IELTS has four parts: Reading, Listening, Writing and Speaking. The Reading test checks if you can understand a passage, find specific details and follow how ideas build from one paragraph to the next.
The Origin of Writing is a good passage to practise on. It explains how writing began, the three basic types of writing systems, and how Sumerian cuneiform grew from simple record keeping into a full script. The ideas come one after another, so it’s easy to lose track of which step is which.
This page gives you a practice version of that passage, 14 questions and the full origin of writing reading answers with explanations. The passage is reworded and the questions are original, so they won’t match a published paper word for word.
Here’s the official answer key for your reference:
Question Number
The Origin of Writing Reading Answers
1
Word
2
Syllable
3
Single sound
4
TRUE
5
FALSE
6
NOT GIVEN
7
TRUE
8
FALSE
9
TRUE
10
NOT GIVEN
11
C – Semites
12
B – Native Americans
13
E – Sumerians
14
A – Egyptians
These are the answers for The Origin of Writing. You can now attempt the practice test below and then check your answers with the explanations to understand how each response is supported by the passage.
The Origin of Writing IELTS Reading Passage for Practice
When did people first put spoken words into signs on a surface? And how did a few marks for counting sheep turn into a way to write myths and laws? The Origin of WritingIELTS Reading test passage follows that story, from clay tablets in Sumer to the first alphabets.
Read it carefully, then answer the questions. Aim to finish in about 20 minutes.
The Origin of Writing
A Writing first appeared in Sumer, in ancient Mesopotamia, before 3000 BC. It seems to have been invented again, separately, in Mesoamerica before 600 BC, and probably in China before 1300 BC. Egypt is a harder case. Scribes there may have created writing on their own around 3000 BC. But the country sits close to Mesopotamia, so the idea may simply have travelled.
B Writing systems fall into three basic kinds, depending on what each sign stands for. A sign can stand for a whole word, a syllable or a single sound. Systems built on word signs are called logographic. Early scripts such as Sumerian cuneiform, Egyptian hieroglyphs and Mayan glyphs worked mostly this way, and so do Chinese characters, which Japanese also uses. In a syllabic system, each sign is a syllable. These were more common in the ancient world than they are now. Linear A and Linear B, from Minoan Crete and Mycenaean Greece, are examples. Alphabets, where each letter stands for one sound, are the most common type today. But no script is purely one kind. Most borrow something from the others.
C Full writing grew out of simpler ways of keeping records. People cut notches in tally sticks to count sheep or note a debt. Knotted strings were used in the Pacific rim region, and the Inca quipu was the most developed form. Quipus recorded tribute payments and trade, and a trained group of makers and readers ran the whole system. Pictures were also used to communicate, for example by some Native American peoples and by the Ashanti and Ewe in Africa. Pictures can show qualities that sticks and knots cannot. Even so, they are not writing, because they have no fixed link to a spoken language.
D Another theory says that writing in Mesopotamia began with tokens. Each token stood for an object such as a sheep, and tokens were sealed inside containers. Marks on the outside showed how many tokens there were and of what kind. These marks stood directly for the tokens and, indirectly, for the animals. Some of them look the same as the earliest Sumerian pictograms. But cuneiform had about 1,500 signs, and the container marks can explain the origin of only a few of them.
E The earliest Sumerian writing recorded the numbers of sheep, goats and cattle, and amounts of grain. Scribes pressed a reed stylus into soft clay tablets, and thousands of them have been found in the city of Uruk. At first the signs were pictures of the things counted. Over time they became abstract, made of straight lines shaped like wedges.
F In its early form, cuneiform was really an accounting system. A tablet might show a picture of a sheep and a number, so it simply meant “ten sheep”. That isn’t a complete writing system. To get one, the signs had to go through phoneticisation. This happens when a sign stops standing for an object and starts standing for a spoken sound, which in early cuneiform was a whole word. It became easier as the signs grew more abstract. Still, the words were mostly for things, like sheep, bird or pot. Ideas such as father, running, speech or foreigner couldn’t be written yet.
G The fix is known as the rebus principle. A word that sounds like an abstract word can stand in for it. The sign for “eye” could be used for “I”, and the sign for “deer” for “dear”. An extra sign shows which word is meant. This way, pictures began to stand for the sound of a word and not only its meaning. The principle was used in Sumer, Egypt, China, and in Aztec and Mayan writing. It turned cuneiform into a logo-syllabic script, with both word signs and syllable signs. That change mattered a lot. Word signs alone can handle nouns, numbers, names and adjectives, but not normal prose. Most early Sumerian writing was bureaucratic, listing goods received or handed out. Only after syllable signs came in could people write myths and royal propaganda.
H The next big step was the alphabet. It grew out of Egyptian hieroglyphs, which included 24 signs for consonants. Around 1700 BC, Semites who knew hieroglyphs changed the system. They put the letters in a fixed order and gave them simple names, which made them easier to learn and remember. They dropped the word signs and kept only the consonant signs. Vowel signs were added later. Alphabets spread across most of the world because they are both simple and flexible.
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The Origin of Writing Reading Practice Questions
Now test yourself. The questions ask you to fill gaps in a summary, decide if statements agree with the passage, and match features to the right writing system.
