How to improve your IELTS Reading score?
Quick answer
Practise by question type, against a limit of about 20 minutes per passage as IDP recommends, since the 60 minutes cover three sections and 40 questions. Accuracy is what converts to a band. General Training needs more correct answers than Academic for the same band, so judge your practice with the conversion points for your own test.
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Reading rewards a candidate who is accurate and quick, and it punishes one who spends half the test on one difficult passage.
What the test looks like
IELTS.org gives both versions of Reading as 60 minutes, 40 questions and three sections, each correct answer scoring one mark. The Academic test has 2,150 to 2,750 words of text across the three sections and uses 11 question types, including multiple choice, True/False/Not given, matching headings, sentence completion and diagram labelling. General Training has 2,150 to 2,375 words, with notices and advertisements in the first section, work-related texts in the second and one longer text in the third, and IELTS.org says its sections increase in difficulty.
Budget your time
The 60 minutes are for reading, answering and checking. IDP recommends no more than 20 minutes on each part, and suggests reading the questions before the text and skimming the passage for the main ideas. Practise with a timer running, because a passage that takes 30 minutes in practice will take 30 minutes on the day.
Train by question type
Do not practise Reading as one skill. Sort your practice results by question type and find where the marks go. IELTS.org notes that for several question types the questions follow the order of the information in the text, so you can move through the passage in sequence. Matching headings and True/False/Not given usually need a different approach from sentence completion, and it is worth knowing which of them costs you the most.
Why the two conversion tables differ
IELTS.org publishes that Academic Reading converts 15 marks to band 5, 23 to band 6, 30 to band 7 and 35 to band 8. For General Training Reading the same marks fall a band lower: 15 for band 4, 23 for band 5, 30 for band 6 and 35 for band 7. IELTS states that a greater number of questions must be answered correctly on General Training to secure a given band. It also states that the exact marks vary slightly from one test version to another.
What that means for accuracy
Marks convert to a band, and each mark near the boundaries of the table counts. A candidate at 28 marks needs two more for the published band 7 point in Academic. Look at your wrong answers by cause: a misread instruction, a word-limit error, a spelling error or a genuine misunderstanding. The first three are quick to fix.
What this means for your score
Two candidates each answer 30 out of 40. On Academic Reading, IELTS.org lists 30 marks at band 7. On General Training Reading, the same 30 marks sit at band 6, and band 7 is listed at 35. The raw score is identical and the band is not, which is why the test type decides your target.
Frequently asked questions
How much time should I spend on each Reading passage?
IDP recommends spending no more than 20 minutes on each part of the Reading test, which fits the 60 minutes allowed for three parts. It adds that you may finish an easier passage sooner and use the saved time later, because the parts become more difficult. Practise this pacing before test day.
Why are the Academic and General Training tables different?
IELTS.org states that a greater number of questions must be answered correctly on a General Training Reading test to secure a given band score. Its published points are 15 marks for band 4, 23 for band 5, 30 for band 6 and 35 for band 7, against 15, 23, 30 and 35 for bands 5, 6, 7 and 8 in Academic.
Do I lose marks for spelling in Reading?
IELTS.org tells General Training candidates to be careful when typing answers because they will lose marks for incorrect spelling and grammar. Treat this as a rule for both test types: copy the word from the passage exactly, and check that your answer fits the word limit in the instruction.
Sources
- IELTS Academic: Reading test format — IELTS.org
- IELTS General Training: Reading test format — IELTS.org
- IELTS scoring in detail: band scores explained — IELTS.org
- IELTS Reading test - how to manage your time — IDP IELTS
Last verified 30 Sep 2026
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