IELTS Reading Short Answer: Word Count and Answer Format

Quick Answer: In IELTS Reading short answer questions, you must follow the word limit strictly. A word is any group of letters separated by spaces; numbers written as digits (e.g., 25) count as one word; hyphenated words (e.g., well-known) count as one word; and articles (a, an, the) count as separate words unless they are part of a fixed phrase. Always copy the exact words from the passage—do not paraphrase.

Table of Contents

Understanding the Word Limit

Counting Words Correctly: A Detailed Guide

Special Cases: Numbers, Hyphens, and Apostrophes

Band Score Comparison Table

Sample Answers

Common Mistakes

Top Tips

FAQ

Key Takeaways

Understanding the Word Limit

Short answer questions in the IELTS Reading test ask you to answer a question based on the passage, usually with a word limit such as “NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS” or “NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS.” The instruction is always given in capital letters in the test paper.

The purpose of this limit is to test your ability to locate specific information and express it concisely. Many candidates lose points not because they don't understand the passage, but because they ignore the word count rule. Every extra word beyond the limit makes your answer incorrect—even if the meaning is perfectly clear.

The format is straightforward: you write your answer on the answer sheet. Unlike multiple choice or matching headings, you produce your own answer. Therefore, spelling and word count accuracy are critical.

Counting Words Correctly: A Detailed Guide

Let’s break down exactly what counts as “one word” in IELTS.

Type	Counts as	Example
Simple word	1 word	“environment” = 1 word
Article	1 word	“the environment” = 2 words
Preposition	1 word	“in the world” = 3 words
Contraction (e.g., don’t, it’s)	1 word (apostrophe doesn’t split)	“don’t” = 1 word
Hyphenated word	1 word (hyphenated compounds are a single unit)	“well-known” = 1 word
Number as digits	1 word (e.g., 100)	“100 years” = 2 words
Number as words	1 word per number word	“one hundred years” = 3 words
Date (e.g., 2026)	1 word	“in 2026” = 2 words
Measurement (e.g., 5 km)	2 words (5 + km)	“5 km” = 2 words

Key rule: The word count is based on how the answer appears on the page. Spaces separate words. Hyphens, slashes, and apostrophes do not create extra words. Example: If the limit is “NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS,” then “the Australian government” is 3 words (article + adjective + noun). “socio-economic status” is 1 word (hyphenated compound). “the 20th century” is 3 words (article + number + noun).

Special Cases: Numbers, Hyphens, and Apostrophes

Candidates often make mistakes with these edge cases.

Numbers

Digits always count as one word. 100, 5, 2026 – each is one word.

Words for numbers count individually: “one” = 1 word, “twenty” = 1 word, “two hundred” = 2 words.

Mixed forms: “5 million” = 2 words. “five million” = 2 words. Do not write “5 million” then count it as 1 – it’s 2.

Hyphenated Words

Permanent compounds (e.g., part-time, up-to-date, well-known) count as one word.

Temporary hyphenation (e.g., “blue-green algae”) counts as one word if the hyphen joins the two terms in the original passage; otherwise, copy as given.

Apostrophes

Contractions are single words: “don’t” = 1, “it’s” = 1. However, avoid contractions in IELTS – write “do not” instead if space permits.

Possessives: “student’s answer” = 2 words. Apostrophe doesn’t split the word.

Proper Names and Compound Terms

If the passage has a name like “New York City,” that is 3 words, not 1. If the passage uses “New York City” as a proper noun with spaces, it counts as 3. Only hyphenated or closed compounds (e.g., “New York” with no hyphen) count separately.

General rule: Copy exactly as it appears in the passage. Do not add or remove spaces, hyphens, or words.

Band Score Comparison Table

While the IELTS Reading test is marked on a raw score (number of correct answers out of 40), the underlying skills for short answer questions correspond to these band descriptors:

Band	What Examiner Wants
6	Answers are mostly correct but occasionally exceed the word limit or contain minor word count errors (e.g., writing 4 words when limit is 3).
7	Answers are correct and within the word limit. Minor spelling errors may occur but do not affect meaning. Words are taken from the passage, though sometimes unnecessary articles are added.
8	All short answer responses are accurate, within the word limit, and perfectly copied from the text. Any numbers or hyphenated words are handled correctly.
9	Expert-level precision. Every answer is exactly the required words, no extra information, and perfect reproduction of the passage’s phrasing. No errors in word count, spelling, or format.

Note: These bands reflect performance specifically on short answer questions. Your overall Reading band depends on total correct answers.

Sample Answers

Question: What was the main cause of the economic downturn according to the passage? Passage excerpt: “The primary factor behind the recession was the collapse of the housing market.”

Band 7: “collapse of housing market” (3 words – correct limit, but missing “the” before “housing” which is fine if limit is 3. However, original had “the housing market” – missing “the” is acceptable if it doesn’t change meaning, but ideally copy exactly. Band 7 allows minor omission.)

Band 8: “collapse of the housing market” (4 words – if limit is “NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS,” this is wrong. So a Band 8 answer would be: “the housing market collapse” (3 words) or “collapse of housing” (2 words). Examiners would expect exact copy. Better: “the collapse of the housing market” – 5 words, too many. Let’s adjust example.)

