The General Training Reading test lasts 60 minutes and contains 40 questions based on three sections of increasing difficulty, with a total text length of about 2,150–2,750 words. There is no extra transfer time, so you must write your answers on the answer sheet within the hour.

Unlike the Academic test, the texts come from everyday and work-related sources rather than academic journals — notices, advertisements, official company documents, magazines, newspapers and online resources. The three sections are:

Each correct answer is worth one mark, and the score is reported as a band from 1 to 9 in whole or half bands. As a rough guide, aim for about 20 minutes per section, but spend a little less on Section 1 and a little more on Section 3.