For many IELTS candidates, the Reading section is often seen as the most daunting part of the exam. This holds especially true for the Academic Reading section due to its strict time limits. Test-takers must move quickly through passages and answer questions promptly to finish the section within the allocated time. While the General Training Reading section may pose less difficulty, managing time remains a common challenge for many candidates. Whether you’re tackling the Academic or General Training version of the IELTS, adopting a strategic approach to the Reading section is crucial.

Before discussing strategies, let’s explore some key aspects of the IELTS Reading test. While the Academic and General Training versions have their differences, they also share similarities. Both tests last for 60 minutes and include 40 questions. Furthermore, despite differences in the reading passages, the approach to answering questions is largely the same across both versions, as the types of questions are similar. Additionally, the General Training IELTS always includes one passage—usually the last one—that matches the length and complexity of an Academic Reading passage. As a result, students preparing for the General Training exam can benefit from studying Academic Reading passages and questions.

Now, let’s look at the main differences between the Academic and General Training Reading sections.

The Academic Reading section consists of three passages, each accompanied by 10-14 questions. These passages cover a range of topics such as science, history, and the environment. While expertise in these fields is not required, candidates with a broad vocabulary have an advantage. Academic Reading passages may include technical terms and visual aids like charts and graphs, often taken from professional and academic publications, textbooks, reports, and newspapers.

Similarly, the General Training Reading section includes articles from journals, newspapers, and magazines, but with shorter passages and simpler vocabulary. The topics typically relate to everyday life, with some passages taken from advertisements, guidebooks, magazines, notices, or employee manuals, especially in the early sections.

While there are variations in each General Training IELTS Reading test, candidates can generally expect a gradual increase in difficulty throughout the exam. Section 1 usually contains 2-3 short articles on everyday life topics, followed by two brief texts in Section 2, often related to work-related themes like job applications or company policies. Finally, Section 3 features a longer, more challenging text discussing academic or abstract topics, representing the toughest part of the General Training Reading exam.