IELTS General Training Practice Test 2

IELTS General Training Reading Test

Overview

The General Training Reading paper consists of three sections. The total length of the texts is between 2,150 and 2,750 words. Candidates have 60 minutes to complete all 40 questions.

Section 1

Section 1 contains texts related to everyday topics which are necessary for daily life in an English-speaking country. This section may include notices, advertisements, timetables, or information leaflets. For example, you may need to extract information from timetables or schedules.

Section 2

Section 2 focuses on work topics such as contracts, job descriptions, or staff development materials. Texts in this section are work-related and may include training guidelines or workplace policies.

Section 3

Section 3 contains a single long text which is more complex and may be taken from sources like books, magazines, and online resources. The style is considered more descriptive and instructive than the earlier sections.

Marking and Scoring

Candidates must be very careful with spelling and grammar, or they will lose marks. Each correct answer receives 1 mark regardless of section. Unlike the Listening test, there is no transfer time allowed for moving answers to the sheet. The final result is reported as a band score from 1 to 9.

IELTS Reading Question Types

A. Multiple Choice

You may have to choose more than one correct answer from a list. This task tests the ability to recognize theories, opinions, and connections between facts.

B. Identifying Information (True/False/Not Given)

You must decide if a statement agrees with, contradicts, or is absent from the text facts. You must be careful not to use any information you already know about the topic.

C. Matching Information

You have to find specific details, examples, or reasons within lettered paragraphs. The instructions may say you can use any letter more than once if a paragraph contains multiple required pieces of information. This task is different from Matching Headings because it focuses on specific details rather than main ideas.

D. Matching Headings

You must distinguish between the main idea and a supporting idea. There are always more options provided than there are paragraphs to match. Roman numerals are used to identify the list of headings.

E. Matching Features

This task tests the ability to recognize theories, opinions, and connections between facts. You need skim and scan skills to find information quickly before reading for detail.

F. Matching Sentence Endings

You are provided with the first half of a sentence and must choose the rest. The sentence beginnings appear in the same order as the information in the passage. There will be more sentence endings than beginnings, so you will not use all of them. Write your answer on the answer sheet.

Identifying Writer's Views (Yes/No/Not Given)

Similar to True/False/Not Given, but focuses on author's claims and opinions. If a statement contradicts the author's claim, write 'No'.

Sentence Completion

Words joined by a hyphen count as a single word. Contracted words like "they're" will not be tested.

Short-Answer Questions

Tests your ability to find and understand specific information. You can write numbers as words or figures.

IELTS Reading: Completion and Diagram Tasks

Question Type 9: Summary/Note/Table/Flow-Chart Completion

In this question type, candidates receive a summary of a part of the text. This summary can take the form of continuous text, notes, a table, or a flow chart linked by arrows. Answers generally come from one specific part of the text rather than the whole text.

There are two variations. In one, you select words directly from the text. In the second, you choose from a list of words identified by letters. When filling gaps, it is important to consider the type of word(s) needed, such as a noun or verb.

Question Type 10: Diagram Label Completion

Candidates label a diagram based on a description in the text. The diagram may be a type of machine, a building, or of other information that can be shown visually. Unlike some other tasks, the answers for diagram labeling may not appear in the same order as they appear in the passage.

Sentence Completion

Contracted words like "they're" will not be tested in this question type.

Short-Answer Questions

This tests your ability to find and understand specific information. You can write numbers as words or figures.

Matching Sentence Endings

There will be more sentence endings than beginnings, so you will not use all of them.

Identifying Writer's Views (Yes/No/Not Given)

You must be careful not to use any information you already know about the topic.

Matching Information vs Matching Headings

The Matching Information task is different from Matching Headings because it focuses on specific details rather than main ideas.