The IELTS Reading test measures how well you can understand written English in academic and general contexts. It’s not only about reading words, but about comprehending meaning, identifying arguments, and extracting specific information from various text types.
You’ll be tested on your ability to:
- understand main ideas and supporting details in written texts,
- identify the writer’s opinions, attitudes, and purpose,
- follow detailed arguments and logical reasoning,
- locate specific information quickly and accurately, and
- understand a range of vocabulary in context.
The test lasts 60 minutes with no extra time to transfer answers (unlike the Listening test). You will answer a total of 40 questions across three sections for Academic or three parts for General Training. Each section gets progressively more challenging, so the difficulty increases step by step.
Test Structure Breakdown
| Section | Academic Reading | General Training Reading | Questions | Skills Tested |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Section 1 | 1 long descriptive or factual text | 2-3 short social survival texts (notices, advertisements, timetables) | 13-14 | • Locating specific information • Understanding factual details • Identifying main ideas |
| Section 2 | 1 long discursive or analytical text | 2 work-related texts (job descriptions, contracts, workplace policies) | 13-14 | • Understanding arguments • Recognizing opinions • Following logical flow |
| Section 3 | 1 long complex analytical text | 1 extended general interest text (newspaper/magazine article) | 13-14 | • Comprehending complex ideas • Inferring meaning • Understanding detailed arguments |