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IELTS Reading Test Guide: Free IELTS Reading Practice Test for IELTS General Reading and IELTS Academic Reading

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In this guide, you can start your IELTS reading practice by taking a free IELTS reading test. However, there are two versions of the test: IELTS general reading and IELTS academic reading. You'll learn which version is right for you and how to tackle each reading question type using our IELTS reading material.

Get a free IELTS reading score analyses and personalized study plan after completing a free IELTS reading practice test.

IELTS General Reading Test IELTS Academic Reading Test

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General IELTS Reading Practice Test Questions 1 - 135

Short everyday texts, workplace texts, and one longer passage

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Academic IELTS Reading Practice Test Questions 1 - 171

Three long passages from books, journals, magazines, and newspapers

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IELTS Reading Practice Test Guide

The remainder of this guide will teach you everything about the IELTS reading test for both the general training and academic reading test. You'll learn about how the reading score is calculated, learn how to answer each reading question type successfully, improve your reading with IELTS text material, and master our 3 strategies for your IELTS reading practice success.

Table Of Contents

  1. IELTS Reading Test Information
  2. IELTS Reading Sample Questions
  3. IELTS General Reading Test Information
  4. IELTS Academic Reading Test Information
  5. IELTS Reading Score Calculator
  6. How to Answer all 14 IELTS Reading Question Types
  7. How to Improve your IELTS Reading Band Score
  8. 3 IELTS Reading Strategies
  9. Free IELTS Reading Practice Test PDF Download with Answers

IELTS Reading Test Information

The IELTS Reading Test consists of 3 sections and a total of 40 questions. In general, you will answer 12-14 questions for each section and are given exactly 60 minutes to complete your reading exam. Each section contains 1-3 passages depending on which test you're taking. If you know the test you're taking, you can skip the next couple sections. If you don't, it's important to learn about each test and how to prepare for them.

Which IELTS Reading Test Is Right For Me?

The IELTS reading test has two versions: IELTS General Reading and IELTS Academic Reading. You'll take General Reading if you're looking to migrate or enroll into high school. You'll take Academic Reading if you're looking for higher education. The biggest difference between general reading and academic reading is the difficulty in the IELTS reading passages. As the name implies, the academic test uses IELTS reading material from academic resources, while the general test uses material from everyday life.

Both tests contain 3 sections, 40 questions, and 14 question types. You can read about each section in detail for both tests in the table below.

Section IELTS Academic Reading Test IELTS General Reading Test
1 One long academic text which ranges from the descriptive and factual to the discursive and analytical. The text will be taken from books, journals, magazines and newspapers.

12-14 questions 		Two or three short factual texts. Topics are relevant to everyday life in an English-speaking country.

12-14 questions
2 One long academic text which ranges from the descriptive and factual to the discursive and analytical. The text will be taken from books, journals, magazines and newspapers.

10-14 questions 		Two short factual texts focusing on work-related issues (eg. applying for jobs, company policies, pay and conditions).

12-14 questions
3 One long academic text which ranges from the descriptive and factual to the discursive and analytical. The text will be taken from books, journals, magazines and newspapers.

12-14 questions 		One longer, more complex text on a topic of general interest. Texts are authentic and are taken from notices, advertisements, company handbooks, books, magazines and newspapers.

12-14 questions

IELTS Reading on Computer

From mid-2026, IELTS is delivered on computer in every market, so you will take the Reading test on screen. The passages, question types, and 60-minute time limit are the same as in the old paper test, but the way you work is different:

  • Split screen: the passage is on the left and the questions are on the right, so you scroll instead of turning pages.
  • Highlighting and notes: you can highlight key words in the passage and add short notes.
  • Answers on screen: you type or click your answers directly, so there is no answer sheet and no transfer time.
  • Navigation bar: you can jump between questions and see which ones you have answered.

To see every section on screen, the Writing on Paper option, and how to practise in the real format, read our computer-delivered IELTS mock test guide. You can also practise anytime with our free IELTS reading practice tests, linked at the top of this page.

IELTS Reading Sample Questions

Want to see what the IELTS Reading test is like? Here are two free IELTS Academic Reading practices. Try each one yourself first, then open the answers to check how you did. If you want more, our guide to the IELTS Reading question types explains each type and provides more sample questions.

IELTS Academic Reading Practice 1
Questions 1-9
Choose TRUE if the statement agrees with the information, choose FALSE if the statement contradicts the information, or choose NOT GIVEN if there is no information on this.

  • 1. An understanding of Britain’s pre-glacial flora’s development has been deduced from studies of pollen and seed deposits in peat.
  • 2. Various species of wildwood types began growing in Britain in around the year 8500 BC.
  • 3. Beech and lime did not spread beyond southern Britain.
  • 4. The extinction of large herbivores in Europe adds to speculation that Vera’s theory might not be as applicable to Britain.
  • 5. The persistence of oak in Britain supports Francis Vera’s theory.
  • 6. The sharp decline in elm around 4000 BC is more likely to be the result of clearance than elm disease.
  • 7. The first evidence of clearance of land for agriculture appears at the end of the Bronze Age.
  • 8. The practice of coppicing is traceable back to the Neolithic period.
  • 9. The Black Death negatively impacted growth of forests of Europe.

The answer is FALSE. The statement says, "An understanding of Britain’s pre-glacial flora’s development has been deduced from studies of pollen and seed deposits in peat." However, the passage specifically states, "Information regarding the development of Britain’s flora following glaciation can be found by studying the deposits of pollen and seed in peat, as well as by the use of radiocarbon dating." (Paragraph 2) This means the studies pertain to post-glacial (after glaciation) development, not pre-glacial. Therefore, the statement contradicts the information given in the text.

Associated Text:
Information regarding the development of Britain’s flora following glaciation can be found by studying the deposits of pollen and seed in peat, as well as by the use of radiocarbon dating.

The answer is FALSE. The statement says various species of wildwood types began growing in Britain in around the year 8500 BC, but the passage says, "From the moment lime arrived, in about 7300, to about 4500 BC the climate remained stable for a length of time known as the Atlantic Period, a time in which numerous species grew to form a series of wildwood or wilderness types." (Paragraph 2) This means wildwood types began growing starting from about 7300, not 8500 BC. Therefore, the statement is incorrect based on the information in the passage.

Associated Text:
From the moment lime arrived, in about 7300, to about 4500 BC the climate remained stable for a length of time known as the Atlantic Period, a time in which numerous species grew to form a series of wildwood or wilderness types.

