The complete guide to the Reading part of IELTS

If you want to know everything there is to know about sample questions, strategies and the Reading section of IELTS, this is the article for you.

Here you’ll find everything you need to know about the training materials and practice you’ll need to pass the Reading section of IELTS.

What’s more, we’ll provide you with tips and tricks from our YourDreamSchool mentors on how to get a good score in the Reading section of IELTS!

How to train in the best possible way with our IELTS resources

There are two main resources for preparing and practicing for IELTS Reading: mock tests and sample exercises for this part of the IELTS exam.

It’s important that you make the most of the many resources available to improve your English reading skills. This will enable you to be perfectly prepared for any type of subject or topic on test day. During your revisions, it’s important not to focus on one particular type of question, but to tackle all the different topics you could potentially encounter on test day.

In order to prepare yourself in the best possible way, it is important that you think this way:

Let’s take craftsmanship as an example. If we want to make a wooden table to show that we’re good wood craftsmen, we really need a hammer and sandpaper to make the table. But we don’t need to use a hammer or sandpaper at every step. Each tool must be used at a specific stage, and it’s not necessary to use them all at once.

This is also the case for the IELTS test. Each preparation resource is particularly useful for training and developing specific skills.

By using each tool wisely, you can make the most of your study time and be highly effective in your preparation for the IELTS test.

By following the YourDreamSchool IELTS test preparation program you can access one of the richest platforms of IELTS preparation resources.

This online platform includes almost 700 sample questions on all the different IELTS sections. Thanks to 100 in-depth video lessons on different skill areas, you’ll be able to achieve the best possible score on the IELTS test and reach your goal of admission to a top university.

Academic or General Training, which test should you choose?

First of all, it’s important to know that IELTS and the “Reading” section come in two different forms: an academic version and a general version. When you register for the IELTS test, make sure you choose version Academic and practice for this version of the test (which is the one required by all foreign universities). By following our IELTS test coaching program, your mentor will be able to explain the IELTS Academic test to you.

In general, the Academic version covers more specific, academic topics, similar to articles you might find in newspapers or magazines. The General Training for Reading passage deals with more general topics, from everyday life or in some way related to the world of work.

Depending on whether you choose the academic or the general version, there are many similarities and differences between them:

Differences	Common ground
Vocabulary difficulty is not the same for both types of test	Both types of test have three parts
The number of questions per part may vary	You have 60 minutes to answer 40 questions
	Each question is worth one point
	The passages and questions are ordered from simplest to most complex for both types of Reading Section.

Academic IELTS Reading

The different parts of the IELTS Reading Academic cover a wide range of subjects, from the natural sciences to economic history. It’s important to stress that you don’t need to be an expert in the field to succeed and achieve the highest score. All you need is a strong vocabulary in English.

Passages in the Reading section of IELTS Academic may contain technical terms and even visual elements such as tables and graphs. IELTS generally uses passages from professional and academic magazines, books, news and newspapers.

The Reading section consists of three passages, each of which requires you to answer between 10 and 14 questions.

YourDreamSchool mentor will prepare you to tackle these different parts of the exam and the topics they could potentially cover, so that you’re perfectly prepared on exam day.

Le General Training IELTS Reading

Like Academic Reading, the Reading part of General Training includes magazine and newspaper articles. However, most passages are shorter, with a simpler vocabulary. Subjects are mostly based on everyday life. Some passages, particularly at the beginning of the Reading section, are taken from advertisements, guides or magazines.

Although each version of the Reading section of the general Training IELTS may be slightly different, you can expect the test to become increasingly difficult from start to finish. The first 3 parts of IELTS Reading generally contain very short, fairly simple articles on everyday topics.

Thanks to YourDreamSchool’s tailor-made IELTS preparation program, you will be perfectly prepared for each section of the Reading part of the Academic version of the test…

If you’re looking to get into one of the world’s most prestigious universities and need a good IELTS score, our coaching program is for you.

Discover our different YourDreamSchool coaching packages!