IELTS Academic Reading Question Types

WRITER'S VIEWS OR CLAIMS IDENTIFICATION

In the writer's view or claim identification question type, you will be presented with a series of statements and asked
to determine whether they align with the views or claims of the writer. You are given three options to choose from:
'Yes,' 'No,' or 'Not given.'

It is crucial to grasp the distinction between 'No' and 'Not given.' Selecting 'No' indicates that the writer's views or
claims directly contradict the given statement. In other words, the writer explicitly expresses a perspective or makes
a claim that opposes the one presented in the question. On the other hand, choosing 'Not given' indicates that the
statement neither confirms nor contradicts the writer's viewpoint or claim.

Exercise caution while making your decision, ensuring that your own knowledge of the topic does not influence your
response. Always try to decide between ‘Yes’ and ‘No’ first. If you can’t, then choose ‘Not given’.

This question type evaluates your ability to identify opinions or ideas, and as a result, it is frequently employed with
discursive or argumentative texts.

INFORMATION IDENTIFICATION

When you need to find information, you'll get some statements and be asked if they match what's in the text. To
answer, you have to write "True" if the statements agree, "False" if they don't, or "Not given" if there's not enough
information to decide.

It is crucial to distinguish between "False" and "Not given." If a statement is marked as "False," it indicates that the
passage presents information that contradicts the statement in question. On the other hand, if a statement is
marked as "Not given," it implies that the passage does not confirm or refute the statement.

Understanding this distinction is essential for accurate responses during the assessment.

FEATURE MATCHING

In the feature-matching task, your objective is to associate a set of statements or information pieces with a
corresponding list of options. The options are presented as a collection of text features, each identified by letters.
For instance, you may be asked to match various research findings with a list of researchers, or characteristics with
different age groups, events with historical periods, and so on. Some options may not be used, while others may be
used multiple times. The instructions will clarify whether you can reuse the options.

The feature-matching task evaluates your ability to identify relationships and connections between facts presented
in the text, as well as your proficiency in recognising opinions and theories. It can be used with both factual
information and opinion-based discursive texts. To approach this task, you will need to use skimming and scanning
techniques to locate the relevant information quickly, followed by detailed reading to match the appropriate feature
accurately.

HEADING MATCHING

In the heading matching question type, you will encounter a list of headings that represent the central ideas of
paragraphs or sections within the text. Your task is to match each heading with the appropriate paragraph or
section. It is important to note that there will typically be more headings than paragraphs or sections, meaning that
some headings will remain unused. Additionally, certain paragraphs or sections may not be relevant to the task at
hand. This question type is employed with texts that feature well-defined themes in their paragraphs or sections.

Matching headings assesses your ability to identify and comprehend the main ideas or themes conveyed in
individual paragraphs or sections of a text. It challenges you to differentiate between primary ideas and supporting
details. By successfully completing this task, you demonstrate your aptitude for recognising and distinguishing key
concepts within a given text.

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MATCHING INFORMATION

In the information matching question type, your task is to locate specific information within lettered paragraphs or
sections of a text and select the corresponding letters. Here are some examples of what you may be asked to find:

• Specific detail
• Example
• Reason
• Description
• Comparison
• Summary
• Explanation

While it is not always necessary to find information in every paragraph or section of the text, there might be cases
where you need to identify multiple pieces of information within a single paragraph or section. In such situations,
you will be informed if you can use a letter more than once.

This question type, which can be applied to any text, evaluates a broad range of reading skills, including the ability to
locate specific details and recognise summaries or definitions. By successfully completing this task, you demonstrate
your proficiency in scanning for targeted information within a given text.

SENTENCE ENDING MATCHING

In the sentence ending matching question type, you are presented with the first half of a sentence derived from the
reading text, and you are required to select the most appropriate way to complete it from a list of provided options.
The number of options will exceed the number of questions. Your task is to choose the correct option that effectively
concludes the sentence. The questions follow the same order as the information presented in the passage, meaning
that the answer to the first question will be located before the answer to the second question, and so on.

