IELTS Reading Practice Tests - Academic and General Sample Test Answers with PDF | IELTSMaterial.com (2024)

Preparing for the IELTS exam involves thorough practice, especially in the IELTS 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?

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

Below are some IELTS General & Academic Reading Test Samples.

IELTS Academic Reading Practice Tests

IELTS General Reading Practice Tests

Practice with Section Wise IELTS Reading Tests

The most important benefit of practicing IELTS Reading mock test with answers comprising separate 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.

Reading Practice Test for IELTS Academic

Check out section wise IELTS Academic Reading mock tests, each with 3 reading passage 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 Reading practice test one by one and achieve a Band 9 in this section:

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

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 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

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

• Practice Test 1
• Practice Test 2
• Practice Test 3
• Practice Test 4
• Practice Test 5

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.

• Practice Test 1
• Practice Test 2
• Practice Test 3
• Practice Test 4
• Practice Test 5

Table Completion

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

• Practice Test 1
• Practice Test 2
• Practice Test 3
• Practice Test 4
• Practice Test 5

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.

• Practice Test 1
• Practice Test 2
• Practice Test 3
• Practice Test 4
• Practice Test 5

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.

• Practice Test 1
• Practice Test 2
• Practice Test 3
• Practice Test 4
• Practice Test 5

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.

• Practice Test 1
• Practice Test 2
• Practice Test 3
• Practice Test 4
• Practice Test 5

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.

• Practice Test 1
• Practice Test 2
• Practice Test 3
• Practice Test 4
• 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.

• Practice Test 1
• Practice Test 2
• Practice Test 3
• Practice Test 4
• 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.

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 general reading samples for IELTS:

• The IELTS General Reading Test 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.

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 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 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
• IELTS Reading Tips And Techniques To Increase Your Reading Speed
• IELTS Reading Band Score Chart: What You Need to Know