Common Types Of Tests In IELTS Reading
Reading test consists of 3 long reading passages of varying difficulty. The IELTS Reading test types are diverse, and each reading offers 3-4 different question types. Candidates have 60 minutes to complete 40 highly academic questions but will not be research-intensive.
Therefore, in order to get a high score in this skill, you need to be familiar with and practice all Common Types Of Tests In IELTS Reading to understand the answer tips of each type.
I. Some Information About IELTS Reading Test
Exam time: 60 minutes
Exam structure: 3 passages with 40 questions
Exam Format: Two types of IELTS Reading Academic and General Training.
How to Calculate IELTS Reading Score
Tips For Effective Reading Preparation
II. Common Types Of Tests In IELTS Reading And TIPS To Do Well
1. Sentence Completion
In this type of question, you will see an incomplete sentence. You must complete it with the words from the passage. So you need to quickly locate the passage containing the answer to find the right word.
Tips:
- Determine the type of word that matches the blank (noun. verb, adj, or preposition)
- Identify the information in which passage to choose the correct word
- The answers usually appear in a text sequence
- The summary should be grammatically correct, so make sure the word you choose matches the overall grammar of the sentence.
- Check how many words can be selected in the question (NO MORE THAN TWO/ THREE WORDS facts)
2. Summary Completion
A summary of the reading will be given to you, and your task is to complete a Summary paragraph using no more than three words or 1 number taken from the text to fill in the blanks.
Note that you can only use the words available in the text and do not use more than the allowed number of words.
Tips:
- Determine the type of word that matches the blank (noun. verb, adj, or preposition)
- Identify the information in which passage to choose the correct word
- Check how many words can be selected in the question (NO MORE THAN TWO/ THREE WORDS facts)
- The answers usually appear in a text sequence
- The summary should be grammatically correct, so make sure the word you choose matches the overall grammar of the sentence.
3. Identifying Information
These are the types of questions that require you to determine if the given Information is accurate in order to answer Yes/No/Not Given or True/False/Not given.
This type of question is quite tricky because it will confuse the reader, requiring reading for details in the article and keywords.
Tips:
- Understand the meaning of each answer
- Yes/ True = the same information is present in the text
- No/ False = contradictory information is present in the text
- Not Given = information not present in the text
- Find another wording of the statement given in the question before finding the answer.
4. Matching Headings
This type of question asks you to choose a title from specific headings and put it in each paragraph. Primarily, if you already understand a certain text well, you should be able to create a headline out of each paragraph.
This question is not too difficult to find the answer to; use quick reading skills and highlight essential keywords.
Tips:
- Read the headings first; read the text later.
- There are usually more headings than you need to match
- Analyze headers before you try to match them with sections and paragraphs
- Answers are usually marked with Roman numerals (i, ii, iii, iv…); read the
- instructions carefully to complete them correctly.
- The answers are not arranged according to any logical rules.
5. Features Matching
These are the questions that require you to find specific information about a person or a place or thing that stands out in the passage.
The test will provide proper nouns, and you need to match them with sentences that describe the most outstanding features of that noun.
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6. Matching Sentence Endings
Matching sentence endings is a type of question where we are given a series of incomplete, unfinished sentences (usually numbered 1, 2, 3, 4) and a list of possible endings incomplete sentences (usually A, B, C, D).
The task and requirement for us are to match the incomplete sentences with the appropriate ending based on the available reading.
Tips:
- Read through the given sentences and read the possible endings answers
- Prepare paraphrases
- Find the corresponding information in the text
- Choose the ending option that best matches the information given in the text.
- Complete sentences must be grammatically correct.
- The answer is usually marked with a letter (A, B, C…); please read the instructions carefully to choose the correct one.
- Problems often give more endings than you need to fill in.
7. Information Matching
These questions present you with 4 to 5 sentences in the passage and ask you to find the passage in the text containing the given information.
The information provided may not be the main idea of the passage, so reading each paragraph’s first and last sentences will not find the answer.
8. Short-Answer Questions
This type of question will ask you to answer with a certain number of words, “NO MORE THAN … WORDS,” so you need to pay special attention. Underline keywords in the question and use skimming to find information quickly.
Tips:
- The questions are made in order of the passage so that you can answer from one sentence to the next.
- Read the question and then read the passage, understand the question’s meaning, and then find the answer.
- Pay attention to the instruction ‘NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS AND/OR A NUMBER.’
- The answer does not have to be grammatically correct, and it just needs to be valid.
- Take information from the text, do not respond with personal opinions
- Pro tip but not all: The keywords in the question are usually either Nouns (noun) or Noun phrases (noun phrases), so you might want to focus on finding this first.
- When there are keywords, always think of synonyms to find information.
9. Multiple Choices
These are the types of questions that ask you to choose the correct answer from confident choices in capital letters of the ABC. This type of question tests your ability to understand detailed and specific information.
Tips:
- Find a way to restate the information in the questions and options given
- Locate information in text
- The answer is usually marked with a letter (A, B, C…), please read the instructions carefully to choose the correct one
10. Notes/ Tables/ Diagram completion
Mainly in these questions, you will be provided with notes, charts, or a summary with blank words. Use synonyms and antonyms to find the correct answer.
In case, cannot find the answers to the questions when the 60 minutes are running out, do not leave it blank; try to circle an answer or find the most likely correct word that you are confused about.
Tips:
- Read the instructions, cross the Key and think of synonyms.
- Skim the article to understand the main idea
- Read the summary and read the questions to understand the word form to be filled in and the information provided. Remember the key to finding information in the passage.
- Read the passage carefully again and take a pen to probe in the direction of the diagram/table to know where you are in the table/diagram.
- After filling in, check the grammar, word form is correct, and there are no spelling mistakes.
III. Some Notes When Taking IELTS Reading Test
- For word fills, always determine the type of word to be filled in, paying attention to spelling elements. Also, do not exceed the allowed word limit. Words with a hyphen in the middle, like cutting-edge, count as one word.
- Before starting the test, spend 1-2 minutes skimming to get the main idea, maybe read the opening sentences of each paragraph and underline the main keyword.
- In the question, essential circle keywords, underline secondary keywords.
- The question will not directly take all available data from the lesson, but use similar sentences, use synonyms and antonyms flexibly. Lack of vocabulary will lead to many mistakes when doing the test.
- Never spend too much time on one answer.
- Usually, when practicing for the exam, don’t just press the clock for exactly 60 minutes; reduce it to 50 minutes. This is a method to help you promote the intensity of concentration to the highest level. Get used to this pace; when taking the actual test, you will save time to review all the questions.