IELTS General Training Reading is different from Academic Reading. The texts are generally shorter and more practical, with information you might encounter in everyday life, work or training.
You still need to read quickly, find specific information and recognise paraphrases, but the question types and texts require slightly different strategies.
Here are 8 quick ways to boost your score.
1. Use the text to find information quickly 🔎
Don't read every word from beginning to end before looking at the questions.
Do skim the text first, then scan for the information you need.
💡 Tip: Look for names, dates, numbers, places and other distinctive words that can help you locate the answer.
2. Read the headings and layout 👀
Don't ignore the way the text is organised.
Do use headings, bullet points, bold text and other visual clues to understand where different information is likely to be found.
💡 Tip: In Section 1, for example, you may need to find specific information in adverts, notices, timetables or other short texts.
3. Look for synonyms and paraphrases 🔄
Don't look only for the exact words from the question.
Do expect the passage to express the same idea in different words.
💡 Tip: If the question says “the course is free”, the text might say “there is no charge for attending.”
4. Follow the order of the questions 📍
Don't keep searching the whole text every time you answer a question.
Do use the order of the questions when the question type follows the text.
💡 Tip: Once you've found an answer, continue searching from that point. This can save valuable time.
5. Learn the question types 🧩
Don't use the same strategy for every question.
Do learn how to approach True/False/Not Given, multiple choice, matching information, sentence completion, summary completion and other question types.
💡 Tip: Knowing what to look for makes you a much faster reader.
6. Be careful with True, False and Not Given ⚠️
Don't choose False just because the information isn't mentioned.
Do choose False when the text clearly contradicts the statement.
💡 Tip: Not Given means there isn't enough information in the text to decide whether the statement is true or false.
7. Don't spend too long on one question ⏱️
Don't let one difficult question eat up several minutes.
Do make your best choice, move on and return to it later if you have time.
💡 Tip: Every question is worth one mark, so keep moving. One difficult question isn't worth losing several easier ones.
8. Check the instructions and your answers ✍️
Don't lose marks because you ignored the word limit or made a simple spelling mistake.
Do check your answers carefully, particularly for spelling, plurals and word limits.
💡 Tip: If the instructions say NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS AND/OR A NUMBER, make sure your answer follows that rule exactly.
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