Essential strategies and practice techniques for this IELTS Reading question type. Learn how to manage time and improve accuracy.
Originally published June 2017. Last reviewed 3 July 2026.
In this post, we will take a look at the reading skills you need to be successful in the IELTS Reading Test and how you can improve your skills.
There are 7 main reading skills you will use during your preparation for the IELTS Reading Test;
Previewing
When you preview a text you look at the headings, the layout and any images to get an idea of what the text is about before you decide if you want to read it or not. For example, when you look at an article in a newspaper or a magazine, the headline and images give you an idea of what it is about. Previewing is an important skill to have because it helps you to foresee the content and this makes it easier to understand the text.
TIP >> Next time you read an article think about the headline, subheading and the images and think about the following questions – How do they draw you in to read more? How do they tell you what the article is about?
Predicting Content And Structure
This is when you use your knowledge and guess what a text is going to be about. For example, if you see an advert about adopting animals or donating to animal shelters, you would be able to guess the purpose of the text and the image(s) was to make you want to adopt an animal or help the shelters by donating money, therefore the vocabulary used would be related to this. Predicting is an important reading skill because you can make sense of a text when you already know about the topic.
TIP >>Practice by looking at adverts you see in magazines, online (blogs etc) and look at the vocabulary used and think about the following questions – How does it relate to the topic? How does it tell you about the purpose of the advert?
Source
Skimming
When you skim read a text for the main idea, you read the text quickly to get the general idea of the main topic. When you do this, you are looking for the main idea – not the specific details. For example, you may skim read the back cover of a book jacket to get an idea of what the book is about before you decide to read/buy the book. Skimming is an important skill because in the test you are time conscious, so you need to skim read texts in order to get the main idea, before locating specific information needed to answer questions.
TIP >> Practice skim reading by reading articles, reviews and summaries to get the main idea. Choose content that interests you, not only IELTS practice materials.
When you scan a text to find the information you also do this quite quickly to find what you need. You normally use this skill when you are looking for facts. For example, if you are looking for a train time or the departure gate you need at the airport, you scan the board’s looking for the information. Therefore, you use this skill every day when looking at times, dates or places.
TIP >> Practice scanning by looking for information in timetables, the TV guide etc and find facts you need quickly.
Intensive Reading
When you read a text carefully and study the information, this is intensive reading. You do this when the content is important. For example, if you had to fill out some important forms, like renewing your passport or filling out a tax return, you would read the instructions carefully, before filling out the forms. You need to read carefully for more detail when you need to understand the writer’s meaning. For instance, when reading a tv show review, you might want to read it intensively to find out the details to see if you want to watch it or not.
TIP >> Read reviews and other texts you find interesting and study the content. Think about how detailed the information is, do you understand the writer’s meaning?
Look at the review below of the TV Show ‘American Gods’ – How does the writer tell you what they think about the show?
When you are reading and you come across a word or words you don’t know, you can sometimes guess the meaning from the context they are in. If not then you will have to look up the meaning in a dictionary (although this is not allowed in the test). For instance, if you were reading a book and you saw a word you did not know, you might be able to work out the meaning from the context of that sentence or paragraph.
TIP >> When you read – keep a dictionary and a notebook with you and write down any words you do not know the meaning of. Alternatively, you can do this easily if you use your smartphone or Ipad. If you have an e-reader, the built-in dictionary will show you the meaning of the words once highlighted. This is so useful for learning new vocabulary.
When you read a book, article etc, you should be able to understand how the writer feels or thinks about a subject. For example, in an article or blog about travelling, you may read views on certain places and how they feel when going there. This can help you to understand how they explain their opinions and views through the language they use. Understanding attitude and opinion are important skills because writers do not always clearly state how they think or feel.
TIP >> Read reviews or opinions from opinion sections of newspapers like The Guardian or The Washington Post. Think about how the writer shares their opinion – is it obvious? What language/vocabulary do they use? How can you tell what they are thinking or feeling?
Look at the opinion piece below from The Guardian – how does the writer share his opinion about the topic?
Read more – Read as much as you can in English, choose anything that interests you – not just IELTS practice materials. Read novels, magazines, news articles, blogs and anything else that holds your attention. Reading really helps with your writing, as you learn new vocabulary, grammar and understand how structures work.
