How the Reading test works
You get 60 minutes for 40 questions across three passages, and there is no extra time to transfer answers on the paper test, so you write directly on the answer sheet. On the computer-delivered test you type or click answers on screen.
- Academic Reading uses three long texts of the kind you might find in books, journals or quality magazines, on topics from archaeology to engineering.
- General Training Reading moves from short everyday texts (notices, adverts, timetables) to workplace documents (job descriptions, policies) and then one longer general text.
The question types are shared: TRUE/FALSE/NOT GIVEN (or YES/NO/NOT GIVEN for opinions), Matching Headings, Matching Information, Matching Features, sentence and summary completion (sometimes with a word box), multiple choice, short answers and diagram labelling.
In General Training you need more correct answers for the same band than in Academic, because the texts are considered easier. So do not assume GT Reading is a free pass.
Timing: a plan that works
A simple target is about 20 minutes per passage, but passages get harder, so many students aim for 17, 20 and 23 minutes. Practical habits:
- Read the questions before the passage so you know what to look for.
- Do not read every word slowly. Skim for structure first, then scan for names, dates and key terms.
- Move on from a stuck question. Flag it and return. A single hard question is not worth three easy ones later.
- Never leave a blank. There is no penalty for a wrong answer.
The two traps that cost the most
NOT GIVEN
FALSE means the passage says the opposite. NOT GIVEN means the passage simply does not say. Students often choose FALSE because the statement "feels wrong" from their own knowledge. The rule: answer only from the text, not from what you know about Canada, agriculture or anything else.
Matching Headings
The heading must match the main idea of the whole paragraph, not one sentence in it. A heading that repeats a word from the paragraph is often a distractor. Read the first and last sentences of each paragraph closely, then decide.
Other common slips: going over the word limit ("NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS"), copying a word with the wrong spelling, and choosing a summary option that is grammatically wrong in the gap.
Reading habits for students in Jalandhar
Many students here studied in Punjabi-medium or mixed-medium schools and are very good at understanding spoken English but less used to reading long English texts quickly. That is a habit, not a talent, and it builds with practice.
- Read something in English every day for 15 minutes: a national newspaper's editorial, a science magazine, or the course pages of universities you are considering in Canada or Australia.
- Academic students at LPU, NIT Jalandhar or the city colleges can practise on their own textbooks and journal articles, which are close in style to Academic Reading.
- GT candidates heading abroad for work can read job adverts, tenancy rules and workplace policies from the country they plan to move to.
How to practise on IELTS Learning
IELTS Learning has 52 Reading practice sets for both Academic and General Training, covering TRUE/FALSE/NOT GIVEN, Matching Headings, Matching Information, summary completion with a word box, multiple choice and more. Each comes with explanations, so you can see why the right answer is right, not just that you got it wrong. That makes IELTS Reading practice in Jalandhar possible without a teacher beside you to explain each mistake.
The screens work like the computer test: you can highlight, add notes, flag questions and drag headings into place. Every wrong answer goes into your Mistake Notebook automatically, so after a week you can see which question type keeps catching you.
A good weekly routine:
- Two single-type sessions, for example only Matching Headings, to build the skill.
- One full timed set of three passages in 60 minutes.
- Ten minutes reviewing your Mistake Notebook at the end of the week.
Charged sets for band 7 and above
For band 7 in Academic Reading you typically need around 30 out of 40. If you are already scoring in the high 20s, standard sets may no longer stretch you. Our Charged Reading sets are harder than standard practice and built for students aiming at 7+.
Start your IELTS Reading practice in Jalandhar
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