The IELTS Reading Test
The IELTS (International English Language Testing System) reading test is designed to assess a candidate's reading abilities, including understanding main ideas, details, inferences, and the writer's opinions or attitudes. The test comes in two versions: Academic and General Training, each tailored to different purposes. Below is a detailed overview of the IELTS reading test, with a focus on the differences between the two versions.
Sample general reading test
Sample academic reading test
General Overview of the IELTS Reading Test
Duration: 60 minutes
Number of Questions: 40 questions
Format: 3 sections (or "passages") with increasing difficulty.
Scoring: Each correct answer earns 1 mark. The total score is converted to a band score ranging from 1 to 9.
Key Skills Assessed
Reading for Gist: Understanding the main idea of a passage.
Reading for Detail: Extracting specific information.
Understanding Inference: Reading between the lines and grasping implicit meanings.
Recognising Writer's Opinions, Attitudes, and Purpose.
Understanding Arguments: Identifying and following arguments and viewpoints.
Types of Questions
Both the Academic and General Training versions feature a variety of question types:
Multiple Choice Questions: Selecting the correct answer from given options.
Identifying Information (True/False/Not Given): Determining whether statements are true, false, or not provided in the text.
Identifying Writer's Views (Yes/No/Not Given): Assessing if the statements agree with the writer's views.
Matching Information: Matching specific details, paragraphs, or headings.
Sentence Completion: Completing sentences with words from the text.
Summary, Note, Table, Flow-chart Completion: Filling in missing words in summaries or diagrams.
Short Answer Questions: Providing brief responses based on the text.
Differences Between the Academic and General Training Reading Tests
1. Purpose and Audience
Academic Reading Test: Designed for candidates applying for higher education or professional registration. The texts are more complex and aimed at testing a higher level of comprehension.
General Training Reading Test: Geared towards candidates seeking work experience, training programmes, or migration to English-speaking countries. The texts are more practical and related to everyday situations.
2. Content and Text Types
Academic Reading Test:
Text Types: Includes passages from books, journals, magazines, and newspapers. The texts are often descriptive, analytical, or discursive in nature.
Complexity: The content is more academic and may include detailed arguments, graphs, and illustrations.
Focus: Emphasis is placed on understanding complex ideas, interpreting data, and analysing viewpoints. Candidates might encounter texts on topics like science, history, and economics.
General Training Reading Test:
Text Types: The texts are sourced from notices, advertisements, company handbooks, and other materials relevant to daily life or the workplace.
Complexity: The texts are simpler and more straightforward compared to the Academic test.
Focus: The content is practical, dealing with situations one might encounter in an English-speaking environment. The emphasis is on understanding basic information, finding specific details, and interpreting everyday texts.
3. Structure and Sections
Academic Reading Test:
Section 1: Usually contains one long passage. This section may include a combination of question types.
Section 2: A second passage that increases in difficulty, possibly involving complex arguments or detailed descriptions.
Section 3: The most challenging passage, often discursive or argumentative, with more abstract content.
General Training Reading Test:
Section 1: Usually contains two or three short factual texts related to everyday life, such as advertisements or timetables.
Section 2: Focuses on work-related issues, including job descriptions, contracts, or staff training information.
Section 3: Features a longer, more complex text, often descriptive or informative, but still simpler than the passages in the Academic test.
4. Difficulty Level
Academic Reading Test: The passages are longer, more challenging, and deal with complex themes. The vocabulary is often more advanced, and the content requires higher-level comprehension skills.
General Training Reading Test: The passages are shorter and simpler, with language and concepts that are more accessible to a general audience. The difficulty level is more moderate.
Preparation Tips
Academic Reading:
Practise with academic articles and journals to familiarise yourself with complex vocabulary and structures.
Work on understanding graphs, charts, and data presented in text form.
Focus on skimming and scanning techniques to quickly locate information.
General Training Reading:
Engage with everyday materials like newspapers, advertisements, and work-related documents.
Practise reading for specific details and understanding practical information.
Improve your ability to quickly interpret and extract relevant information from shorter texts.
Scoring and Band Descriptions
Band Scores: The reading test is scored on a scale of 1 to 9, with each band representing a different level of proficiency.
Academic and General Scoring: Although the test format differs, the scoring system is consistent across both versions. A raw score (out of 40) is converted into a band score. For example, a raw score of 30/40 might equate to a band 7.0.
Conclusion
The IELTS Reading Test is designed to assess a candidate's ability to read and understand English in different contexts, whether for academic purposes or daily life. The Academic version is more challenging and focuses on higher-level reading skills, while the General Training version is more practical and geared towards everyday situations. Regardless of which test you take, effective preparation and understanding the structure of the test will help you perform well. If you want professional help to improve your reading scores, get in touch.