IELTS Reading

In the test, candidates are presented with several answer options (four for some questions, five for others, and seven for others) and must choose the best one or two or three answers based on the question requirements. The chosen answer is then marked with the corresponding letter (A, B, C, D, E, F, or G) on the answer sheet. Questions may require test takers to

complete a sentence or to choose the best answer option that matches a given question. The order of the questions in the test follows the order of information in the text.

Task focus: This task type tests a wide range of reading skills including detailed understanding of specific points or an overall understanding of the main points of the text.

In the IELTS Reading section, test takers are presented with several statements and asked if they agree with the information presented in the text. To indicate their response, they must write ‘true’, ‘false’, or ‘not given’ on their answer sheet. The questions follow the same order as the information in the text. It’s crucial to understand the distinction between ‘false’ and ‘not given.’ If the passage contradicts the statement in question, the response is ‘false,’ while ‘not given’ indicates that the statement is neither confirmed nor denied by the information in the passage. It’s important to note that any external knowledge students may have is irrelevant when deciding on their answers.

Task focus: This task type assesses the test takers’ ability to recognize particular points of information conveyed in the text. It can thus be used with more factual texts.

The test taker is presented with several statements and must determine if they agree with the writer’s views/claims. They mark their answer as ‘yes’, ‘no’ or ‘not given’ on the answer sheet, with the questions following the same order as the information in the text. It is essential to distinguish between ‘no’ and ‘not given’. ‘No’ implies that the writer explicitly opposes the statement, whereas ‘not given’ implies that the statement is neither confirmed nor contradicted. (External knowledge should not be considered when answering these questions.)

Task focus: This task type assesses the test takers’ ability to recognize opinions or ideas and is used with discursive or argumentative texts.

In this task, test takers need to match specific information in a paragraph or section of the text with the correct paragraphs or sections that are already marked alphabetically for identification. They will be asked to find details, examples, reasons, descriptions, comparisons, summaries, or

explanations. Test takers may not need to locate information in every paragraph or section of the text, but there may be more than one relevant piece of information in each paragraph or section. Test takers can use any letter more than once if instructed to do so. The questions are not presented in the same order as the information in the text. This task type can evaluate a variety of reading skills, from locating specific details to identifying a summary or definition and can be used with any type of text.

Task focus: This task type assesses the test takers’ ability to scan for specific information. Unlike task type 5 (Matching headings), it is concerned with specific information rather than with the main idea.

In this task type, test takers are presented with a list of headings (generally numbered by Roman numerals) that correspond to the main ideas of paragraphs or sections in the text. The paragraphs or sections are marked alphabetically, and the test taker must match the correct headings with the corresponding paragraphs or sections and indicate the appropriate Roman numerals on their answer sheet. Some headings may not be used, and it is possible that some paragraphs or sections may not be included in the task. Additionally, each heading can only be used once, and some paragraphs or sections may already have a matched heading as an example. This task type is used with texts that have clearly defined themes for each paragraph or section.

Task focus: This task tests the ability to recognize the main idea or theme in the paragraphs or sections of a text, and to distinguish main ideas from supporting ones.

In this task type, test takers match a list of options, identified by letters, to a set of statements or pieces of information. These options represent different features from the text and may include age groups, historical periods, and other characteristics. It is possible that not all options will be used, and some may be used more than once, as instructed in the test. The questions are not arranged in the same order as the information in the text.

Task focus: This task assesses the ability to recognize relationships and connections between facts in the text and to recognize opinions and theories. It may be used both with texts dealing with information, description or narrative. Test takers need to be able to skim and scan the text to locate the required information and to read for detail.

In this task, test takers are presented with an incomplete sentence based on the text and are required to select the most suitable option to complete it from a list of choices. The options provided are more than the actual number of questions. The questions follow the order of information in the text. This type of task can be used with any genre of text.

Task focus: This task type assesses the test takers’ ability to understand the main ideas.

In the test task, candidates must write sentences using a specified number of words from the given text. The instructions will indicate the exact number of words/numbers required for each answer, and exceeding this limit will result in a lost mark. Numbers can be written as words or figures, while hyphenated words count as one word. The questions follow the same order as the information in the passage. The candidates must rephrase the information while preserving its original meaning. Contracted words are not tested.

Task focus: This task type assesses the test takers’ ability to locate detail/specific information.

In this task of the IELTS reading test, test takers may encounter a task where they are presented with a summary of a section of the text and must fill in the missing information by selecting words from the passage or a list of provided answers. The summary may consist of several connected sentences, notes, a table with empty cells, or a flowchart with empty boxes. The answers may not be in the same order as they appear in the text but will generally come from a specific section of the passage rather than the entire text. Test takers must pay attention to the number of words/numbers required for their answers, as exceeding the limit will result in a lost mark. Hyphenated words count as one word, and contracted words are not tested. This task type is often used with descriptive texts and assesses the test takers’ ability to comprehend details and/or main ideas of a section of the text. In the variations involving a summary or notes, test takers must be aware of the type of word(s) that will fit in the given gap, such as whether a noun or verb is required.

In this task, test takers are required to answer questions about factual details presented in the text. They must write their answers using words or numbers from the passage on the answer sheet. The instructions will specify the number of words/numbers that can be used, such as ‘NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS AND/OR A NUMBER from the passage’, ‘ONE WORD ONLY’, or ‘NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS’. Exceeding the word limit will result in a lost mark. Numbers can be expressed using either figures or words, while contracted words will not be tested. Hyphenated words will count as one word. The questions will follow the same order as the information in the text, meaning that the answer to the first question will be found before the answer to the second question, and so on.

Task focus: This task type assesses the ability to locate and understand precise information in the text.