IELTS Reading Practice Tests – How to Improve Your Score?

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

The most important benefit of practicing IELTS Reading mock test comprising reading passages for IELTS 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. However, choose the IELTS Reading practice test wisely, ensuring that they are authentic and are identical to the actual IELTS Reading exam. 

Practice with IELTS Reading Tests

Explore the IELTS General Reading Practice Tests and IELTS Academic Reading Practice Tests given below and give your IELTS preparation a strong boost. 

Reading Practice Test for IELTS Academic

The IELTS Academic Reading practice tests below cover almost every question type given in the exam, with answers to help you identify areas you need to improve. So check out these Academic IELTS Reading mock tests:

Reading Practice for IELTS General 

The General Reading samples for IELTS test below will familiarize you with the different question types that are given in the actual IELTS Reading General Training exam. So, take up each IELTS General Reading practice test one by one and achieve a Band 9 in this section:

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 reading 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

Multiple-Choice Questions require you to opt for the correct option from a list of options. You might have to choose between 4,5 or more choices and give your response with the letter corresponding to which the right option (as per your choice) is mentioned like A, B, C, D, E depending upon how many options are available.

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Sentence/Note Completion 

In these types of questions, you are required to complete an incomplete sentence following the word limit. You don’t have to write the sentence on your own, nor do you need to paraphrase the information. You just have to find the sentence in which the question is a part and complete it as mentioned in the text.

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Table Completion 

For Table Completion, you are required to complete a table that is provided within the word limit. You just have to find the part from which the questions of the table are asked and then fill in the word/s that you feel are the most suitable to be written, and that would correctly complete the table.

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Short-Answer Type Questions

In these types of questions, 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. The prerequisite for such types of questions is to understand the passage well, keeping the question(s) in mind.

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Diagram-Labeling 

In the diagram labeling questions, you are required to complete the diagram with suitable words depending upon the situation. For this, you need to have a clear understanding of the context of the passage, and then, you need to fill in the spaces provided by using appropriate words upon having searched the paragraph(s) the question is taken from.

Summary Completion

In these types of questions, the context and the fair understanding of the passage are of utmost importance. Failing to do so would be very problematic for you to infer the passage and come to a conclusion. Comprehending the text well could help you attempt summarizing or completing the summary types of questions correctly. Ensure to write within the word limit.

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

Whether it is True/False/Not Given questions or 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. To understand the writer’s views, you have to, first of all, understand the writer’s opinion and attitude well. Once you are able to gauge the intent and inclination of the writer, these questions become considerably easier.

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Matching Type Questions- 

Matching the sentence endings type questions

In these types of questions, you are required to match the initial phrase of a sentence to the most appropriate ending of it. The first step should be to read the question and paraphrase the sentence. This way, it becomes easy to choose the right ending.

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Match the features type questions

In these types of questions, you need to match the most appropriate features of a column to a category in another column. It could be a peculiar characteristic given in the passage of a certain group or a feature of a device, etc. You have to follow the passage well to be able to attempt these types of questions.

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Match the heading type questions

In this subtype of matching questions, you are required to match the paragraphs given in a column to the appropriate heading mentioned in another column. For example, para A para B could have a heading Malnourishment, Essential nutrients, etc. So your task is to match the paragraphs with the apt titles. The task becomes easy if you understand the central idea of the passages.

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 reading 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 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 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
• True False Not Given IELTS Reading
• IELTS Reading recent actual test
• IELTS 2024 Study Plan for 1 month (30 Days) / 15 Days / 7 Days