Reading test faq link: [Link]
com/reading-faqs/
You will be allowed 1 hour to complete all 3 sections of the
IELTS Academic Reading test.
The three parts of this practice Reading test are presented over three separate web
pages. Make sure you move swiftly from one page to the next so that your practice is as
realistic as possible.
Time yourself and allow just one hour to complete all three parts. There are 40
questions in this practice paper. Each question carries one mark.
If you prefer to work offline, download the test paper and blank answer sheet.
Instructions to candidates
In the actual test you will be given the following instructions:
do not open this question paper until you are told to do so
write your name and candidate number in the spaces at the top of the page
read the instructions for each part of the paper carefully
answer all the questions
write your answers on the answer sheet; use a pencil
you must complete the answer sheet within the time limit
At the end of the test you will be asked to hand in both the question paper and your
answer sheet.
Review
Once you have completed all three sections, download the answers and see how you
have done.
Academic Reading - section 1
This is the first section of your IELTS Reading test. You should spend about twenty
minutes on it.
Academic Reading - section 2
This is the second section of your IELTS Academic Reading test. You should spend
about twenty minutes on it.
Academic Reading - section 3
This is the third section of your IELTS Academic Reading test. You should spend about
twenty minutes on it.
10 Top IELTS Reading Tips and Tricks (2020)
OVERVIEW OF THE IELTS READING SECTION:
The IELTS reading is an hour long (60 minutes). It has 3 sections or passages of which each is
allocated 20 minutes. Therefore, you should spend your time wisely as you attempt to answer all the
questions.
IELTs reading contains 40 questions. The question types may include; multiple choice, sentence
completion, classification, matching lists, headings or phrases, identifying locations in maps, diagram
completion & labelling, “yes, no & not given” and “true, false & not given”.
Tips For IELTS Exam Preparation 2020
The 10 Top IELTS Reading Tips and Tricks for 2020 are;
TABLE OF CONTENTS
1. Carefully read instructions
2. It is okay not to understand every word in the passage
3. Practice reading and know the IELTs reading exam format
4. Don’t panic when you see abstract topics
5. Timing is key
6. Transfer your answers correctly
7. Answer every question
8. Look at the tasks or questions first.
9. Skim for the answers
10. Vocabulary is important
1. Carefully read instructions
Instruction are written to help you pass the exam. Moreover, IELTS Academic and general training
reading section instructions are very specific. Therefore, carefully read the instructions before you do
anything. Remember, they can disqualify you if you do not follow instructions.
What do I mean here?
See an example below for the following instructions;
a) “NO MORE THAN ONE word”
Simon goes to bed at ____________. If the answer is 10, just write 10. If you write “at 10” it will be
marked wrong because those are 2 words.
b) “One word and a number”
Numbers written in words is considered as a number. For instance, Forty-Five is considered as 45.
Therefore, ‘forty five pounds’ is considered as one word and a number.
c) “TWO words”
If the answer is green and pink, you should write ‘green, pink’, not ‘green and pink’. If you write
‘green and pink’ it will be marked incorrect because ‘green and pink’ is three words.
d) “Two words and a number”
For example, “38 Shakespeare Road”
NB:
Avoid adding words like “and, an, the, at, a” where they are not needed.
All the hyphenated words such as good-hearted are counted as one word in the IELTs academic or
general training reading section.
2. It is okay not to understand every word in the
passage
When you are preparing for the exam, it is normal to improve your vocabulary by searching for the
meaning of words you do not understand in the dictionary. However, when it comes to exam, you do
not need to know every single word and you are not given the dictionary.
Trying to understand each word will make you move like a snail and time will be against you. The
trick here is, to read the full sentence and maybe the following sentence. If you still do not
understand the damn word, then move on.
What you need to focus on is the key sentences which can give you the answer. Guess what? That
single word may not even be relevant in helping you answer the questions.
Remember, even native speakers including IELTs examiners may not know the meaning of some
terminologies in topics they do not have in-depth knowledge in.
3. Practice reading and know the IELTs reading exam
format
Read as widely as you can, after all the knowledge you will gain will help you develop a better
understanding of the world. Moreover, in the IELTs reading section you may find any topic.
There is no excuse for not finding reading materials in this period where you can access materials
for any topic on the internet. Alternatively, read national newspapers and magazines in various
topics.
It is equally important for you to master the IELTS reading test format. Practice using real exam
materials and familiarise yourself with the reading section tasks.
4. Don’t panic when you see abstract topics
The idea is to get an overall understanding of the topic or passage and find the answers to the
questions. The first passage is usually easier than passage 2 & 3.
It is normal to find some questions easy and others extremely difficult. Therefore, aim at answering
easier questions first. You can always comeback to hard questions.
5. Timing is key
Your biggest asset in the IELTs academic and general training reading section is time. I can not
stress this enough. Students get a lower score in IELTs reading because of poor timing.
Some passages will take you more time to read and comprehend. However, make sure you
complete reading and answering each section in the 20 minutes given.
In my opinion, some people read and comprehend faster than others. Therefore, get to know
yourself while practicing for IELTs academic or general training reading exam.
6. Transfer your answers correctly
Go to the British Council website and download the answer sheets and practice filling it in. Try to get
an idea of how long it takes you to transfer your answers from a plain paper to the answer sheet.
Personally, I would directly write my answers in the answer sheet. Why? This will save you time to
go through difficult questions which you skipped.
7. Answer every question
Like in the IELTs listening section, you will not be penalised for guessing the answer. It will simply be
marked wrong if you do not answer it correctly. By the way you may get lucky with your guess.
8. Look at the tasks or questions first.
Start your reading exam by looking at tasks or questions in just a glance. Doing that makes it easier
for you to look for the answers in the text.
Read the tasks and get an idea of what you are looking for in the passage. I swear this will make
your life easier.
9. Skim for the answers
Skimming is a reading technique that allows you to look for the main ideas presented in the text.
Your goal in the reading section should be finding answers rather than understanding everything.
Underline keywords, sentences and expressions as you skim the passage. This will help you in
finding answers quickly. Also, look out for any sentences and words with capital letters, bold,
underlined, italics and figures among others.
10. Vocabulary is important
It is common to see students who know more vocabulary excel in the IELTs reading section. When
you have a wide range of vocabulary, it becomes easier for you to comprehend the passages and
answer most of the questions correctly.
When you learn new words, try to get a deeper understanding by looking at their synonyms as well.
For example, the word ‘drawback’ means disadvantage, pitfall and downside among others.
Therefore, questions have one of the above words.
