What good IELTS material looks like
Before you download another folder of PDFs from a group chat, check it against a few tests:
- Is it in the current format? Old material may use task types that no longer appear, or timings that have changed. It should match today's test, including the computer-delivered version.
- Does it explain answers? An answer key on its own tells you that you were wrong, not why. Good material shows where the answer sits in the text or recording.
- Is the Writing advice realistic? Notes full of memorised introductions and fixed "band 9 phrases" can hurt you; examiners recognise them.
- Is it organised by skill? Random tests are less useful than material grouped by question type, so you can target weaknesses.
- Does it match your track? Academic and General Training Reading and Writing are different; do not practise the wrong one.
Our Study Notes
IELTS Learning includes Study Notes: strategy chapters for each module, written in plain English. They cover how each question type works, a method for each, the traps to watch for, and how the marking criteria apply to Writing and Speaking. They are short enough to read on a phone, which makes them good for a ride on the Harbour line or the metro through Kharghar.
Alongside them you get English Improvement lessons for grammar and vocabulary, spaced-repetition flashcards that bring back words just before you forget them, a personal study plan, the Mistake Notebook that saves every wrong answer, and the Quick Wrap checklist for the last few days before your test.
Free IELTS practice material you can use today
You do not need to pay to start. With no card required, you can use:
- A complete free sample mock test covering Listening, Reading, Writing and Speaking, on the practice tests page.
- Free sample Listening and Reading practice sets, with explanations.
- Daily Vocabulary: five new words a day, with meaning and use.
- The Band Score Calculator: turn raw scores into bands and see your overall result.
- Quick Wrap last-minute tips, and the weekly tips on our blog.
When you want the full library of 15 mocks, 88 Listening sets, 52 Reading sets, 104 Writing prompts and 186 Speaking prompts, Full Access is ₹999 for 2 months.
Using Cambridge IELTS books alongside our tests
Many students also use the official Cambridge IELTS practice books, and they are worth having. Our tests follow the same official format, so the two work well together. A few suggestions:
- Do not burn through every Cambridge test in the first week. They are a limited supply; keep some for the final month as benchmarks.
- Use our sets for skill building, because they are grouped by question type and come with explanations and automatic mistake tracking.
- Use the Cambridge tests and our full mocks for measurement, under timed conditions, a few weeks apart.
- Practise the screen as well as the content. If you will sit the computer-delivered test, our mocks let you get used to the navigator, highlighter and drag-and-drop answers that books cannot show.
A weekly routine for Navi Mumbai students and professionals
This routine assumes about an hour on weekdays and a longer block at the weekend. Adjust it to your college timetable or office shifts.
- Monday: one Reading passage, timed. Read the Study Notes chapter for any question type you got wrong.
- Tuesday: one Listening section with headphones; review spelling and number errors.
- Wednesday: Writing Task 2, 40 minutes, then read the AI feedback.
- Thursday: Speaking, three Part 1 topics and one cue card, recorded.
- Friday: Writing Task 1 and a short vocabulary review with flashcards.
- Saturday: a full mock or a Cambridge test under exam conditions, Listening, Reading and Writing back to back.
- Sunday: review the mock, clear your Mistake Notebook, rest.
- Every day, on the commute: Daily Vocabulary and flashcards.
Once a fortnight, consider a 1-to-1 teacher session from ₹299 to check your Writing or Speaking.
Getting started
Gather less material and use it better. A small set of reliable resources, used repeatedly and reviewed carefully, will do more for your band than a phone full of unopened files. Start with the free sample mock, read the Study Notes for your weakest module, and set up Daily Vocabulary. When you want the full set of IELTS study notes and practice, create your account.