Make a note of any new words – Write them down and look them up – this will help you to remember the words and their meaning.
Take note of the grammar – Think about the structures used, look at the sentences, the tenses and the punctuation.
Idea development – When reading news articles think about how the writer leads you through the information, how do they develop their ideas? How do they structure the writing? Where do they put the facts? The opinions?
Opinions – How do they share their opinions with the reader? What kind of language and structure do they use to do this?
Schedule some reading time – when you are travelling on your commute to work, lunchtime, before bed – try to fit in some reading.
We hope you found this post useful in helping you to study for the IELTS Test. If you have any questions please let us know in the comments below or on the Facebook page.
The best way to keep up to date with posts like this is to like us on Facebook, then follow us on Instagram and Pinterest.
If you need help preparing for the IELTS Test, join the IELTS Achieve Academy and see how we can assist you to achieve your desired band score. We offer an essay correction service, mock exams and online courses.
Comprehensive guide covering essential IELTS preparation strategies and techniques to help you achieve your target band score.
Originally published June 2017. Last reviewed 3 July 2026.
In this post, we will be looking at identifying information and the writer’s views or claims,including true, false and not given and yes, no not given questions.
True, False, Not Given
In the IELTS Reading Test, common questions include true, false, not given. You will be asked to identify information in a text, then reading statements and deciding if they are true, false or not given.
When reading the text, you must concentrate and look for the following;
TRUE – this means that the statement agrees with the information in the text.
FALSE – This means that the information disagrees with the information in the text.
NOT GIVEN – this means that the information is not present in the text – so you cannot say if it is either true or false.
For the answer to be true, it must agree and be true to the information given in the text. Any information that is not shown in the text would be not given.
TEST QUESTION
In the IELTS test, the true, false, not given questions will look similar to the those below >>
Exercise 1
Read the text below (from the English History website) and decide if the statements are true, false or not given.
Mary, Queen of Scots was one of the most fascinating and controversial monarchs of 16th century Europe. At one time, she claimed the crowns of four nations – Scotland, France, England and Ireland. Her physical beauty and kind heart were acknowledged even by her enemies. Yet she lacked the political skills to rule successfully in Scotland. Her second marriage was unpopular and ended in murder and scandal; her third was even less popular and ended in forced abdication in favour of her infant son. She fled to England in 1568, hoping for the help of her cousin, Elizabeth I. Her presence was dangerous for the English queen, who feared Catholic plotting on Mary’s behalf. The two queens never met and Mary remained imprisoned for the next nineteen years. She was executed in 1587, only forty-four years old. By orders of the English government, all of her possessions were burned. In 1603, upon Elizabeth’s death, Mary’s son became king of England as James I.
True – if the statement agrees with the information
False – if the statement contradicts the information
Not Given – if there is no information present
10. Mary Queen of Scots was once the monarch of four different places.
11. Mary married her first husband Francis ii of France in 1558.
12. Mary and Queen Elizabeth 1st were good friends and met often.
13. After her death, Mary’s son James 1st became the King of Scotland.
Answers at the bottom of the page.
TIP >> NOT GIVEN > The IELTS Reading Test is measuring your ability to be able to read a text and find information within it. Not about your general knowledge on the subject. If the information is not in the text – your answer would, therefore, be not given.
Exercise 2
Read the text below (from the English History website) and decide if the statements are true, false or not given.
Henry’s first wife, Katharine of Aragon, was the youngest child of the ‘Catholic Kings’ of Spain, Ferdinand and Isabella; she and Henry were married for over twenty years. His second wife, Anne Boleyn, was the daughter of an ambitious knight; she was executed after three years of marriage. His third wife, Jane Seymour, died after less than two years of marriage, having finally produced a son and heir for Henry. His fourth wife, Anne of Cleves, was divorced mere months after the wedding, for Henry found her unattractive and was already courting his fifth wife, Catherine Howard. Catherine was executed after less than two years of marriage and the king settled upon the twice-widowed Katharine Parr as his sixth wife. She outlived the mercurial king.