The answer is NOT GIVEN. The statement says beech and lime did not spread beyond southern Britain. While the passage mentions that various trees, including oak, alder, lime, elm, beech, and maple, "all spread northwards one after the other," it does not clarify specifically whether beech and lime spread beyond southern Britain. There is not enough explicit information in the text to confirm or deny the statement. (Paragraph 2)

Associated Text:
Oak and alder came after pine, then lime, elm, beech, and maple, all spreading northwards one after the other.

The answer is FALSE. The statement suggests that the extinction of large herbivores in Europe casts doubt on Vera’s theory’s applicability to Britain. However, the passage clearly states, "since the last glaciation, the bison, elk and other large herbivores which persisted on mainland Europe were extinct in Britain, so Vera’s theory may not apply so well to Britain." (Paragraph 3) This shows it is the extinction of large herbivores in Britain, not Europe, that causes speculation about Vera’s theory. Therefore, the statement contradicts the information given.

Associated Text:
since the last glaciation, the bison, elk and other large herbivores which persisted on mainland Europe were extinct in Britain, so Vera’s theory may not apply so well to Britain.

The answer is TRUE. The passage asserts, "the sustained growth of oak in Britain demonstrates that the wildwood was not as continual as once believed. Oak is a pioneer species, which requires vacant space to generate more of itself. Grazing animals are also present to keep areas open, so Oak regenerates in the thorny brush as a protective measure from their grazing." (Paragraph 4) This supports Vera's theory that wilderness was not dense, as oak needs open space, aligning with his idea of park-like, open areas maintained by animals.

Associated Text:
the sustained growth of oak in Britain demonstrates that the wildwood was not as continual as once believed. Oak is a pioneer species, which requires vacant space to generate more of itself. Grazing animals are also present to keep areas open, so Oak regenerates in the thorny brush as a protective measure from their grazing.

The answer is FALSE. The statement claims the sharp decline in elm around 4000 BC is more likely to be the result of clearance than elm disease. However, the passage clearly says, "the falling elm population around 4,000 BC all across Europe has been attributed not to the clearing of trees, but to what’s referred to as Elm disease." (Paragraph 5) This directly contradicts the statement.

Associated Text:
the falling elm population around 4,000 BC all across Europe has been attributed not to the clearing of trees, but to what’s referred to as Elm disease.

The answer is FALSE. The statement suggests that the first evidence of clearance of land for agriculture appears at the end of the Bronze Age. In fact, the passage states, "As the Mesolithic (10,000-3000 BC) era ended, evidence of the beginnings of agriculture emerges." (Paragraph 5) The Mesolithic period precedes both the Bronze and Iron Ages. Therefore, the statement is incorrect based on passage details.

Associated Text:
As the Mesolithic (10,000-3000 BC) era ended, evidence of the beginnings of agriculture emerges.

The answer is TRUE. The passage mentions, "Neolithic man had discovered this practice, known as coppicing." (Paragraph 6) This indicates that the practice of coppicing traces back to the Neolithic period.

Associated Text:
Neolithic man had discovered this practice, known as coppicing.

The answer is FALSE. The statement says the Black Death negatively impacted the growth of forests. However, the passage says, "This stopped suddenly with the plague of the Black Death of 1349 wiping out some of the human population. Woods which had persisted up to 1350 mostly prospered over the next 500 years." (Paragraph 8) Thus, the Black Death actually allowed woodlands to prosper due to reduced population pressure, contradicting the statement.

Associated Text:
This stopped suddenly with the plague of the Black Death of 1349 wiping out some of the human population. Woods which had persisted up to 1350 mostly prospered over the next 500 years.

Questions 19-23
Look at the following Items (Questions 19-23) and A list of periods of time below.

Match each item with the period of time it best corresponds with

NB You may use any letter more than once.

A list of periods of time
  1. The Palaeolithic era
  2. The Bronze age
  3. The Iron age
  4. The Medieval era
  5. The Mesolithic age
  6. Roman times

  • 19. Every type of wood in England belonged to some person or some community.
  • 20. People used woodworking to create elaborate boats, houses, and wheels.
  • 21. Animals kept expansive areas of land clear without human interference.
  • 22. Coppicing was first used for woodland management.
  • 23. Houses were made with short pieces of wood, and longer pieces were used for religious buildings.
  • A. The Palaeolithic era
  • B. The Bronze age
  • C. The Iron age
  • D. The Medieval era
  • E. The Mesolithic age
  • F. Roman times
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19. Every type of wood in England belonged to some person or some community.
20. People used woodworking to create elaborate boats, houses, and wheels.
21. Animals kept expansive areas of land clear without human interference.
22. Coppicing was first used for woodland management.
23. Houses were made with short pieces of wood, and longer pieces were used for religious buildings.

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The answer is F. The passage states, "As evidenced by The Domesday Book (1086), all the wood in England had an economic value and was the property of either an individual or community owner." (Paragraph 9) This event is linked directly with the time of the Domesday Book, which was created just after the Norman Conquest in Roman times. The matching list references Roman times as option (F), making this the correct answer.

Associated Text:
As evidenced by The Domesday Book (1086), all the wood in England had an economic value and was the property of either an individual or community owner.

The answer is C. The statement reads, "The Celtic peoples living in the Iron Age were able to master woodworking as an artform. Today, Celtic woodworking can be seen in houses, boats, wheels and other artifacts of the time." (Paragraph 10) This places the production of elaborate wooden boats, houses, and wheels in the Iron Age.

Associated Text:
The Celtic peoples living in the Iron Age were able to master woodworking as an artform. Today, Celtic woodworking can be seen in houses, boats, wheels and other artifacts of the time.

The answer is A. The passage in Paragraph 3 explains Vera’s theory about the Palaeolithic era: “creatures of the Palaeolithic era needed to roam large areas of grassland to survive.” This indicates that large animals kept open areas clear before humans started interfering, matching the Palaeolithic era (option A).

Associated Text:
creatures of the Palaeolithic era needed to roam large areas of grassland to survive.

The answer is B. The passage states, "Much of the remaining woods were maintained by way of this method during the Bronze Age." (Paragraph 7) Although discovered earlier, coppicing first saw widespread use for woodland management in the Bronze Age, making option B correct.

Associated Text:
Much of the remaining woods were maintained by way of this method during the Bronze Age.

The answer is D. According to the passage in Paragraph 11, "The average wood-framed houses of the Medieval era mostly used oaks shorter than 18” in diameter. Longer pieces of timber were hard to come by, and kept only for elaborate buildings intended for the Church." This places the practice in the Medieval era (option D).

Associated Text:
The average wood-framed houses of the Medieval era mostly used oaks shorter than 18” in diameter. Longer pieces of timber were hard to come by, and kept only for elaborate buildings intended for the Church.