Watch out for paraphrasing. The questions rarely use the same words as the passage.
Questions 1–3: Summary Completion
Complete the summary below.
Choose NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS from the passage for each answer.
Write your answers in boxes 1–3.
The First Sumerian Writing
The earliest Sumerian writing was a record of livestock and amounts of 1 ______. Scribes made the marks on clay tablets using a 2 ______, and thousands of these tablets have been found in Uruk. At first the signs were pictures, but they later became abstract and were made of straight lines that looked like 3 ______.
Questions 4–10: True, False, Not Given
Do the following statements agree with the information given in the passage?
Write
TRUE if the statement agrees with the information FALSE if the statement contradicts the information NOT GIVEN if there is no information on this
Writing was invented only once in human history.
Writing in Egypt may have been influenced by its neighbour, Mesopotamia.
Syllabic systems are more widely used today than they were in the ancient world.
Quipus were managed by people who had been specially trained.
The Inca used quipus to record poetry.
Pictures can be considered a complete form of writing.
Cuneiform was in use in Mesopotamia for over 3,000 years.
Questions 11–14: Matching Features
Look at the following statements and the list of writing systems below.
Match each statement with the correct writing system, A–E.
Write the correct letter A–E in boxes 11–14.
Note: You may use any letter more than once.
It was run by a specially trained group of makers and readers.
It had 24 signs for consonants.
It is an example of a syllabic system from Crete and Greece.
It began as a record of livestock and grain.
List of Writing Systems
A. Sumerian cuneiform B. Inca quipus C. Egyptian hieroglyphs D. Linear A and Linear B E. The early Semitic alphabet
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The Origin of Writing Reading Answers with Explanation
Done with the questions? Use the origin of writing reading answers with location below to check each response. You’ll see where each answer sits in the passage, and where the common traps are.
Answers 1–3: Summary Completion
Answer 1: grain Paragraph E says early Sumerian writing recorded sheep, goats and cattle, plus amounts of grain. The summary has the same list, so the last item is missing. One word, so it fits the limit. Answer location: Paragraph E, sentence 1
Answer 2: reed stylus The same paragraph says scribes pressed a reed stylus into soft clay. Write both words. “Stylus” alone would be too little, because the passage tells you what kind it was. Answer location: Paragraph E, sentence 2
Answer 3: wedges By the end of Paragraph E, the signs are made of straight lines shaped like wedges. The summary says “looked like ______”, so the plural noun fits. Copy the word as it appears. Answer location: Paragraph E, last sentence
Answers 4–10: True, False, Not Given
Answer 4: False Paragraph A says writing seems to have been invented again in Mesoamerica and probably in China, separately from Sumer. So it wasn’t invented only once. The statement says the opposite. Answer location: Paragraph A, sentence 2
Answer 5: True Paragraph A says the idea may have travelled to Egypt because the country is close to Mesopotamia. “May have been influenced” is the question’s way of saying that. Notice the careful word “may”. The statement doesn’t claim more than the passage does. Answer location: Paragraph A, last two sentences
Answer 6: False Paragraph B says syllabic systems were more common in the ancient world than they are now, and that alphabets are the most common today. The statement reverses this. Answer location: Paragraph B, sentences 6 and 7
Answer 7: True Paragraph C says a trained group of makers and readers ran the quipu system. “Specially trained” in the question matches “trained group”. Same idea, different words. Answer location: Paragraph C, sentence 4
Answer 8: Not Given Paragraph C says quipus recorded tribute payments and trade. It never mentions poetry. The topic of quipus is right, but the detail isn’t in the passage, so you can’t say True or False. Answer location: Paragraph C, no information on this
Answer 9: False Paragraph C says pictures can show things that sticks and knots can’t, but they are not writing, because they have no fixed link to spoken language. So pictures aren’t a complete form of writing. Answer location: Paragraph C, last sentence
Answer 10: Not Given The passage says cuneiform was the first written language and describes how it developed. It never says how long it stayed in use. Don’t use your own general knowledge here, because the question asks only what the passage says. Answer location: Paragraphs E to G, no information on this
Answers 11–14: Matching Features
Answer 11: B The trained makers and readers belong to the Inca quipu system in Paragraph C. Don’t pick cuneiform, even though scribes are mentioned in other paragraphs. The passage only talks about a trained group in connection with quipus. Answer location: Paragraph C
Answer 12: C Paragraph H says Egyptian hieroglyphs included 24 signs for consonants. Option E is a trap. The Semites kept those consonant signs, but the number 24 is linked to the hieroglyphs. Answer location: Paragraph H, sentence 2
Answer 13: D Paragraph B names Linear A and Linear B, from Minoan Crete and Mycenaean Greece, as examples of syllabic systems. “Crete and Greece” in the question points straight to them. Answer location: Paragraph B, sentences 6 to 8
Answer 14: A Paragraph E says the earliest Sumerian writing recorded livestock and grain. Paragraph F adds that it started as an accounting system. So the answer is cuneiform. Answer location: Paragraph E, sentence 1
How to Approach The Origin of Writing IELTS Reading Questions?
