What the Reading test asks of you
You get three passages and 40 questions in 60 minutes. There is no separate transfer time, so whatever you have written when the clock stops is your answer.
- Academic Reading uses long texts from books, journals and magazines, often on science, history, environment or social topics. They are dense, but you do not need specialist knowledge.
- General Training Reading starts with short everyday texts (notices, adverts, timetables), moves to workplace texts (job descriptions, policies), and ends with one longer general passage.
For a band 7, Academic Reading typically needs roughly 30 correct answers out of 40. General Training needs more correct answers for the same band, because the early texts are easier.
The question types you will meet
Our 52 practice sets cover all of them, with an explanation for every answer:
- TRUE / FALSE / NOT GIVEN (or YES / NO / NOT GIVEN for opinions)
- Matching Headings to paragraphs
- Matching Information: which paragraph contains a given detail
- Matching Features: people, dates or places to statements
- Summary, sentence and note completion, with or without a word box
- Multiple choice, single and multiple answers
- Short answer questions and diagram labelling
Each type needs a slightly different approach, and practising them separately before you mix them is one of the fastest ways to improve.
Two traps that cost the most marks
NOT GIVEN
This is where many careful readers lose points. Ask one question: does the passage say this, contradict this, or simply not address it?
- TRUE: the passage states the same idea, usually in different words.
- FALSE: the passage states the opposite.
- NOT GIVEN: the passage does not tell you either way.
The common mistake is using your own knowledge. If a passage about coastal erosion does not mention Kerala's backwaters, a statement about the backwaters is NOT GIVEN, however true it might be in real life.
Matching Headings
Headings test the main idea of a paragraph, not a detail. Students often match a heading because one word appears in the paragraph. Instead, read the first two sentences and the last, decide what the paragraph is mainly doing, then look at the list. Cross out headings you have used, and do not let the example distract you.
A timing plan that works
- Passage 1: aim for about 17 minutes.
- Passage 2: about 20 minutes.
- Passage 3: about 23 minutes; it is usually the hardest.
If a question is taking more than two minutes, flag it and move on. On the computer-delivered test, the navigator shows unanswered questions, and our sets use the same flag-for-review tool so you build the habit. Never leave a blank: an educated guess at the end costs nothing.
Reading habits for Kochi students
Good IELTS Reading practice in Kochi starts outside the test. Many students here, particularly from Malayalam-medium schooling or nursing and engineering backgrounds, read English well for their subject but less for general topics. The fix is simple: read widely in English for twenty minutes a day.
- National English-language newspapers are a good start, especially their opinion and science pages.
- If you commute on the Kochi Metro or a Vypeen ferry, read one long article on your phone each trip and summarise it in your head in two sentences.
- Notice paraphrase: when an article says "rose sharply", think of "increased significantly" and "climbed steeply". IELTS Reading is largely a test of recognising paraphrase.
Students in CUSAT or the city's medical colleges often find science passages easier and history or arts passages harder. Use our sets to find which topics slow you down, then read more on exactly those.
How to practise IELTS Reading on the platform
- Learn one question type at a time using the Study Notes chapter, then do a set focused on it.
- Do full passages under time once you know the types.
- Read the explanation for every wrong answer, and for any right answer you guessed.
- Review your Mistake Notebook each weekend; it collects your wrong answers automatically.
- Add new words from passages to your flashcards.
Charged sets for 7+
When you are scoring 30 or more consistently, move on to the Charged Reading sets. They use harder passages, closer paraphrase and more demanding distractors, which is what separates band 7 from band 8. Use them for regular IELTS Reading practice in Kochi in the final weeks before your test.
Start with the free sample Reading sets, or register for Full Access at ₹999 for 2 months. For more on paraphrase and question types, see our weekly IELTS tips blog. Students all over Cochin can practise on any device.