IELTS Reading Practice Tests – Free Sample Tests

Preparing for IELTS involves thorough practice, especially in the IELTS Reading section, which evaluates your ability to understand and interpret written texts in English. And what can give you structured preparation if not the IELTS Reading practice test?

So, explore the latest IELTS Reading Practice tests for both IELTS Academic and General Training Reading to give your IELTS preparation a strong boost!

IELTS Academic Reading Practice Tests

Check out the IELTS Academic Reading practice test given below to assess yourself.

IELTS General Reading Practice Tests

Take the IELTS General Reading practice tests provided below for a better preparation.

Practice IELTS Reading Practice Tests

The most important benefit of practicing IELTS Reading mock test with answers comprising separate reading passages for IELTS exam is that they provide you an opportunity to acquaint yourself with the exam pattern, question types and help you develop an effective strategy to drive away your exam blues.

Reading Practice Test for IELTS Academic

Check out section-wise IELTS reading practice tests for academic pdf as mock tests, each with 3 reading passages as below:

IELTS Academic Reading Practice Test 1

• Section 1
• Section 2
• Section 3

IELTS Academic Reading Practice Test 2

• Section 1
• Section 2
• Section 3

IELTS Academic Reading Practice Test 3

• Section 1
• Section 2
• Section 3

Reading Practice for IELTS General

Take up each IELTS General Practice Tests one by one and achieve a Band 9 in this section. Also, download the IELTS Reading General Practice Test PDF given after the practice sets.

General Reading Sample Test for IELTS 1

• Section 1
• Section 2
• Section 3

General Reading Sample Test for IELTS 2

• Section 1
• Section 2
• Section 3

General Reading Sample Test for IELTS 3

• Section 1
• Section 2
• Section 3

IELTS Reading Practice Test Based on Question Types

While attempting the IELTS reading practice test, you need to be in a frame of mind of attempting the actual IELTS test to achieve your desired IELTS band score. So, the ideal way to begin is by referring to an IELTS reading practice test with answers because you will get first-hand knowledge of how to arrive at the answers.

But before you do that, learn the question types that are generally asked in the IELTS Reading tasks given below.

Multiple-Choice questions

IELTS Reading Multiple-Choice Questions require you to opt for the correct option from a list of options.

• IELTS Reading Multiple Choice Questions - Practice Test 1
• IELTS Reading Multiple Choice Questions - Practice Test 2
• IELTS Reading Multiple Choice Questions - Practice Test 3
• IELTS Reading Multiple Choice Questions - Practice Test 4
• IELTS Reading Multiple Choice Questions - Practice Test 5

Tricks to Solve Multiple Choice Questions

You will be given a reading passage followed by several questions based on the information in the paragraph in multiple choice questions. Your task is to understand the question and compare it to the paragraph in order to select the best solution from the available possibilities.

• Before reading the passage, read the question and select the keywords. Check the keyword possibilities if the question statement is short on information.
• Then, using the keywords, read the passage to find the relevant information.
• To select the correct option, carefully read the relevant words and match them with each option.
• You will find several options with keywords that do not correspond to the information.
• Try opting for the elimination method mostly.
• Find the best option by matching the meaning rather than just the keywords.

Sentence/Note Completion

In the IELTS Reading Sentence Completion questions, you are required to complete an incomplete sentence following the word limit. You just have to find the sentence in which the question is a part and complete it as mentioned in the text.

• IELTS Reading Sentence Completion - Practice Test 1
• IELTS Reading Sentence Completion - Practice Test 2
• IELTS Reading Sentence Completion - Practice Test 3
• IELTS Reading Sentence Completion - Practice Test 4
• IELTS Reading Sentence Completion - Practice Test 5

Tricks to Solve Sentence Completion

Sentence Completion is a type of IELTS reading question that requires you to fill in a gap in a sentence with a word or phrase from the passage.

To answer these questions, you can use the following strategies:

• Read the sentence carefully hence this will give you an idea of the type of word or phrase that is missing.
• Scan the passage for the keywords. Hence, the keywords in the sentence can help you to identify the correct word or phrase.
• Read the sentence with the missing word or phrase. This will help you to see how the word or phrase fits into the sentence.
• Check your answer and once you have filled in the gap, make sure that your answer makes sense in the context of the sentence.

Table Completion

For IELTS Reading Table Completion, you are required to complete a table that is provided within the word limit.

• IELTS Reading Table Completion - Practice Test 1
• IELTS Reading Table Completion - Practice Test 2
• IELTS Reading Table Completion - Practice Test 3
• IELTS Reading Table Completion - Practice Test 4
• IELTS Reading Table Completion - Practice Test 5

Tricks to Solve Table/Note Completion

Table/Note completion in the IELTS Reading test is quite simple: because of the arrangement and keywords, you may often discover solutions quickly.

To answer completion questions, you can use the following strategies:

• Locate the paragraph containing the keyword
• To discover the keywords quickly, use capital letters, numbers/dates, or italics.
• To discover the statement, look for synonyms or paraphrased words.
• Copy the answers exactly as they appear in the text.