True – if the statement agrees with the information
False – if the statement contradicts the information
Not Given – if there is no information present
14. Henry’s first wife Katharine of Aragon was the longest relationship he had with any of the wives.
15. Henry Viii favoured his second wife Anne Boleyn above all the others.
16.Henry Viii divorced Anne of Cleaves after a short time.
17. atherine Parr had two sons with Henry Viii before he died.
Answers at the bottom of the page.
Exercise 3
Read the text below (from the English History website) and decide if the statements are true, false or not given.
Elizabeth Tudor is considered by many to be the greatest monarch in English history. When she became queen in 1558, she was twenty-five years old, a survivor of scandal and danger, and considered illegitimate by most Europeans. She inherited a bankrupt nation, torn by religious discord, a weakened pawn between the great powers of France and Spain. She was only the third queen to rule England in her own right; the other two examples, her cousin Lady Jane Grey and half-sister Mary I, were disastrous. Even her supporters believed her position dangerous and uncertain. Her only hope, they counselled, was to marry quickly and lean upon her husband for support. But Elizabeth had other ideas.
She ruled alone for nearly half a century, lending her name to a glorious epoch in world history. She dazzled even her greatest enemies. Her sense of duty was admirable, though it came at a great personal cost. She was committed above all else to preserving English peace and stability; her genuine love for her subjects was legendary. Only a few years after her death in 1603, they lamented her passing. In her greatest speech to Parliament, she told them, ‘I count the glory of my crown that I have reigned with your love.’ And five centuries later, the worldwide love affair with Elizabeth Tudor continues.
‘Proud and haughty, as although she knows she was born of such a mother, she nevertheless does not consider herself to inferior degree to the Queen, whom she equals in self-esteem; nor does she believe herself less legitimate than her Majesty, alleging in her own favour that her mother would never cohabit with the King unless by way of marriage, with the authority of the Church….
She prides herself on her father and glories in him; everybody saying that she also resembles him more than the Queen does and he therefore always liked her and had her brought up in the same way as the Queen.’ the Venetian ambassador Giovanni Michiel describes Elizabeth; spring 1557.
Elizabeth Tudor was born on 7 September 1533 at Greenwich Palace. She was the daughter of King Henry VIII and his second wife, Anne Boleyn. Henry had defied the papacy and the Holy Roman Emperor to marry Anne, spurred on by love and the need for a legitimate male heir. And so Elizabeth’s birth was one of the most exciting political events in 16th-century European history; rarely had so much turmoil occurred on behalf of a mere infant. But the confident predictions of astrologers and physicians were wrong and the longed-for prince turned out to be a princess.
True – if the statement agrees with the information
False – if the statement contradicts the information
Not Given – if there is no information present
18. Queen Elizabeth 1st wanted to find a husband to share her royal responsibilities.
19. Queen Elizabeth 1st was loved by many.
20. Queen Elizabeth 1st was the only female heir to the throne.
21. Henry was determined to marry Anne Boleyn, driven by his affection and his longing for a son.
Answers at the bottom of the page.
What is the difference between true, false, not given and yes, no, not given questions?
There is a difference between the true, false, not given questions and the yes, no, not given questions.
The true, false, not given questions are asking you to look for information based on facts in the text.
The yes, no, not given questions are asking you to look for the writer’s views or claims in the text.
Identifying The Writer’s View or Claims
When the writer is giving their opinion, this is them expressing their view on a topic. If the writer presents something as a fact, then this is a claim. Therefore to find a claim or view in the text, you are required to read the text and use your own interpretation of it.
Not given still means that you cannot find any information in the text in relation to the statement.
Yes, No, Not Given
For these questions you will look at the following;
YES – if the statement agrees with the views or claims
NO – if the statement contradicts the views or claims
NOT GIVEN – it is impossible to say what the writer’s views/claims are
TEST QUESTION
In the IELTS test, the yes, no, not given questions will look similar to the those below >>
Exercise 4
Read the text below (from the BBC English History website) and decide if the statements are yes, no or not given.
Viking Raids
Raids by seaborne Scandinavian pirates on sites in Britain, especially largely undefended monastic sites, began at the end of the eighth century AD.
By the end of the ninth century, there were large-scale settlements of Scandinavians in various parts of Britain, and they had achieved political domination over a significant territory.
