Going from 6.0 to 7.0 in IELTS Academic Reading means 30 correct answers out of 40 instead of 23 - just 7 more (average thresholds from ielts.org). Those 7 marks rarely come from new knowledge. They come from places where you already lose marks: spelling and word limits, an unfinished third passage, confusing Not Given with False. Below: where the marks come from, how to keep the 60 minutes under control, and a weekly practice routine. A method for each question type is in a separate article: /en/articles/ielts-reading-question-types.
The gap between 6.0 and 7.0: seven correct answers
ielts.org, “IELTS scoring in detail”: each correct answer is 1 mark, and the score out of 40 is converted to the 9-band scale. The exact threshold varies slightly between test versions; the averages are:
| Band | Academic (out of 40) | General Training (out of 40) |
|---|---|---|
| 5 | 15 | 23 |
| 6 | 23 | 30 |
| 7 | 30 | 35 |
| 8 | 35 | - |
- Academic, 6.0 to 7.0: +7 correct answers (23 → 30). Across three passages that is 2-3 per passage.
- General Training: +5 correct (30 → 35), but less room for error - only 5 out of 40.
- Marks are only given for correct answers, and a blank is still 0. Even when time is running out, answer every question.
Where the 7 marks come from: count your errors
Take your last 2-3 full Reading tests and write one reason next to each error. Around 6.0, most marks go for these four reasons:
| Reason | How to spot it | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Word limit and spelling | Right idea, no mark | Copy the answer from the text letter by letter; going over the limit loses the mark, and a hyphenated word (“check-in”) counts as one |
| Ran out of time | The last questions of passage 3 are blank or guessed | The checkpoints in the next section |
| Not Given vs False | The text has a similar word but not this exact claim | Search the text for the claim in the question, not the word |
| Missed paraphrase | The answer was in the text but you could not find it | After each test, write down 10 pairs of “word in the question - word in the text” |
60 minutes: three checkpoints
Academic Reading is 60 minutes, 3 passages totalling 2,150-2,750 words, 40 questions. In the paper test, writing your answers on the answer sheet also happens inside those 60 minutes.
Instead of a rigid number of minutes per passage, remember three moments to check the clock:
- Minute 20: passage 1 is done. If you are behind, guess the remaining questions and move to passage 2.
- Minute 40: passage 2 is done. Passage 3 should get a full 20 minutes: ielts.org says at least one text contains detailed logical argument, and that takes time.
- Minute 55: does every question have an answer? Guess the blanks and, on paper, check that everything is on the answer sheet.
- If one question takes more than 2 minutes, mark it and come back at the end.
- In practice, note where you are at each checkpoint: after 3-4 tests you will see which passage eats your time.
A weekly routine (20-60 minutes a day)
The Friday task trains a skill ielts.org names directly: telling the main idea of a paragraph from the supporting ideas. Do not redo old tests: you remember the answers and the score comes out inflated.
| Day | Task | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | One passage, timed (20 minutes) + error review | 40 minutes |
| Tuesday | Paraphrase pairs and new words from Monday’s passage, then review them | 30 minutes |
| Wednesday | Two sets of your weakest question type | 40 minutes |
| Thursday | A new passage, timed + review | 40 minutes |
| Friday | A popular-science article outside the test: one line of summary per paragraph | 30 minutes |
| Saturday | A full Reading test, 60 minutes, with the three checkpoints | 60 minutes |
| Sunday | Count the week’s errors by reason and set one goal for next week | 20 minutes |
Tracking progress and practising on Trylab
- Every Saturday write down three things: total correct, correct per passage, and the number of errors for each of the four reasons.
- If one reason does not shrink for two weeks running, give it the next Wednesday.
- 30 or more correct on 2-3 new tests in a row is a sign you have reached 7.0 in Academic (the threshold varies slightly by test).
- On Trylab, /en/ielts/reading has Reading tests in the real format: an instant band score, an explanation for every question, and missed questions saved to your mistake notebook.
- The free plan gives 1 mock and 2 section tests a month plus 10 questions a day; you sign in through the Telegram bot. Work out your overall band with /en/ielts/band-calculator.
Frequently asked questions
- How many correct answers does Reading band 7 need? About 30 in Academic and 35 in General Training, out of 40.
- What about 6.5? ielts.org only gives averages for bands 5, 6, 7 and 8; in Academic, 6.5 falls between 23 and 30 correct.
- How long does it take to reach 7.0? It differs for everyone. After 3-4 weeks, recount your errors by reason and adjust the plan.
- Is reading books enough? It helps, but alongside tests: Reading also checks speed and finding the exact place of the answer.
