IELTS Reading Test
There are two types of IELTS Reading Test: Academic and General Training. On this page, you will learn how the two IELTS reading tests differ from each other.
Here you will find:
Want to practise straight away? Take the free Reading practice test or practise the 11 question types.
IELTS Reading Test Format – Academic vs General Training?
Both the IELTS Academic and General Training reading tests require you to answer 40 reading questions and you have 60 minutes to complete the task. Therefore, there is no difference in that regard.
Both tests have a similar structure; however, the main difference is the level of difficulty.
To gain a better understanding of the differences, see the following comparison:
Academic texts
Taken from:
- books
- journals
- magazines
- newspapers
Scientific, technical and more complex. Texts range from descriptive and factual to discursive and analytical.
Everyday texts
Taken from:
- books
- magazines and newspapers
- notices and advertisements
- company handbooks and guidelines
Usually a bit easier: the kind of texts you meet in daily life in an English-speaking country.
Full GT Reading practice test →For a more detailed overview, see the IELTS test format guide on the British Council website.
IELTS Reading Test Scoring – Academic vs General Training?
You will get 1 point for each correct answer. After your reading test is marked and converted to the IELTS 9-band scale, your final score is reported as a band or half a band (e.g. 6.0 or 6.5).
The scores are converted differently for the Academic and General Training modules. General Training needs more correct answers for the same band, because its texts are easier:
| Band | Academic | General Training |
|---|---|---|
| 9 | 39–40 | 40 |
| 8.5 | 37–38 | 39 |
| 8 | 35–36 | 37–38 |
| 7.5 | 33–34 | 36 |
| 7 | 30–32 | 34–35 |
| 6.5 | 27–29 | 32–33 |
| 6 | 23–26 | 30–31 |
| 5.5 | 19–22 | 27–29 |
| 5 | 15–18 | 23–26 |
| 4.5 | 13–14 | 19–22 |
| 4 | 10–12 | 15–18 |
| 3.5 | 8–9 | 12–14 |
| 3 | 6–7 | 9–11 |
| 2.5 | 4–5 | 6–8 |
The band most students aim for
Want your overall band too? Try our IELTS band score calculator: add your four skills and it rounds the result the way IELTS does.
Ready to practise?
New to IELTS Reading? How to practise IELTS Reading at home in 5 steps
IELTS Reading question types
All 11 types in order. Pick one to practise next.
- 1True / False / Not GivenPractice →
- 2Yes / No / Not GivenPractice →
- 3Matching headingsPractice →
- 4Matching informationPractice →
- 5Matching featuresPractice →
- 6Matching sentence endingsPractice →
- 7Sentence completionPractice →
- 8Summary completionPractice →
- 9Diagram labelsPractice →
- 10Multiple choicePractice →
- 11Short answersPractice →