IELTS Reading

The best free IELTS practice tests from the internet:

Practice tests - a collection of practice tests in IELTS format

Calculate your approximate band score in reading for general and academic modules

Interactive band score calculator

A series of tutorials with advice on how to approach the different question types, each containing a free practice test:

multiple choice – a tutorial

true False Not Given – a tutorial

matching headings and paragraphs – a tutorial

text completion – a tutorial

summary – a tutorial

matching features – a tutorial

matching information and paragraphs – a tutorial

Advice on how to prepare for the reading paper and how to improve your reading skills:

10 top reading tips - what to do and what not to in the exam and in preparing for the test

IELTS reading – time management - advice on how to manage your time in the test and how much time you should on one question

Exam preparation – timing - advice on how to prepare for the exam and how to use your time

Answering the question - a short example of how to read the question

IELTS reading – how to use key words - advice on what to do and what not to do when looking for key words in IELTs reading

Overview

Advice on specific reading skills: scanning, skimming and close reading

the 3 skills of reading: the place to start to understand the basic skills you need to improve your band score

Skimming/reading for general meaning

IELTS reading – skimming skills - some advice on how to skim read with a useful online exercise from the University of Victoria

A technique to improve your skimming skills: a tutorial with practice reading showing you a practical way to read a text quickly for meaning

3 ways to learn to read more quickly: how to read more quickly so that your skimming skills improve.

How to read more quickly with Cueprompter - a video tutorial about how to use Cueprompter to train yourself to read more quickly

Scanning/finding words

IELTS reading – scanning skills 1 - how to make sure you scan as quickly as possible in the exam: don’t start at the beginning and don’t read from right to left

More about scanning: a tutorial with a practice reading exercise to explain how to scan more effectively

Close reading for detail

How to deal with harder words in IELTS reading: suggestions for different reading strategies to cope with unfamiliar vocabulary in IELTS reading passages.