What good IELTS study material looks like
Before you download another file, check whether the material passes these tests:
- It matches the real format. Question types, timings and word limits should mirror the official test. Out-of-date or invented formats build the wrong habits.
- It explains answers. A list of correct answers tells you your score. An explanation tells you why you were wrong.
- It suits your module. Academic and General Training differ in Reading and Writing; material should say which one it is for.
- It is organised. Strategy notes for each module, practice in increasing difficulty, and a way to track mistakes.
- It is honest. Be cautious of "secret templates" or anything promising a guaranteed band.
Our Study Notes and learning tools
On IELTS Learning, the Study Notes section contains strategy chapters for each module: how to approach each Reading question type, how to plan Task 2, how to structure a Part 2 answer, how to handle map questions and much more. They are written to be read in short sessions, which suits a metro ride or a break between lectures.
Alongside the notes, you will find:
- English Improvement: grammar and vocabulary lessons for the areas that most affect your band, such as articles, tenses and linking words.
- Spaced-repetition flashcards: vocabulary that comes back just before you are likely to forget it.
- Mistake Notebook: every wrong answer from your practice saved automatically, so your own errors become your revision notes.
- Personal study plan: a schedule built around your test date.
- Quick Wrap: a last-minute checklist for the days before the test.
Free IELTS practice material, no card needed
You can start with a useful set of free resources:
- a complete free sample mock test, with all four sections;
- free sample Listening and Reading practice sets;
- Daily Vocabulary: five new words a day, with examples;
- the Band Score Calculator, to turn raw scores into bands;
- the Quick Wrap tips;
- the weekly IELTS tips blog.
When you want the full library, including 15 mocks, 88 Listening sets, 52 Reading sets, 104 Writing prompts and 186 Speaking prompts, Full Access is $12 for 2 months.
Using the Cambridge IELTS books alongside our tests
Many students in Riyadh also use the official Cambridge IELTS practice books, often bought from bookshops or passed down from friends who have already taken the test. They are excellent for authentic past material, and our tests follow the same official format, so the two work well together.
A sensible way to combine them:
- Use Cambridge tests as benchmarks. Take one every two or three weeks on paper or with the audio, under strict timing.
- Use our sets for daily practice. The computer-style screens, instant scoring and explanations make them ideal for focused, everyday work.
- Log every mistake in one place. Add errors from the books to your notes so all your weak points sit together.
- Do not overuse the books early. There is a limited number of tests; save some for the final month.
A weekly study routine for Riyadh
Most people in Riyadh work or study from Sunday to Thursday, with Friday and Saturday as the weekend. Here is a routine that fits that rhythm for a student at KSU or Princess Nourah University, a government or corporate employee, or a nurse on regular shifts:
- Sunday: Reading, one timed section plus review (45 minutes).
- Monday: Writing Task 1 and Study Notes on a weak area (45 minutes).
- Tuesday: Listening, one full test plus review (50 minutes).
- Wednesday: Speaking, Parts 1–3 out loud, with transcript feedback (30 minutes).
- Thursday: Writing Task 2, timed (45 minutes).
- Friday or Saturday: a full mock test or a Cambridge practice test, then a review session on the other day.
- Every day: Daily Vocabulary and flashcards (10 minutes), ideal on the metro or while waiting for a lecture.
Shift workers can simply move the blocks around their rota; what matters is touching every module each week. In the final fortnight, replace the Monday and Thursday blocks with extra review of your Mistake Notebook and the Quick Wrap checklist, and keep the weekend mock. Resist the urge to start brand-new material in the last few days.
Start building your notes
Take the free sample mock test, save your mistakes, and read the Study Notes chapter for your weakest module. When you are ready for everything, register here.