The purpose of this study is to investigate test takers' perceptions toward the IELTS reading tasks. As a result, 30 IELTS test takers in a Vietnamese private center were given a questionnaire, and then five of them were interviewed. According to the findings, the majority of participants have a positive towards taking IELTS reading text although they have faced a lot of challenges in doing this kind of test in terms of their lack of vocabulary, strategies for learning, and time management. The findings also suggest some recommendations when taking reading tests, especially the IELTS reading test, to improve their proficiency in reading comprehension skills.