  • spellcheck Answers
    1. FALSE
    2. FALSE
    3. NOT GIVEN
    4. FALSE
    5. TRUE
    6. FALSE
    7. FALSE
    8. TRUE
    9. FALSE
    10. F
    11. C
    12. A
    13. B
    14. D
Reading Passage

The climate in Britain has been arctic for the last several million years, punctuated by relatively warm timespans, or interglacials of thousands of years, one of which we are in as of now. Since the last glaciation, British woodland history is considered quite short in terms of geological time spans, and is also closely related to the human civilization developing.

At the peak of the last glaciation (100,000 – 12,000 BC), the majority of Britain would have had no trees. Birch and willow scrub may have grown along the lower reaches of the ice, with pine in some areas. It’s possible that remnants of pre-glacial flora were sheltered along the western bays of Great Britain and Ireland’s coasts, but as far as the southern parts of England, the ice kept any land barren. Information regarding the development of Britain’s flora following glaciation can be found by studying the deposits of pollen and seed in peat, as well as by the use of radiocarbon dating. Tundra and moorland followed the retreating ice, which lead to phases of different tree species spreading from the south. First came birch, aspen and sallow, followed by pine and hazel continuing to spread north as of 8500 BC, replacing birch to make it less commonly found for the next few thousand years. Oak and alder came after pine, then lime, elm, beech, and maple, all spreading northwards one after the other.  From the moment lime arrived, in about 7300, to about 4500 BC the climate remained stable for a length of time known as the Atlantic Period, a time in which numerous species grew to form a series of wildwood or wilderness types.

What did the wilderness or wildwood look like, before man started interfering with it? One theory holds that Britain and Western Europe in Palaeolithic times was covered from coast to coast in a wildwood of continuous trees. However, a modern theory proposed by Francis Vera holds that Western Europe wilderness was a combination of grassland, scrub, and clusters or groves of trees. It was not a dense, impassable wildwood, but instead, an area similar to a park, kept up by wild herbivores eating the plants and grass. Throughout earlier interglacial periods, this may also have been the case in Britain, as creatures of the Palaeolithic era needed to roam large areas of grassland to survive. A variety of grassland plants continued to live there in the last interglacial, as according to pollen records. However,  since the last glaciation, the bison, elk and other large herbivores which persisted on mainland Europe were extinct in Britain, so Vera’s theory may not apply so well to Britain.

Meanwhile, throughout the period since it’s spread northwards after the last glaciation, the sustained growth of oak in Britain demonstrates that the wildwood was not as continual as once believed. Oak is a pioneer species, which requires vacant space to generate more of itself. Grazing animals are also present to keep areas open, so Oak regenerates in the thorny brush as a protective measure from their grazing. Archaeological evidence indicates that red deer, who graze on grass as well as browse from trees, were essential to the economy in Mesolithic Britain, with people utilizing them for meat, skins, antlers and bones.

As the Mesolithic (10,000-3000 BC) era ended, evidence of the beginnings of agriculture emerges. Agricultural weeds, such as plantain and stinging nettle, were also increasing in number. Nearly all the wildwood was cut down as the population increased rapidly. However, the falling elm population around 4,000 BC all across Europe has been attributed not to the clearing of trees, but to what’s referred to as Elm disease.

Throughout the Bronze Age (2400-750 BC), people were cutting down trees more than ever before, until the prevalence of the practice “coppicing” peaked, likely at some point during the early Iron Age.  Oliver Rackham (1990) theorizes that nearly 50% of land throughout England was no longer wildwood by 500 BC. The regrowth from a stump grows more readily than the original tree, and Neolithic man had discovered this practice, known as coppicing. Much of the remaining woods were maintained by way of this method during the Bronze Age.

The Celtic peoples living in the Iron Age were able to master woodworking as an artform. Today, Celtic woodworking can be seen in houses, boats, wheels and other artifacts of the time. Coppicing as a means to manage woodland was of massive importance throughout two millennia that followed. Buildings, roads, fences, carts, and the fuel for heating, cooking, metalworking and pottery were all made possible due to wood materials gained from the vital practice of coppicing.

A clear divide has existed between wooded and non-wooded regions of Britain since the time of the Romans. As evidenced by The Domesday Book (1086), all the wood in England had an economic value and was the property of either an individual or community owner. Woods were the territories, or ‘exclaves’ of communities who lived some miles away. Even though it had to be transported over long distances, the materials which woodlands produced were of obvious value, and their ownership was long before established. Merely around 15% of land in England was represented by woodland or wood- pasture in the year 1086.

English woodlands produced mostly underwood used as fuel along with other things, with small oaks being used to construct buildings. The average wood-framed houses of the Medieval era mostly used oaks shorter than 18” in diameter. Longer pieces of timber were hard to come by, and kept only for elaborate buildings intended for the Church. Imported boards of thin oak or wainscot from Central Europe were brought in for the purpose of domestic building. Woodland cover was as low as 15% in 1086, and continued to decline from as a result of an ever- growing population to 10% by 1350. This stopped suddenly with the plague of the Black Death of 1349 wiping out some of the human population. Woods which had persisted up to 1350 mostly prospered over the next 500 years.

(From the moment lime arrived, in about 7300, to about 4500 BC the climate remained stable for a length of time known as the Atlantic Period, a time in which numerous species grew to form a series of wildwood or wilderness types) => So we tell that various species of wildwood types began growing in around 7300 to 4500 BC, therefore, the answer is FALSE.
The key phrase here is "beyond southern Britain". The trees spread northward, so it's possible they spread beyond southern Britain, but northward doesn't provide enough information to say with certainty that it did grow past southern Britain. Therefore, the answer is NOT GIVEN.
FALSE

The statement "An understanding of Britain’s pre-glacial flora’s development has been deduced from studies of pollen and seed deposits in peat" is FALSE. The text provides information about the development of Britain's flora following the last glaciation, not pre-glacial flora. It states, "Information regarding the development of Britain’s flora following glaciation can be found by studying the deposits of pollen and seed in peat, as well as by the use of radiocarbon dating." This indicates that the studies of pollen and seed deposits in peat are used to understand the post-glacial development of Britain's flora, not the pre-glacial period.

The other options are incorrect for the following reasons:

TRUE is incorrect because the text does not mention studies of pollen and seed deposits in peat being used to deduce the development of pre-glacial flora. It specifically refers to the period following the last glaciation.

