IELTS Reading Band 7+ Stuck at 6.5? Start here.

How many correct answers do you need for Band 7 in IELTS Reading?

IELTS lists an average of 30 correct answers out of 40 for Band 7 in Academic Reading, compared with 35 out of 40 in General Training. The precise number varies slightly between test versions. This lesson focuses on Academic Reading.

IELTS official scoring guidance ↗

Use your last practice result to choose a section below. Review why each answer is right or wrong, then check that skill on a different passage.

Why can a good reader get stuck at Band 6.5?

Aydin starts with four habits to examine: trying to understand every word, matching words instead of meaning, missing paraphrases and using the same approach for every question type. The lesson connects reading comprehension with decisions you need to make under time pressure.

As you review a mistake, identify what went wrong. Did you misunderstand the question, miss a change in meaning or choose an answer before checking the evidence? That gives your next practice session a specific focus.

When should you skim, scan and read closely?

In this lesson, skimming gives you the broad idea, scanning helps you locate details, and close reading helps you decide whether the evidence answers the question. Aydin recommends understanding the question before looking through the passage.

Names, places and dates can help you locate a relevant section. Finding a familiar word is the beginning of the check: read the surrounding sentence and compare its meaning with the question.

How do you recognise a paraphrase?

A question may express the same idea with different words. Aydin’s examples include “scientists found” and “researchers discovered”, and “34%” and “just over a third”. Look for the relationship between the ideas, as well as individual synonyms.

His vocabulary routine is to record a word, its meaning in English, its word family and common collocations, then review it weekly. He also discusses choosing reading material you enjoy so that you keep reading beyond practice tests.

What is the difference between False and Not Given?

False means the passage contradicts the statement. Not Given means the passage does not provide the information needed to decide. True means the passage agrees with the statement. Use the information in the passage rather than outside knowledge.

Aydin illustrates the difference with a webinar: knowing who conducted it does not tell you how long it lasted. A statement about its duration would need separate evidence. Watch the examples, then explain why each answer is supported, contradicted or not established by the text.

How should you approach matching information?

Matching information asks you to locate a specific detail in a paragraph. Matching headings asks for the paragraph’s main idea. Aydin recommends trying matching information after other questions so you are already familiar with the passage.

Restate the question in your own words, look for relevant names or other clues, then check the actual detail. Read the instructions carefully to see whether the same paragraph letter can be used more than once.

How can you avoid multiple-choice distractors?

Understand the question first and predict the answer from the passage before comparing the options. Aydin groups the traps into options that are almost right, contradict the text, discuss the right topic but answer the wrong point, or add information the text does not give.

Check the whole option. Familiar vocabulary alone does not establish that it answers the question. When reviewing, identify the detail that rules out each wrong option instead of only checking the correct letter.