How to Prepare for the IELTS Test: Expert tips and tricks

Thinking about studying at an English-speaking university, ? Then Passing your IELTS could be a requirement for your course.

Here’s where the IELTS, an exam that checks how well you can communicate in English, comes in. But how best to prepare for IELTS?

Liz McEwan, TutorsPlus Client Manager and English IELTS teacher, will help us figure this out.

Two Types of IELTS Exam

First of all, you need to decide what kind of test you’d like to take:

• Academic Module – it is for people who want to go to university in an English-speaking country. It focuses on the kind of English you’ll need for academic studies and tests your ability to understand complex texts and situations. Typically, it takes more time to prepare for this module. That’s because you need to introduce yourself to more complex text types (academic writing) and accumulate a larger vocabulary.
• General Training Module is a great fit for those who wish to migrate, work, or do vocational training in an English-speaking environment. It tests how well you can use English in typical, everyday situations. While still challenging, preparation for General Training may involve reading blog posts, magazines, watching YouTube videos, and listening to podcasts – everything that can give you an idea of modern everyday English.

Why is IELTS Preparation so Difficult?

Let’s be honest – preparing for the IELTS exam is no easy feat. The IELTS requires months, sometimes even years, of dedicated hard work and practice. It also depends on your starting point. Many students are already fluent, and just need a little help perfecting their skills, for others there is a lot to learn and it can seem like an uphill battle!

The toughest aspect of the IELTS is its multi-skilled nature. It’s not enough to excel in just one area like reading. No, you need to have a strong grasp of all four components – reading, listening, writing, and speaking.

For many test-takers, the listening section is the most challenging. Having to concentrate intensely, remember key details, and draw insights from audio clips in British English can be mentally exhausting if you’re not used to it. Preparing for this section means consistently exposing yourself to English audio materials like study recordings, YouTube videos, movies, and whatever works for you.

The speaking component is another dreaded obstacle for many. Even if you know what to say, actually conveying your thoughts in a foreign language is immensely difficult. The best way to prepare is to simply speak English out loud every day, whether with a partner or by yourself. It takes courage to overcome your fears of sounding ‘silly’, but consistent practice is key.

While reading and writing may seem more manageable, they still require a fair amount of preparation time. The majority of your IELTS studies will involve reading various texts and completing writing tasks. Realistically, it may take years of practice before your English reading and writing (not to mention speaking) skills will reach a fluent, natural level. All of this can make IELTS  difficult.

How to Prepare for the IELTS Exam in 7 Steps

It’s not enough to just spend time, you also need to put in theeffort to get it right. You need to know how to prepare for IELTS smartly. Below, we describe some key  things you should know and do as you get ready for your test.

Get familiar with the format of the IELTS test

They say that the first step to winning any battle is knowing your enemy! This might seem funny, but things are no different when it comes to IELTS.

So, what does it involve exactly?

The Listening, Reading, and Writing sections of the test happen on the same day, one after another, with no breaks in between. The Speaking test might be on the same day or up to seven days before or after the other three sections.

Listening (30 minutes)

You will listen to 4 recorded texts, which may have different English accents:

• A conversation in an everyday social context (for example, in a hotel);
• A monologue in an everyday social context (e.g. a speech about local sights);
• A conversation in an educational/training context (such as between a student and an instructor);
• An academic monologue (for instance, a university lecture).

This section is designed to test your ability to understand spoken English in real-world situations. You’ll only hear each section once, so you need to focus and listen carefully.

After each record, you will answer a series of questions to assess how you understood the main idea, specific details, speaker opinions, and other information.

Reading (60 minutes)

The content of the Reading section depends on what kind of IELTS test you are taking.

• If it is Academic Version Training, you should expect three lengthy texts from academic sources such as journals, books, and newspapers.
• General Training focuses on materials you might encounter daily in English-speaking environments. These include extracts from books, magazines, advertisements, manuals, etc.

After carefully reading the texts, you will need to answer 40 questions.

Writing (60 minutes)

The Writing section consists of two tasks, and the format, once again, varies depending on the test version:

• Academic Version will require you to explain information presented in a graph, table, chart, or diagram. In the second task, you will be given a piece of text providing a point of view, argument, or problem. You need to write an essay responding to this information. The style of writing is formal.
• General Training has two tasks as well. The first one involves writing a letter in a personal, semi-formal, or formal style. The second task, similar to the Academic Version, requires you to come up with an essay based on the provided information. The difference is that you can write it in a more personal style.

Speaking (11-14 minutes)

The Speaking component is the same for both Academic and General Training versions. First, you need to talk about yourself within 4-5 minutes. This information might be about your work, family, interests, education, etc.

Then, an examiner will give you a topic card and one minute to prepare for your monologue. You will then have around two minutes to talk about the topic. The examiner might ask follow-up questions.

