IELTS Reading Short-Answer Questions: Practice Questions & Tips
Short-answer questions are the closest IELTS Reading gets to an ordinary comprehension test: a question, and a few words from the text as the answer. They reward one skill above all, which is knowing exactly what the question word is asking for.
A question that starts with when wants a time, how many wants a number, who wants a person or group. Get that right and you know what to scan for. Below you will find what each question word asks for, how numbers count in the word limit, 16 questions to type and check, and an exam-style task.
What each question word asks for
| Question word | Look for | Example answer |
|---|---|---|
| When / What time | a date, a time, a period | 2 pm, the 17th century |
| How many / How much | a number or amount | 10,000, nearly a metre |
| How long | a length of time | two days |
| Who | a person, group or organisation | volunteers |
| Where / Which city | a place | London |
| What | a thing, idea or activity | a short test |
How numbers count in the word limit
The instruction usually says NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS AND/OR A NUMBER. That means you may write up to three words plus a number: nearly 90 minutes is fine. Numbers can be figures or words, and dates such as 1863 count as a number.
The word robot was first used in a 1920 Czech play.
“In what type of work was the word robot first used?” → a play or a Czech play. The year is not wrong, but it does not answer what type of work, so leave it out.
Short-answer questions practice
Read the text and type a short answer, then press Enter. Your answer is checked against the word limit (numbers are extra) and the accepted answers. Each round picks 8 of 16 questions at random.
Now try a full exam-style task
Short-answer questions often come with everyday texts like this one. Give yourself about 4 minutes, write down your answers, and then open How to answer to check them.
Questions 1–5
Read the text below and answer Questions 1–5.
Westfield Leisure Centre: summer swimming lessons
Westfield Leisure Centre runs swimming lessons for children aged 4 to 12 throughout the summer holidays. Courses last two weeks, with a 30-minute lesson every weekday morning.
Groups are small, with no more than six children per teacher, and every child is assessed in the first lesson so they can be placed at the right level. Parents are welcome to watch from the viewing gallery but may not stay at the poolside.
A two-week course costs £45, or £40 for members of the centre. Places can be booked online or at reception, and a full refund is given if a course is cancelled by the centre.
Children should bring a towel and swimming goggles; swimming caps are provided free of charge.
Questions 1–5
Answer the questions below.
Choose NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS AND/OR A NUMBER from the text for each answer.
Write your answers in boxes 1–5 on your answer sheet.
How to answer: step by step
- 30 minutes / 30-minute A 30-minute lesson every weekday morning. Two weeks is the length of the course, not of a lesson: read the question word carefully.
- six / 6 No more than six children per teacher: the largest number is six.
- (from the) viewing gallery Watch from the viewing gallery but may not stay at the poolside. The poolside is where they cannot go.
- £40 £45, or £40 for members. The question asks about members.
- (a) swimming cap(s) Swimming caps are provided free of charge, so children do not need to bring them. Towel and goggles are what they must bring.
Did you notice? Questions 1 and 4 each had a second number nearby that answered a different question. In short-answer tasks, the question word and the details around it (each lesson, for members) decide which number is right.
6 tips for short-answer questions
- 1
Circle the question word
When, how many, who, where: it tells you exactly what kind of answer to look for.
- 2
Underline the key details
Each lesson, for members, the afternoon tour: these words separate the right answer from a nearby wrong one.
- 3
Scan for the type of answer
If you need a number, scan for figures. If you need a name, scan for capital letters.
- 4
Use the order
Short-answer questions follow the order of the text.
- 5
Keep it short
Write only what answers the question, within the limit. Extra words can make a right answer wrong.
- 6
Copy correctly
Spelling counts. Numbers can be written as figures, which avoids spelling mistakes.
Short-answer questions FAQ
Quick answers to the questions students ask most.
Does a number count as a word?
With the instruction AND/OR A NUMBER, the number is extra: you may write up to the word limit plus a number.
Do I need to write a full sentence?
No. Write only the words that answer the question. A full sentence will usually break the word limit.
Are the answers in order?
Yes. Short-answer questions follow the order of the information in the text.
Can I use my own words?
No. Use words from the text, copied correctly, as the instructions say.
Should I include words like a or the?
Only if they fit within the limit and the answer reads naturally. Usually they are not needed, and leaving them out is safer.
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 answersYou are here