IELTS Reading practice tests
60 min · 40 questions · 3 passages · Academic & General Training
IELTS Reading is a 60-minute module with 40 questions across 3 passages. The Academic version uses complex texts from academic journals; General Training uses shorter, practical texts. Practice here to master True/False/Not Given, Multiple Choice, and Matching Headings question types.
Module Instructions
Read the passages and answer the questions.
All IELTS Reading practice tests
Practice Test 2: Study Visa Applications
Reading Practice Test 3: True/False/Not Given Mastery
Reading Practice Test 4: Multiple Choice Mastery
Reading Practice Test 5: Mixed Question Types
Reading Practice Test 6: Science and Nature
Reading Practice Test 7: Mind and Ocean
Reading Practice Test 8: Minds and Machines
Reading Practice Test 9: City and Soil
Reading Practice Test 10: Built and Grown
Reading Practice Test 11: Body and Planet
Practice Test 12: Urban Wildlife
Practice Test 13: Workplace Training
Practice Test 14: Building Bridges
Practice Test 20: Tidal Power and Children's Language Learning
Practice Test 21: Microplastics and the Problem of Longitude
Practice Test 22: Urban Heat Islands and the Science of Habit
Practice Test 23: Coral Reefs Under Pressure and Why We Dream
Practice Test 24: The Story of the Bicycle and Farming in the City
Practice Test 25: Finding Our Way and Charging for Plastic Bags
Practice Test 26: The Shipping Container and Why Words Disappear
Practice Test 27: Farming in the Shadow of Volcanoes and the Problem of Too Much Choice
Practice Test 28: How Bees Share Directions and the History of the Public Library
Practice Test 29: Sleep and the Making of Memories and the Return of Ancient Grains
Practice Test 30: The Science of Sourdough and Lighthouses After the Keeper
Practice Test 31: How Glass Changed Architecture and Learning a Language as an Adult
Practice Test 32: Light Pollution and the Gig Economy
Practice Test 33: Booking a Community Room and the Return of the Tram
About IELTS Reading and how to practise it
IELTS Reading has three sections and 40 questions in 60 minutes, with no extra time to transfer answers. Academic reading uses three long passages from books, journals and magazines. General Training uses shorter everyday and workplace texts in the first two sections and a longer text in the third.
Question types include True, False, Not Given, matching headings, multiple choice and completion tasks. Each needs a slightly different method, so practise them separately before doing full tests.
How to use these tests
- Spend about 20 minutes on each passage, and move on if one question is taking too long.
- For True, False, Not Given, find the exact sentence and decide whether it agrees, contradicts or is silent.
- Read the headings before the paragraphs for matching headings tasks.
- Review every wrong answer by finding the sentence that proves the correct one.
Common mistakes
- Using outside knowledge for True, False, Not Given.
- Reading every word instead of scanning for keywords.
- Spending too long on the first passage.
Related: speaking flashcards, writing flashcards, band score calculator, vocabulary flashcards, band scores explained, IELTS guides.
Frequently Asked Questions about IELTS Reading
How many questions are in IELTS Reading?
IELTS Reading has 40 questions. Academic Reading includes 3 long texts from academic sources. General Training includes shorter, practical texts. The total time is 60 minutes, with no extra transfer time.
What are True False Not Given questions in IELTS Reading?
True/False/Not Given questions ask you to compare statements against information in the passage. TRUE means the passage confirms the statement. FALSE means the passage directly contradicts it. NOT GIVEN means the passage neither confirms nor contradicts the statement.
How is IELTS Academic Reading different from General Training?
IELTS Academic Reading uses longer, more complex texts from academic journals and books. General Training Reading uses shorter texts from advertisements, notices, and workplace documents. Both versions have 40 questions in 60 minutes.
Pair your practice with a clear plan.