IELTS Reading Tips for Band 7: Strategies for Every Question Type

October 2026  ·  7 min read

Band 7 in Reading is less about reading faster and more about knowing exactly what each question type wants from you. This guide covers the format, a method for every question type, a minute-by-minute plan and the mistakes that cost most candidates three or four marks.

1. The IELTS Reading Format

Both versions of the test share the same structure:

Academic Reading uses longer texts from books, journals, magazines and newspapers, written for a non-specialist reader. General Training Reading uses more everyday material: notices, advertisements, workplace documents and one longer general-interest text. The question types are the same, but the raw score needed for each band differs (see section 4).

Passages get harder as you go, so Passage 3 usually deserves the most time. If you are not yet sure which version you need, our guide to IELTS band scores explains how Reading fits into your overall band.

2. A Strategy for Each Question Type

Each passage mixes several types. Learn one reliable method per type and use it every time.

True / False / Not Given (and Yes / No / Not Given)

TFNG tests facts; YNNG tests the writer's opinions or claims. The method:

• Underline the keywords in the statement, especially qualifiers such as all, only, always, most, first.
• Find the matching part of the text. Answers appear in passage order.
• True means the text says the same thing in different words. False means the text says the opposite. Not Given means the text does not say either way.

Example. Text: "The bridge was completed in 1932, two years later than planned." Statement: "The bridge was finished behind schedule." True. Statement: "The bridge cost more than expected." Not Given, because cost is never mentioned. Do not use your own knowledge to fill the gap.

Matching headings

• Read the paragraph's first and last sentences, then skim the middle for its main idea.
• Choose the heading that sums up the whole paragraph, not one detail inside it.
• Do the shortest or clearest paragraphs first to remove options; cross out headings as you use them.
• Be wary of headings that repeat a word from the paragraph. Correct headings usually paraphrase.

Sentence, summary, note, table and flow-chart completion

• Check the word limit first. "NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS" means a three-word answer is wrong, even if it is correct in meaning.
• Predict the type of word you need: noun, number, adjective, plural or singular.
• Copy spelling exactly from the text. Misspelled answers score zero.
• Summaries with a box of options often paraphrase heavily; match meaning, not words.

Multiple choice

• Read the question stem before the options, and locate the answer in the text first.
• Then eliminate options: one is often true but does not answer the question, another uses words from the text with the wrong meaning.

Matching information, features and sentence endings

• Matching information (which paragraph contains...) does not follow passage order and some paragraphs may be used twice. Leave it until you have read the passage once for other questions.
• Matching features (people, dates, theories): scan for the names first, then read the sentences around each one.
• Matching sentence endings: grammar helps. An ending that does not fit grammatically can be crossed out straight away.

Short-answer questions and diagram labelling

Treat these like completion questions: obey the word limit, take words directly from the text, and use numbers or labels in the question to scan to the right place.

3. A Time Plan for 60 Minutes

Because there is no extra transfer time, write answers as you go and keep to a plan like this:

Inside each passage: skim the text for 2 to 3 minutes to see how it is organised, then answer question sets in the order that suits you (completion and TFNG usually follow passage order, so they are quick to locate). If one question takes more than 90 seconds, guess, mark it and move on.

4. How Many Correct Answers You Need

The exact conversion varies slightly between test versions, so these published figures are averages and should be treated as approximate:

The practical takeaway for Academic candidates: band 7 allows roughly ten mistakes across the whole paper. You do not need to answer every hard question correctly; you need to stop losing easy marks on spelling, word limits and blanks. Aim for 32 or more in timed practice to give yourself a margin.

5. Common Traps That Cost Band 7

• Word matching instead of meaning matching. The text says "rarely", the statement says "never": that is False, even though the topic matches.
• Confusing False and Not Given. Ask: does the text contradict the statement, or simply not mention it?
• Breaking word limits. "the ancient city" is three words.
• Reading every word of Passage 1. Skim for structure, then read closely only where the questions send you.
• Writing answers in the wrong format. If the instructions say write TRUE, FALSE or NOT GIVEN, follow them exactly; on paper, write clearly in pencil.
• Leaving blanks. There is no penalty for a wrong answer, so guess before time runs out.

6. How to Practise for Band 7

• Untimed analysis first. For each mistake, write down why: wrong location, paraphrase missed, TFNG confusion, or word limit. Patterns appear quickly.
• Then timed passages. One passage in 20 minutes, three or four times a week.
• Collect paraphrases. Note pairs like "rose sharply" / "increased considerably". A spaced-repetition vocabulary review keeps these in memory instead of in a notebook you never open.
• A full 60-minute paper every week to build stamina.

Derstina's IELTS drills and full timed mocks work this way, and your personalised study plan points practice at the question types you get wrong most. For a wider schedule covering all four skills, see our IELTS study plan, and if you are working out your timeline, read how long it takes to prepare for IELTS.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many questions do I need right for band 7 in IELTS Reading?

In Academic Reading you typically need about 30 correct answers out of 40 for band 7. In General Training Reading the figure is higher, at about 34 out of 40. The exact number varies slightly between test versions, so treat these as approximate and aim for a few marks above them in practice.

How long should I spend on each IELTS Reading passage?

A useful plan is about 17 minutes on Passage 1, 20 on Passage 2 and 20 on Passage 3, leaving 3 minutes to check spelling, word limits and blanks. Passages get harder as you go, so saving time early gives you more for the final passage. There is no extra time to transfer answers.

What is the difference between False and Not Given?

False means the text says the opposite of the statement. Not Given means the text does not give enough information to say whether the statement is true or false. If you cannot find any sentence that confirms or contradicts the statement, the answer is usually Not Given.

Is Academic Reading harder than General Training Reading?

Academic texts are usually longer and more complex, but the conversion is adjusted for this: General Training candidates need more correct answers for the same band. Both versions have 3 sections, 40 questions and 60 minutes, and use the same question types.

Should I read the questions or the passage first?

Skim the passage for 2 to 3 minutes to understand how it is organised, then read the first set of questions and scan for the answers. Reading every word first wastes time, while jumping straight to questions without any overview makes matching headings and matching information harder.