The problem with too much material
Ask students in Amritsar about IELTS material and many will show you a folder full of downloads: band 9 essays, cue card answers, word lists from a senior who went to Canada. The problem is rarely a lack of material. It is too much of it, with no way to tell which parts are accurate or up to date.
Some of it is genuinely helpful. Some uses old formats, poor English, or "model answers" that would score far lower than the label claims. Spending weeks memorising them can do more harm than good.
What good IELTS study notes look like
Good notes do not try to give you answers to memorise. They explain how the test works and what examiners are looking for. When judging any material, ask:
- Does it match the current format? Timings, word counts and question types should be correct.
- Does it explain why? A good explanation shows why an answer is right and why the others are wrong.
- Is it for your track? Academic and General Training differ in Reading and Writing.
- Does it teach a method, not a script? Memorised essays and cue card answers are easy for examiners to recognise.
- Is the English itself accurate? If a model essay contains "discuss about" or "cope up with", put it away.
Study Notes on IELTS Learning
IELTS Learning includes Study Notes: strategy chapters for each module, written to be read in short sessions.
- Listening: predicting answers, handling distractors, spelling and number rules, map questions.
- Reading: skimming and scanning, NOT GIVEN logic, Matching Headings, managing 60 minutes.
- Writing: planning Task 1 and Task 2, the four criteria, paragraphing, common errors.
- Speaking: extending answers, using the one-minute preparation, pronunciation and fluency.
Alongside the notes, you will find English Improvement lessons for grammar and vocabulary, spaced-repetition flashcards that bring words back just before you forget them, and the Quick Wrap checklist for the days before your test.
Free IELTS practice material
You can do a lot without paying anything. These are free, with no card needed:
- a complete sample mock test with all four sections;
- sample Listening and Reading sets;
- Daily Vocabulary: five new words each day;
- the Band Score Calculator;
- the Quick Wrap tips;
- our weekly IELTS tips blog.
If you later want everything, Full Access costs ₹999 for 2 months as one payment.
Using Cambridge IELTS practice books alongside our tests
Many students in Amritsar also use the official Cambridge IELTS practice books, which are easy to find in local bookshops. They are a sensible resource because they contain past-style tests in the official format.
The best way to combine them with online practice:
- Use Cambridge books for occasional paper-based full tests, especially if you are taking the paper test.
- Use online sets for daily skill work, where instant scoring and the Mistake Notebook save time.
- Use computer-style mocks if you plan to take the computer-delivered test, so you practise with the timer, navigator and highlighter.
- Do not repeat the same Cambridge test many times. Once you remember the answers, the score no longer means anything.
Our tests follow the same official format, so moving between them and the books should feel natural.
A weekly study routine for Amritsar students
Here is a routine that fits around college at GNDU or a city college, or a working week in hospitality or business. Adjust the days to your own timetable.
- Monday: one Listening set and Daily Vocabulary.
- Tuesday: one Reading passage, timed; read the Study Notes chapter on your weakest question type.
- Wednesday: one Writing Task 2 essay with AI feedback.
- Thursday: Speaking Parts 1 and 2 with the cue-card timer; review flashcards.
- Friday: Writing Task 1, then review your Mistake Notebook.
- Saturday: a full mock test, or a Cambridge test if you prefer paper.
- Sunday: rest, or light vocabulary only.
Local study habits worth keeping
Amritsar has good places to study if your home is noisy: college libraries, the reading rooms at GNDU, or a quiet café away from the busy tourist routes. Many students study in pairs, which helps for Speaking, but agree to speak only English for that session.
Use travel time too. On a bus to Batala or Tarn Taran, or waiting in traffic at a railway crossing, flashcards and Daily Vocabulary turn idle minutes into progress.
Register free to open the Study Notes preview and the free sample mock.