Early in the 11th century, the king of Denmark became King of England as well. And in 1066 there were separate invasions by the king of Norway, Harald Hardrada, and Duke of Normandy, William, the latter the descendant of Scandinavian settlers in northern France.
Many monasteries in the north were destroyed, and with them any records of the raids.
Yet the most significant development of the period was an indirect result of Scandinavian involvement in the affairs of Britain – the emergence of two kingdoms of newly unified territories, England and Scotland.
In 793 AD, an anguished Alcuin of York wrote to the Higbald, the bishop of Lindisfarne and to Ethelred, King of Northumbria, bemoaning the unexpected attack on the monastery of Lindisfarne by Viking raiders, probably Norwegians sailing directly across the North Sea to Northumbria.
It is clear from the letter that Lindisfarne was not destroyed. Alcuin suggested that further attack might be averted by moral reform in the monastery.
Over the next few decades, many monasteries in the north were destroyed, and with them any records they might have kept of the raids. We know no historical details of the raids in Scotland, although they must have been extensive.
Iona was burnt in 802 AD, and 68 monks were killed in another raid in 806 AD. The remaining monks fled to Kells (County Meath, Ireland) with a gospel-book probably produced in Iona, but now known as the ‘Book of Kells’.
Other monasteries in Scotland and northern England simply disappear from the record. Lindisfarne was abandoned, and the monks trailed around northern England with their greatest possession, the relics of St Cuthbert, until they found a home in Durham in 995 AD.
Skim the text and see if the statements below agree with the claims of the writer >>
YES – if the statement agrees with the views or claims
NO – if the statement contradicts the views or claims
NOT GIVEN – it is impossible to say what the writer’s views/claims are
7. The most important part of that time was the evolution of two empires.
8. The fear that the Norwegians would cross the ocean and settle into the North of England.
9. The Vikings left with treasures including ‘The Book of Kells’.
10. The Vikings ruined many places along the north coast in the UK including Bamburgh Castle.
Answers at the bottom of the page.
Exercise 5
Read the text below (from the BBC English History website) and decide if the statements are yes, no or not given.
The Home Front
The concept of a ‘Home Front’ – when civilians are mobilised en masse to support the war effort during a conflict – dates from World War One, as far as the British are concerned. It was re-activated in 1938 during the Munich crisis when civilians were encouraged to enrol in Air Raid Precautions (ARP) or the Auxiliary Fire Service (AFS).
Anticipating terror from the air
ARP was a reaction to the fear, shared throughout Europe in the 1930s, of the mass bombing of civilians from the air. In the 1930s, the government estimates calculated that 600,000 people would be killed and 1.2 million injured in air raids during a future war.
The evacuation had already been running for two days by the time war with Germany was announced on 3 September 1939. Throughout the war, three million people were moved beyond the reach of German bombers, in what became a fundamentally life-changing event for many. The internment of German and Austrian ‘aliens’ also commenced at the outbreak of war, and those considered high risks were interned immediately. Later, Italian aliens were ’rounded up’ under Churchill’s orders after Italy joined the war in June 1940.
‘Doing your bit’
The nation’s labour was once again mobilised, and to an even greater extent than World War One. Half a million women joined the uniformed services, and millions more worked in the factories and on the land. Both men (from 1939) and women (from 1941) were conscripted. Men were even conscripted into the coal mines – one in ten of those enlisted domestically.
Skim the text and see if the statements below agree with the claims of the writer >>
YES – if the statement agrees with the views or claims
NO – if the statement contradicts the views or claims
NOT GIVEN – it is impossible to say what the writer’s views/claims are
11. Although many people were in the military services during World Wars 1 and 2 much more volunteered to help.
12. During the war, many people were displaced.
13. People from Italy were offered protection from the English government.
14. Women completed more roles during the war effort than men.
Answers at the bottom of the page.
REVIEW AND STRATEGY
The true, false, not given / yes, no, not givenquestions are common in the IELTS Reading Test, therefore you should practice and develop a strategy for answering.
TIP >> Read the instructions before you start reading the questions or the text. Take note if the questions are true, false, not given or yes, no, not given.