This passage is full of terms and dates, so it can feel heavy. The trick is not to read everything twice. Work out what each question wants, find the right paragraph, and then read that part carefully.
Here are a few simple ways to approach the origin of writing IELTS reading answers:
1. Identify Keywords and Their Synonyms
Underline the main words in the question and think of other words with the same meaning. The passage usually uses those.
In the question
In the passage
specially trained
a trained group
managed
ran the whole system
livestock
sheep, goats and cattle
may have been influenced
the idea may simply have travelled
So don’t search for the exact words. Search for the idea.
2. Understand the Difference Between False and Not Given
This is where most people lose marks in this passage. If the passage says the opposite, the answer is False. If it says nothing about it, the answer is Not Given.
Take Question 6 and Question 8. In Question 6, the passage clearly says the opposite, so it’s False. In Question 8, the passage never mentions poetry, so it’s Not Given. Ask yourself one thing: “Can I point to a sentence that contradicts the statement?” If yes, False. If you can’t find anything either way, Not Given.
Also watch out for words like “all”, “only”, “most” and “definitely”. They often change the answer.
3. Use the Passage to Complete Summary Questions
Find the part of the passage the summary covers. Here, the summary follows Paragraph E in the same order. So the gaps appear in the same order as the information.
Read the words before and after each gap. They tell you what kind of word is missing, like a noun or a plural. And check the word limit. If it says NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS, you can write one or two. Copy the words exactly, and don’t change them.
4. Match Historical Groups with the Correct Information
For matching features, make a quick note of each option before you start. For example: A is cuneiform (Sumer, clay), B is quipus (Inca, strings), C is hieroglyphs (Egypt), D is Linear A and B (Crete, Greece), E is the Semitic alphabet.
Then read each statement and link it to a name, a place or a material. “Crete and Greece” points to D. “Trained group” points to B. A feature can belong to more than one system in real life, so check which one the passage actually connects it to. Letters can be used more than once, so don’t reject an answer because you’ve used it already.
5. Manage Your Time and Check Your Answers
Spend about 20 minutes on one passage. Don’t get stuck on one question. Mark it, move on and come back.
When you finish, check each answer against the sentence in the passage. Did you pick the right paragraph? Did you copy the word correctly? Small slips, like a missing plural or an extra word, can lose you a mark you had already earned.
Looking for more IELTS Reading practice? Read these answer guides to practise different passage topics and question types:
The Origin of Writing takes you from tally sticks and knotted strings to cuneiform, the rebus principle and the first alphabets. The ideas are not hard, but each paragraph adds one more step, so it’s easy to mix them up. Short signposts, like names, places and dates, help you stay on track.
When you check the origin of writing reading answers, don’t only look at what you got wrong. Look at how you got there. Did you mix up False and Not Given? Did you miss a paraphrase? Spotting that is what improves your score. For more practice, try a few more The Origin of Writing IELTS reading answers sets, and time yourself each time.
What is The Origin of Writing IELTS Reading passage about?
It’s about how writing began. The passage covers the three basic types of writing systems, how Sumerian cuneiform grew from simple records into a full script, and the first alphabets. The origin of writing IELTS reading answers depend on following that order.
How can I use The Origin of Writing reading answers for practice?
Attempt the whole set first, with a timer running. Then check your answers using the explanations and answer locations. Don’t look at the key halfway through. Use the origin of ancient writing reading answers to learn, not only to score.
What question types are in this practice set?
Summary Completion, True/False/Not Given and Matching Features. Each type needs its own approach, so read the instructions before you begin. The official test for this passage uses the same three types, which is why this practice set follows that pattern.
Is this the official The Origin of Writing IELTS reading test?
No. The passage is a reworded practice version and the questions are new, so they won’t match the official paper. The Origin of Writing IELTS reading answers for the real test are in the key at the top of the page.
How long should I spend on this passage?
About 20 minutes. The full IELTS Reading test gives you 60 minutes for three passages and 40 questions, and there’s no extra time to copy answers over. Practise with a timer, so the pace feels normal on test day.
What’s the difference between False and Not Given?
False means the passage says the opposite of the statement. Not Given means it doesn’t mention the point at all. In Question 8, the passage never talks about poetry, so it’s Not Given. This is where most marks are lost.
How do I complete summary questions in this passage?
Find the part of the passage the summary covers. The gaps follow the same order as the information, so move down the paragraph as you fill them in. Read the words around each gap, and stick to the word limit.
Can the same letter be used more than once in matching features?
Yes, if the instructions say so, and they do in this set. Look at the note under the question each time, because some tasks allow each letter only once. Never rule out an answer just because you’ve already used it.
How do I find The Origin of Writing reading answers with location faster?
Use names, places and numbers as landmarks, such as Uruk, the Inca, 24 signs or 1700 BC. Find the clue, then read the whole sentence around it. A short label for each paragraph helps too. That keeps you from rereading.
What should I do after getting an answer wrong?
Go back to the passage and find the sentence behind the right answer. Ask why you missed it. Was it a paraphrase, or False versus Not Given? Write it down, then recheck the origin of writing reading answers a week later.
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