NOT GIVEN is incorrect because the text does provide information about the period being studied with pollen and seed deposits in peat, which is the post-glacial period, not the pre-glacial period. Therefore, the statement is directly contradicted by the information given, making FALSE the correct answer.
Statement: The extinction of large herbivores in Europe adds to speculation that Vera’s theory might not be as applicable to Britain.

Answer: FALSE

Explanation:

The passage states:
"However, since the last glaciation, the bison, elk and other large herbivores which persisted on mainland Europe were extinct in Britain, so Vera’s theory may not apply so well to Britain."

This clearly indicates that the extinction of large herbivores in Britain, not Europe, adds to speculation that Vera’s theory might not be as applicable. The statement given incorrectly states "Europe" instead of "Britain." Therefore, the statement contradicts the information in the passage.

Why the other answers are incorrect:

- TRUE: This answer would be incorrect because the passage specifically mentions that the extinction of large herbivores in Britain, not Europe, is what adds to the speculation about Vera’s theory’s applicability.

- NOT GIVEN: This answer is incorrect because the passage directly addresses the impact of the extinction of large herbivores on Vera's theory's applicability to Britain. Therefore, there is clear information provided on this matter.

In summary, the correct answer is FALSE because the extinction of large herbivores in Britain, not Europe, leads to doubts about Vera's theory's relevance to Britain.
The correct answer is B. The Bronze Age.

The passage states:

“Throughout the Bronze Age (2400–750 BC), people were cutting down trees more than ever before, until the prevalence of the practice ‘coppicing’ peaked, likely at some point during the early Iron Age.”
 “Neolithic man had discovered this practice, known as coppicing. Much of the remaining woods were maintained by way of this method during the Bronze Age.”

This shows that although coppicing was discovered earlier (in the Neolithic), its first use for woodland management took place during the Bronze Age, when it was widely practiced to maintain woods.

Thus, the correct choice is B. The Bronze Age.

IELTS Academic Reading Practice 3
Questions 1-8
Look at the following Descriptions (Questions 1-8) and List of psychologists below.

Match each description with the correct psychologist

NB You may use any letter more than once.

List of psychologists
  1. Clark Hull
  2. Howard and Tracy Kendler
  3. Michael Cole and colleagues
  4. Simon Hewson

  • 1. is cited as having demonstrated that earlier experiments into children's ability to reason deductively may have led to the wrong conclusions.
  • 2. experimented with things that the subjects might have been expected to encounter in everyday life, rather than with a machine.
  • 3. appears to have proved that a change in the apparatus dramatically improves the performance of children of certain ages.
  • 4. is cited as famous in the field of psychology.
  • 5. demonstrated that the two-stage experiment involving button-pressing and inserting a marble into a hole poses problems for certain adults as well as children.
  • 6. trained children separately in the two stages of their experiments with the use of marbles.
  • 7. devised an experiment that investigated deductive reasoning without the use of any marbles.
  • 8. used a machine to measure inductive reasoning that replaced button-pressing with drawer-opening.
  • A. Clark Hull
  • B. Howard and Tracy Kendler
  • C. Michael Cole and colleagues
  • D. Simon Hewson
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1. is cited as having demonstrated that earlier experiments into children's ability to reason deductively may have led to the wrong conclusions.
2. experimented with things that the subjects might have been expected to encounter in everyday life, rather than with a machine.
3. appears to have proved that a change in the apparatus dramatically improves the performance of children of certain ages.
4. is cited as famous in the field of psychology.
5. demonstrated that the two-stage experiment involving button-pressing and inserting a marble into a hole poses problems for certain adults as well as children.
6. trained children separately in the two stages of their experiments with the use of marbles.
7. devised an experiment that investigated deductive reasoning without the use of any marbles.
8. used a machine to measure inductive reasoning that replaced button-pressing with drawer-opening.

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The answer is D. Simon Hewson is cited as having demonstrated that earlier experiments into children's ability to reason deductively may have led to the wrong conclusions. In the final paragraph, the passage says, "Hewson's experiments showed that children faced with the Kendler apparatus experienced difficulty not related to reasoning, but to the nature of the tasks themselves, and that difficulty cannot be taken as proof that they are incapable of deductive reasoning." This demonstrates that Hewson showed previous experiments may have falsely concluded that children could not reason deductively due to flaws in the task, not in their reasoning abilities.

Associated Text:
Hewson's experiments showed that children faced with the Kendler apparatus experienced difficulty not related to reasoning, but to the nature of the tasks themselves, and that difficulty cannot be taken as proof that they are incapable of deductive reasoning.

The answer is C. Michael Cole and colleagues experimented with things the subjects might have been expected to encounter in everyday life, rather than with a machine. This is found in the paragraph describing Cole’s test: "Cole substituted a locked box for the machine with the buttons, and then used two matchboxes of different colors. ... Instead of subjects being presented with a strange machine, they are given familiar objects in a simpler context." This shows that Cole used familiar, everyday objects in his experiment.

Associated Text:
Instead of subjects being presented with a strange machine, they are given familiar objects in a simpler context.

The answer is D. Simon Hewson appears to have proved that a change in the apparatus dramatically improves the performance of children of certain ages. The last paragraph says, "Hewson's two modifications to the experiment led to a rise in success rates from 30 percent to 90 percent for five-year old children and from 35 percent to 72.5 per cent for four-year-olds." This demonstrates that changes made by Hewson dramatically improved performance for certain ages.

Associated Text:
Hewson's two modifications to the experiment led to a rise in success rates from 30 percent to 90 percent for five-year old children and from 35 percent to 72.5 per cent for four-year-olds.

The answer is A. Clark Hull is cited as famous in the field of psychology. In the first paragraph, it states: “Clark Hull, an acclaimed American psychologist, theorized that it was, describing that reasoning is achieved by the way two ‘behavior segments’ are combined in new ways to achieve goals.” The keyword 'acclaimed' indicates fame.

Associated Text:
Clark Hull, an acclaimed American psychologist

The answer is C. Michael Cole and his colleagues demonstrated that the two-stage experiment involving button-pressing and inserting a marble into a hole poses problems for certain adults as well as children. The third paragraph states, "According to the work of psychologist and professor Michael Cole and his associates, some adults from specific African tribes are also unable to successfully complete the Kendlers' two-step test of deductive reasoning." This proves both some adults and children had problems with the experiment.

Associated Text:
According to the work of psychologist and professor Michael Cole and his associates, some adults from specific African tribes are also unable to successfully complete the Kendlers' two-step test of deductive reasoning.

