CELPIP Reading Part 3: Reading for Information
Match statements to the paragraph containing their evidence and recognize information that the passage does not provide.
At a glance
- Typical part time
- 10 minutes · approx.
- Questions
- 9
- Full skill time
- 43–56 minutes
Part timings are approximate. Follow the timer and instructions displayed on your test screen. Listening and Reading each have 38 scored questions; additional unscored material can appear, so attempt every part.
Format reference: official Reading study pack · current test format. Checked 4 October 2026.
What you will do
Four informational paragraphs, usually labelled A–D, with nine statements to match. E represents information not given in the text.
Manage this part’s time
Suggested MockPip routine: 1 minute to map the paragraphs, 8 minutes to match the statements and 1 minute to revisit uncertain choices.
Practice routines are MockPip suggestions, not additional official timing rules.A step-by-step approach
- Give each paragraph a short topic label.
- Read a statement and identify its distinctive claim.
- Locate the paragraph that supports the complete claim.
- Use E only after checking that no paragraph supplies the required information.
Techniques for this part
- Test the full statement: the right topic with the wrong cause, date or comparison is still not a match.
- Distinguish missing information from a statement that is explicitly contradicted; neither becomes true through outside knowledge.
- Reuse paragraph letters when supported. This is not a one-to-one matching exercise.
See the technique in action
Original mini-example: Paragraph B says an invention became cheaper after a new manufacturing method. A statement about reduced cost belongs to B. A statement about its inventor’s salary is E if the passage never discusses that salary.
This example is independently written for practice.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Matching only a repeated keyword.
- Assuming every letter must be used once.
- Choosing E because the same wording does not appear, even though a paraphrase does.
Choose an answer for every question
Wrong answers do not lose points. Eliminate implausible choices, then choose one best answer per question; leave no question blank. This does not mean selecting every option.
Official guidance on guessing and answering all questions →Your next practice exercise
Underline the supporting idea on paper or in your review notes for every A–D answer. For an E answer, explain which specific fact would be needed but is absent.
Before you finish
- Does the whole statement match?
- Have I checked other paragraphs before choosing E?
- Did I allow paragraph letters to repeat?
MockPip’s techniques and practice examples are independently created. MockPip is not affiliated with or endorsed by CELPIP or its test provider. Practice results are not official CELPIP scores.