The IELTS reading test is a 60-minute exam with 40 questions based on three passages totaling around 2,750 words, requiring efficient reading skills such as skimming and scanning. Various question types, including multiple choice and true/false/not given, necessitate familiarity with synonyms and negative frequency words to improve accuracy. Successful strategies include focusing on topic sentences, practicing reading diverse texts, and managing time effectively.

1. A N I N T R O D U C T I O N A N D S O M E T I P S
IELTS READING TEST

2. OVERVIEW
• The IELTS Reading Exam lasts for 60 minutes.
• (Including time to transfer answers.)
• It is comprised of 40 questions, each worth 1 pt.
• There are 3 reading passages.
• They total around 2,750 words.
• The reading passages may be from:
• Magazines, books, newspapers, websites, journals, etc
• Texts range from descriptive and factual to the discursive
and analytical.

3. QUESTIONS
• A variety of questions is used, chosen from the following
types:
• multiple choice
• identifying information
• identifying writer’s views/claims
• matching information
• matching headings
• matching features
• matching sentence endings
• sentence completion
• summary completion
• note completion
• table completion
• flow-chart completion
• diagram label completion
• short-answer questions.

4. IMPORTANT
• Time is very important. You only have 60 minutes to
answer 40 question.
How?
• You must read quickly and efficiently.
• Learn how to skim and scan.
• Learn how to find information quickly.
• Become familiar with the question types.

5. HOW TO SUCCEED
Learn Synonyms
Such as “intelligent,” “clever,” and “smart”
This will help you search for information by finding key
words in the question and then the related part of the text.

6. HOW TO SUCCEED
Pay Attention to Negative Words
For example, “hardly,” “never,” “seldom,” “rarely”
This is especially important for true/false/not given
questions.

7. HOW TO SUCCEED
Pay Attention to Frequency Words
Like “always,” “often,” “sometimes,” “never.”
Again, these will help with T/F/NG questions.

8. HOW TO SUCCEED
Questions Usually Follow Passage Order
Follow the questions through the reading
passage. You will usually be guided to the
answers.

9. HOW TO SUCCEED
Look for Topic Sentences
This is usually the first sentence in a paragraph. It will tell
you what the paragraph is about, so you can save a lot of
time in reading.

10. HOW TO READ QUICKLY
• Practice reading a variety of texts.
• Don’t get stressed by unfamiliar vocabulary.
• Learn to read for main ideas – of the whole text, and of
each paragraph
• Underline important words and remember where
important ideas were expressed
• Then practice locating information – single words or
phrases, names, numbers, etc

11. • For more IELTS hints and tips, check out TED-IELTS.