The answer is B. Howard and Tracy Kendler trained children separately in the two stages of their experiments with the use of marbles. The first paragraph describes the Kendler process: "The children learned each of the two steps individually, with the first being to correctly choose and press one of two buttons, and the second to place a marble into a small opening." This shows the children were trained in each stage with marbles involved in the second stage.

Associated Text:
The children learned each of the two steps individually, with the first being to correctly choose and press one of two buttons, and the second to place a marble into a small opening.

The answer is C. Michael Cole and colleagues devised an experiment that investigated deductive reasoning without the use of any marbles. The relevant paragraph says, "In this test, Cole substituted a locked box for the machine with the buttons, and then used two matchboxes of different colors. One of the matchboxes held a key for the locked box." There is no mention of marbles in Cole’s test.

Associated Text:
Cole substituted a locked box for the machine with the buttons, and then used two matchboxes of different colors. One of the matchboxes held a key for the locked box.

The answer is D. Simon Hewson used a machine to measure inductive reasoning that replaced button-pressing with drawer-opening. The sixth paragraph states, "Hewson made two essential changes to the test in order to build on this idea. First, he replaced the button-pressing mechanism with drawers that a child could slide open and shut." This directly indicates Hewson made this specific modification.

Associated Text:
First, he replaced the button-pressing mechanism with drawers that a child could slide open and shut.

Questions 17-20
Choose TRUE if the statement agrees with the information, choose FALSE if the statement contradicts the information, or choose NOT GIVEN if there is no information on this.

  • 17. Howard and Tracy Kendler devised a two-stage experiment involving button-pressing.
  • 18. Michael Cole and his colleagues demonstrated that children performance on deductive reasoning tasks depends on features of the apparatus and procedure.
  • 19. All Hewson's experiments used marbles of the same size.
  • 20. Hewson's modifications resulted in a higher success rate for children of all ages.

The answer is TRUE. Howard and Tracy Kendler did indeed devise a two-stage experiment involving button-pressing, as described in the first paragraph: "In this test, children needed to learn how to use a machine in a two-step process. The children learned each of the two steps individually, with the first being to correctly choose and press one of two buttons, and the second to place a marble into a small opening." This confirms that their experiment involved button-pressing as the first stage.

Associated Text:
In this test, children needed to learn how to use a machine in a two-step process. The children learned each of the two steps individually, with the first being to correctly choose and press one of two buttons, and the second to place a marble into a small opening.

The answer is FALSE. Michael Cole and his colleagues did not demonstrate that children's performance on deductive reasoning tasks depends on features of the apparatus and procedure. This finding is actually attributed to Simon Hewson. The passage states, "Hewson made two essential changes to the test in order to build on this idea.... Hewson's two modifications to the experiment led to a rise in success rates... Hewson's experiments showed that children faced with the Kendler apparatus experienced difficulty not related to reasoning, but to the nature of the tasks themselves."

Associated Text:
Hewson made two essential changes to the test in order to build on this idea. First, he replaced the button-pressing mechanism with drawers that a child could slide open and shut. ... Hewson's two modifications to the experiment led to a rise in success rates... Hewson's experiments showed that children faced with the Kendler apparatus experienced difficulty not related to reasoning, but to the nature of the tasks themselves, and that difficulty cannot be taken as proof that they are incapable of deductive reasoning.

The answer is TRUE. The passage implies that all of Hewson's experiments used marbles of the same size. In the sixth paragraph, the passage says that Hewson demonstrated the functional equivalence of different marbles (but all marbles were identical in size): "It would then be safe to say that the child will not assume that different marbles of identical size could be used the same way... Hewson clearly demonstrated the functional equivalence of different marbles to the children by playing a 'swapping game.'"

Associated Text:
It would then be safe to say that the child will not assume that different marbles of identical size could be used the same way. But, to solve the problem, this assumption must be made. Hewson clearly demonstrated the functional equivalence of different marbles to the children by playing a 'swapping game.'

The answer is FALSE. Hewson's modifications did not result in a higher success rate for children of all ages. The passage clearly says: "Strangely enough for three-year olds, Hewson’s changes did not lead to any improvement, and instead there was a slight drop in performance from the change." This specific information shows that the modifications failed to improve and even slightly decreased performance for three-year-olds.

Associated Text:
Strangely enough for three-year olds, Hewson’s changes did not lead to any improvement, and instead there was a slight drop in performance from the change.


  • spellcheck Answers
    1. D
    2. C
    3. D
    4. A
    5. C
    6. B
    7. C
    8. D
    9. TRUE
    10. FALSE
    11. TRUE
    12. FALSE
Reading Passage

Could it be that the very essence of reasoning itself is found in the way we behave? Clark Hull, an acclaimed American psychologist, theorized that it was, describing that reasoning is achieved by the way two “behavior segments” are combined in new ways to achieve goals. Howard and Tracey Kendler, who were two of Hull’s followers, used Hull’s principle ideas to design a reasoning test for children. In this test, children needed to learn how to use a machine in a two-step process. The children learned each of the two steps individually, with the first being to correctly choose and press one of two buttons, and the second to place a marble into a small opening. If both steps were completed successfully, a toy would be released as rewards to the children.

From this test, the Kendlers learned that although the children were able to learn each step, they were not able to “integrate” the two tasks without intervention. In other words, the children could not successfully perform the first step, pushing the button, and then proceed to the second step, inserting the marble into the hole, by themselves. This failure to  independently integrate the steps led the Kendlers to believe that children of this age were not able to use deductive reasoning.

According the the work of psychologist and professor Michael Cole and his associates, some adults from specific African tribes are also unable to successfully complete the Kendlers' two-step test of deductive reasoning. However, this finding remains questionable in light of the findings of a similar test to the Kenders’, which revealed that the African tribes people were, in fact, able to complete the test.

In this test, Cole substituted a locked box for the machine with the buttons, and then used two matchboxes of different colors. One of the matchboxes held a key for the locked box. Just like with the Kendlers’ test, Cole’s test also involved two behavior segments, these being to first open the right match-box to get the key, and second to use the key to open the box. However, Cole’s test differs quite a bit psychologically. Instead of subjects being presented with a strange machine, they are given familiar objects in a simpler context. Cole found the difficulty of 'integration' was greatly reduced here.

It seems that the same truth which Cole discovered can be extended to explain the deductive reasoning skills of young children. Psychologist Simon Hewson believes that perhaps the task’s difficulty is not in inferential processes themselves, but is instead tied to confusing features of the test apparatus, such as the button machine, as well as the context of the procedure being tested. When these factors are adjusted in order to prevent the inferential nature of the problem being affected, five-year-old children are able to successfully complete these tests as well as college students did in the Kendlers' test.

