IELTS – Exam 1 – General Training Reading

The IELTS General Training Reading Test: A Comprehensive Guide

The General Training IELTS is typically for those aiming to migrate to English-speaking countries and for those who need to demonstrate their English-speaking capabilities at a workplace or school. This article focuses on the General Training Reading test, providing insights into its structure, question types, scoring, and helpful tips for each type of question.

Which exam to choose: General Training or Academic

The choice between General Training and Academic IELTS depends on your objectives.

• The IELTS General Training is designed for people who want to work in an English-speaking country or want to pursue studies in vocational training or secondary education.
• The IELTS Academic is designed for people wish to study at university or college as an undergraduate or postgraduate student or join a professional institution in an English-speaking environment.

Structure and Timing

The General Training Reading test consists of 3 sections, encompassing a total of 40 questions to be completed in 60 minutes. These sections are designed to test a range of reading skills, including gist, main ideas, and details.

• Section 1: Focuses on “social survival” in an English-speaking environment, featuring several short texts related to everyday life, such as advertisements, timetables, and notices.
• Section 2: Examines “workplace survival” skills through texts taken from job descriptions, contracts, and training manuals.
• Section 3: Presents a more complex text on a topic of general interest, often extracted from books, magazines, or newspapers.

Question Types and Tips

The test includes 14 different types of questions, which assess various reading skills. Here’s a brief overview and some strategic tips for each:

1. Matching Headings – Identify the main idea of paragraphs or sections.

• Start by reading the list of headings and paragraphs’ first lines to grasp the key ideas quickly.

2. Multiple Choice – Choose the correct answer from several given options.

• Skim the text to find and verify the specific information.
• You can start by eliminating some of the choices that are considered the most inappropriate.

3. Identifying Information (True/False/Not Given) – Check if the statements are true, false or not mentioned in the text.

• Pay close attention to the facts presented in the text, and look for paraphrases—words or phrases that convey the same meaning as the statements but use different wording.

4. Matching Paragraph Information – Identify which paragraph contains the information given in each statement from a list.

• Scan for key terms and synonyms or paraphrases that match the question. Remember, some paragraphs might be the answer to more than one statement, while others may not contain any relevant information at all.

5. Matching Features – Associate given features with the correct options from the list.

• Focus on specific information to avoid re-reading entire paragraphs.
• Remember the questions may use different words to express the same as the text.
• Highlight key terms and important details to aid in matching accurately.

6. Matching Sentence Endings – Complete sentences about the text by matching the beginning of the sentence with the correct ending from a list.

• Make sure both parts of each sentence are grammatically correct and have a logical cohesion.
• The list of sentences follow the order of the information in the text.

7. Sentence Completion – Fill gaps in a sentence with words from the text.

• Scan the text to quickly locate the specific information. Keep an eye out for synonyms or paraphrases.
• Identify which type of word you will need (non, verb, adjective, etc.)

8. Summary Completion – Fill in gaps to complete a summary of the text using words from the text.

• Scan the text to quickly locate the specific information. Keep an eye out for synonyms or paraphrases.
• Identify which type of word you will need (non, verb, adjective, etc.)

9. Table Completion – Fill in the gaps in a table with words from the text.

• Read the column headings and understand the structure of the table.
• Scan the text to quickly locate the specific information. Look for synonyms or paraphrases.
• Identify which type of word you will need for each gap.

10. Diagram Completion – Label parts of a diagram using words from the text.

• Visualize what the text describes to better understand how to label the diagram.
• Determine the type of words needed for each label (such as nouns for parts of an object or verbs for actions).

11. Short-answer Questions – Respond to questions about specific details found in the text using words directly from the text.

• The questions follow the order of the information in the text.
• Scan the text to quickly locate the specific information. Look for synonyms or paraphrases that may be used instead of the exact words.
• Identify which type of word you will need for each gap.

12. List of Options – Select correct options from a list based on the text.

• Identify the key information within the list of options and scan the text to locate these details.
• Look for synonyms or paraphrases.
• The answers follow the same order as the information in the text.

13. Choose a Title – Select the most appropriate title for the passage from a list of options.

• There will be information about each option in the text, so you must distinguish the main theme or message from other secondary information in the text.
• Pay special attention to the first and last sentences of the passage, as they often contain key points that can help you select the most fitting title.

14. Flow Chart Completion – Complete the missing steps or stages in a flow chart using words from the text.

• Track the sequence and progression of ideas or processes in the text.
• Identify which type of word you will need for each gap.
• Keep in mind that the answers may not always be in the same order as the information appears in the text.

Scoring the IELTS General Training Reading Test

Each correct answer earns you one mark. The total number of correct responses is your raw score, which is then converted into the IELTS band score. It is crucial to attempt all questions as there is no penalty for wrong answers.

IELTS Reading Band Scores

The General Training Reading test scores range from Band 0 (did not attempt the test) to Band 9 (expert user). Here is a brief insight into how raw scores translate into band scores:

This scoring system highlights the importance of preparation and practice. Understanding the structure, familiarizing yourself with the types of questions, and employing effective strategies are crucial for achieving a high score on the IELTS General Training Reading test.