Better example: Question: How many species were affected by the oil spill? Passage excerpt: “More than 200 species of birds were impacted.”

Band 7: “200 species” (2 words – correct, but answer could be “More than 200” – 3 words; acceptable. Band 7 may have minor issue like missing “birds” but still correct.)

Band 8: “200 species of birds” (3 words – if limit ≤3, this is exact and complete.)

Band 9: “200 species” (if the question asks “how many” – the answer is just the number, but passage says “More than 200 species”. A Band 9 answer uses the exact phrase “more than 200” or “200 species” depending on the wording of the question. For a direct count, “200” alone might be insufficient. Let’s use a clearer question.)

Revised sample: Question: What did the researchers discover about the ancient tool? Passage: “They found that the stone knife was used for cutting meat.”

Band 7: “stone knife cutting meat” (3 words – missing “used for” but conveys meaning.)

Band 8: “stone knife for cutting meat” (4 words – exceeds 3-word limit. So not Band 8. Better Band 8: “cutting meat” (2 words) if question allows.)

Band 9: “used for cutting meat” (4 words – again too long. Let’s set limit to 2 words for this example.)

Actually, to avoid confusion, I’ll provide a consistent limit example.

Question (limit: NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS): What feature of the new battery increased its capacity? Passage: “The addition of a silicon anode doubled the battery’s storage capacity.”

Band 7: “silicon anode doubled” (2 words – correct, but missing “addition of”. Acceptable.)

Band 8: “silicon anode” (2 words – exact, perfect.)

Band 9: “silicon anode” (identical to Band 8; the difference lies in overall consistency across all questions.)

Common Mistakes

❌Adding extra words – e.g., writing “the government” when limit is 1 word and passage says “government”. The article “the” makes it 2 words → wrong.

❌Using your own words – IELTS requires you to copy exactly from the passage. Paraphrasing changes the wording and may exceed the limit or lose marks.

❌Misunderstanding hyphenated words – e.g., writing “well known” (2 words) instead of “well-known” (1 word) if the passage uses hyphen. This can cause word count error.

❌Counting numbers as words incorrectly – e.g., writing “two hundred” (2 words) when the passage uses “200” (1 word). You must copy the form exactly.

❌Ignoring the word limit instruction – some candidates write too many words thinking “only the first three words will be read”. The examiner marks the entire answer as incorrect if it exceeds the limit.

❌Misspelling – even a minor spelling mistake (e.g., “goverment” instead of “government”) makes the answer wrong.

❌Adding punctuation not in the passage – e.g., writing “factories;” with a semicolon when the passage has no punctuation. Keep it clean.

Top Tips

💡 Always read the word limit before answering. Underline it in the question. If it says “NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS,” plan your answer to have exactly three or fewer.

💡 Practice counting words on scrap paper. Write your answer, then count each space-separated group. Remember: hyphens are one word, digits are one word.

💡 If the question asks for a specific piece of information (e.g., a name, date, number), often the answer is one or two words. Look for the shortest possible correct phrase.

💡 Do not include articles (a, an, the) unless they are essential to meaning and fit within the limit. For example, if the limit is 2 words and the passage says “the river,” you can write “river” if it’s still clear.

💡 Copy the exact spelling and form from the passage. If the passage uses British spelling (e.g., colour, centre), use that. If it uses American spelling, use that. Do not mix.

💡 For answers with numbers, always use digits if that’s what the passage uses. It saves space and avoids ambiguity.

Resources

Check out IELTS Active for practice tests and study materials.

FAQ

Q: If the limit is “NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS,” can I write one word? A: Yes, absolutely. Fewer words are allowed. The limit is a maximum, not a minimum. Q: Does “100” count as one word or three? A: One word. Digits are a single word. “100 million” is two words. Q: What about hyphenated words like “high-quality”? A: They count as one word. You cannot split them into “high quality” because that would be two words and may change the meaning. Q: If the passage has a compound term with a space (like “coffee table”), is it one word or two? A: Two words. Only those with hyphens or no space (e.g., “bedroom”) are one word. Copy spaces as they appear. Q: Is it okay to write “a” or “the” if the passage has them? A: Yes, but only if they fit within the word limit. Many candidates drop articles unnecessarily. If the limit allows, include them for accuracy. Q: What if I copy the answer correctly but exceed the word count? A: Your answer is marked incorrect. That’s why you must check the count before writing.

Key Takeaways

✅Follow the word limit exactly – no exceptions.

✅Know what counts as a word: digits = 1 word; hyphenated = 1 word; articles = separate words.

✅Copy directly from the passage – do not paraphrase or change wording.

✅Check spelling and punctuation – no additions or omissions.

✅Practice with real IELTS passages to build speed and accuracy.

Related Posts:

IELTS Reading: True/False/Not Given – Tips and Tricks

IELTS Reading: Matching Headings – A Step-by-Step Guide

IELTS Reading: Multiple Choice – How to Avoid Traps