Hewson made two essential changes to the test in order to build on this idea. First, he replaced the button-pressing mechanism with drawers that a child could slide open and shut. This removed confusion on what to do with the original button apparatus from the first stage of training. Secondly, Hewson made sure that children understood that there was nothing special or magical about the marble which was used to successfully complete the second step of the task and get the reward.

This is important because a child cannot easily comprehend a mechanism in which a marble put into a hole can open a little door. It would then be safe to say that the child will not assume that different marbles of identical size could be used the same way. But, to solve the problem, this assumption must be made. Hewson clearly demonstrated the functional equivalence of different marbles to the children by playing a 'swapping game.” Hewson's two modifications to the experiment led to a rise in success rates from 30 percent to 90 percent for five-year old children and from 35 percent to 72.5 per cent for four-year-olds. Strangely enough for three-year olds, Hewson’s changes did not lead to any improvement, and instead there was a slight drop in performance from the change. Hewson's experiments showed that children faced with the Kendler apparatus experienced difficulty not related to reasoning, but to the nature of the tasks themselves, and that difficulty cannot be taken as proof that they are incapable of deductive reasoning.

Statement Analysis:
Statement: "Michael Cole and his colleagues demonstrated that children's performance on deductive reasoning tasks depends on features of the apparatus and procedure."

Answer: FALSE

Explanation:
The passage attributes this finding specifically to *Simon Hewson* rather than Michael Cole. According to the passage, Hewson modified the Kendler apparatus to demonstrate that children can complete deductive reasoning tasks when confusing features of the apparatus and procedure are removed.

In contrast, Michael Cole’s work focused on adults from specific African tribes using a different test apparatus. Cole’s experiment involved a locked box, colored matchboxes, and a key. He found that adults from specific African tribes could successfully complete the two-step reasoning task using familiar objects.

Hewson's modifications involved replacing the button mechanism with drawers and clearly demonstrating that different marbles could achieve the same outcome. These modifications led to a significant increase in children’s success rates, revealing that features of the apparatus and procedure were influencing their performance.

Alternative Answers Explanation:

TRUE: This answer is incorrect because the statement is falsely attributed to Michael Cole rather than Simon Hewson. Cole's experiments were conducted with adults from African tribes using different apparatuses.

NOT GIVEN: This answer is incorrect because the statement about features of the apparatus affecting performance is explicitly covered in the passage.

Key Passage Extract:
"Hewson made two essential changes to the test in order to build on this idea. First, he replaced the button-pressing mechanism with drawers that a child could slide open and shut. [...] Hewson's two modifications to the experiment led to a rise in success rates [...] Hewson's experiments showed that children faced with the Kendler apparatus experienced difficulty not related to reasoning, but to the nature of the tasks themselves."

General IELTS Reading Test

In the general test, the IELTS reading passages are taken from books, magazines, newspapers, notices, advertisements, company handbooks and guidelines found from material you would encounter on a daily-basis in an English-speaking environment. Just like in the academic reading test, there are 3 sections, however in an IELTS general reading test, each section is a bit different from one another.

IELTS General Reading Introduction Video
  1. Section 1: Contains two or three short texts or several shorter texts

    This section is called Social Survival and it contains texts relevant to basic linguistic survival in English with tasks mainly about retrieving and providing general factual information, for example, notices, advertisements and timetables.
  2. Section 2: Comprises two texts

    This section is called Workplace Survival and focuses on the workplace context, for example, job descriptions, contracts and staff development and training materials.
  3. Section 3: Is one long text

    This section is called General Reading and involves reading more extended prose with a more complex structure. The focus is on descriptive and instructive instead of argumentative texts.

I hope you're not feeling too overwhelmed. The reading test is not as difficult as it seems. As long as you follow our IELTS reading tips and utilize our free IELTS reading practice questions, you'll be ready to handle any reading passage and achieve your target IELTS reading score. By the way, the academic reading test is scored slightly different from the general reading test. Next, we'll go over the reading band score and how they are calculated.

Academic IELTS Reading Test

In the academic test, the IELTS reading passages are taken from books, journals, magazines, and newspapers from academic sources that would be appropriate for university students. Each passage is long, maybe 6 - 10 paragraphs, may be written in a variety of styles like narrative or descriptive, and covers a wide range of academic topics such as anthropology, history, science, biology, art, education, linguistics,..etc. The passages will sometimes include technical terms or even visual material such as charts and graphs. You can practice these topics and more with our IELTS reading practice test questions.

IELTS Academic Reading Introduction Video

So which academic topics appear the most in the official IELTS Academic Reading Test?

Well in 2022-2024 and 2024-2026, the most common academic reading topic was history. Biology was next, followed by psychology and social science, which includes culture, education, linguistics, and sociology.

The chart below shows different subjects tested in academic IELTS reading tests in 2022-2024 and 2024-2026.

IELTS Academic Reading Test Subjects in 2022-2024 and 2024-2026

Because of these trends, we made sure our IELTS reading practice tests covered these topics. We have also added reading samples from less used topics, just in case. It's important you prepare for all situations, because you never know what IELTS reading topic you will get.

How your IELTS Reading Score is Calculated

Each IELTS reading question is worth 1 point, so you can get a "raw" score of up to 40 points. Then, your raw score will be converted into your band score. The tables below can give you a general idea about how raw IELTS reading scores are converted to band scores for each test.

IELTS General Reading Score VS IELTS Academic Reading Score
Raw Scores: Academic Band Scores: Academic Raw Scores: General Band Scores: General
39-40 9 40 9
37-38 8.5 39 8.5
35-36 8 37-38 8
33-34 7.5 36 7.5
30-32 7 34-35 7
27-29 6.5 32-33 6.5
23-26 6 30-31 6
19-22 5.5 27-29 5.5
15-18 5 23-26 5
13-14 4.5 19-22 4.5
10-12 4 15-18 4
8-9 3.5 12-14 3.5
6-7 3 9-11 3
4-5 2.5 6-8 2.5
1-3 2 1-5 2

However, keep in mind that each version of the IELTS reading test is slightly different and the score required to achieve a certain band changes depending on how everyone who took that test did on that particular day. Therefore, the number of correct answers needed to get a band score will differ slightly from test to test, but in general you should be aiming to get around 30 out of 40 if you want to get a band 7 score.

Another thing we want to remind you is that the hardest questions and the easiest questions count equally towards your final reading score, so make sure you're not losing out on easier points by getting stuck on harder questions. Next we'll cover some IELTS reading tips and strategies on how to answer each reading test question.

