What the Reading test looks like
The IELTS Reading test lasts 60 minutes and has 40 questions across three sections. On the computer-delivered test, there is no extra time to transfer answers, so the hour is all you get.
- Academic Reading uses three long passages from books, journals and magazines, often on science, history or social topics.
- General Training Reading moves from short everyday texts (adverts, notices, timetables) to workplace documents and then one longer general passage.
Because the passages get harder as you go, your timing has to be planned, not hoped for.
The question types you will meet
On IELTS Learning, 52 Reading sets cover all the main formats, with explanations for every answer:
- TRUE / FALSE / NOT GIVEN (and YES / NO / NOT GIVEN for opinions)
- Matching Headings to paragraphs
- Matching Information to paragraphs
- Summary completion, with or without a word box
- Multiple choice, sentence completion, short answers and labelling
Each type has its own logic. Learning that logic is often worth more marks than learning new vocabulary.
Two traps that cost Lagos students marks
NOT GIVEN versus FALSE
Many well-educated readers in Lagos bring their own knowledge to the passage. If a statement sounds true about Nigeria or about the world, they mark it TRUE. IELTS only cares about what the passage says. FALSE means the passage contradicts the statement. NOT GIVEN means the passage simply does not tell you. If you need to "think around" the text to reach an answer, it is probably NOT GIVEN.
Matching Headings
The trap here is matching a heading to one striking word in the paragraph rather than its main idea. A paragraph about rising rents in a city may mention transport, but the heading about transport is a distractor. Read the first and last sentences of each paragraph, decide the main point in your own words, and only then look at the headings.
A timing strategy for 40 questions
A plan many students use for Academic Reading:
- Section 1: about 17 minutes.
- Section 2: about 20 minutes.
- Section 3: about 23 minutes.
Within each section, read the questions first, skim the passage for structure in two or three minutes, then scan for answers. Never leave a blank: there is no penalty for a wrong answer. If a question is taking too long, flag it, move on and return at the end. IELTS Learning's flag-for-review button and question navigator let you practise exactly this.
For General Training, the first sections are quicker, so you can bank time for the longer final passage.
Practising Reading around a Lagos schedule
Reading practice suits small windows, which matters in a city where the day is broken up by traffic and errands:
- On the move: read one passage on your phone during a BRT or ferry ride from Ikorodu or Mile 2, and answer the questions when you arrive.
- Lunch break: if you work in Lekki or on Victoria Island, a single section takes about 20 minutes.
- Weekends: a full 60-minute set at home, timed, ideally when power is stable.
Read widely as well. Business pages, science features and long articles in good English-language publications all build the reading speed you need for Section 3.
If you studied at UNILAG, LASU or Yabatech, you already read long texts for your course. The difference in IELTS is the pace: you must locate information quickly rather than read every word. Practise scanning for names, dates and numbers first, then for paraphrased ideas, which are where most marks are hidden.
Moving up with Charged sets
When you are scoring consistently around 30 out of 40 on Academic Reading (roughly band 7), standard practice may stop stretching you. Charged Reading sets are harder, with denser passages and subtler distractors, built for students aiming at band 7 and above. General Training candidates should note that their band 7 requires more correct answers, so accuracy on the early sections matters a great deal.
After every set, check the explanation for each mistake, and let the Mistake Notebook store the wrong answers so you can revisit them before your test.
Start with a free set
You can try IELTS Reading practice in Lagos today without paying. Register free, choose your track, and take a free sample Reading set, or explore the wider range of practice tests. The first set will show you clearly whether timing, vocabulary or question logic is your main problem.