IELTS Reading question types explained

IELTS Reading does not throw random tasks at you. The official format lists a fixed set of question types. Once you know what each one is testing, you can stop guessing and start working methodically. This guide covers every type on the official list, with a short approach for each and original examples written by Stride as study models.

The short answer

Academic Reading lasts 60 minutes. It has three passages totalling 2,150–2,750 words and 40 questions, each worth one mark. General Training Reading also lasts 60 minutes and has 40 questions. Its three sections get harder as you go and total 2,150–2,375 words. Section 1 uses short everyday texts such as notices and timetables, Section 2 uses workplace texts, and Section 3 is one longer general-interest text. The official Academic Reading format lists these question types:

1. Multiple choice
2. Identifying information (True/False/Not Given)
3. Identifying writer's views or claims (Yes/No/Not Given)
4. Matching information
5. Matching headings
6. Matching features
7. Matching sentence endings
8. Sentence completion
9. Summary, note, table or flow-chart completion
10. Diagram label completion
11. Short-answer questions

Explanation, step by step

For each type below you'll find what it asks you to do and a practical way to approach it. One habit applies to every type: read the instructions before the questions. They tell you what form your answer must take, such as a letter, a word from the passage or a fixed number of words.

1. Multiple choice

What it asks: choose the correct option from a list to answer a question or finish a statement. How to approach it: read the question stem first and underline its key idea, not the options. Find that idea in the passage, read the surrounding sentences carefully, then check each option against them. Wrong options often repeat words from the passage but change the meaning. They may reverse it, exaggerate it or attach it to the wrong person.

2. Identifying information (True/False/Not Given)

What it asks: decide whether each statement agrees with the factual information in the passage (True), contradicts it (False), or cannot be confirmed either way (Not Given). How to approach it: find the part of the passage the statement refers to, then ask two separate questions. Does the passage say this? Does the passage say the opposite? If the answer to both is no, the statement is Not Given. Don't use your own knowledge. Only what the passage states counts.

3. Identifying writer's views or claims (Yes/No/Not Given)

What it asks: decide whether each statement agrees with the writer's opinions or claims (Yes), contradicts them (No), or whether the writer's view on it can't be determined (Not Given). How to approach it: this works like True/False/Not Given, but you are tracking opinion rather than fact. Watch for language that shows a stance, such as 'surprisingly', 'it is doubtful that', 'clearly' or 'arguably'. Also notice whether a view belongs to the writer or to someone the writer is reporting.

4. Matching information

What it asks: find which paragraph or section contains a particular piece of information, such as an example, a reason, a comparison or a description. How to approach it: these statements describe the kind of information you need ('a reason why…', 'an example of…'), so think about what that would look like in a text. Scan each paragraph for it. The answer may sit in a single sentence rather than being the main idea of the paragraph. Check the instructions to see whether a paragraph letter can be used more than once.

5. Matching headings

What it asks: choose the heading from a list that best sums up each paragraph or section. How to approach it: read the paragraph first and put its main point into a few words of your own, then look for the heading that matches. A heading that fits only one detail in the paragraph is usually a trap. If two headings seem possible, leave it and come back once you've matched other paragraphs and the list is shorter.

6. Matching features

What it asks: match statements to a list of options from the passage, such as people, places, dates, theories or organisations. How to approach it: first scan the passage and mark every place where each option appears, since names are easy to find. Then read around each mark and compare what is said with the statements. Check the instructions to see whether an option may be used more than once or not at all.

7. Matching sentence endings

What it asks: complete each sentence beginning by choosing the correct ending from a list. How to approach it: use the sentence beginning to find the right place in the passage, then decide what the passage says comes next. Grammar helps you rule some endings out, but don't rely on it alone. Several endings may fit grammatically, and only one matches the meaning.

8. Sentence completion

What it asks: fill a gap in a sentence using words from the passage. How to approach it: before you search, predict what kind of word belongs in the gap, such as a noun, a number or an adjective. Find the matching idea in the passage, which will usually be paraphrased. Then copy the words exactly. Your completed sentence must make grammatical sense and stay within any word limit in the instructions.

9. Summary, note, table or flow-chart completion

What it asks: complete a summary, a set of notes, a table or a flow chart. The answers come either from the passage or from a box of options, depending on the instructions. How to approach it: first check where the answers come from. Next, read the whole summary or chart to see what it covers, since it may summarise only one part of the passage. Then work gap by gap, predicting the type of word each one needs. With flow charts, follow the order of steps or stages in the text.