TIP >> Read the questions and the given text. For the yes, no, not given questionslook out for keywords that suggest the writer is sharing their view or opinion, like; always, occasionally, some or claimed.
TIP >> Skim read the text and match the statement to the correct part of the text.
TIP >> Check that the statement exactly matches the meaning of the text if you are going to say it is true (or yes). If it does not it is false (or no). If there is no information – it is not given.
TIP >> Answers are in the same order as the text, work your way through them. If you are going over and over looking for something, then it is most likely ‘not given’. Don’t waste lots of time looking for something that is not there.
TIP >> Be aware of synonyms and paraphrasing.
Answers >>
Exercise 1 Answers >>
10. True
11. Not Given
12. False
13. False
Exercise 2 Answers >>
14. True
15. Not Given
16. True
17. False
Exercise 3 Answers >>
18. False
19. True
20. Not Given
21. True
Exercise 4 Answers >>
7. Yes
8. Yes
9. No
10. Not Given
Exercise 5 Answers >>
11. Yes
12. Yes
13. No
14. Not Given
We hope you found this post useful in helping you to study for the IELTS Test. If you have any questions please let us know in the comments below or on the Facebook page.
The best way to keep up to date with posts like this is to like us on Facebook, then follow us on Instagram and Pinterest.
If you need help preparing for the IELTS Test, join the IELTS Achieve Academy and see how we can assist you to achieve your desired band score. We offer an essay correction service, mock exams and online courses.
Essential strategies and practice techniques for this IELTS Reading question type. Learn how to manage time and improve accuracy.
Originally published June 2017. Last reviewed 3 July 2026.
In this post, we will look at short answer questions and sentence completion.
Short Answer Questions
Short answer questions in the test, will require you to write no more than a set number of words. You will probably be given a word limit, for example, ‘No more than two words and/or a number’. If you write more words than the instructions tell you to, your answer will be marked as incorrect. The short answers only need keywords, meaning you will not be able to write a sentence. These questions are there to see how well you can find specific information.
When you are answering short answer questions, underline/highlight the keywords that will help you to find the information you need. You can also underline any words that you think are suitable in relation to the information you need to find.
You also need to be aware of synonyms and paraphrasing – look for words that have the same meaning, don’t just look for words that are exactly the same.
Take a look at the examples below, the words in italics are what you need to find out, the key terms are in bold.
On which date was the medical research on asthma first published?
Which news article was eventually discussed by the media in more detail?
Read the following passage and answer the questions with no more than two words.
Approximately 90% of visually impaired people live in developing countries.
People aged 50 and over
About 65 % of all people who are visually impaired are aged 50 and older, while this age group comprises about 20 % of the world’s population. With an increasing elderly population in many countries, more people will be at risk of visual impairment due to chronic eye diseases and ageing processes.
Children below age 15
An estimated 19 million children are visually impaired. Of these, 12 million children are visually impaired due to refractive errors, a condition that could be easily diagnosed and corrected. 1.4 million are irreversibly blind for the rest of their lives and need visual rehabilitation interventions for a full psychological and personal development.
TIP >> When answering the question, use the keywords in bold to help you find the text and the word in italics to find the information you need for the answer.
TIP >> You must use the word limit stated in the instructions – DO NOT go over this.
Questions >>
How many people have sight problems over the age of 50?
How many young people have vision and sight problems?
Which situation can quickly be changed for the better in young children?
Answers are at the bottom of the page.
Sentence Completion
Similar to short-answer questions, sentence completion questions are designed to assess your ability to find specific information. You will have to choose the right words or keywords from a text to complete a sentence. The words will be in the text and when you write them, they must be grammatically correct.
The sentence will paraphrase the information from the text, so you will have to use your knowledge of synonyms, underlining or highlighting any keywords and terms. Paraphrasing is a skill that is needed in all parts of the test.
Read the following passage and answer the questions with no more than one word.
