Length

You have 1 hour to finish the Reading test. There is nothing as "10 minutes of transfer time" as in the Listening test. 

Specialist vocabulary

All texts in the IELTS Reading test are designed for educated readers with no specialist knowledge required. When specialist vocabulary is used, clear explanations are available. 

Number of texts

There are 3 texts in the Reading test, with each containing 700-900 words. As you read, they become more difficult. 

Sources of texts

IELTS Reading passages are all taken from well-known and reliable sources, such as from academic researches and  science magazines. 

Number of questions

There are 40 questions for the Reading test. For each correct answer, you gain 1 mark. 40 correct answers are equivalent to band 9. 

Band scores

Published band scores for the Reading test may change insignificantly, based on the general performance of candidates sitting exam on a certain day.