10. Diagram label completion

What it asks: label parts of a diagram, such as a machine, a building or a natural process, using words from the passage. How to approach it: look at the diagram and work out what it shows and where its labelled parts are. Find the section of the passage that describes it, which is often a technical or descriptive paragraph. Follow the description piece by piece, using words of position and sequence ('above', 'next to', 'then') to place each label.

11. Short-answer questions

What it asks: answer factual questions about the passage using words taken from it. How to approach it: the question word tells you what you need. 'Who' needs a person or group, 'when' needs a time and 'how many' needs a number. Scan for that type of information near the key idea of the question, and keep within any word limit in the instructions.

Worked example

A. When the riverside town of Elsford opened its first community garden, the council expected most of the plots to be taken by retired residents. Instead, more than half went to families with young children, many of whom had no garden at home.

B. The scheme's organiser believes that the garden's real value is social rather than agricultural. In her view, the vegetables matter less than the friendships formed between neighbours who had previously never spoken.

C. Not every resident is enthusiastic. Some people living nearby have complained about noise early on weekend mornings, and the council is now reviewing the garden's opening hours.

Notice how often the passage paraphrases the question. 'Retired people' becomes 'retired residents', and 'bringing people together' becomes 'social'. Matching meaning rather than matching words is the core skill behind almost every question type.

Common mistakes

• Mixing up False and Not Given. False means the passage contradicts the statement. Not Given means the passage doesn't settle it either way.
• Answering from general knowledge. A statement can be true in real life and still be Not Given in the passage.
• Matching words instead of meaning. An option that repeats exact words from the passage is not automatically correct, and is often a trap.
• Ignoring the instructions. Going over a word limit, or writing a word when a letter is required, can cost a mark even when you've understood the text.
• Choosing a heading that fits one detail. A heading should cover the whole paragraph.
• Spending too long on one question. Every question is worth one mark, so move on and come back if time allows.

How to practise this

1. Work on one question type at a time at first, using the approaches above, until each process feels automatic.
2. Keep an error log. For every wrong answer, note the question type and the reason, such as paraphrase missed, False/Not Given confusion or word limit broken. Patterns will appear quickly.
3. Then move on to full timed tests. With three passages in 60 minutes, roughly 20 minutes per passage is a sensible starting point to adjust as you learn your strengths.
4. Review every answer, including the ones you got right by luck, and find the exact sentence in the passage that proves it.
5. Track your raw score out of 40 and see how it converts to a band (see the FAQ below).

Stride's timed Reading tests, for both Academic and General Training, mark instantly and explain each answer. That makes it easier to see which question types are costing you marks. Stride is an independent practice platform and is not affiliated with the IELTS partners.

Frequently asked questions

How many IELTS Reading question types are there?

The official Academic Reading format lists 11. Summary, note, table and flow-chart completion count as one type, and so do True/False/Not Given and Yes/No/Not Given as separate entries. The full list is at the top of this page.

What is the difference between True/False/Not Given and Yes/No/Not Given?

True/False/Not Given asks whether statements agree with the factual information in the passage. Yes/No/Not Given asks whether statements agree with the writer's views or claims.

Are some question types worth more marks?

No. There are 40 questions and each is worth one mark.

How does my Reading score convert to a band?

According to IELTS's published figures for Academic Reading, 15 correct answers out of 40 is band 5, 23 is band 6, 30 is band 7 and 35 is band 8. General Training needs more correct answers for the same band: 15 is band 4, 23 is band 5, 30 is band 6 and 35 is band 7. To work out an overall band from your four section scores, you can use Stride's free band score calculator at /ielts-band-score-calculator.

Is Reading the same in Academic and General Training?

No. Listening and Speaking are the same in both versions, but Reading and Writing differ. Both Reading tests last 60 minutes and have 40 questions. Academic uses three passages totalling 2,150–2,750 words. General Training uses three sections of increasing difficulty, from short everyday texts to one longer general-interest text.

Related guides

• IELTS Reading tips: time, technique and question types
• IELTS Reading True / False / Not Given: how to get them right
• IELTS vocabulary by topic
• IELTS grammar lessons for Writing and Speaking