Leishmaniasis is caused by a protozoa parasite from over 20 Leishmania species and is transmitted to humans by the bite of infected female phlebotomine sandflies. Over 90 sandfly species are known to transmit Leishmania parasites. There are 3 main forms of the disease:
Visceral leishmaniasis (VL), also known as kala-azar is fatal if left untreated in over 95% of cases. It is characterised by irregular bouts of fever, weight loss, enlargement of the spleen and liver, and anaemia. It is highly endemic in the Indian subcontinent and in East Africa. An estimated 50 000 to 90 000 new cases of VL occur worldwide each year. In 2015, more than 90% of new cases reported to WHO occurred in 7 countries: Brazil, Ethiopia, India, Kenya, Somalia, South Sudan and Sudan. The kala-azar elimination programmes in South-East Asia are making sustained progress towards elimination, and cases are declining in the three major endemic countries: Bangladesh, India and Nepal.
Cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) is the most common form of leishmaniasis and causes skin lesions, mainly ulcers, on exposed parts of the body, leaving life-long scars and serious disability. About 95% of CL cases occur in the Americas, the Mediterranean basin, the Middle East and Central Asia. Over two-thirds of new CL cases occur in 6 countries: Afghanistan, Algeria, Brazil, Colombia, Iran (The Islamic Republic of) and the Syrian Arab Republic. An estimated 0.6 million to 1 million new cases occur worldwide annually.
Mucocutaneous leishmaniasis leads to the partial or total destruction of mucous membranes of the nose, mouth and throat. Over 90% of mucocutaneous leishmaniasis cases occur in Bolivia (the Plurinational State of), Brazil, Ethiopia and Peru.
Questions >>
The disease is passed on to people from the poison carried by the ………………. Sandflies.
One strain of the disease can cause death if it is ………………………
Another strain of the disease can cause skin problems and ulcers, leaving people with marks and sometimes even a severe…………….
One of the deadliest strains of this disease attacks the …………………. membranes located in the upper part of the body.
Answers are at the bottom of the page.
REVIEW AND STRATEGY
The short answer questions and sentence completion questions are common in the IELTS Reading Test, therefore you should practice and develop a strategy for answering.
Short Answer Questions Strategy
TIP >> Read the instructions before you start to read the questions or the text.
TIP >> The answers will be in the same order as the questions.
TIP >> Check the word limit – make sure you do not go over it.
TIP >> Try to find the information byscanning quicklyuntil you locate the part of the text with the information you are looking for.
TIP >> Check your spelling, make sure you have spelt the word or words correctly.
TIP >> Look for any keywords and see how they may have been paraphrased in the questions. knowing and understanding paraphrasing and synonyms will help you to reach a high score over all parts of the IELTS test.
Sentence Completion Strategy
TIP >> Read the instructions beforeyou start to read the questions or the text. Check that you understand what you have to do.
TIP >> The answers will be in the same order as the questions.
TIP >> Check the word limit – make sure you do not go over it. How many words do you have to find?
TIP >> Read the incomplete sentences then try to find the missing words in the text by skim reading (scanning through it quickly).
TIP >> Check your spelling, make sure you have spelt the word or words correctly.
TIP >> Look for any keywords and see how they may have been paraphrased in the questions. knowing and understanding paraphrasing and synonyms will help you to reach a high score over all parts of the IELTS test.
Short Answer Questions >> Answers
about 65%
19 million
refractive errors
Sentence Completion Answers >>
female
untreated
disability
mucous
We hope you found this post useful in helping you to study for the IELTS Test. If you have any questions please let us know in the comments below or on the Facebook page.
The best way to keep up to date with posts like this is to like us on Facebook, then follow us on Instagram and Pinterest.
If you need help preparing for the IELTS Test, join the IELTS Achieve Academy and see how we can assist you to achieve your desired band score. We offer an essay correction service, mock exams and online courses.
Step-by-step guide to answering this type of IELTS Writing Task 1 question. Covers structure, key language, and band-scoring criteria.
Originally published June 2017. Last reviewed 3 July 2026.
In this post, we will look at flowcharts, notes, tables, summaries and diagrams. It is very important that you will be able to >>
Understand information in flowcharts, diagrams and tables. These are used to give specific information for a fast analysis. In the test, you may have a table that you have to fill in, after finding the required information in an article.
Summaries and notes, a summary is a short review of something, you will often see this when looking for information about a book or movie, they will give you a short summary of what it is about. Notes can be in bullet form, with groups of words or single words, linked to a subject heading.
