LanguageCert General Reading
In short
LanguageCert General Reading is 30 questions in 50 minutes, in five parts (1a, 1b, 2, 3 and 4), using everyday, official and work texts of up to 550 words. It's marked by computer and reported on LanguageCert's 0–100 scale, from A2 to C1.
LanguageCert General is the version of the exam for work, migration and everyday life. Taken at a UKVI-approved centre it becomes General SELT, used for UK work routes such as Skilled Worker. The Reading texts are the kind you meet outside a classroom: consumer advice, workplace notices, reviews, articles of general interest.
The question types match Academic, but the texts are shorter and there are fewer options to choose from. The challenge is reading for exact meaning: options are written to look right at a glance.
Format, part by part
50 minutes for 30 questions. You decide how to divide the time between parts.
Part 1a: Word in context (6 questions)
Six sentences of 15–30 words using vocabulary from official, work or study situations. You choose which of four options could replace the highlighted word without changing the meaning.
How to approach it: Put each option into the sentence and read it again. The right word fits the situation, not just the dictionary.
Part 1b: Gapped text (5 questions)
A 140–160 word text with five gaps and three options for each.
How to approach it: All three options are the same part of speech, so grammar won't help. Decide on meaning and collocation: we 'make a complaint', not 'do' one.
Part 2: Missing sentences (6 questions)
A 350–450 word text that tells a story, follows a sequence or builds an argument, with six sentences removed. You choose from seven, so one is spare.
How to approach it: Follow the line of the text. In a narrative, check time words ('later', 'by then'); in an argument, check linkers. Make sure pronouns match: if the sentence starts with 'She', the sentence before must be about her.
Part 3: Four short texts (7 questions)
Four texts of 100–140 words each, such as reviews or short articles on a shared topic but with different purposes. You match each question to text A, B, C or D.
How to approach it: Underline the key idea in each question first. Several texts will mention the same thing; only one will match the exact point, such as a recommendation or a complaint.
Part 4: Long text, multiple choice (6 questions)
A 450–550 word text of general interest with six questions and three options each, including at least one about meaning that's implied rather than stated.
How to approach it: Find the part of the text the question refers to (they're in order), then compare meanings. The right option usually paraphrases the text.
How it differs from LanguageCert Academic Reading
- Texts are shorter throughout. Part 4 is 450–550 words here against 650–750 in Academic.
- Fewer options: seven sentences for six gaps in Part 2 (one spare) and three options per question in Part 4.
- Vocabulary comes from everyday, official and work situations rather than academic writing.
- General reports A2 to C1. A score of 75 or more is shown as C1, so General can't certify C2.
Taking the other one? Read the LanguageCert Academic Reading guide
How it’s scored
Reading is marked by computer. Each answer is right or wrong, and your 30 marks are converted to the 0–100 Global Scale.
One mark per question
30 questions, 30 raw marks. Wrong answers cost nothing.
CEFR A2 to C1
20–39 is A2, 40–59 B1, 60–74 B2, and 75 or above C1.
Certificates from 40
A2 is reported on your test report, but a certificate needs an overall score of 40 or above.
A quarter of your result
Your overall score is the average of the four skills.
For a UK work visa you need the level in every skill. Skilled Worker needs B2, which is 60 in Reading as well as in the other three.
Worked example: Part 2
Our own short text in the Part 2 style, with one gap and three candidate sentences instead of seven.
The task
When Maria moved to Leeds, she assumed finding a flat would take a week. [GAP] By the end of the month she had seen fourteen flats and been offered none. Which sentence fills the gap? A) It took much longer than that. B) Leeds has a large student population. C) She was offered the first flat she saw.
Answer
A) It took much longer than that.
Why
- 'That' points back to 'a week', and 'much longer' prepares for 'by the end of the month'. The sentence links to both sides of the gap.
- B is on topic and might even explain the problem, but nothing before or after the gap refers to students. It breaks the line of the story.
- C contradicts the next sentence ('been offered none'). Checking the sentence after the gap rules it out at once.
Common mistakes that cost marks
Choosing a near-synonym in Part 1a
Every option is close in meaning. Only one works in that sentence, so read it back with your choice in place.
Using grammar to answer Part 1b
All three options are the same part of speech. Meaning and collocation decide the answer.
Ignoring pronouns in Part 2
LanguageCert's tips say to check the subject of each sentence you insert. If it starts with a pronoun, the sentence before must match it.
Expecting copied words in Part 4
Answers rarely lift words from the text. Look for paraphrases and synonyms.
Getting stuck on one unknown word
If a word doesn't stop you understanding the main point, skip it. Time spent on it comes out of Parts 3 and 4.
On the day
- Taken on computer at a test centre. As General SELT, it must be a UKVI-approved centre.
- Reading, Listening and Writing are taken together; Speaking can be the same day or within 14 days.
- Official results arrive in 5 working days.
- General isn't accepted for Australian visas. Use LanguageCert Academic for those.
Try a practice task
A real practice task in the exam’s format. Sign up to answer the questions and see them marked instantly.
The four-day week, five years on
Read the text below and answer the questions. For each question, choose the correct option (a, b or c).
FAQ
How long is LanguageCert General Reading?
50 minutes for 30 questions in five parts: 1a, 1b, 2, 3 and 4.
What kind of texts are in LanguageCert General Reading?
Everyday, official and work texts: consumer advice, reviews, notices and articles of general interest, up to 550 words.
What Reading score do I need for a Skilled Worker visa?
B2, which is 60 or above on LanguageCert's scale, and you need it in all four skills.
Can I get C2 in LanguageCert General?
No. General reports up to C1: any score of 75 or above is shown as C1. For C2 you need LanguageCert Academic.
Is wrong-answer guessing penalised?
No. Every question is worth one mark and wrong answers cost nothing, so answer all 30.
Related guides
Practise LanguageCert General Reading
One full practice test free, marked instantly. A plan opens every test, and Reading and Listening never use credits.
Sources
Checked against LanguageCert’s own handbooks and exam pages in October 2026.