Skill guide 4 of 4
Reading
Academic Reading uses long passages from books, journals and magazines. Passage 3 is the longest and hardest. Most people below band 8 lose marks to time and to True / False / Not Given, and both can be trained.
Correct answers to band
Approximate Academic conversion. For an overall 9, aim for 39 or more (band 9). 35 is band 8.
| Correct out of 40 | Band |
|---|---|
| 39–40 | 9.0 |
| 37–38 | 8.5 |
| 35–36 | 8.0 |
| 33–34 | 7.5 |
| 30–32 | 7.0 |
| 27–29 | 6.5 |
| 23–26 | 6.0 |
| 19–22 | 5.5 |
| 15–18 | 5.0 |
General Training uses a stricter table: about 37 out of 40 for band 8.
Time plan
- 17 minPassage 1
- 20 minPassage 2
- 23 minPassage 3
Write answers on the answer sheet as you go. On paper there is no extra time to copy them at the end. Check the clock at 17 and 37 minutes.
Question types
| Type | In passage order? | Strategy |
|---|---|---|
| True / False / Not Given | Yes | Facts in the text. False = the text says the opposite. Not Given = the text doesn't say. |
| Yes / No / Not Given | Yes | Same logic, but about the writer's opinions and claims. |
| Matching headings | Paragraph order | Choose by the main idea of the whole paragraph, never by one matching word. |
| Matching information (which paragraph contains…) | No | Do it last. Underline what kind of information it asks for: an example, a reason, a number. |
| Matching features (people, dates) | No | Find each name in the text first and circle it. |
| Multiple choice | Yes | Eliminate options that are true but don't answer the question. |
| Sentence, summary, note, table completion | Usually | Predict the word type. Copy words exactly from the passage and respect the word limit. |
| Diagram labelling, short answers | Usually | The answers are usually in one or two paragraphs. Find that part first. |
Band 5.5 to 6.019–22 → 23–26 correct
Finish the test
What holds you back
- You read every word of the passage before looking at the questions.
- You run out of time and leave Passage 3 half done.
- You don't know what each question type is asking.
What to do
- Skim for 2 minutes: title, first sentence of each paragraph. Then go to the questions.
- Scan for names, dates, numbers and capitalised words to find the right part fast.
- Use the time plan above on every practice passage.
Band 6.0 to 7.023–26 → 30–32 correct
Master the tricky types
What holds you back
- You confuse False and Not Given.
- You choose a heading because one word matches.
- Academic words slow you down.
What to do
- For every wrong answer, find the sentence that proves the right one and write why you missed it.
- Watch qualifiers: all / some, always / usually, only, may / must.
- Learn the Academic Word List, sublists 1–5.
Band 7.0 to 8.030–32 → 35–36 correct
Speed with precision
What holds you back
- Passage 3 takes 25 minutes or more.
- Matching information questions eat your time.
- You change correct answers in the last minute.
What to do
- Read one long article every day so that Passage 3 feels normal.
- Leave "which paragraph contains" questions until the end of the passage.
- Only change an answer when you find a sentence that proves it wrong.
Band 8.0 to 9.035–36 → 39–40 correct
Every answer proven
What holds you back
- One or two Not Given / False mix-ups per test.
- Hard Passage 3 vocabulary and very long sentences.
- No time left to check.
What to do
- Finish with 5 minutes to spare, then recheck the answers you were least sure of.
- For every answer, point to the exact words in the text that prove it.
- Read demanding texts every day: The Economist, New Scientist, academic articles.
True, False or Not Given: a worked example
The bridge, completed in 1932, was the longest in the country for nearly forty years.
- The bridge was finished in the 1930s. True. 1932 is in the 1930s.
- The bridge is still the longest in the country. False. "For nearly forty years" means another bridge became longer.
- The bridge was expensive to build. Not Given. The text says nothing about cost.