IELTS Reading Syllabus

Reading syllabus — full chapter and topic list

Expand any chapter to see its topics and sub-topics. This is the whole examinable outline for Reading in IELTS, not a summary of it.

1. 1

   Understanding the Reading Test

   3 topics

   • Overview of the Reading Test
   • Question Types
   • Text Types
2. 2

   Strategies for the Reading Test

   4 topics

   • Skimming and Scanning Techniques
   • Identifying Paraphrases
   • Time Management
   • Dealing with Unknown Vocabulary
3. 3

   Practice Tests

   3 topics

   • Simulated Full Reading Tests
   • Section-wise Practice
   • Answer Analysis

Reading flashcards for IELTS

21 of 51 cards from the Reading deck — real questions with worked answers.

1. How many sections does the IELTS Reading test contain, and how many questions in total?

   3 sections (passages) with 40 questions in total.

2. How much time is allowed for the IELTS Reading test, and is extra transfer time given?

   60 minutes total. No extra time is given to transfer answers to the answer sheet (unlike Listening).

3. How do the Academic and General Training Reading tests differ in text sources?

   Academic uses 3 long academic-style passages from books, journals, and newspapers; General Training uses everyday texts (notices, advertisements, workplace and general-interest material) increasing in difficulty.

4. How many words does a typical IELTS Academic Reading test contain across all three passages?

   Roughly 2,150 to 2,750 words total across the three passages.

5. How are the three Academic Reading passages ordered by difficulty?

   They increase in difficulty: Passage 1 is easiest, Passage 3 is the hardest.

6. On the IELTS Reading answer sheet, how are spelling and grammar errors treated?

   Incorrectly spelled or grammatically wrong answers are marked as incorrect, even if the meaning is understood.

7. Approximately what raw score (out of 40) is needed for Band 7 in Academic Reading?

   About 30 out of 40 correct answers typically corresponds to Band 7 in Academic Reading.

8. Approximately what raw score gives Band 8 versus Band 6 in Academic Reading?

   Around 35/40 for Band 8 and around 23/40 for Band 6 (General Training requires higher raw scores for the same band).

9. Name at least six of the common IELTS Reading question types.

   Multiple choice; Matching headings; Matching information; Matching features; Matching sentence endings; True/False/Not Given; Yes/No/Not Given; Sentence completion; Summary/note/table/flow-chart completion; Diagram-label completion; Short-answer questions.

10. In True/False/Not Given questions, what does each of the three options mean?

    True = the statement agrees with the information in the text; False = the statement contradicts the text; Not Given = there is no information in the text to confirm or contradict it.

11. What is the key difference between True/False/Not Given and Yes/No/Not Given questions?

    True/False/Not Given deals with factual information in the text; Yes/No/Not Given deals with the writer's opinions, views, or claims.

12. In Matching Headings questions, are the headings usually more or fewer than the paragraphs, and can they be reused?

    There are usually more headings than paragraphs, and each heading is used only once (no reuse).

13. For Matching Information questions, can the same paragraph be the answer to more than one question?

    Yes. In Matching Information, a paragraph may be used more than once, and some paragraphs may not be used at all.

14. What is the general rule about answer order for most IELTS Reading question types?

    Answers usually appear in the same order as the questions in the text (e.g., completion, T/F/NG), except for Matching Headings and Matching Information, which are not in passage order.

15. What must you watch for in a word-limit instruction like 'NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS AND/OR A NUMBER'?

    You must not exceed the stated limit; exceeding it makes the answer wrong. Hyphenated words count as one word, and a number can be written as a figure.

16. In summary completion, what is the difference between filling from a box of words and filling from the passage?

    With a word box you choose from given options (often paraphrased); without a box you must take words exactly from the passage within the word limit.

17. In multiple-choice IELTS Reading questions, why should you read all options before answering?

    Because distractors often contain words directly from the text but with wrong meaning; reading all options helps avoid 'word-match traps'.

18. What is the safest strategy when you cannot decide between two options in True/False/Not Given?

    If the text neither confirms nor contradicts the statement, choose Not Given; do not infer beyond what is written.

19. List several common text types found in the Academic Reading passages.

    Descriptive, discursive/argumentative, analytical, expository, and narrative texts drawn from journals, magazines, books, and newspapers on academic topics.

20. What everyday text types appear in General Training Reading Section 1 ('social survival')?

    Notices, advertisements, timetables, brochures, and other short factual texts related to everyday life.

21. What is the focus of General Training Reading Sections 2 and 3?

    Section 2 ('workplace survival') covers job-related texts like contracts and staff development; Section 3 ('general reading') is a single longer, more complex descriptive or instructive text.

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Planning Reading for IELTS

Reading (IELTS) FAQ