IELTS Academic Reading
About the IELTS Academic Reading test
The reading test is different for IELTS Academic and IELTS General candidates
3 sections, 40 questions, 60 minutes
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Each section contains one long text.
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Texts are authentic and are taken from books, journals, magazines and newspapers. They have been written for a non-specialist audience and are on academic topics of general interest.
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Texts are appropriate to, and accessible to, candidates entering undergraduate or postgraduate courses or seeking professional registration.
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Texts range from the descriptive and factual to the discursive and analytical. Texts may contain non-verbal materials such as diagrams, graphs or illustrations. If texts contain technical terms, then a simple glossary is provided.
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There are three texts and 40 questions.
IELTS General Reading
About the IELTS General Reading test
The reading test is different for IELTS Academic and IELTS General candidates
3 sections, 40 questions, 60 minutes
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Section 1 contains two or three short factual texts, one of which may be composite (consisting of 6-8 short texts related by topic, e.g. hotel advertisements). Topics are relevant to everyday life in an English-speaking country
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Section 2 contains two short factual texts focusing on work-related issues (e.g. applying for jobs, company policies, pay and conditions, workplace facilities, staff development and training)
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Section 3 contains one longer, more complex text on a topic of general interest
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Texts are authentic and are taken from notices, advertisements, company handbooks, official documents, books, magazines and newspapers.
