How Examiners Score IELTS Reading
Answer keys · Question types · May 2026
IELTS Reading is scored like Listening: each of the 40 questions is marked right or wrong against an official answer key, then the raw total converts to a band on a fixed scale. Examiners do not award partial credit for “good understanding” of a passage. Matching headings, True/False/Not Given, and gap-fill each follow strict rules—one misread keyword or a NOT GIVEN treated as FALSE costs a full mark.
Keyed marking: one rule per question type
Every item type has a binary outcome. For completion tasks, spelling and word limits match Listening rules. For T/F/NG, only three labels are valid; “mostly true” is still wrong if the key says NOT GIVEN.
Reading traps that erase bands
| Trap | What happens |
|---|---|
| NG vs FALSE confusion | Passage silent on claim → NOT GIVEN, not FALSE |
| Over-reading | Inferring beyond stated text |
| Time collapse | Passage 3 rushed; easy marks left on table |
Raw score to Reading band
Forty correct answers map to bands via published conversion tables (thresholds shift slightly by test form). Gains are stepwise: moving from Band 6 to 7 often means five to eight more keyed items, not “better vibes” about the texts.
Key takeaways
- Reading = 40 keyed items; no holistic passage grade.
- Question-type rules (especially T/F/NG) decide marks, not your summary skill.
- Transfer and spelling errors count like content errors.
- Track misses by type after each mock to train deliberately.
FAQ
Find which Reading question type costs you the most keyed marks.
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