The Psychology of Habit Formation: Reading Answers & Explanations
IELTS Reading practice test · 12 questionsAcademicmedium
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About this passage
The passage opens: “A habit is a behaviour that has become so routine that it is performed with little conscious thought. Brushing one's teeth in the morning, reaching for a phone when a notification sounds, or taking the same route to work each day are all examples of actions that begin as deliberate choices but eventually run almost…”
- Passage length: about 880 words
- Questions: 12
- Question types: True / False / Not Given, Multiple Choice, Short Answer
“The Psychology of Habit Formation” is an original IELTS-style practice passage written by IELTS-Bank. It is not taken from an official IELTS or Cambridge test, so these answers only apply to our version.
Answer key at a glance
The Psychology of Habit Formation answers with explanations
Questions 1–5: True / False / Not Given
Do the following statements agree with the information given in the passage? Write TRUE, FALSE or NOT GIVEN.
- 1
A habit sits somewhere between a fully deliberate action and an automatic reflex.
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Answer: TRUE
Why: This sentence confirms the statement, so the answer is TRUE.
Evidence · Paragraph 1 “Psychologists are interested in habits precisely because they occupy this middle ground between fully intentional behaviour and pure reflex.”
- 2
As a behaviour is repeated, it generally requires more mental effort to perform.
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Answer: FALSE
Why: This sentence directly contradicts the statement, so the answer is FALSE.
Evidence · Paragraph 3 “As a behaviour is repeated, the mental effort required to carry it out tends to decline.”
- 3
The claim that habits form in exactly twenty-one days is well supported by research.
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Answer: FALSE
Why: This sentence directly contradicts the statement, so the answer is FALSE.
Evidence · Paragraph 4 “The evidence does not support such a precise rule.”
- 4
Moving to a new home can cause established habits to become weaker.
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Answer: TRUE
Why: This sentence confirms the statement, so the answer is TRUE.
Evidence · Paragraph 5 “People who move house, start a new job or travel often find that established habits weaken, simply because the familiar triggers are absent.”
- 5
Children form habits more quickly than adults do.
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Answer: NOT GIVEN
Why: The statement claims that children form habits more quickly than adults, but the passage never confirms or denies this, as it only discusses the variability in the time it takes individuals to form habits.
Question 6: Multiple Choice
Choose the correct letter, A, B, C or D.
- A. the trigger that prompts a behaviour to begin
- B. the benefit the brain associates with the behaviour
- C. the region of the brain that stores routines
- D. the effort required to plan a new action
- 6
According to the passage, the reward in the habit cycle is best described as
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Answer: B — the benefit the brain associates with the behaviour
Why: This is the part of the passage that supports B — the benefit the brain associates with the behaviour.
Evidence · Paragraph 2 “The reward is the benefit the brain associates with the behaviour, which may be as simple as a pleasant taste, a feeling of relief, or a small sense of accomplishment.”
Question 7: Multiple Choice
Choose the correct letter, A, B, C or D.
- A. a behaviour requires careful planning each time
- B. the reward becomes too small to notice
- C. an unwanted habit keeps running despite a wish to stop
- D. the cue is removed from the environment
- 7
The efficiency that habits bring is described as a problem when
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Answer: C — an unwanted habit keeps running despite a wish to stop
Why: This is the part of the passage that supports C — an unwanted habit keeps running despite a wish to stop.
Evidence · Paragraph 3 “The same efficiency, however, is what makes unwanted habits so persistent, since they continue to operate even when a person consciously wishes to stop.”
Question 8: Multiple Choice
Choose the correct letter, A, B, C or D.
- A. suppressing the behaviour through willpower alone
- B. keeping the cue and reward but changing the routine
- C. eliminating both the cue and the reward
- D. waiting a fixed number of days for it to fade
- 8
Which strategy for breaking a habit does the passage present as effective?
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Answer: B — keeping the cue and reward but changing the routine
Why: This is the part of the passage that supports B — keeping the cue and reward but changing the routine.
