IELTS Reading: Short-Answer Questions
Short-answer questions test whether you can find specific facts, numbers, names or details in a passage and copy them using the exact word limit given. They check precise reading, not opinion or summary skill.
What this question looks like
You are given a question (often starting with What, Where, How many, Who or When) and told to answer "using NO MORE THAN [one/two/three] WORDS AND/OR A NUMBER" taken from the passage. Questions usually appear in a small group, in the same order as the information in the text, and they focus on concrete details such as names, places, dates, quantities, materials or reasons rather than main ideas. There is no answer bank; you write the words yourself, copying them exactly as spelled in the passage.
Step-by-step approach
- 1Read the instruction line first and note the exact word limit (one word, two words, or two words and a number, etc). Anything over that limit is marked wrong, even if the content is correct.
- 2Underline the key words in the question, especially proper nouns, numbers, dates and any words in bold or capitals, then think of likely synonyms the passage might use instead.
- 3Scan (don't read every word) for the paragraph area where that information should appear, using the fact that short-answer sets follow the text's order to narrow down the search zone quickly.
- 4Read the sentence containing the match carefully and check the grammar of the question, if it asks 'Where', the answer should be a place; if it asks 'How many', the answer should be a number or quantity, so the answer type must fit the question type.
- 5Copy the exact words and spelling from the passage, do not paraphrase, and count your words against the limit before writing your final answer.
- 6Check singular/plural and hyphenation exactly as printed in the text, since IELTS marks these details strictly.
Worked example
Passage extract: "The observatory, built in 1932 on Marlow Hill, originally used a single 40cm telescope. In 2005 the site was upgraded with three new instruments, including an infrared camera donated by a private trust, allowing astronomers to study distant galaxies in far greater detail." Question: What was donated to the observatory by a private trust? (Answer using NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS.)
an infrared camera
The question asks 'what was donated', so the answer must be a thing, not a person or place. Scanning for 'donated' and 'private trust' leads straight to the phrase 'an infrared camera donated by a private trust'. The item donated is 'infrared camera' (the article 'an' is not usually needed but the noun phrase is two words: infrared camera), which fits the two-word limit exactly and is copied with the same spelling as the passage.
Try it yourself
Read the short passage, then choose the correct short answer to the question. Remember: the answer must be copied exactly as it appears in the text.
Passage: "The Bellfield Bridge, completed in 1889, was the first structure in the region to use reinforced concrete rather than cast iron. Engineers chose the material because it resisted the frequent flooding of the river below. A smaller wooden footbridge nearby, built in 1850, was later demolished after storm damage in 1967." Question: Why did engineers choose reinforced concrete for the Bellfield Bridge? (Answer using NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS.)
Common mistakes
- !Writing more words than the stated limit, for example three words when only two are allowed, which makes the answer automatically wrong even if the content is correct.
- !Paraphrasing instead of copying, changing 'reinforced concrete' to 'strong concrete' loses the exact match the examiner needs to see.
- !Ignoring the answer's word type, for example giving a place name when the question asks 'how many', because the question word was not checked carefully.
- !Searching the whole passage randomly instead of using the fact that answers appear in the same order as the questions, wasting valuable time.
- !Misspelling or mis-copying plurals and hyphens from the passage, such as writing 'photo copy' instead of 'photocopy' as printed.
Quick quiz
1. A question asks 'How many workers were employed at the factory in 1990?' and the passage says 'nearly two hundred workers'. What should you write if the limit is ONE WORD AND/OR A NUMBER?
2. Why is it useful to know that short-answer questions follow the order of the passage?
3. The instructions say 'NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS'. Which answer is acceptable?
4. A question asks 'Where was the manuscript discovered?' What type of answer are you looking for?
Practise this in a real IELTS test
Take a free Reading test with expert evaluation and apply the technique under exam conditions.
Take a free Reading testIELTS Reading: Short-Answer Questions — FAQ
Do spelling mistakes count against me in IELTS Reading short-answer questions?
Yes. Since you must copy words exactly as they appear in the passage, any spelling change is marked incorrect. Always copy letter by letter rather than writing from memory, especially for unusual proper nouns or technical terms.
What happens if I write more words than the stated limit?
The answer is marked wrong even if the extra words are relevant, because IELTS strictly enforces the word limit shown in the instructions. If your answer contains a hyphenated word like 'well-known', it usually counts as one word, but always check the specific instruction wording.
Should I use my own words instead of copying from the passage?
No, unlike some other Reading tasks, short-answer questions require you to lift the exact words from the text rather than paraphrase. Using a synonym or rephrasing, even if accurate in meaning, will not match the required answer and will be marked incorrect.