IELTS · Guide 4 · 4 min read
IELTS General Training Reading: sections, texts and question types
IELTS General Training Reading explained: three sections from everyday notices to a long text, 40 questions in 60 minutes, and the question types.
What the General Training Reading test is
The General Training Reading test has 40 questions and lasts 60 minutes. It is built from the kind of English you meet in daily life and at work: notices, adverts, timetables, handbooks, policies and articles. The test gets harder as you move through it, from short practical texts to one long piece of extended prose.
It shares its question types with Academic Reading, but the texts are different, and it uses its own table to convert raw scores into bands.
The three sections
| Section | Type of text | What it tests |
|---|---|---|
| Section 1 | Two or three short factual texts on everyday topics, or several very short texts on one theme | Finding practical information quickly, such as opening hours or prices |
| Section 2 | Two short texts about work | Understanding workplace material, such as job descriptions, staff guidance or training information |
| Section 3 | One longer text on a topic of general interest | Following a more complex piece of writing, similar in style to a magazine or book |
Invented examples of what each section might contain:
- Section 1: a leaflet for a community sports centre and a set of short adverts for second-hand furniture.
- Section 2: an employer's guide to booking annual leave, and advice for new staff on health and safety.
- Section 3: an article about the history of a household invention.
Exam tip: Sections 1 and 2 are where most candidates gain marks quickly. Work through them steadily, but leave a full 20 minutes or more for Section 3, which is longer and harder.
Question types
The question types are the same family as in Academic Reading.
- Multiple choice: pick the right option, or several options from a list.
- Identifying information (True, False, Not Given): decide whether a statement matches the facts in the text.
- Identifying the writer's views (Yes, No, Not Given): decide whether a statement matches the writer's opinion. This is less common in General Training but can appear in Section 3.
- Matching information: find which text or paragraph contains a given detail.
- Matching headings: choose a heading for each paragraph or section.
- Matching features: link statements to a list, such as different products or services described in Section 1.
- Matching sentence endings: complete sentences by choosing the right ending.
- Sentence completion: fill gaps with words from the text.
- Summary, note, table or flow-chart completion: fill gaps in a short version of the text.
- Diagram label completion: label a diagram described in the text.
- Short-answer questions: answer in a few words taken from the text.
A note on Section 1 matching
Section 1 often lists several short texts labelled A, B, C and so on, then asks which text mentions a given detail. Here is an invented example. Three adverts describe flats to rent. The question asks, "Which flat includes a parking space?" Only one advert says "off-street parking", so that letter is the answer. The question uses different words from the text, so you match meaning, not exact words.
The word limit and spelling
Completion and short-answer tasks set a limit, such as "no more than three words". Over the limit is marked wrong. Spelling must be correct, and you should copy words exactly as they appear in the text.
Exam tip: numbers can be written as figures. "Fifteen" and "15" both count as one word or number, but check what the instruction allows.
Timing
There is no extra transfer time on the paper test. Write your answers on the answer sheet as you go. On computer, answers are entered directly and you can move between questions freely within the hour.
A sensible split:
| Section | Suggested time |
|---|---|
| Section 1 | About 15 minutes |
| Section 2 | About 20 minutes |
| Section 3 | About 25 minutes |
Adjust after your own practice tests. If a question is taking too long, make your best guess and move on. Wrong answers do not lose marks.
Scoring
You score one mark per correct answer, out of 40, and that raw score converts to a band from 0 to 9. Because General Training texts are more familiar in style, you usually need more correct answers than in Academic Reading to reach the same band.
For current rules and score information, check ielts.org.
Check yourself
- How many sections does General Training Reading have, and what kind of text is in each?
- How long is the test and how many questions are there?
- Which section is usually the hardest?
- Is there extra time to transfer answers on paper?
- Why might you need more correct answers in General Training than in Academic for the same band?
See the other guides on the IELTS hub.