The IELTS Academic Reading test gives you 60 minutes to answer 40 questions across 3 passages. That sounds like a lot of time, but many students run out before finishing the last passage. Here is a simple way to manage your time so that never happens to you.
Divide your time evenly first. A safe starting point is about 20 minutes per passage. Passage 1 is usually the easiest, so if you finish it in 15 minutes, you can carry those extra 5 minutes forward to a harder passage later. Passage 3 is usually the hardest, so it is fine if it takes you a little longer than 20 minutes, as long as you have banked extra time earlier.
Do not get stuck on one question. If a question is taking too long, mark your best guess and move on. You can come back to it at the end if you have time left. Losing 5 minutes on one difficult question can cost you several easy questions later in the same passage.
Read the questions before the passage. Skim the questions first so you know what information to look for. This turns your reading into a focused search instead of trying to understand and remember everything in the passage.
Do not read every word. You do not need to understand 100% of the passage to answer the questions correctly. Focus on finding the specific information each question asks for. Skimming and scanning (covered in a separate article) are the two main skills that save time here.
Leave no question blank. There is no penalty for wrong answers in IELTS, so never leave a question empty. If you are truly unsure, make an educated guess based on the passage before time runs out.
Practice under real time pressure. The biggest reason students struggle with timing on exam day is that they practiced without a timer. Use Readlify's Full Mock Test feature to practice with a real 60-minute countdown, so the real exam feels familiar instead of stressful.