IELTS GT Reading Tips (2025): How to Attempt the Last Section Quickly When You’re Short on Time

Many IELTS General Training (GT) candidates struggle with the same issue: they spend too much time on Sections 1 and 2, and by the time they reach Section 3—the longest and most complex passage—they feel rushed, stressed, and unable to answer accurately. This problem is extremely common, especially for those taking the test for the first time. But the good news is that with the right strategy, you can finish Section 3 efficiently, even if you’ve already used up a large portion of your time.

Before diving into advanced techniques, it helps to build familiarity with real GT Reading content. For that, structured practice books are incredibly helpful. One such resource is the GT Reading practice book available on Amazon.ca (https://a.co/d/hv2NHeY), which contains updated passages and realistic difficulty levels. Practicing with such material trains your brain to handle long passages more confidently.

In addition, you can strengthen your overall reading preparation by using our related blogs:

IELTS General Training Reading Canada Guide (2025–26) – for complete overview and preparation structure:
https://ieltstreasure.blogspot.com/2025/11/ielts-general-training-reading-canada.html
How to Match the Correct Statement in IELTS Reading – crucial for handling tricky Section 3 questions:
https://ieltstreasure.blogspot.com/2025/11/ielts-reading-tips-how-to-match-correct.html
GT Reading Time Management Guide – teaches you how to avoid losing time early in the test:
https://ieltstreasure.blogspot.com/2025/11/ielts-gt-reading-time-management-finish.html

These resources work together to help you approach Section 3 with confidence and strategy.

Why Section 3 Feels Difficult

Section 3 of the IELTS GT Reading test is usually:

the longest passage in the test
the most concept-heavy
the most vocabulary-dense
the section with more inference-based questions
the part where time pressure becomes severe

Most candidates use 35–40 minutes on the first two sections, leaving only 20–25 minutes (sometimes less) for the final one. Since Section 3 alone can contain 12–14 questions, finishing it quickly requires smart reading—not more reading.

How to Attempt Section 3 Quickly When Time Is Running Out

Below are proven strategies to help you finish the last section even if you are short on time.

1. Don’t Read the Entire Passage — Read with a Purpose

Section 3 is often too long to read word-for-word under time pressure. Instead:

Start by reading the questions first, not the passage.
While reading the questions, underline keywords or topic indicators.
This gives your brain a roadmap of what to look for.

By knowing what the questions want, your scanning becomes faster and more targeted.

This approach is especially useful for question types like:

Matching information
True/False/Not Given
Sentence completion
Short-answer questions

Practicing this technique using the Amazon.ca book (https://a.co/d/hv2NHeY) helps you master purposeful reading.

2. Divide Section 3 Mentally Into Mini-Sections

When under time pressure, the passage looks overwhelming. Break it into manageable chunks.

Most academic-style passages naturally follow paragraph themes. Approach it like this:

Read only the first line of each paragraph.
This gives you the topic or idea instantly.
When answering questions, revisit the paragraph that matches the topic.

This trick alone can save 4–6 minutes.

3. Answer the Easiest Question Types First

If you’re short on time, do not attempt the hardest question types first.

The typical difficulty order:

Sentence completion / fill in the blanks – easiest
Short answers – moderately easy
True/False/Not Given – moderately tricky
Matching statements – most time-consuming

Always start with the easiest and highest-accuracy questions first. Leave matching or inference-heavy questions for the end.

To learn matching strategies more deeply, read our guide:
https://ieltstreasure.blogspot.com/2025/11/ielts-reading-tips-how-to-match-correct.html

4. Use Keyword Transformation to Find Answers Faster

IELTS rarely repeats exact words from the passage. Section 3 especially uses heavy paraphrasing.

Train yourself to look for:

synonyms
parallel expressions
rephrased ideas
cause–effect language
contrasting markers

Example:
Question: “What benefit does the program provide to employees?”
Passage: “The initiative offers staff members improved work–life balance.”
Here, benefit = improved work–life balance.

Vocabulary mastery helps you decode these transformations faster. Practicing with the GT book link (https://a.co/d/hv2NHeY) improves your ability to recognize paraphrasing under pressure.

5. For Matching Questions, Use Elimination First

When dealing with 6–8 confusing options:

Don’t search for the right answer immediately
Instead, remove clearly incorrect ones first
Then match remaining options with relevant paragraphs

This reduces cognitive load and saves time.

Our matching-strategy blog explains this technique in detail:
https://ieltstreasure.blogspot.com/2025/11/ielts-reading-tips-how-to-match-correct.html

6. Don’t Get Stuck on a Single Question — Skip and Return

This is the biggest time-saving rule for Section 3.

If you cannot find an answer within 45 seconds, move on.

Why?

Most questions are independent
Spending 3 minutes on one question reduces your total score
You can answer 3–4 other questions in the same time

Skimming back later often helps you see the answer more clearly.

7. Use the “Paragraph Prediction Method”

Before searching for answers, predict which paragraph may contain the answer.
This works especially well for:

matching headings
matching information
detail-based questions

For example, if a question mentions:

“effects over time”
“historical change”

You should go straight to the paragraph that discusses timelines or development.

This targeted searching saves several minutes in Section 3.

8. If You Have Only 10–12 Minutes Left — Use the Emergency Strategy

This is a rescue plan for candidates who used too much time on Sections 1 and 2.

Follow this order:

Answer all fill-in-the-blanks and direct answers first (fastest)
Do True/False/Not Given next — they follow passage order
Leave matching questions for last — answer by eliminating obvious mismatches

This structure prevents panic and ensures you collect maximum points in minimum time.

9. Train Speed Reading Before the Exam

Section 3 requires handling large paragraphs very quickly.
Use drills such as:

reading headlines and summarizing them mentally
timing your reading of short articles
practicing skimming techniques

The book linked on Amazon.ca (https://a.co/d/hv2NHeY) contains long passages ideal for practicing real-time speed and stamina.

10. Review Time Management Rules

Many candidates lose time early in the test. Avoid this by reviewing our GT Reading Time Management guide:
https://ieltstreasure.blogspot.com/2025/11/ielts-gt-reading-time-management-finish.html

If you follow its methods, you won’t waste unnecessary minutes in Section 1 and 2—giving you more time for Section 3.

Conclusion

Section 3 of the IELTS GT Reading test may seem intimidating, especially when you reach it with limited time. However, with the right system—reading questions first, scanning with purpose, prioritizing easy questions, eliminating wrong options, predicting paragraphs, and using emergency strategies—you can still perform extremely well.

Combine these techniques with structured practice from the GT Reading book (https://a.co/d/hv2NHeY) and reinforce your skills using the three supporting blog guides listed throughout this article. With careful preparation and strategic reading, you can finish Section 3 quickly, confidently, and with high accuracy—even when time is running out.

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IELTS GT Reading Tips 2025 | Finish Section 3 Quickly When Short on Time