IELTS Academic Reading consists of 3 long passages totaling 2,150–2,750 words, with 40 questions to answer in 60 minutes — including transferring answers to the sheet. Passages progress in difficulty: Passage 1 is descriptive (often historical), Passage 2 is analytical, Passage 3 is the most argumentative and lexically dense. General Training Reading has Section 1 (everyday notices), Section 2 (workplace texts), and Section 3 (one longer general-interest passage).
Multiple Choice, True/False/Not Given, Yes/No/Not Given, Matching Headings, Matching Information, Matching Features, Matching Sentence Endings, Sentence Completion, Summary Completion, Note/Table/Flow-chart Completion, Diagram Label Completion, Short-Answer Questions, and Identifying Writer's Views are the 14 types you will face. The Reading Question Types hub covers each one with examples.
Spend roughly 17 minutes on Passage 1, 20 minutes on Passage 2, and 23 minutes on Passage 3. Transfer answers to the answer sheet as you complete each passage — there is no extra transfer time in Academic Reading, unlike Listening. If a question takes more than 90 seconds, mark it and move on.
Skim the first sentence of every paragraph plus the last sentence of the introduction and conclusion — this gives you the passage's logical map in under 2 minutes. Then scan for specific keywords as each question demands. Never read the whole passage word-by-word; you will run out of time.
"True" means the statement matches the passage. "False" means the passage explicitly contradicts it. "Not Given" means the passage does not provide enough information to decide either way. Most candidates lose 3–5 marks here because they reason from outside knowledge — read only what is written. The Reading Strategies hub drills this pattern.
The Reading Vocabulary hub covers the 10 highest-yield topic banks: environment, technology, education, health, history, economy, society, science, art, and transportation. Each appears in 6–8 Cambridge IELTS test rotations.
Band 7 = 30/40 raw score. Band 8 = 35/40. The jump usually comes from Passage 3 (the lexically dense argument), where Band 7 readers lose 4–5 marks. Targeted academic-vocabulary drilling and inference-question practice close that gap fastest.
Free authentic practice in Cambridge IELTS 14–19. Combine with our Reading Practice hub for question-type-specific drills. Time at least 3 full mocks under exam conditions before test day.
Every IELTS score is derived from four section bands (Listening, Reading, Writing, Speaking) averaged and rounded to the nearest whole or half band. Listening and Reading use a 40-question raw-score conversion published by Cambridge: 30/40 in Academic Reading equals Band 7, 35/40 equals Band 8. Writing and Speaking are scored against four criteria each — Task Achievement / Response, Coherence & Cohesion, Lexical Resource, and Grammatical Range & Accuracy (Speaking replaces Coherence with Fluency and adds Pronunciation). Examiners must award the band that "best fits" the descriptor; they do not average within a section. This is why a single weak descriptor — typically Lexical Resource or Grammatical Range at Band 6.5 — caps your overall score even when the other three are at Band 7.
Listening practice improves Speaking pronunciation and Writing collocations because you internalise natural English rhythm. Reading practice expands the lexical reservoir that powers both Writing tasks and Part 3 Speaking responses. Writing practice forces grammar control that transfers directly to extended Speaking turns. This is why the highest-leverage study plans rotate all four skills weekly rather than blocking single-skill weeks — and why Mock Test Guide matters more than any single-skill drill once you reach Band 6.5+.
Take one full timed mock every 14 days from week 4 of preparation onwards. Use authentic Cambridge IELTS 14–19 papers under exam conditions: no pauses, no dictionary, answer-sheet transfer included. After each mock, spend 90 minutes on error analysis — categorise every wrong answer by question type and root cause (vocabulary gap, misreading, time pressure, careless transfer). Patterns emerge after 3 mocks; address the top recurring category for 7 days before the next mock. Without this loop, additional study hours produce diminishing returns.
"Longer essays score higher" — false; under-developed 350-word essays score lower than tightly-argued 270-word essays. "Big words impress examiners" — false; misused or unnatural vocabulary is penalised under Lexical Resource. "Memorised templates are safe" — false; examiners are trained to detect and discount rote text. "British accent is required for Band 8 Speaking" — false; clear, intelligible pronunciation matters, accent does not. "You must agree with the essay prompt" — false; balanced or counter-positions score equally when argued well.
From Band 5.5 to Band 6.5: 8–12 weeks at 8 study hours per week. From Band 6.5 to Band 7.0: 8–14 weeks at 10 hours per week. From Band 7.0 to Band 7.5+: 12–20 weeks plus structured feedback. Test fee runs USD 215–260 depending on country and module; results arrive within 3–5 days for computer-delivered IELTS, 13 days for paper. Plan for one re-sit if your target is Band 7.5+; the average candidate sits IELTS 1.6 times to reach top scores.
Continue with Guide, Study Plan Guide, and Reading Strategies. For productive-skill feedback, see Writing Practice and Speaking Practice. For test logistics, see Registration Guide and Exam Day Guide.
Power IELTS — power-ielts.com