Pacing and Your Test-Day Plan

By CELPass Editorial Team · 2 min read · Updated 2026-10-13

Running out of time is one of the main reasons people score below their level in Reading. This lesson sets a pace for each part.

A pace per question

Each part gives you roughly a minute per question, a little more in Parts 2 and 4. If one question has taken two minutes, choose your best answer, note its number and move on. Return to it only if time is left in that part.

Reading time management (full post)

Before the timer ends

With about a minute left in a part, make sure every question has an answer. A guess has a chance of being right; a blank has none.

How to practise

Do every practice part with its real timer.
After each part, review every wrong answer and name the trap type.
Read short opinion articles in English news sites to get used to Part 4 texts.
Take at least one full Reading section in one sitting before the test.

Key points

About a minute per question; move on after two.
Answer every question before a part's timer ends.
Review mistakes by trap type.

Exercise

You have 1 minute left in Part 3 and two statements unanswered. What do you do?

Your decision

Show answers

Choose an answer for both immediately, using your paragraph labels for a best guess, rather than reading the text again.

Practise with free questions

Free questions in the CELPIP format, with answers and no account needed. Try a few now, while the lesson is fresh.

All lessons in this course

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