Reading · 8 min read
IELTS Reading Time Management: A 60-Minute Plan
IELTS Academic Reading gives you 60 minutes for three sections and 40 questions, including answer entry. A time plan cannot replace reading skill, but it prevents one difficult question from consuming the rest of the test. The best plan combines passage checkpoints, controlled skipping and a final review.
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Reviewed by IELTSimulator Content Review Team
Reading strategy review
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A practical 60-minute IELTS Reading plan
Use the first 18 minutes for passage one, about 20 minutes for passage two and about 22 minutes for passage three. This reflects the typical increase in difficulty while keeping a clear final checkpoint.
Treat these as training targets rather than official rules. If your practice data shows a different split works better, adjust it while preserving time for all three sections.
Start with the questions, not a full slow read
Read the title and quickly inspect the passage structure, then read the first question set and its instructions. This gives your reading a purpose.
Some tasks require the main idea of a paragraph, so do not reduce every passage to keyword scanning. Change technique according to the question type.
Use a 90-second stuck rule
If you have spent roughly 90 seconds without finding evidence, mark the question and move on. Another question may help you locate the relevant paragraph.
Skipping is controlled decision-making, not giving up. The aim is to protect the remaining questions and return with a fresh view.
Build passage checkpoints
During practice, set checkpoints such as passage one complete by minute 18 and passage two complete by minute 38. Checkpoints reveal problems earlier than looking only at the final score.
Record where time was lost: rereading, vocabulary, matching headings, evidence confusion or answer entry. Different causes need different fixes.
Reserve a short final review
Aim to protect the final two or three minutes for unanswered questions, spelling and word-limit checks. There is no extra transfer time in Academic Reading.
Do not repeatedly change answers without evidence. Use review time for identifiable risks rather than second-guessing every decision.
How to train the plan
Run one timed passage, review it thoroughly and repeat with a specific pacing target. Once your checkpoints are stable, combine three passages in a full 60-minute simulation.
Track both accuracy and completion. A higher percentage with several blank answers may not transfer to the full test.
IELTS questions answered
How should I divide 60 minutes in IELTS Reading?
A practical training split is about 18 minutes for passage one, 20 for passage two and 22 for passage three. Adjust it using your timed practice data while preserving time for every section.
Is there extra time to transfer IELTS Reading answers?
No. The 60-minute Academic Reading test includes answer entry, so you should practise completing and checking answers within that limit.
Should I read the entire IELTS passage first?
Usually, inspect the title and structure before reading the first question set. Some tasks require a paragraph's main idea, so switch between purposeful reading and scanning according to the question type.
Official sources
Format and scoring claims in this guide were checked against these primary sources.
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