Finally, in the next 4-5 minutes, you will have a discussion with an examiner involving the same topic You should expect to face more complex questions to prove your ability to discuss abstract ideas.

Get familiar with the Grading System

The IELTS test uses a band score ranging from 1 (non-user) to 9 (expert user) to assess your results. Each section (Listening, Reading, Writing, Speaking) is graded individually and then averaged to create your overall score. Scores are rounded to the nearest half-band. So, if your average is 6.25, it will be rounded to 6.50, and a score of 6.75 will become 7.0.

In a simplified form, bands mean the following:

• Band 9: Master of the English language (Expert user);
• Band 7-8: Highly proficient user with occasional shortcomings;
• Band 5-6: Competent user who can handle most situations;
• Band 3-4: Limited user with challenges in understanding and expression;
• Band 1-2: A user with very limited English abilities.

Explore Different Types of Questions, Tests, and Tasks

The IELTS covers a wide range of questions, tests, and tasks, including multiple-choice, short-answer, essay writing, and spoken responses. Therefore, during your preparation period, you need to practice them all. This will give you the necessary experience, strategies, and even confidence to tackle each section with ease.

Take IELTS Tests from Previous Years

There’s no better way to prepare for what’s to come than with real experience. Tests from previous years are able to provide it – you can find some here.

They will give you a realistic idea of the difficulty level, question types, and time management required during the actual test. Take a few such tests and see how you’re faring – are there areas you need to improve? If so, make an emphasis on those as you prepare for IELTS.

At first, do sample papers under no time pressure and take time to underline new vocabulary, structures, etc. Then, test yourself in real exam conditions, i.e. give yourself strictly one hour for the Reading section, 30 minutes for listening, etc.

Tips for Reading

• Get used to skim reading (reading for the general idea of a text) and detailed reading whereby you take time to understand the vocabulary.
• Get used to knowing when to give up! If you really don’t know an answer, don’t panic, move on. Give yourself time to go back at the end.
• If you still don’t know the answer, make an educated guess. It is better than leaving a blank space. Remember, the IELTS doesn’t penalise wrong answers.
• Make sure to quickly check the type of questions asked before reading an actual text. Pay close attention to key details such as dates, names, places, etc.

“I’ll say it again. Read the question! If the question asks you to write one word, and under the stress of the exam you miss this information and write two, you are going to waste your time and also it will be a clear signal to the examiner that you have not understood the task.”

Tips for Listening

• Get used to listening to recordings only once (as you only hear them once in the exam.)
• Skim the questions before listening to the recording. This allows you to anticipate the kind of information you’ll need to focus on as you listen.
• If you miss a piece of information, don’t dwell on it. The recording will continue, and you might miss even more. Stay focused on the present information and use it to answer subsequent questions.
• The recording might use synonyms or rephrase ideas. However, the key terms you’ll find in the questions will be the same as in the listening passage. So, you need to pay close attention to these keywords to pinpoint relevant information.

“For the multiple-choice questions, I advise my students to cover up the 4 choices and listen for the answer first. Then, reveal the 4 options and hopefully your answer will be the same as one of the choices.”

Tips for Writing

• Learn templates for the different kinds of writing tasks you may be asked for, e.g. a letter, discursive essay, summary, description, analysis of a diagram or graph, etc. Also, make sure to check the requirements of academic writing, especially if you’re preparing for the Academic module.
• Remember that these are just starting points. Use them as a foundation to develop your own unique writing style and avoid sounding formulaic.
• Become familiar with planning for each piece of writing and know how long you should spend on each question. For example, writing part 2 is worth more points than part 1. Therefore, plan to spend 15-20 minutes on part 1 and 40-45 minutes on part 2.

Tips for Speaking

• For the speaking section, practice conversational English with an emphasis on pronunciation and fluency. It is a great idea to find a buddy to chat with or join a study group.
• Get comfortable speaking aloud! Practice giving presentations to friends or study groups. Even talking to yourself in front of a mirror can be surprisingly helpful. This allows you to become accustomed to formulating your thoughts and expressing them clearly in English.
• Honest feedback is essential for improvement. Find a language partner, tutor, or IELTS mentor who can assess your speaking skills and provide constructive feedback on your fluency, pronunciation, and grammar.

Improve Your Vocabulary

To aim for a higher range of bands, a strong vocabulary is an absolute must. Unfortunately, you cannot accumulate new words without learning every day. The more books, magazines, websites, blogs, and newspapers you read, the better your chances of expanding your vocabulary.

But encountering new words isn’t the same as actual learning. You need to try to memorise them first – flashcards, online apps, and the good old vocabulary lists will help you with this. Second, actively use the newly learned words in writing and speaking.

Practice your English Every Day

The best advice on how to prepare for IELTS? Use English every day.

