What good IELTS study material looks like
Before you download another PDF from a group chat, check it against a few simple tests.
- It matches the real format. Four parts in Listening, three passages in Reading, two Writing tasks, three Speaking parts, with the right timings. Material that does not match teaches the wrong habits.
- It explains answers. A list of correct answers tells you what, not why. Good material shows where the answer is in the passage or recording.
- It is in your track. Academic and General Training Reading and Writing are different. Using the wrong one wastes time.
- It is current and accurate. Old "tricks" and rules circulating on social media are often wrong.
- It is legal. Pirated copies of official books are widely shared but often incomplete or full of errors.
Using the official Cambridge books alongside our tests
Many students in Dubai also use the official Cambridge IELTS practice books, and they are worth having. They contain authentic past tests and are excellent for checking your level. IELTS Learning tests follow the same official format, so the two work well together.
A sensible split:
- Use the Cambridge books for occasional full tests on paper, especially if you are booking the paper-based exam.
- Use IELTS Learning for daily practice and computer-style mocks, with explanations, instant scoring and AI feedback on Writing and Speaking.
- Keep one Mistake Notebook. Our Mistake Notebook saves wrong answers automatically; add your Cambridge book mistakes to the same review routine.
Do not use the same test twice soon after; you will remember the answers and get a false score.
IELTS Learning Study Notes and English Improvement
Inside the platform, Study Notes gives you strategy chapters for each module: how to approach each question type, how to plan essays, how to structure Speaking answers and what examiners look for. They are short enough to read on a Metro ride between Union and Mall of the Emirates.
English Improvement covers grammar and vocabulary that IELTS candidates often need: articles, tenses, complex sentences, linking words and topic vocabulary. The spaced-repetition flashcards bring words back just before you are likely to forget them, and a personal study plan sets out what to work on each week.
Free IELTS material you can use today
You do not need to pay anything to start. Without a card, you get:
- a complete free sample mock test with all four sections, on the practice tests page
- free sample Listening and Reading practice sets
- Daily Vocabulary, five new words every day with examples
- the Band Score Calculator to convert raw scores into bands
- the Quick Wrap last-minute checklist for the days before your test
- our weekly IELTS tips blog
Full Access, $12 for 2 months, unlocks the full set of 15 mocks, all practice sets, Writing and Speaking feedback, Study Notes and the other tools.
A weekly study routine for life in Dubai
Most people preparing here work long hours or are studying full time. This routine fits around a typical week, whichever days your weekend falls on.
Each workday session takes 30–45 minutes:
- Workday 1: one Reading passage, timed, then review the explanations line by line
- Workday 2: one Listening section with headphones at home, then replay the parts you missed
- Workday 3: Writing Task 1, then read the criterion feedback and fix one paragraph
- Workday 4: Speaking Parts 2 and 3 with the cue-card timer, then read your transcript
- Workday 5: one Study Notes chapter and a Mistake Notebook review
- Commute or breaks: Daily Vocabulary and flashcards, five to ten minutes
- First day off: a full mock test (or a Cambridge book test) in one sitting
- Second day off: a Writing Task 2 essay, a review of the week's mistakes, and proper rest
If you work six days a week, as many people in Dubai do, fold the second day off into a lighter evening and keep the full mock as your fixed weekly appointment.
Making the most of your material
Material only helps if you review it. After every test or set, spend as long reviewing your mistakes as you spent answering. Note the question type, the reason for the error and what you will do differently. Over a few weeks, the same mistakes stop appearing.
If you are planning to study abroad after your test, you can also share your study plans with us, and with your agreement our overseas education advisers can suggest universities and courses. Create a free account to start with the free material today.