8 Myths About The IELTS Reading Test To Debunk

1. The Answers Are Directly Found In The Reading Section

While the answers are found within the passages, you will have to make inferences and not simply expect a fill-in-the-blanks type of question.

The test format will encompass and include:

• Multiple-choice questions

• ‘True, False & Not Given’ question and answer

• Matching information & headings

• Sentence completion

• Summary, note, table, flow-chart completion

• Short-answer questions

You are expected to quickly perform an analysis of the passage and correctly digest the information to come to the right answer. This will also involve being familiar with the 11 types of tasks and understanding the different demands behind each task to swiftly interpret the information and come to the right conclusion.

2. I Can Simply Skim Through The Reading Section Easily

The reading test might sound easy, but it is just as challenging as the rest of the IELTS components.

While the answers exist within the passages, you will have to carefully read each passage carefully and swiftly to find the right answers.

The readings consist of a variety of texts from different sources including books, journals, magazines, and newspapers. Sure, the texts have been written for a general audience but the issues being discussed are varied and in a spectrum of styles that include narrative, descriptive, and argumentative.

You should get familiar by actively reading through the same types of text formats in real life.

3. The IELTS Reading Section Is Tricky

It might seem that the reading section isn’t so straightforward, but in truth, it is not tricky either - you will be able to score well!

The trick here is to familiarize yourself with not just the different types of texts but also the 11 different tasks and how the questions are posed to you.

4. I Have Ample Time To Read First & Answer Later

This is perhaps the most dangerous myth that we have to debunk! Sure, the reading test lasts for 60 minutes and that might seem like a long time to simply read passages and answer different questions.

The real difficulty here is that there are three different reading passages with 40 questions that you will need to answer - what’s more, there are 11 different types of questions you will encounter.

It is recommended to actively answer the questions as you encounter the answers in the passages and to time your practice test sessions to identify your weaknesses.

5. The IELTS Reading Test Is The Simplest Test Of All

Every student will have their strengths and weaknesses. The IELTS reading test requires you to have good time management while being able to work under pressure as you encounter different question types and reading formats.

The key here is to actively practice the various components of the test and pay more attention to the test components that you feel you are weaker at.

6. I Can Prepare Well By Simply Reading Books & Newspapers

While it is recommended to familiarize yourself with the different types of reading passages, taking sample tests is equally important.

That’s because the texts will be of issues that are recognisably appropriate to test takers. This means that reading just books and newspapers won’t exactly be highly relevant.

7. The Reading Test Is All Multiple Choice Questions

This is untrue. While there will be multiple-choice questions (MCQ) as a type of task to tackle, it can be quite tricky compared to your standard type of MCQ test.

10 other task types include identifying information, sentence completion, and short-answer questions that will require you to juggle different ways to process and analyse information.

8. The Questions To The Test Are Not In Sequence And Random Order

This is a common fear many students have and it is not true. The questions are in sequence of the passage and not purely randomised.

There will not be a situation where the first question’s answer will lie in the final passage.

However, in certain test question types such as the flow-chart completion, the answers might not occur in the same order as the text but either within the entire passage itself or a specific section.

The reading test is just as important as the other components of the IELTS test and you should take ample time to get prepared.

Thankfully at IDP, we have a world of resources and IELTS support that you can rely on to help you score better!

Be sure to check out our IELTS preparation materials here as well as tips on how to prepare and ace the test.

And once you are ready, you can book your IELTS test here!