You’re preparing for your IELTS General Training test, a crucial step on your journey to immigrate, work, or train in an English-speaking country. While the Listening and Speaking tests are the same for everyone, the General Training Reading test is completely different from the Academic version.
It is not a test of your ability to understand dense, academic journals. Instead, it is a practical test designed to see how well you can understand and navigate the kind of real-world English you will encounter every day in your new life. Can you understand a workplace notice? Can you find the key details in an advertisement for a new apartment? Can you follow the main argument in a newspaper article?
This is what the General Training Reading test measures. And while it is often considered more straightforward than the Academic version, the strict 60-minute time limit means you still need a powerful strategy to succeed.
This is not just a list of tips. This is your ultimate guide to mastering the IELTS General Training Reading test. We will break down the unique three-section format, provide a smart time management plan, and give you the strategies you need to find the answers quickly and accurately to achieve a high band score.
General Training Reading: Understand the Test Format:
Before you can build a strategy, you must know the structure of the test.
- Duration: 60 minutes. This is a strict time limit and includes the time you need to enter your answers.
- Number of Sections: Three sections.
- Number of Questions: 40 questions in total.
- Text Types: A variety of practical, real-world texts that you would see in an English-speaking country.
- Scoring: Each of the 40 questions is worth one point. Your raw score is then converted into your IELTS band score. You need more correct answers in the General Training test to get the same band score as in the Academic test, because the texts are considered less complex.
What Are the Benefits of the Computer Based IELTS General Training Reading Test?
The computer-based format offers a significant advantage: a split-screen interface. The reading passages are on the left, and the questions are on the right. This means you can always see both at the same time, which is perfect for a test that requires you to constantly refer back to the text.
How to Tackle the Three Sections of the IELTS General Training Reading Test
The test is structured to move from shorter, simpler texts to a longer, more complex one.
Section 1: “Social Survival”
- What it is: This section contains two or three short, factual texts.
- Common Text Types: Think of the kind of information you need to “survive” in everyday life.
- Advertisements (for a service, an event, or a property).
- Notices (from a library, a community centre, or a public building).
- Timetables (for a bus, a train, or a series of events).
- Brochures or flyers.
- Skills Tested: Your ability to find and extract specific, factual information quickly. Can you find a price? A date? A phone number? A specific rule?
- Number of Questions: Usually around 13-14 questions.
- Strategic Goal: This is the easiest section. You should aim to complete it quickly and with very high accuracy to build a strong foundation for your score.
Section 2: “Workplace Survival”
- What it is: This section contains two texts related to work.
- Common Text Types: The information here is what you would need to navigate a professional environment.
- Job descriptions.
- Contracts or terms of employment.
- Staff handbooks or company policies.
- Training materials.
- Workplace health and safety notices.
- Skills Tested: Your ability to understand workplace procedures, rights, and responsibilities. The texts are more complex than in Section 1.
- Number of Questions: Usually around 13-14 questions.
- Strategic Goal: The difficulty increases here. You will need to read more carefully to understand the details and the specific language used in a professional context.
Section 3: “General Reading”
- What it is: This section contains one long, more complex text.
- Common Text Types: This is the most “academic” part of the General Training test. The text is usually descriptive or instructive and is often taken from a newspaper, magazine, book, or official guide.
- Skills Tested: Your ability to follow a longer, more detailed argument. You will need to understand the main ideas, the author’s opinion, and the structure of the text.
- Number of Questions: Usually around 12-14 questions.
- Strategic Goal: This is the most challenging section and will take the most time. You must have a solid time management plan to ensure you have enough time to tackle this final passage.
Time Management Tips for the IELTS General Training Reading Test
You have 60 minutes for 40 questions. This is a very tight schedule. You cannot afford to spend too long on any one section. A smart time management plan is essential.
Because the sections have different levels of difficulty, the 20-20-20 rule that works for the Academic test is not the best approach here. A more effective strategy is:
- Section 1: Aim to spend no more than 15 minutes. The texts are short and the information is easy to find.
- Section 2: Aim to spend around 20 minutes. The texts are longer and require more careful reading.
- Section 3: This leaves you with 25 minutes for the longest and most difficult passage.
Be strict with yourself. If your 15 minutes are up for Section 1, move on to Section 2, even if you haven’t answered every question. It is better to make a guess and move on than to sacrifice time you will desperately need later.
A Guide to the Common IELTS General Training Reading Question Types
The General Training Reading test uses a wide variety of question types. Here are some of the most common.
How to Answer Matching Headings Questions
You are given a list of headings and must match them to the correct paragraphs in the text.
- The Key Strategy: Read the headings first. Then, read the first and last sentence of each paragraph to find its main idea and match it to the correct heading.
How to Approach True / False / Not Given Questions
This question type tests your attention to detail.
- True: The text agrees with the statement.
- False: The text says the opposite of the statement.
- Not Given: The information is not mentioned in the text at all.
- The Key Strategy: Find the part of the text that relates to the statement and compare them very carefully.
How to Answer Sentence and Summary Completion Questions
You must fill in the gaps in a sentence or summary using words taken directly from the passage.
- The Key Strategy: Pay very close attention to the word count instruction (e.g., “NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS”).
How to Handle Short Answer Questions
You must answer a question using a few words from the text.
- The Key Strategy: Identify the question word (What, Who, Where, etc.) to understand the type of information you are looking for.
Making the Most of the Computer-Based Format
The computer-based test offers powerful tools that can help you in the GT Reading test.
- The Split Screen: Being able to see the text and the questions at the same time is incredibly efficient and saves you from looking back and forth.
- Highlight and Notes: You can use the built-in highlighter to mark key information or the notes tool to jot down the main idea of a paragraph.
- Copy and Paste: For any “fill in the blank” style question, you can copy the words directly from the text and paste them into the answer box. This is a fantastic way to ensure your spelling is 100% correct.
The IELTS General Training Reading test is a challenge of speed and precision. By understanding the unique format and applying a smart time management strategy, you can navigate the real-world texts with confidence and achieve the high score you need for your new life abroad.
Ready to see how you would do under pressure?
👉 Take a full, computer-based IELTS General Training Mock Test and put these strategies into action.