Everything you need to know about the Reading sub-test
Time
Marking
Test structure
Part A – expeditious reading task (15 minutes) Part B and C – careful reading tasks (45 minutes)
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Reading FAQs
There is a total of 42 marks available in the Reading sub-test, Part A accounts for 20 marks, Part B accounts for 6 marks and Part C accounts for 16 marks.
In Part A you should write your answers clearly in the spaces given in the question booklet. In Part B and Part C, you must shade the circle next to the appropriate answer. Answers written elsewhere in your booklet will not be marked. It is a good idea to use the sample tests to familiarise yourself with the different task formats you might find in the test.
You will not be given extra time at the end of the sub-test to check your answers, and it is up to you to manage your time. The test is designed so that the time available is enough for you to read, choose your answers, and check your work. Please remember that there is a strict time limit for Part A (the expeditious reading task), and Part A materials will be collected from you after 15 minutes. You will therefore not have any time to check your Part A answers later in the test.
Yes, in Part A you must use exactly the same form of the word or short phrase as given in the four texts.
Abbreviations are not accepted in the Reading sub-test unless they appear in the texts.
Yes, you must use correct spelling in the Reading sub-test to get the marks. Responses that are not spelled correctly will not receive any marks. American and British English spelling variations are accepted, e.g., foetus and fetus are both acceptable. Please note that the Reading sub-test is different from the Listening sub-test in the way misspellings are treated.
New reading tests are written for each test session incorporating new material and the grade boundaries are adjusted slightly for each test to allow for minor differences in the difficulty of items included in that particular version. The number of marks needed to secure grade B will therefore vary. However, test-takers awarded grade B (a scale score of 350) will typically have a score of at least 30 marks.
