The differences between the Academic and General Training versions of IELTS reading practice tests are crucial for candidates to understand, as they cater to different purposes and requirements:

Purpose and Audience:

Academic: Designed for candidates applying for higher education or professional registration. The texts are more challenging and academic in nature, such as excerpts from textbooks, journals, and newspapers.
General Training: Intended for candidates seeking migration to an English-speaking country for work experience, training programs, or secondary education. The texts are more everyday in nature, such as notices, advertisements, and workplace-related documents.

Question Types:

Academic: Includes a variety of question types, such as multiple-choice, matching headings, and identifying information. It assesses the ability to comprehend, analyze, and infer information from complex academic texts.
General Training: Focuses on practical skills required in everyday contexts, with question types like matching information, true/false/not given, and completing sentences. It assesses the ability to locate and understand specific information in simpler texts.