Try to incorporate language learning into your daily routine. For example, you can read online, listen to podcasts, watch movies, and find a chat partner. You can even become your own practice partner. You just need to tell yourself how you spent your day today or what’s your plans for tomorrow – all in English, of course

Long story short, to maximise your IELTS score you need to surround yourself with English as much as possible. The more you practice, the more comfortable you’ll become.

Get Help from a Professional Tutor

Oftentimes, when asked how best to prepare for IELTS, we advise not to prepare alonealone. It proves to be more efficient to get a study buddy, join a study group, or enrol in an IELTS preparation course. That’s because you can get real-time feedback on what is great and what could have been better.

But there is one more effective way you can go – hiring a tutor. Thanks to their experience and a focus on your specific needs, they can quickly pinpoint your areas of improvement and suggest effective IELTS strategies.

To book IELTS tuition, or find out more about how to best prepare for your IELTS exam, get in touch with one of our team here or call us on 022 731 81 48. You can also email us at

How Do I Know I am Ready for the IELTS Exam?

Many people try to take the IELTS test before they’re fully ready. More often than not, this results in extra stress and a lower score than they hoped for. Besides, every unsatisfactory attempt will cost you approximately £200, so this can be a costly setback.

But how do you know you’re truly IELTS-ready?

First of all, you should take several past IELTS exams to understand the format and question types and, of course, self-assess your command of English. Using the official marking scheme, you can evaluate your Reading and Listening skills and get a realistic idea of the score you may expect in the actual test.

While self-assessing Writing and Speaking can be trickier, your performance in Reading and Listening will serve as a good overall indicator. If you’re struggling with these sections, your Writing and Speaking likely require further improvement as well.

Since the IELTS test is timed, you need to ensure you can comfortably complete the 40 Reading questions within the 60-minute limit. In Writing, you need to aim for 15 minutes to complete the first task and 35 minutes for the second one, leaving 5 minutes for each to proofread.

Still, it is difficult to objectively evaluate your English proficiency on your own. Therefore, you should consider seeking feedback from an IELTS professional or native speaker. They can assess your progress and predict your potential band score based on the official IELTS descriptors. This feedback is invaluable in determining whether you’re ready for the test.

How to Prepare for IELTS: Final Thoughts

The IELTS test might be the first step towards international study, career opportunities, and migration. By following the tips and strategies outlined in this guide, you’ll be well on your way to achieving your desired score.

While these strategies provide a strong foundation, you should consider professional assistance as you prepare for IELTS. An experienced tutor can not only improve your test-taking techniques but also boost your confidence.

At TutorsPlus, we have a team of EFL experts, including experienced IELTS examiners. We can help you improve your weaknesses and build on your strengths to make your IELTS experience a success story.

Contact TutorsPlus today to arrive at your test fully armed, and ready to smash it.

IELTS Preparation FAQs

What is the IELTS Exam?

The IELTS (International English Language Testing System) is a standardised test of English language proficiency for non-native speakers who wish to study or work in environments where English is used. It is one of the major English tests in the world, along with TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language).

The IELTS is accepted by most Australian, British, Canadian, Irish, New Zealand and South African academic institutions, over 3,000 academic institutions in the United States, and various professional organisations across the world.

How Much Will the IELTS Exam Cost Me?

The exact cost of the IELTS exam will vary depending on your location. However, you can count on paying from £180 to £210 in Great Britain. In other countries, the cost is similar but in the local currency.

The official IELTS website allows you to search for test centres by location. Each test centre listing should include a specific test fee.

What Score do I Need to Achieve?

There’s actually no “passing” score for the IELTS test itself since it doesn’t function like a pass/fail system. However, different institutions (universities, workplaces, etc.) will have their own English language requirements using the IELTS band score system.

For example, to enrol into a university, your IELTS score should usually be within the range of 6-7.5 – it all depends on your target HEI and the course you’d like to take.

If you’re considering the IELTS exam for immigration, the requirements will be different. For example, to get a UK visa that requires CEFR level B2, your score should be at least 5.5, for CEFR level C1 you need 7.0 in IELTS.

How do I Register for the IELTS Exam?

You can register for the IELTS exam through the official IELTS website – https://ielts.org/. Visit the website and choose a preferred location – a country and city. Next, you will be taken to the Registration application – follow the on-screen instructions to create an account and register for the test. You will need to provide your personal details, select the test type, format (on paper or computer) and date, as well as pay the IELTS exam fee.

You can also register with the authorised IELTS partner – https://ielts.idp.com/ by following a similar procedure.

Can I Get a Certificate Without Taking the Exam?

No, you cannot get a legitimate IELTS certificate without taking the exam. The IELTS test is a secure and standardized assessment, and certificates are proof that you met the required English language proficiency level.

By Sara Lloyd

Sara has been an education consultant for TutorsPlus for 15 years, and is an expert on international IB education.  She is also a parent of two lively children.

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