer from three or four possible options. | Scan and understand specific information in the passage. |
| Information Identification: True, False | Need to write true, false or not given based on given information. | Capability to understand the logical argument and support the answer |
| Identifying the writer’s view (Yes/No/Not Given) | You will be asked whether you agree with the given number statements. You are not allowed to use any information from outside | Scan and find out specific information. |
| Matching information | Find specific information from the paragraphs identified as A, B, C and D | Scan and find out specific information. |
| Matching Headings | There will be a list of headings identified as i, ii, iii, iv, and you need to match it with the correct paragraph or section | Ability to differentiate between main idea and supporting ideas |
| Matching Features | You will be asked to match a set of statements with a list of options named A, B, C and so on. Need to write the correct letter on the answer paper | Ability to recognize connections and relationships between facts and texts |
| Matching Sentence Endings | Complete the sentence by matching its start and ending given from the list. | Ability to recognize between main idea and supportive ideas. |
| Sentence Completion Questions | Complete the sentence with the words taken from the passage. | Ability to find detailed or specific information |
| Summary Completion Questions | Complete the summary, and it could be in the form of a continuous text, several notes, a table with partial empty parts or a series of partially empty boxes | Ability to find detailed or specific information |
IELTS Reading Topics
IELTS reading exam covers multiple topics related to recent incidents only. Tough, topics for IELTS academic reading and general reading may differ. Candidates are advised to do regular practice with IELTS reading topics, to understand the exam syllabus. The most common topics are
- Environment
- Science and Technology
- History and Culture
- Education and social issues
- Business and Economics
- Sports and Fitness
The topic in detail for both sections is listed in the below sections you can see from your IELTS reading materials.
IELTS Academic Reading Topics
IELTS Academic reading topics are the key focus for international students. You need to pay attention to improving your vocabulary regarding main topics like education, work, mass media, trends, travel, and tourism. To make the best IELST preparation online, some common topics along with the sample are given in the below table.
| IELTS Academic Reading Topics | Samples |
|---|---|
| Language | Endangered languages Pronunciation and physiognomy |
| Technology | Can we prevent the poles from melting? |
| Dominant features of Western countries | Tackling Obesity In The Western World |
| Robots | The robots are coming, not lair intelligence? |
| Skyscrapers | Crop-growing skyscrapers |
| Television addiction in students | Is Technology Harming Our Children’s Health? |
| Impacts of environment on human health | Nature’s Most Violent Wind |
IELTS General Reading Topics
Those who are planning to settle down abroad for work purposes are actively looking for the IELTS General Reading Topics. IELTS reading test for the general one is quite easier compared to the academic one. However, you need to enhance your understanding of complex English to recognize an argument or idea. The below-mentioned topic will help you with the kind of topic you need to focus on to create co-alignment with IELTS syllabus.
| IELTS General Reading Topics | Sample Topics |
|---|---|
| Space science | An Asteroid |
| News | Latest management model adopted by LCP technologies |
| Pedagogy | How to advertise a product |
| Child growth and learning | Learning By Examples |
| Movies | The History of Cinema |
| Places of tourist attraction | History of Shimla in India |
| Employee benefits | Hiking on snow in Australia paternity leave |
| Organizational management | Types of holiday activities |
| Domestic and international travel | Hiking on snow in Australia Bart train schedules |
| Travel restrictions | A cave and hiking in the cave with essentials |
| Working hours | Safety instructions for workers on a construction site |
| Employee-employer relation | Workspace Survival |
| Managerial theory | How The Other Half Thinks: Adventures In Mathematical Reasoning |
| Clarity in HR policies | Social Survival |
| Job satisfaction | Office air quality |
IELTS Reading Score
Reading section IELTS Exam score is credited on a scale of 0-9. While answering IELTS general reading practice test, the scoring criteria will help you to enhance your performance. The table mentioned below reflects the IELTS Reading Score that can help you to track your performance in the future.
| Correct Answers | IELTS Academic band score | Correct Answers | IELTS General Training Band score |
|---|---|---|---|
| 40-39 | 9 | 40 | 9 |
| 38-37 | 8.5 | 39 | 8.5 |
| 36-35 | 8 | 37-38 | 8 |
| 34-33 | 7.5 | 36 | 7.5 |
| 32-30 | 7 | 34-35 | 7 |
| 29-27 | 6.5 | 32-33 | 6.5 |
| 26-23 | 6 | 30-31 | 6 |
| 22-19 | 5.5 | 27-29 | 5.5 |
| 18-15 | 5 | 23-26 | 5 |
| 14-13 | 4.5 | 19-22 | 4.5 |
| 12-10 | 4 | 15-18 | 4 |
| 9-8 | 3.5 | 12-14 | 3.5 |
| 7-6 | 3 | 9-11 | 3 |
| 5-4 | 2.5 | 6-8 | 2.5 |
IELTS Reading Marking Criteria
IELTS reading exam consists of one mark for each question, consisting of 40 questions. IELTS reading score ranges from 0 to 9 scale. In that case, IELTS reading test will help you to get an overview of the reading marking criteria and score range. However, candidates are required to regularly practice of IELTS reading mock test to achieve a high IELTS TRF.
| Task Achievement (Task 1) |
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| Task Response (Task 2) |
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| Coherence and Cohesion |
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| Lexical Resources |
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| Grammar Range and Accuracy |
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IELTS Reading Preparation Tips
Candidates are required to do proper IELTS reading preparation to achieve a good score. For IELTS, academic reading, analysing, note-taking, skimming, summarizing, and scanning skills are required. While the general reading includes more versatile sections. So, you need to have a IELTS study plan to rank high in the exam. Some factual tips are mentioned in the below section that can boost your reading preparation.
