Written byFizza Butool ZaidiIELTS teacher for 10+ years, PTE for 5Updated 30 October 2026
Reading question types and order
From ielts.org's Academic Reading and General Training Reading format pages. Where ielts.org says nothing about order, the table says so rather than guess.
| Question type | In text order? |
|---|---|
| Multiple choice | Yes |
| Matching sentence endings | Yes, the sentence beginnings follow the text |
| Sentence completion | Yes |
| Short-answer questions | Yes |
| Summary, note, table or flow-chart completion | Not necessarily; usually one part of the text |
| Diagram label completion | Not necessarily; usually one part of the text |
| True/False/Not given, Yes/No/Not given, matching | Not stated by ielts.org |
Flow charts: a special case
An IDP expert notes that flow-chart questions appear in chronological order, but the article may not be arranged the same way, so watch for time references and sequence words (IDP Community).
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Listening is always in order
ielts.org says the Listening questions are in the same order as the information in the recording, so the answer to the first question comes before the answer to the second (ielts.org). IDP calls the idea that the audio is played in random order a myth (IDP).
Frequently asked questions
Are True/False/Not Given answers in order?+
ielts.org's format pages do not say, so do not rely on it.
Do summary completion answers follow the text?+
Not necessarily. ielts.org says they may not, but usually come from one part of the text.
Are IELTS Listening answers in order?+
Yes. ielts.org says the questions follow the order of the recording.
Are short-answer questions in order?+
Yes. ielts.org says the answers come in the same order as the information in the text.
Keep reading
Related
- IELTS Reading test format
- Can you use an answer twice in IELTS Reading matching?
- Summary completion question type
- Free IELTS Reading practice
- All 3112 guides
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