Read The Questions / Instructions
Before you start to read the information presented to you, first you must read the questions/instructions and think about the amount and type of information you can enter. If your answer does not follow the instructions given, then it will be marked as incorrect.
For example, you may be asked to;
Write no more than one word for each answer
Write no more than one word and/or a number for each answer
Write no more than two words for each answer
Write no more than three words for each answer
Finding Words In The Text
When reading information in a text you will be looking for specific information, that you can write onto a diagram, table or flowchart. This means you will use words that are in the text, paying close attention to the spelling. It is ok to copy words straight from the text, other forms of the word will be marked incorrect.
Read through the questions and skim read the text, can you answer the questions?
Dementia is a syndrome – usually of a chronic or progressive nature – in which there is deterioration in cognitive function (i.e. the ability to process thought) beyond what might be expected from normal ageing. It affects memory, thinking, orientation, comprehension, calculation, learning capacity, language, and judgement. Consciousness is not affected. The impairment in cognitive function is commonly accompanied, and occasionally preceded, by deterioration in emotional control, social behaviour, or motivation.
Dementia is a ……………….. which is usually continuous and gradual.
It can affect many cognitive functions, including ………………………………, …………………., or ………………….
According to the notes, dementia sufferers …………………… is not damaged.
Dementia can affect the ability to remember, awareness, direction and ………………
Answers >> Are at the bottom of the page.
Flowcharts
A flowchart is a graphic that shows the events of a process, normally in sequence. In the IELTS test, the flowchart questions are similar to the notes questions, but with arrows to tell you the sequence. When you read through the given text, the information presented may not be in the order of the flowchart.
Take a look at the information below and see if you can find the one-word answers that are missing…..
Climate change
Over the last 50 years, human activities – particularly the burning of fossil fuels – have released sufficient quantities of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases to trap additional heat in the lower atmosphere and affect the global climate. In the last 130 years, the world has warmed by approximately 0.85oC. Each of the last 3 decades has been successively warmer than any preceding decade since 18501. Sea levels are rising, glaciers are melting and precipitation patterns are changing. Extreme weather events are becoming more intense and frequent.
Answers >> Are at the bottom of the page.
Diagrams
There are different types of diagrams that you may see, including labelling a plan, or a design. The other types could be something from the natural world or a technical drawing. You may also see a diagram, for example, to read a text about the human body and then label parts of the body, using one-word (or more) answers from the text.
You may have a diagram that requires labelling from a selection of words in a box, try to understand what is happening in the diagram and where those words would fit. On the other hand, you may have a diagram that relates to a text you have to read and locate information relating to the diagram. Make sure you check how many words you need to write in the spaces, as writing too many will lose marks. Start with the most obvious and move on, if you are finding information in a text, read through quickly and don’t waste time trying to read the whole text and understand it.
The information you will see in a table can be looked at quickly, by looking at the headings and the information in each row. The tables present information, for example, a timetable, exam results or in this case below, IELTS band scores.
Look at the table above, and see if you can answer the following questions >>
What do you need to score in listening to get a band score of 7?
What do you need to score in Academic reading to get a band score of 8?
What do you need to score in General Reading for a band score of 6?
Answers >> Are at the bottom of the page.
Summaries
A summary is a brief explanation of the main points on a topic. You will use and see many summaries all of the time, from reading what a movie is about or a book, you summarise the story or events. When you see a summary of the reading test, quickly highlight or underline the keywords and think about paraphrasing.
Asthma is a major non-communicable disease characterised by recurrent attacks of breathlessness and wheezing, which vary in severity and frequency from person to person. Symptoms may occur several times in a day or week in affected individuals, and for some people become worse during physical activity or at night. During an asthma attack, the lining of the bronchial tubes swells, causing the airways to narrow and reducing the flow of air into and out of the lungs. Recurrent asthma symptoms frequently cause sleeplessness, daytime fatigue, reduced activity levels and school and work absenteeism. Asthma has a relatively low fatality rate compared to other chronic diseases.
Choose one word only for each answer.
The severity of Asthma varies in each person, some may have many …………. and others few.
Due to physical activities or in the evening, many sufferers say that they become…………….