Short-Answer Type Questions

In Short Answer questions IELTS Reading, you need to provide a short answer to the questions asked. You don’t have to provide the answer in detail. Just provide your answers in a short and crisp way within the word limit.

• IELTS Reading Short Answer Type Questions - Practice Test 1
• IELTS Reading Short Answer Type Questions - Practice Test 2
• IELTS Reading Short Answer Type Questions - Practice Test 3
• IELTS Reading Short Answer Type Questions - Practice Test 4
• IELTS Reading Short Answer Type Questions - Practice Test 5

Tricks to Solve Short Answers

IELTS academic reading short answer questions are open-ended and require you to respond in 1 to 3 words based on the reading passage.

• First, read the questions, then the text. Before reading the text, make sure you understand what the questions are asking.
• You will then be aware of the important topics to keep an eye out for as you skim read.
• The answers will be listed in chronological order in the text. So, once you've answered question 1, you'll know that question 2 will follow soon after, and so on.
• Don't exceed the word restriction for your replies, such as 'NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS AND/OR A NUMBER.'
• Use only the actual words from the text for your answer. You may need to change the tense of any verbs you use to ensure your answer is grammatically correct.

Diagram-Completion

In the diagram completion IELTS Reading questions, you are required to complete the diagram with suitable words depending upon the situation.

Summary Completion

In IELTS Reading Summary Completion questions, comprehending the text well could help you attempt summarizing or completing the summary types of questions correctly. Ensure to write within the word limit.

• IELTS Reading Summary Completion - Practice Test 1
• IELTS Reading Summary Completion - Practice Test 2
• IELTS Reading Summary Completion - Practice Test 3
• IELTS Reading Summary Completion - Practice Test 4
• IELTS Reading Summary Completion - Practice Test 5

Tricks to Solve Summary Completion

Summary Completion is a type of IELTS reading question that requires you to fill in a gap in a sentence with a word or phrase from the passage.

To answer these questions, you can use the following strategies:

• Read the sentence carefully as this will give you an idea of the type of word or phrase that is missing.
• Scan the passage for the keywords as the keywords in the sentence can help you to identify the correct word or phrase.
• Read the sentence with the missing word or phrase: This will help you to see how the word or phrase fits into the sentence.
• Check your answer: Once you have filled in the gap, make sure that your answer makes sense in the context of the sentence.

True/False/Not Given or Yes/No/Not Given

Whether it is True/False/Not Given IELTS Reading questions or IELTS Reading Yes/No/Not Given ones, you have to understand the writer’s perspectives and give the answer suitably, keeping in mind the writer’s viewpoints.

• IELTS Reading True/False/Not Given - Practice Test 1
• IELTS Reading True/False/Not Given - Practice Test 2
• IELTS Reading True/False/Not Given - Practice Test 3
• IELTS Reading True/False/Not Given - Practice Test 4
• IELTS Reading True/False/Not Given - Practice Test 5

Tricks to Solve True/False/Not Given

True/False/Not Given questions are a type of IELTS Reading question that requires you to identify whether a statement is true, false, or not given in the passage.

• True statements are statements that are explicitly stated in the passage.
• False statements are statements that are explicitly contradicted in the passage.
• Not Given statements are statements that are neither explicitly stated nor contradicted in the passage

Matching Type Questions

Matching the sentence endings type questions

In IELTS Reading Matching Sentence Endings questions, you are required to match the initial phrase of a sentence to the most appropriate ending of it.

• IELTS Reading Matching Sentence Endings - Practice Test 1
• IELTS Reading Matching Sentence Endings - Practice Test 2
• IELTS Reading Matching Sentence Endings - Practice Test 3
• IELTS Reading Matching Sentence Endings - Practice Test 4
• IELTS Reading Matching Sentence Endings - Practice Test 5

Match the features type questions

In IELTS Reading Matching Features, you need to match the most appropriate features of a column to a category in another column.

• IELTS Reading Matching Features - Practice Test 1
• IELTS Reading Matching Features - Practice Test 2
• IELTS Reading Matching Features - Practice Test 3
• IELTS Reading Matching Features - Practice Test 4
• IELTS Reading Matching Features - Practice Test 5

Match the heading type questions

In IELTS Reading Matching Heading to Paragraph questions, you are required to match the paragraphs given in a column to the appropriate heading mentioned in another column.

Tricks to Solve Matching Features

Matching Features is a type of IELTS reading question that requires you to match a list of features to the correct people, places, or things in a passage.

To answer matching features questions, you can use the following strategies:

• Read the features first hence this will give you an idea of the types of information that you are looking for in the passage.
• Read the passage quickly and this will give you a general understanding of the content of the passage.
• Match the features to the people, places, or things. As you read the passage, look for the information that matches each feature.
• Check your answers and once you have matched all of the features, double-check your answers to make sure that they are correct.