IELTS Reading Tips - How to Answer the 14 Reading Question Types

IELTS Reading questions come in 14 common question types, each testing a different reading skill. Both IELTS Academic and General Training Reading use these question types, although the passages differ. Academic Reading focuses on longer texts about academic and general-interest subjects, while General Training Reading includes everyday notices, workplace documents, and longer articles.

  1. Multiple Choice: choose the correct answer from several options based on information in the passage.
  2. True / False / Not Given: decide whether a statement agrees with, contradicts, or is not mentioned in the passage.
  3. Yes / No / Not Given: decide whether a statement agrees with, contradicts, or is not given as the writer's opinion.
  4. Matching Headings: choose the heading that best summarizes the main idea of each paragraph or section.
  5. Matching Information: find which paragraph contains specific information, such as a fact, example, reason, or explanation.
  6. Matching Features: match statements or information to people, places, theories, or other categories mentioned in the passage.
  7. Matching Sentence Endings: match the beginning of a sentence with the correct ending based on the passage.
  8. Sentence Completion: fill in missing words in a sentence using information from the passage.
  9. Summary Completion: complete a summary of part of the passage using words from the text or a provided word list.
  10. Note Completion: fill in missing information in a set of notes using details from the passage.
  11. Table Completion: complete missing information in a table by locating relevant facts in the passage.
  12. Flow Chart Completion: fill in missing steps in a process or sequence described in the passage.
  13. Diagram Label Completion: label parts of a diagram using information from the passage.
  14. Short Answer Questions: answer questions using a limited number of words or numbers taken from the passage.

Each question type requires a different strategy. Some questions test your ability to identify main ideas, while others focus on locating specific details, recognizing paraphrases, understanding opinions, or making connections between information. Learning how each type works will help you read more efficiently, avoid common mistakes, and find answers more accurately.

Our IELTS Reading lessons teach these question types one at a time, with step-by-step strategies and practice exercises. You can also explore our guide to the IELTS Reading question types, which explains each type and provides sample questions, answers, and useful tips for solving them.

How Trends Help You Prepare for the IELTS Reading Test

Which reading question types our learners find hardest

BestMyTest learners have answered 1 million Academic Reading questions and 596,000 General Training Reading questions on our practice tests. The table below shows how often each question type was answered correctly, so you can see straight away which types deserve the most attention.

Question typeAcademicGeneral Training
Matching information34%72%
True / False / Not Given39%60%
Multiple choice43%48%
Table completion43%75%
Matching features49%75%
Sentence completion49%75%
Matching sentence endings52%66%
Matching headings53%40%
Short answer54%75%
Yes / No / Not Given55%57%
Summary completion59%46%
Multiple selection69%too few answers
Note completion76%59%

In Academic Reading, the two weakest types are Matching information (34% correct) and Identifying information (True / False / Not Given) (39%). Matching information asks you to find the paragraph that holds an idea. The paragraph gives it as a paraphrased idea in different words, so scanning for the words of the question will not find it.

Bar chart of the share of IELTS Academic Reading questions BestMyTest learners answered correctly for each question type, hardest first

In General Training, the picture changes: Matching headings is answered correctly 40% of the time, while the strongest type, Flow-chart completion, reaches 80%.

Bar chart of the share of IELTS General Training Reading questions BestMyTest learners answered correctly for each question type, hardest first

Academic passages are answered 46% correctly on average, compared with 59% for General Training passages. 39% of Academic passage attempts score 40% or less, so most attempts score above 40%.

Bar chart of the average share of questions BestMyTest learners answered correctly on one IELTS Academic Reading passage and on one General Training Reading passage

Across 43,123 full reading practice tests taken by 38,049 learners, the average band was 5.4. 36% reached band 6.0, and 14% reached band 7.0.

Bar chart of the share of full IELTS Reading practice tests by BestMyTest learners that reached band 6.0 or higher and band 7.0 or higher

You still need to prepare for every type, but if your time is short, the table above tells you where your practice buys the most.

Next up we'll go over IELTS reading tips and strategies necessary for a high reading score.

IELTS Reading Tips - How to Improve your Reading Band Score

Most students fail the reading section for following three reasons

  1. Slow reading speed
  2. Poor vocabulary
  3. Little or no preparation
Improving your reading speed

First, let's get the obvious out of the way. To improve your reading speed, you need to actually practice reading and do it consistently.

Now let's look at a less obvious strategy that will help you understand the meaning of large chunks of sentences. Start by dissecting the sentence. Do this by Looking for the sentence's subject and verb. Finding the subject and verb will help you understand the meaning of the sentence. One reason why academic reading passages cab be hard to comprehend is because they join strings of ideas to form long compound sentences. This produces large chunks of sentences that are harder to absorb, so using the subject and verb as your guide to understanding the entire chunk is a great tool you can use during your IELTS reading exam.

Improving your vocabulary

Many people think answering reading questions is as simple as scanning the paragraph for keywords and information...Well, unfortunately, it's not that simple. reading questions are usually paraphrased, meaning, the words have been changed to use synonyms of words from the IELTS reading passage. This is done to increase the difficulty, otherwise, the test would be too easy. Because of this, you must improve your vocabulary in order to know the many different synonyms of a word.

As you prepare for the reading test and you come across a word you do not know, make a habit of either stopping and looking it up or at least writing it down and looking it up later. It's a little tedious, but it's extremely effective. Your goal should be, but is not limited to, studying 15 to 20 new academic words each day.

Knowing in which question types answers are/are not in order

It is important to know that for some question types, the answers are usually (almost always) in the same order as the IELTS reading passage. For other question types, answers are rarely ever in the same order as the reading passage. We've completed a table for the question types that follow and the one that don't. Please keep in mind.

Answers are usually (almost always) in the same order as the passage Answers are rarely ever in the same order as the passage.
  • Summary, Note, Table, Flow-Chart Completion
  • Diagram Label Completion
  • Identifying Information (TRUE/FALSE/NOT GIVEN)
  • Identifying Writer's Claims (YES/NO/NOT GIVEN)
  • Multiple Choice
  • Matching Sentence Endings
  • Short Answer
  • Match Headings
  • Matching Information
  • Matching Features

Finding the best reading strategy for you

The biggest challenge most people face in IELTS Reading is finishing every question before time runs out. In the next section, you'll learn three strategies. Try each one with our free reading practice tests to find out which one suits you best.

IELTS Reading practice test with the passage beside a matching information question
In the Reading practice test the passage and the questions sit side by side, as in the computer-delivered exam, with every question one click away.