Matching sentence endings evaluates your ability to comprehend the main ideas conveyed within a sentence. By
successfully completing this task, you demonstrate your aptitude for understanding and connecting the key concepts
and information contained within a given text.

MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTIONS

Multiple-choice questions come in three different types:

• Choose the best answer from four choices (A, B, C, or D)

• Choose the best two answers from five choices (A, B, C, D, or E)
• Choose the best three answers from seven choices (A, B, C, D, E, F, or G)

Each multiple-choice question may involve completing a sentence. You will be provided with the first part of a
sentence and then must select the most suitable option to complete it from the given choices. Alternatively, you
might have to complete questions where you have to choose the option that best answers the question.

The questions are presented in the same order as the information provided in the reading text. Therefore, the
answer to the first multiple-choice question can be found in the text before the answer to the second multiple-
choice question, and so forth.

SHORT-ANSWER QUESTIONS

In the short-answer question type, you will be asked to provide concise answers to specific questions. These
questions typically pertain to factual information and details found within the text.

When responding to these questions, you are required to use words or numbers directly from the text. The
instructions will clearly state the word or number limit for your answers. For instance, it may specify 'NO MORE

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THAN THREE WORDS AND/OR A NUMBER from the passage,' 'ONE WORD ONLY,' or 'NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS.'
Exceeding the specified word count will result in a deduction of marks.

Numbers can be represented using either figures or words, while hyphenated words count as single words. The
questions follow the same order as the information presented in the text.

Short-answer questions evaluate your ability to locate and comprehend precise information within the text. By
successfully answering these questions, you demonstrate your proficiency in identifying and understanding specific
details presented in the given text.

SUMMARY, NOTE, TABLE, FLOW-CHART COMPLETION

In the summary, note, table, and flow-chart completion question type, you will encounter a given summary that
requires completion using information derived from the text. The summary provided will typically focus on a specific
section of the passage rather than including the entire text.

The information provided for completion can take various forms, including:

• Several connected sentences of text forming a summary

• Several notes to be filled in
• A partially empty or incomplete table
• A sequence of events depicted through boxes or steps connected by arrows, with some of them being empty
or partially empty (flow-chart)

The answers may not necessarily follow the same order as in the original text. However, they will generally originate
from a specific section rather than including the entire text.

There are two variations of this task type. You may be asked to:

1. Select words directly from the text.

2. Choose appropriate answers from a provided list.

When selecting words from the passage, the instructions will explicitly state the word or number limit for your
answers. For instance, it may specify 'NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS AND/OR A NUMBER from the passage,' 'ONE
WORD ONLY,' or 'NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS.' Exceeding the specified word count will result in a deduction of
marks.

Numbers can be represented using either figures or words, and hyphenated words are considered single words. In
cases where a list of answers is provided, they typically consist of single words.

It will evaluate your ability to comprehend both specific details and the main ideas within a section of the text. In
variations involving a summary or notes, you will need to identify the appropriate type of words required to fill a
given gap (such as determining whether a noun, verb or other parts of speech is needed).

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DIAGRAM LABEL COMPLETION

In the diagram label completion question type, your task is to fill in the missing labels on a diagram based on the
information provided in the accompanying text. The instructions will explicitly state the maximum number of words
or numbers allowed in your answers, such as 'NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS AND/OR A NUMBER from the
passage,' 'ONE WORD ONLY,' or 'NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS.' It is crucial to follow these guidelines, as exceeding
the specified word limit will result in a deduction of marks.

Numbers can be presented either in numerical or written form, and hyphenated words are counted as single words.
While the answers may not appear in the same sequence as they do in the passage, they typically originate from a
specific section rather than the entire text.

This question type commonly features diagrams representing various entities, including machines, building
components, or any other pictorial representation. It is frequently paired with texts that describe processes or
provide detailed descriptions. By completing the labels on the diagram, you demonstrate your ability to comprehend
intricate descriptions and effectively connect them to the information conveyed through the visual representation.