IELTS General Training Reading: How Sections 1, 2 and 3 Differ
Gurleen from Mohali was preparing for Canada PR. She practised with Academic Reading texts for a month before realising that General Training Reading looks quite different.
General Training Reading has three sections: short everyday texts, then work-related texts, then one longer text on a topic of general interest. The time and the number of questions are the same as Academic, but you usually need more correct answers for the same band.
The Three Sections at a Glance
The official General Training page describes the texts like this, and the “What to focus on” column is our advice:
| Section | Typical texts | What to focus on |
|---|---|---|
| Section 1 | Two or three short texts, or several shorter ones: notices, adverts, timetables | Picking out important information |
| Section 2 | Two work texts, such as job descriptions, contracts and training materials | Conditions and details in work documents |
| Section 3 | One long text on a general-interest topic, longer and more complex | Following a longer text from start to finish |
The official page adds that Section 1 texts are the sort a person would need to understand when living in an English-speaking country. Section 3 texts come from newspapers, magazines, books and online resources, and are generally descriptive and narrative.
Shared Format, Different Scoring Benchmarks
Both versions last 60 minutes and have 40 questions, and each correct answer receives 1 mark. Their lists of question types overlap, but the General Training list is shorter: it does not list Yes/No/Not Given or matching sentence endings. Our comparison of IELTS Academic vs General Training explains who needs which version.
The raw score for a band is not the same. The official IELTS scoring page says it is usual for a greater number of questions to be answered correctly in General Training to secure a given band.
Its table gives average marks of 35 for Band 7 in General Training and 30 in Academic, while IDP IELTS India’s table gives 34 for General Training. The exact number varies slightly from test version to test version.
For the full conversion, see our guide to raw score to band conversion.
How to Approach Each Section
This is our advice, not an IELTS rule.
In Section 1, practise scanning. The official page says you need to pick out important information from notices, adverts and timetables, so scan for the number, name or time the question asks about instead of reading every sentence.
In Section 2, read work documents closely for conditions. A contract or policy can change meaning with a small word such as “unless” or “provided that”.
In Section 3, use the full strategy for a long text: read the questions first, then read selectively. Our IELTS Reading time management post suggests about 23 minutes for the final part of the test.
Practice Section 1 Reading Text
Read the notice, then answer the questions below.
Practice text (written for this post)
Lakeview Community Gym: Member Guidelines All members must scan their digital pass at reception before entering the workout area. Lockers operate on a four-digit personal code and must be emptied before closing time at 10:00 pm. Items left overnight will be moved to lost property and kept for fourteen days. Free introductory coaching sessions are available to new joiners during their first month of membership. Outdoor footwear is not allowed on the gym floor; members must change into clean indoor shoes.
Questions
Do the following statements agree with the information in the text? Choose TRUE, FALSE or NOT GIVEN.
- Items left in a locker overnight stay in that locker until the member returns.
- A new member can try a coaching session without paying.
- Lockers are watched by security cameras during the day.
Show answers
- FALSE — the notice says items left overnight “will be moved to lost property”, which contradicts them staying in the locker.
- TRUE — “Free introductory coaching sessions are available to new joiners”, and “free” means the member does not pay.
- NOT GIVEN — the notice mentions a “four-digit personal code” for lockers but says nothing about security cameras.
Common Traps to Avoid
Incorrect: “General Training Reading is the easy version.”
Correct: The texts are a different kind, and the official scoring page shows that more correct answers are usually needed for the same band.
Incorrect: “I can prepare for General Training Reading using only Academic practice tests.”
Correct: The official IELTS sample tasks include General Training Reading, so practise with that material to get used to notices and work documents.
Tip
Read English-language notices, adverts and timetables in daily life, and ask what a reader would need to know from each.
Key Takeaways
- General Training Reading has three sections: everyday, work-related and general-interest texts.
- It lasts 60 minutes and has 40 questions, like Academic.
- Band 7 needs about 34–35 correct answers in General Training and 30 in Academic.
- Match your reading to the section: scan, check conditions, then follow the long text.
The bottom line: Treat the three sections as three different jobs: pick out details, read conditions closely, and follow a long text.