- Read the instructions carefully and understand them well
- Invest time and note down important keywords or phrases that come up in the text
- Utilize the time given for each section wisely by planning what to read first and what to skim through.
- Pay close attention to words like ‘not’, ‘except’, and other similar words which can help you identify incorrect answers for multiple choice questions.
- Don’t miss out on small details that can help you throughout the test.
- Mark the answers directly on the question paper and ensure that all questions are attempted.
- Review your answers at the end to make sure none of them have been missed or answered incorrectly.
- After reading each paragraph, try to make predictions about what might come next, as this can help you build anticipation for upcoming parts of the text.
IELTS Reading Books
IELTS reading materials cover updated exam strategies for better preparation. IELTS preparation book provide customized and comprehensive study materials. Candidates who can study at home and self-prepare for the IELTS syllabus can get help from the below-mentioned book list.
- The Official Cambridge Guide to IELTS- Check PDF
- IELTS Trainer 2 Academic: Six Practice Tests- Check PDF
- Simone Braverman’s Target Band 7- Check PDF
- Official IELTS Practice Materials 2 with DVD-Check PDF
- Focus on the IELTS Foundation Coursebook-Check PDF
- Barron’s IELTS Superpack- Check PDF
IELTS Reading Practice Test Papers
IELTS Reading practice tests make candidates familiar with the exam pattern. The regular mock tests or IELTS reading practice test strengthen your preparation and skills. You can consider the below-mentioned sample papers to enhance your reading skills for both exams.
The IELTS reading section is an important part of the exam. Candidates are required to regularly practice with the reading test and consider the best study materials. The required reading band score for top universities will vary depending on the institution, and courses. So, the candidates are required to achieve a good IELTS score for enrolling in top colleges in the world.
FAQS
Ques: What is the IELTS reading test format?
Ans: IELTS reading test consists of three long passages with 40 questions in total. You'll have 60 minutes to read the passages and answer the questions.
Ques: What types of questions are there in IELTS reading?
Ans: There are various question types, including in IELTS reading: identifying information, matching headings, completing sentences, multiple choice, and short answer questions.
Ques: Is the IELTS reading test difficult?
Ans: The difficulty of IELTS reading depends on your current English reading skills and practice level. The passages can be complex, but with effective preparation, you can achieve a good IELTS reading score.
Ques: What is a good score on the IELTS reading test?
Ans: A good IELTS reading score depends on your goals. Generally, 6.0 is considered competent, but for university admissions, aim for 6.5 or higher.
Ques: How can I improve my reading speed for the IELTS test?
Ans: Regularly solving IELTS reading practice tests, can help you to improve your time management skills, and can make you familiar with the exam topics.
Ques - How can I get 8.5 in IELTS reading?
Ans - Candidates need a proper exam strategies, comprehensive study materials and regular practice tests to achieve 8.5 in IELTS reading.
Ques - How can I practice for IELTS reading?
Ans - Practice with different text patterns, develop a good English reading habit and read every question properly before writing.
Ques - How can I finish my IELTS reading in time?
Ans - Candidates need to focus on headlines, and sub-head lines for main points that describe the entire passage.
Ques - Is IELTS reading test easy?
Ans - The difficulty level of IELTS writing differs for every student. Students with good command in English language find, IELTS reading very easy.
Ques - How can I avoid mistakes in reading IELTS?
Ans - Candidates need a proper time management skills, spelling is important, and by reading the questions carefully, candidates can avoid mistakes in reading IELTS.
Ques - Is the reading test the same for everyone?
Ans - IELTS reading have two types of exams, IELTS academic reading, and IELTS general reading.
Ques - How can I improve my reading score?
Ans - Regular practice with updated study materials, improve vocabulary skills, and take practice tests to improve reading score.
Ques - Is 22 a good reading score?
Ans - A IELTS reading score of 22, is 63 percentiles, which is an average IELTS score.
Ques - What is a perfect reading score?
Ans - The perfect reading score is 40 out of 40. Candidates need a proper preparation strategies to achieve the highest IELTS reading score.
Ques - What are the common mistakes in IELTS reading part?
Ans - Ignoring the instructions, reading the entire passage, and ignoring the order of questions are the common mistakes in IELTS reading part.
*The article might have information for the previous academic years, please refer the official website of the exam.