3 IELTS Reading Strategies

Strategy 1: Read the whole passage first, then answer the questions

This is what many people do when they haven't prepared for the reading test, so it isn't really a strategy. We include it because it can work for a small number of test takers. If you can remember the passage well after a single read and then answer the questions from memory, you won't need Strategy 2.

For most people, though, this approach is too slow. Unless your memory is better than average, you'll run out of time before you answer every question, and this is one of the most common mistakes in IELTS Reading. A few simple question types can still be answered this way, because you can skim the passage and find the answer quickly. There aren't enough of them in a test to rely on, so only use this strategy if you're confident it works for you.

Strategy 2: Read the questions first, read with a goal, and then answer carefully

This is our recommended strategy, and it's the one most likely to raise your IELTS Reading score. Think of it as a map that shows you how to approach every passage, in three steps.

Step 1: Read the questions first

One of the most common mistakes is reading every single word of the passage before looking at the questions. Reading for pleasure is good practice, but "reading blindly", without knowing what the questions will ask, wastes time in the test and makes it harder to get a good score.

The main reason to read the questions first is that the question type tells you what to read and how to read it. Some question types need the skimming technique, while others need scanning.

It also helps to answer one set of questions of the same type at a time. Decide which question type to start with. A good plan is to start with the easier types and leave the harder ones for later. The easiest types are the ones that need the least reading:

  • Matching Headings is easier, because you only need to find the heading that best describes the main idea of each paragraph.
  • Identifying Information is harder, because you have to read each paragraph closely to decide whether each statement is TRUE, FALSE or NOT GIVEN.

Use this table to decide which question type to answer first.

Difficulty level Question type
Easy Matching Headings
Short Answer
Medium Matching Sentence Endings
Matching Features
Multiple Choice
Sentence Completion
Diagram Label, Summary, Note, Table and Flow-Chart Completion
Difficult Matching Information
Identifying Information (TRUE / FALSE / NOT GIVEN)
Identifying Writer's Claims (YES / NO / NOT GIVEN)

Step 2: Read with a goal

Once you've read the questions, you can read the passage with a clear goal. The question type decides what that goal is. A few types ask for the main idea of a paragraph, but most ask for one specific piece of information, so you need to know which kind of reading to use.

  • Skimming means reading quickly to get the gist, or general idea, of a passage. You don't stop for unfamiliar words or look for details.
  • Scanning means searching the text for specific information, such as a name, a date or a keyword, without reading for the overall meaning. Once you find it, you stop and read that sentence closely.

Here is what to read for, and how, with each question type:

Question type Read for How to read
Matching Headings The main idea of each paragraph Skim. Focus on the core of each sentence (subject, verb and object) and skip examples and extra detail. Sum up the paragraph in a few words before you look at the list of headings.
Matching Information One detail, which can be anywhere in a paragraph Scan for a paraphrase of the content words, including the action, such as "comparing" or "keeping". The statements aren't in passage order, so don't stop at a paragraph that only mentions the topic.
Matching Features What each person or theory says Scan for every name on the list first and mark it, including later mentions by surname only. Then read the sentences around each name.
TRUE / FALSE / NOT GIVEN The facts in the passage Scan for the topic words or their synonyms, then compare the matching sentence with the statement word by word. Pay close attention to scope words (all, some) and certainty words (will, may).
YES / NO / NOT GIVEN The writer's own opinion Scan for the topic, then look for the writer's voice, such as "in my view" or "should". Skip sentences that report what other people think.
Multiple Choice A fact, a reason, a result or the writer's view Go to the paragraph the question names, or scan for its keywords. Read all of the evidence, which can run over more than one sentence, before you compare it with the choices. If you need two or three letters, find a separate piece of evidence for each one.
Matching Sentence Endings The idea that completes each sentence Scan for the keywords in the sentence beginning, then read that part of the passage closely. The correct ending says the same thing in different words.
Sentence, Summary, Note, Table, Flow-Chart and Diagram Completion The exact words that fill each gap Use the title or the first lines to find the right paragraph, then scan for the words around each gap. Predict the part of speech first, and copy the words exactly. Flow-chart answers follow the order of the passage.
Short Answer The kind of answer the question word asks for Start with the question word: "who" needs a person or organization, "when" a time, and "how many" a number. Then scan for the names, numbers and verb in the question.

Step 3: Answer carefully

By now you've read the questions and found the part of the passage each one points to, so you know which part of the text to read closely for each question. Go back to that part, read it carefully and think critically before you choose your answer.

Strategy 3: Skim, take notes, then work by question type

Many IELTS test takers use this strategy, and it can also help you get a higher reading score. It has four steps:

  1. Skim each paragraph for its general idea. The main idea is usually in the first one or two sentences, so read those a little more carefully. Skim the rest of the paragraph quickly and underline any names, words or phrases that stand out.
  2. Write a short note next to each paragraph. In two to five words, write your best guess at the paragraph's main idea.
  3. Choose a set of questions of the same type to answer first.
  4. Answer that set of questions efficiently and accurately.

Spend no more than 3 to 5 minutes on Steps 1 and 2. If you spend longer, you'll run short of time for the questions.

Steps 1 and 2: Map the passage

The goal is to build a quick map of the passage so you can find answers faster. Once you've noted the main idea of each paragraph, you'll know which paragraph is likely to contain the answer to each question. Without those notes, you'd have to skim every paragraph again for each question before scanning for the answer. With them, you skip straight to scanning the right paragraph.

Step 3: Choose the question type to start with

Once you've skimmed the passage and written your notes, decide which question type to answer first. As in Strategy 2, start with the easier types and use the difficulty table above to choose. Matching Headings is a good place to start, because your paragraph notes from Steps 1 and 2 often give you most of the answers. Leave harder types, such as Identifying Information, until later.

Step 4: Answer the questions

Each question type is different, but the same basic method works for all of them:

  1. Read the question carefully and identify the important keywords.
  2. Find the paragraph that contains the information you need. Your notes on each paragraph's main idea should make this quick.
  3. Scan that paragraph for the keywords until you find the part you need to read closely. The passage will most likely use synonyms rather than the exact words in the question.
  4. Read that part carefully and think critically to decide on the correct answer.
AI Tutor IELTS Reading matching information exercise with keyword and synonym matches
The AI Tutor shows how the keywords in a question match synonyms in the passage, so you learn to find the right paragraph fast.

Free IELTS Reading Sample PDF Downloads with Answers

Below are some free reading samples from the British Council (the makers of the IELTS exam). Try to answer the questions and see how you do!

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The figures on this page come from the BestMyTest IELTS learner performance data, our records of IELTS practice on BestMyTest up to October 2026. That page explains how we measure each figure. Last updated 15 October 2026.

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