Tricks to Solve Matching Headings

Matching Headings is a type of IELTS reading question that requires you to match a list of headings to the correct paragraphs in a passage. To answer matching headings questions, you can use the following strategies:

• Read the headings first: This will give you an idea of the topics that will be covered in the passage.
• Read the paragraphs quickly: This will give you a general understanding of the content of each paragraph.
• Match the headings to the paragraphs: As you read each paragraph, look for the heading that best summarizes the main idea of the paragraph.
• Check your answers: Once you have matched all of the headings, double-check your answers to make sure that they are correct.

Tricks to Solve Matching Information

Matching Information is a type of IELTS reading question that requires you to match a list of information to the correct people, places, or things in a passage.

To answer matching information questions, you can use the following strategies:

• Read the given information first: This will give you an idea of the types of information that you are looking for in the passage.
• Read the passage quickly: This will give you a general understanding of the content of the passage.
• Match the information to the people, places, or things: As you read the passage, look for the information that matches each feature.
• Check your answers: Once you have matched all of the features, double-check your answers to make sure that they are correct.

Tricks to Solve Matching Sentence Endings

Matching Sentence Endings is a type of IELTS reading question that requires you to match a list of sentence endings given sentences to complete them.

To answer these questions, you can use the following strategies:

• Read the given information first: This will give you an idea of the types of information that you are looking for in the passage.
• Read the passage quickly: This will give you a general understanding of the content of the passage.
• Match the information to the sentences: As you read the passage, look for the information that matches each feature.
• Check your answers: Once you have matched all of the endings, double-check your answers to make sure that they are correct and most importantly if they are grammatically correct.

IELTS Reading: A Quick Guide

The IELTS Reading is different for candidates who are moving overseas for academic opportunities and for those who are taking the exam for migration purposes or work. Therefore, make sure you choose the right exam for you before you take the IELTS exam practice tests.

Now go through the test formats of both IELTS Academic & General Reading.

IELTS Academic Reading

Here are some important pointers about IELTS Academic Reading:

• The test is 60 minutes long.
• There will be 3 sections and each section will have a long text which will be up to 2,150-2,750 words.
• The texts or the passages given are appropriate or to the point and target an audience who are taking up undergraduate or postgraduate programs or for those who are taking the professional registration like, teacher, doctor and so on in foreign countries.

IELTS General Reading

Given below are some head-ups on IELTS General Reading that you need to know before taking up the IELTS Reading General Practice Test PDF:

• The reading module of the IELTS General exam is also 60 minutes long.
• There are 3 sections and different topics will be given for each section:

– In Section 1, there will be 2 factual passages based on day-to-day life.

– In Section 2, there will be two factual texts based on work-related issues.

– In Section 3, there will be a more complex paragraph on general topics.

• The topic given will be taken from newspapers, magazines, journals and so on.
• The questions will be based on different types, such as matching information, sentence completion, flowchart completion, table completion, and so on.

Top 5 Tips for Solving IELTS Reading Practice Test

We know that no preparation is complete without implementing some effective strategies for maximizing the efforts put into the endeavor. So, go through the top five tips that you should use while taking up the IELTS Reading practice tests and ace the reading section to achieve a high reading band score.

• Master the skimming and scanning technique: While skimming allows you to get an overview of the text, scanning helps you locate particular details efficiently. Therefore, practice these IELTS reading keyword techniques to manage your time effectively and locate answers swiftly.
• Identify the keywords: Pay close attention to keywords in both questions and passages and highlight them. They signal important details or concepts in the text that are directly related to the questions. So, learn the keyword techniques to identify relevant information quickly.
• Read the instructions carefully: Different question types may have specific requirements, so make sure to read the instructions thoroughly before going through the questions. It will help you to understand how to approach each question correctly and avoid unnecessary mistakes.
• Plan your time wisely: Time management in IELTS Reading is key to success while attempting the IELTS Reading practice test or even during the actual exam. You will get 20 minutes to solve each of the three sections. So, allocate a specific amount of time to each passage and question and aim to stick to it to ensure that you have ample time to answer all the questions within every section. Do not waste your time on a difficult question and move on to the next ones.
• Regular practice will open the doors to success: Make sure to set aside dedicated time for the IELTS Reading practice test in your IELTS study schedule and aim to complete multiple practice tests under timed conditions. It will only improve your reading skills and familiarize yourself with the exam format, but help you to review your performance and prepare your strategies accordingly.

Practice Reading Mock Tests with a Purpose for IELTS: Conclusion

If you are preparing for the IELTS Reading exam, we would recommend you to practice the above given IELTS reading practice tests for academic pdfs regularly. The more you practice, the better you will become at solving the reading passages for IELTS within the dedicated timeframe.

You can also enroll in our IELTS preparation online classes to get your hands on the latest IELTS Reading practice tests or participate in our free online webinars to learn how to solve them directly from the IELTS experts.

For Additional IELTS Practice, Check:

• IELTS Practice tests
• Previous year Actual Test Questions
• IELTS Listening Practice test
• IELTS Speaking Practice test
• Tips to Improve IELTS Reading Skills
• IELTS Reading recent actual test
• IELTS Reading Tips And Techniques To Increase Your Reading Speed