IELTS Reading Guide
Read faster. Answer smarter.
Learn the four-step method, master all nine question types and train the skills that decide your band: True / False / Not Given, paraphrasing, matching headings and reading speed.
3
passages
40
questions
60
minutes
0
extra transfer time
Three passages, one hour
Passage 1
Easiestপ্রথম প্যাসেজ
Spend 15–17 min
A factual, descriptive text. Questions are often True / False / Not Given and note or table completion.
Bank time here. Finishing in 15 minutes gives you extra minutes for Passage 3.
Passage 2
Mediumদ্বিতীয় প্যাসেজ
Spend 20 min
A longer text with more opinions and comparisons. Matching headings and matching information are common.
Do not get stuck on one matching question. Mark it, move on and come back.
Passage 3
Hardestতৃতীয় প্যাসেজ
Spend 22–25 min
An academic argument with abstract ideas. Expect Yes / No / Not Given, multiple choice and summary completion.
Read the questions first. You need the writer's opinion, not just facts.
Academic Reading uses three long academic texts. General Training uses shorter everyday texts in Sections 1 and 2 and one longer text in Section 3. The question types and strategies are the same.
The four-step method for every passage
You do not have time to read every word. Use the same routine each time.
1
Skim the passage (2–3 min)
প্যাসেজে দ্রুত চোখ বুলান
Read the title, the first paragraph and the first sentence of every other paragraph. You only need the general topic and where things are.
2
Read the questions
প্রশ্নগুলো পড়ুন
Underline key words: names, dates, numbers and unusual nouns. These are easy to find again in the passage.
3
Scan and read closely
খুঁজে বের করে মনোযোগ দিয়ে পড়ুন
Scan for the key word or its synonym, then read that sentence and the ones around it carefully.
4
Answer and move on
উত্তর দিয়ে এগিয়ে যান
Spend no more than about 90 seconds on one question. Guess, mark it and return if you have time.
Eight mistakes that cost marks
Reading the whole passage slowly before looking at the questions.
Spending more than 20 minutes on Passage 1.
Looking for the exact words of the question instead of synonyms.
Answering True / False / Not Given from general knowledge.
Copying an answer with the wrong spelling or word form.
Exceeding the word limit in completion questions.
Leaving blanks: always guess.
Forgetting that there is no extra time to transfer answers.