Question Details
of IELTS Reading Module
Types of question:
Academic Reading Question Type 1 –
Multiple choice
What's involved?
Questions may
have:
- Four possible answers (A, B, C, D), or
- The first half of a sentence with four possible endings
§
Choose one correct answer
§
Sometimes you must choose more
than one answer (check instructions carefully)
§
Write only the letter(s)
of the correct answer(s) on the answer sheet
§
Answers appear in the same
order as the information in the text
§ What skills are tested?
§ This type of question tests many different
reading skills including:
§ Understanding specific details
§ Understanding main ideas of the text
Academic Reading Question Type 2 –
Identifying information (True/False/Not given)
What's involved?
You will be given
statements and must answer True, False, or Not Given.
·
True → matches the information in
the text.
·
False → contradicts the text.
·
Not Given → no information in the text
(neither agrees nor contradicts).
·
Do not use your own knowledge, need to follow only
the text.
What skills are tested?
This type of
question tests your ability to recognise specific information given in the
text.
Academic Reading Question Type 3 – Identifying writer’s views/claims
(Yes/No/Not given)
What's involved?
You will be given statements and
must answer Yes, No, or Not Given.
·
Yes → agrees with the writer’s view/claim.
·
No → contradicts the writer’s view/claim.
·
Not Given → no clear information (neither
agrees nor contradicts).
·
Give answer based on the text only, not on your
own knowledge.
What skills are tested?
This type of
question tests your ability to recognise opinions or ideas.
Academic Reading Question Type 4 – Matching information
What's involved?
In this type of question, you have
to find specific information in the paragraphs (or sections). The paragraphs
(or sections) are identified by letters (A, B, C, etc.).
·
Write the correct letter(s)
on the answer sheet.
·
Not all paragraphs/sections will be used.
·
Some may be used more
than once (need to follow the instruction).
What skills are tested?
·
This type of question assesses your ability to scan a text in
order to find specific information.
·
Unlike Task Type 5 (Matching headings), it focuses on specific
information rather than the main idea.
·
You may have to find: specific details, an example, reason,
description, comparison, summary or explanation.
Academic Reading Question Type 5 – Matching headings
What's involved?
In this type of question, you will be given a list of
headings which are identified by Roman numerals (i, ii, iii, etc.).
·
Each
heading shows the main idea of a paragraph/section.
·
Match
the correct heading to each paragraph (labeled A, B, C, etc.).
·
Write
the Roman numeral in the answer sheet.
·
More
headings will be given than the paragraphs → some won’t be used.
·
Some
paragraphs may not be included in the task.
What skills are tested?
This type of
question tests your ability to identify the general topic of a paragraph (or
section) and to recognise the difference between the main idea and a supporting
idea.
Academic Reading Question Type 6 – Matching features
What's involved?
In this type of
question, you have to match a piece of information to a list of options.
·
Match statements/information
to a list of options (A, B, C, etc.).
·
Write the correct letter
on the answer sheet.
·
Some options may not be
used.
·
Some options may be used more
than once (need to follow the instruction).
What skills are tested?
This question type tests your ability to identify
relationships
and connections between
facts, opinions, and theories by skimming for location and
scanning for detail.
Academic Reading Question Type 7 – Matching sentence endings
What's involved?
In this type of question, you are given the first
half of a sentence based on information in the text and you have to choose the
best way to complete the sentence by choosing from a list of possible endings.
·
Choose
the best ending from a list (A, B, C, etc.).
·
More
endings than beginnings →
some won’t be used.
·
Write
the letter of your chosen ending on the answer sheet.
·
Sentence
beginnings follow the same order as in the text.
What skills are tested?
This type of
question tests your ability to understand the main ideas in the text.
Academic Reading Question Type 8 – Sentence completion
What's involved?
·
Fill in
the gaps using words from the text.
·
Follow
the word/number limit (e.g., NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS AND/OR A NUMBER).
·
Marks
lost if you exceed the limit.
·
Contracted
words (they’re) not tested.
·
Hyphenated
words (check-in) = single word.
·
Questions
follow the same order as in the text.
What skills are tested?
This type of
question tests your ability to find detail/specific information in a text.
Academic Reading Question Type 9 – Summary/note/table/flow-chart
completion
What's
involved?
§
Complete a summary of part of the text
(not the whole text).
Summary may appear
as:
·
Continuous text (summary)
·
Notes
·
Table with
gaps
·
Flow chart
with missing steps
§
Answers usually come from one part
of the text, not in exact order.
Two
variations:
·
Fill gaps with words
from the text (respect word/number limit).
·
Fill gaps by choosing
from a list (A, B, C, etc.).
Rules:
·
Word limit strictly followed (e.g., NO MORE
THAN TWO WORDS AND/OR A NUMBER).
·
Extra words = wrong answer.
·
Contracted words
(they’re) not tested.
·
Hyphenated words
(check-in) count as one word.
·
Write answers on the answer
sheet.
What
skills are tested?
This type of question tests your ability to
understand details and/or the main ideas of a part of the text.
Need to choose
the correct type of word (e.g., noun, verb, adjective) to fill a gap.
Academic Reading Question Type 10 – Diagram label completion
What's involved?
·
Complete
labels on a diagram (machine, building part, or process).
·
Use
words from the text to fill gaps.
·
Follow
the word/number limit (e.g., NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS AND/OR A NUMBER).
·
Extra
words = wrong answer.
·
Contracted
words (they’re) not tested.
·
Hyphenated
words (check-in) = one word.
·
Answers
may not follow the same order but usually come from one part of the text.
What skills are tested?
This type of
question tests your ability to understand a detailed description in the text,
and then relate that description to information given in a diagram.
Academic Reading Question Type 11 – Short-answer questions
What's involved?
·
Answer
questions about factual details from the text.
·
Write
answers in words or numbers (from the text) on the answer sheet.
·
Follow
the word/number limit (e.g., NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS AND/OR A NUMBER).
·
Extra
words = wrong answer.
·
Numbers
can be written as figures (1, 2) or words (one, two).
·
Contracted
words (they’re) not tested.
·
Hyphenated
words (check-in) = one word.
·
Answers
follow the same order as in the text.
What skills are tested?
This type of
question tests your ability to find and understand specific information in the
text.