Evidence · Paragraph 6 “A more effective strategy, according to many psychologists, is substitution: keeping the same cue and reward but replacing the routine in between.”
Questions 9–12: Short Answer
Answer the questions below. Choose NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS from the passage for each answer.
- 9
What word does the passage use for the trigger in the environment or body that prompts a habitual behaviour?(max 2 words)
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Answer: cue (also accepted: a cue)
Why: The answer “cue” is taken from this sentence — copy the word(s) exactly as they appear. It fits the 2-word limit.
Evidence · Paragraph 2 “The cue is a trigger in the environment or the body that prompts a behaviour.”
- 10
Which brain region is involved in storing automatic behaviours?(max 3 words)
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Answer: basal ganglia (also accepted: the basal ganglia)
Why: The answer “basal ganglia” is taken from this sentence — copy the word(s) exactly as they appear. It fits the 3-word limit.
Evidence · Paragraph 3 “This learning process is closely tied to a region deep within the brain called the basal ganglia, which is involved in the storage of automatic behaviours.”
- 11
According to the passage, what matters most for a behaviour to become automatic, rather than a fixed number of days?(max 3 words)
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Answer: consistency (also accepted: repeatedly in the same context)
Why: The answer “consistency” is taken from this sentence — copy the word(s) exactly as they appear. It fits the 3-word limit.
Evidence · Paragraph 4 “What matters most is not a magic number but consistency: performing the behaviour repeatedly in the same context strengthens the underlying association.”
- 12
In addition to immediate reward, what can reinforce a habit and make it more likely to endure?(max 3 words)
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Answer: identity (also accepted: self-image / identity as well)
Why: The answer “identity” is taken from this sentence — copy the word(s) exactly as they appear. It fits the 3-word limit.
Evidence · Paragraph 7 “When a behaviour becomes bound up with how people see themselves, it is more likely to endure, because it is reinforced by identity as well as by immediate reward.”
Estimated band score for this test
Your raw score out of 12 scaled to the 40-question IELTS Reading (Academic) conversion table. This is the same estimate the practice page shows after you submit. A single passage is a small sample, so treat it as a guide.
| Correct answers | Estimated band |
|---|---|
| 12 / 12 | 9.0 |
| 11 / 12 | 8.5 |
| 10 / 12 | 7.5 |
| 9 / 12 | 7.0 |
| 8 / 12 | 6.5 |
| 7 / 12 | 6.0 |
| 6 / 12 | 5.5 |
| 5 / 12 | 5.0 |
| 4 / 12 | 4.5 |
| 3 / 12 | 4.0 |
| 2 / 12 | 3.0 |
| 1 / 12 | 2.0 |
| 0 / 12 | 0.0 |
Full-test score? Use the IELTS band calculator.
Tips for the question types in this test
True / False / Not Given
- Read the statement first and underline the key idea, especially any qualifiers like "all", "only", "never", "always", "more than" or dates and numbers.
- Because the questions follow the order of the passage, scan for the paragraph that deals with the same topic rather than re-reading everything.
Common trap: Confusing "False" with "Not Given": choose False only when the passage actively contradicts the statement; if the passage is silent, it is Not Given.
Full True / False / Not Given strategyMultiple Choice
- Read the question stem carefully before the options so you know exactly what is being asked.
- Because multiple-choice questions follow passage order, locate the relevant section and read it in full — the answer usually depends on more than one sentence.
Common trap: Distractors that use exact words from the passage but distort the meaning.
Full Multiple Choice strategyShort Answer
- Read the instructions and note the exact word limit; going over it means zero marks even if the meaning is right.
- Turn each question into a set of keywords and predict what kind of answer it needs (a person, a date, a place, a noun).
Common trap: Exceeding the word limit (writing four words when only three are allowed).
Full Short Answer strategyPractise “The Psychology of Habit Formation” under exam conditions
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