Reading test is the second test in a paper based or computer-based test in both formats- Academic and General training IELTS. It consists of 40 questions designed to test a candidate’s reading abilities, such as reading for main ideas, skimming through, reading the gist, understanding the writer’s logical arguments, opinions and purpose. There are three sections in the test which are progressively difficult.
Test timing: The test taker will have 60 minutes to complete the test. There will be no extra time given to transfer answers to the answer sheet.
Test takers need to choose the best answer from a given four options, or two answers from five options or three answers from seven options. Test takers need to immediately write the letter of their choice on the answer sheet. The questions may involve the beginning of a sentence with possible ways to complete it in the options or complete question types with multiple options to choose the best answer from. The questions follow the order of the text in the passage meaning the first question is the first answer that can be encountered before the answer to the second question and so on. Multiple choice tests a variety of reading abilities such as an understanding of certain points or an overall understanding of the main ideas in the passage.
Test takers need to assess a number of statements with the information given in the text and evaluate if the statements agree with the text or not. Accordingly, they need to answer with true, false or not given. The most important piece is to understand the difference between true, false and not given. True means that the statement agrees with the information in text, false means that the statement contradicts that which is stated in the passage; not given means that the statement neither agrees nor contradicts the information in the passage. Identifying information tests the candidates’ skill to recognise specific points of information in the text.
Test takers need to fill out blanks given in a number of statements that contain information from the passage or a particular section of the passage. Instructions are given on how many words/numbers should be used in their answers, e.g., ‘NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS AND/OR A NUMBER’. Fill in the blanks aim to test the ability of the test taker to accurately identify and understand information.
Test takers are given a few statements in the questions and are needed to locate the information within the paragraphs of the passage and write the paragraph letters on the answer sheet. The statements do not necessarily contain information from every paragraph of the passage in which case they will be told in the instructions that they can use the paragraph letters more than once. The statements do not follow the order of the paragraphs. Matching information assesses reading skills such as the ability to identify detail and locate a specific definition or summary.
Test takers are required to match a given list of headings (indicated with i, ii, iii etc.) with the lettered paragraphs in the passage and write the corresponding answer on the answer sheet. A heading denotes the main idea of the paragraph of the passage. There will always be a greater number of headings than there are paragraphs, so no heading is used twice. The headings do not follow the order of the paragraphs. Matching headings tests the ability to identify the main theme of each paragraph in the passage and distinguish them from supporting ideas.
Test takers are needed to match a given set of statements to a list of options. The options are identified by letters, and they are a group of features from the passage. For instance, test takers need to match different regional flowers to the list of regions/places or historical events etc. Instructions will be given on how many times an option may be used. Matching features tests the ability to identify relationships between information in the passage and identify opinions and theories. This type of question may be used with factual and opinion-based discursive styles of passages.
Test takers are presented with a list of statements containing the first half of a sentence based on the passage and choose the answer to complete it from a list of possible options and write it on the answer sheet. There will be a greater number of options than there are questions. The questions follow the same order as the information in the passage. Matching sentence endings tests the skill of understanding ideas within a sentence.
Test takers are required to complete sentences in the question in a given number of words from the passage and write the answers on the answer sheet. Instructions will be given on how many words/numbers they should use in the answers, e.g., ‘NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS AND/OR A NUMBER’. The questions follow the same order as the information in the passage. Matching sentence endings tests the ability to find specific information.
Test takers are presented with a summary of a part of the passage and are required to complete it with information from the passage. The summary will usually be of only one part of a paragraph of the passage rather than the entire passage. The information may be in the form of: several connected sentences (a summary), several notes (referred to as notes), a table with some empty cells (a table), a sequence of boxes linked by arrows with some of them empty or missing some text (a flow-chart) which is to be filled by the test taker. Test takers may either need to pick words from the section or select from a list of answers. The answers may or may not follow the same order as the information in the section. Instructions will be given on how many words should be used in the answers in case words are to be selected from the passage, e.g. ‘NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS AND/OR A NUMBER’. This type of question is used with descriptive texts. Summarizing tests the ability to understand the main theme of a section of passage. In the variations of questions involved in a summary or flowchart, test takers need to be aware of the type of words that will be suitable to write in the blanks (noun, verb etc.).
Test takers need to label a diagram which is associated with a description contained in the passage. Instructions will be given on how many words should be used in the answers in case words are to be selected from the passage, e.g., ‘NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS AND/OR A NUMBER’, ‘ONE WORD ONLY’. The answers may or may not follow the same order as the information in the section. The diagram may be of some type of mechanical instrument or machine, part of an infrastructure building or any other component that can be depicted pictorially. This question type is used with descriptive texts. Diagram label completion assesses the test taker’s ability to understand a detailed description, and to relate it to information presented in the form of a diagram.
Test takers need to answer questions, which usually connect with factual information about elements in the passage. This type of question is used with passages that contain a lot of factual information. Test takers must use words from the passage and write their answers on the answer sheet. Instructions will be given on how many words should be used in the answers in case words are to be selected from the passage, e.g., ‘NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS AND/OR A NUMBER’, ‘ONE WORD ONLY’. Short answer questions test the ability to identify and understand accurate information from the passage.
Test takers need to assess a number of statements with the information given in the text and evaluate if the statements agree with the text; that is agree with the views of the writer or not. Accordingly, they need to answer with yes, no or not given. The questions follow the same order as the information in the passage. The most important piece is to understand the difference between yes, no and not given. Yes means that the statement agrees with the views of the writer, no means that the statement explicitly disagrees with the views of the writer; not given means that the statement neither agrees nor disagrees with the views. This question type tests the ability to identify opinions and is often used with argumentative or discursive passages.
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