The Reading test at a glance
You get 60 minutes for 40 questions across three passages. There is no extra time to transfer answers, so on paper your answers go straight onto the answer sheet, and on computer you type or select them as you go. Each correct answer is one mark. As a rough guide, band 7 in Academic Reading needs around 30 out of 40; General Training needs more correct answers for the same band.
Academic or General Training Reading
The question types are the same, but the texts are very different.
- Academic has three long passages from books, journals, magazines and newspapers, written for a general but educated reader. Topics range from archaeology to urban planning.
- General Training starts with short everyday texts such as notices and adverts, moves to workplace texts like job descriptions and training materials, and ends with one longer general text.
If you are applying to a university, practise Academic. If you are going for work or migration, practise General Training, and do not be fooled by the easier first section: the final passage is still demanding.
The question types, and their traps
TRUE / FALSE / NOT GIVEN
This is the type most students dread. The key is the difference between FALSE and NOT GIVEN.
- FALSE means the passage says the opposite.
- NOT GIVEN means the passage does not say either way.
The trap is using your own knowledge. If you are a pharmacy or chemistry graduate from Baroda and the passage is about drug trials, you may "know" something is true, but if the passage does not say it, the answer is NOT GIVEN.
Matching Headings
You choose a heading for each paragraph from a longer list. The trap is matching a single word. A heading should summarise the main idea of the whole paragraph, not one detail in it. Read the first and last sentences of the paragraph carefully, then check the middle.
Matching Information
You find which paragraph contains a piece of information. Answers are not in passage order, and some paragraphs may be used more than once, so scan for the specific detail, not the general topic.
Summary completion with a word box
You drag words from a box into gaps. Check the grammar of each gap: does it need a noun, a plural, an adjective? Often two words fit the meaning but only one fits the sentence.
Multiple choice and others
Sentence completion, diagram labelling, short answers and multiple choice all appear. Always check the word limit, such as "NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS", because going over it makes the answer wrong.
A timing plan that works
- Passage 1: aim for about 17 minutes.
- Passage 2: about 20 minutes.
- Passage 3: about 23 minutes, since it is usually the hardest.
If a question takes more than two minutes, flag it, move on and come back. A blank answer scores nothing, so make an intelligent guess before time runs out.
Reading habits for Vadodara students
Many students in Vadodara are strong technical readers. Engineers from MSU's Faculty of Technology and Engineering, or from plants at Nandesari and Makarpura, are used to manuals and specifications where you scan for one number. That scanning skill helps with Matching Information and short answers, but IELTS Academic passages are often arguments, and you also need to follow a writer's opinion.
If English was not your main medium at school, reading volume matters more than any trick. A daily twenty-minute habit, such as an English newspaper editorial or a long magazine feature during your morning tea, builds the vocabulary that makes passages feel lighter. Use Daily Vocabulary for five new words a day and save the ones you meet in practice to your flashcards.
How to practise on IELTS Learning
IELTS Learning has 52 Academic and General Training Reading sets, each with explanations showing where the answer is in the passage and why the other options are wrong.
- Start untimed with one question type at a time until your accuracy improves.
- Then time single passages, using the timing plan above.
- Then take full Reading tests inside a mock, on screens with the highlighter, notes and drag-and-drop you will see in the computer-delivered exam.
- Review in the Mistake Notebook. Look for patterns: if most errors are NOT GIVEN, go back to the Study Notes chapter on that question type.
Charged sets for band 7+
Once you are scoring around 30 out of 40, regular sets may stop stretching you. Charged Reading sets use denser texts and closer distractors, built for students aiming at band 7 and above. They are tough on purpose; finishing one is good preparation for the hardest Passage 3 you might meet.
Try the free sample Reading set on the practice tests page, or sign up for Full Access at ₹999 for 2 months to unlock every set for IELTS Reading practice in Vadodara or wherever you study.