When an attack happens, the air that flows into the lungs is restricted, with the ……………. becoming smaller.
Asthma does not cause many deaths in comparison to other ……………….. illnesses.
Answers >> Are at the bottom of the page.
REVIEW AND STRATEGY
The flowcharts, notes, tables, summaries and diagrams are common in the IELTS Reading Test, therefore you should practice and develop a strategy for answering.
TIP >> Read the instructions before you start reading the text. Make sure you understand the question.
TIP >> Study the diagram/flowchart and see how many words you need to write. For summaries, notes and tables, skim read and get the main idea.
TIP >> Highlight any keywords or labels you can see, then match them up if you see anything that stands out to you.
TIP >> Choose your answers carefully, be attentive to synonyms and paraphrasing and check your spelling.
Answers From All Exercises >>
Notes Answers >>
syndrome
deterioration in emotional control, social behaviour or motivation.
consciousness
comprehension
Flowchart Answers >>
carbon dioxide
decades
extreme
Diagram Answers >>
7. Spinal Nerve
8. Spinal Cord
9. Vertebra
10. Spinal Cord
Table Answers >>
33-35
36-37
26-30
Summary Answers >>
symptoms
worse
airways
chronic
We hope you found this post useful in helping you to study for the IELTS Test. If you have any questions please let us know in the comments below or on the Facebook page.
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Essential strategies and practice techniques for this IELTS Reading question type. Learn how to manage time and improve accuracy.
Originally published June 2017. Last reviewed 3 July 2026.
The IELTS Reading Test lasts 60 minutes. It is made up of three parts, with a total of 40 questions. You are given no extra time to transfer your answers to the answer sheet. During the test, the texts become more difficult.
In the General Training test, the texts are not academic, they are about daily life, for example – advertisements, reviews or ‘how to’ articles. You may read something about preparing for a job interview or a review of places to visit when going abroad.
In the Academic test, all three texts are of an academic tone, for instance – scientific research or a historical article. The articles in the Academic reading test may include research about medical procedures or the future of medicine, the environment and climate change issues.
What do you need to do?
Find specific information in the texts. You will be looking for information, such as dates, names, places and costs.
Finding the purpose of a text, looking at the reasons behind the writing. Why did the author write this? What is the purpose of it? To share an opinion? Many people when they write are expressing their views, selling something, sharing news, suggesting, recommending something or reviewing something.
Separating the main idea of an article apart from other ideas. In a long text, there will be the main idea, that is supported by other ideas. It will be good practice for you to read articles and select the main idea, as well as the point of each paragraph.
Following an argument, looking for both sides, the for and against. When you are reading a text, think about – What is the key argument? What statement is the author making? Are they sharing their opinion?
Understand information in diagrams and tables. These are used to give specific information for a fast analysis. In the exam, you may have a table that you have to fill in, after finding the required information in an article.
Summaries and notes, a summary is a short review of something, you will often see this when looking for information about a book or movie, they will give you a short summary of what it is about. Notes can be in bullet form, with groups of words or single words, linked to a subject heading.
The main features of the text, knowing where the title is, the subheadings, the images and the main body of the text is important.
Text length, can in the Academic test go well over 1000 words. This is why it is important to learn how to skim read and locate specific information. In the General Training test, the texts are shorter, but you will also have to be able to skim read.
Being able to paraphrase and recognise paraphrasing is also very important. Many of the texts will paraphrase words – the questions may paraphrase using different words with the same meaning. Always read the questions before you start reading through the text.
How Can You Practice?
There are many websites and texts out there for you to practice with, but day to day you should try and read articles from news websites, science journals, history and of course general interest.
Here are some links to websites with articles you may find interesting;
For more help on each skill you should practice before the reading test, please take a look at the other posts in the reading section.
We hope you found this post useful in helping you to study for the IELTS Test. If you have any questions please let us know in the comments below or on the Facebook page.
The best way to keep up to date with posts like this is to like us on Facebook, then follow us on Instagram and Pinterest.
If you need help preparing for the IELTS Test, join the IELTS Achieve Academy and see how we can assist you to achieve your desired band score. We offer an essay correction service, mock exams and online courses.
