IELTS (International English Language Testing System) grades your English across four skills: speaking, writing, reading and listening. Preparing usually means many hours of study – but you can do much more than work through long study guides and review books.
These five tips will help you prepare for the IELTS exam and give yourself the best chance of reaching your target band.
1. Study Vocabulary
Learn words in context as much as possible – and the best way to do that is to read often. The more words you’re exposed to, the stronger your vocabulary becomes. As you read, highlight words you don’t know and try to work out their meaning from the context before checking a dictionary. Read and listen to challenging material, such as English-language news, then practise using each new word.
Using new words often helps you speak more fluently: it typically takes 10 to 20 repetitions before a word becomes part of your everyday speech.
Vocabulary checklist
- Record expressions you can use in a variety of academic contexts
- Record whole phrases rather than individual words
- Use a good monolingual dictionary to check how words fit together
- Don’t spend too long on highly specialised words
- Record useful expressions related to common IELTS topics
- Practise talking and writing about those topics in English
- Use newspapers, magazines and news websites to learn more
2. Read, Read and Read
Use a reliable English–English dictionary to work out the meaning of new words, and avoid translating back into your own language. Reading an English newspaper every morning is a simple daily habit that builds both vocabulary and speed.
Reading checklist
- Skim and scan to get a general picture of a text quickly
- Make sure you know exactly what each task requires
- Check all instructions carefully
- Use the text itself for clues about its content and organisation
- Remember that key vocabulary may be explained in the text
- Don’t use a dictionary until you’ve completed the task and checked your answers
3. Enhance Your Writing Skills
Strong writing starts with words you can use accurately. Keep a vocabulary notebook or set of cards with each word’s definition and an example sentence, say new words aloud, and link them to words you already know – for example, “immense” is close in meaning to “enormous” and “vast”. Then practise putting them to work in timed writing tasks.
Writing checklist
- Practise timed writing to improve your speed
- Never write below the minimum word count
- Task 2 is longer and carries more marks, so leave enough time for it
Task 1
- Describe the information, not the diagram itself – you don’t need to say exactly what each axis of a graph shows
- Select the most important features and choose figures to support them
- To practise, find diagrams, graphs and charts in newspapers or online and analyse them
Task 2
- Analyse the question carefully
- Make a paragraph plan before you write
- Check that you address every part of the question
- Always leave time to edit your writing
- Know your common mistakes and check for them
4. Practise Fluency and Pronunciation
The IELTS Speaking test has three parts: an interview, a short talk and a two-way discussion. In Part 1 you’ll answer questions on familiar topics for 4 to 5 minutes. In Part 2 you’ll have 1 minute to prepare, then speak for up to 2 minutes on a given topic; the whole part takes 3 to 4 minutes.
Consistent practice is what makes the difference. Every time you use a new word or correct pronunciation, you reinforce it – and it shows your teacher or study partner where you’ve improved, so they can help you keep progressing.
Fluency checklist
- Practise speaking for extended periods
- Talk aloud in English so you hear yourself pronounce words
- Record yourself speaking on different topics as often as you can
Pronunciation checklist
- Listen to spoken English – radio, TV and films – as much as possible
- Repeat phrases after speakers in recordings to practise word groups, stress and intonation
- Record and listen to yourself speaking as often as you can
5. Practise Your Listening Skills
Listen to the news in English every morning, note down what you hear and review it later. Then use these tips to prepare for the Listening test.
Listening checklist
- Use the preparation time to think about the task content
- Make sure you know exactly what each task requires and check the instructions
- After checking your answers, listen again and work out the cause of any mistakes
How to improve
- Remember that you hear each recording only once – don’t pause it when you practise
- Finally, listen again with the transcript and highlight useful expressions
These tips will help you get ready for the exam, but your results depend on commitment and regular practice. Combine the two and you give yourself a great chance of reaching the band score you need.
For an overview of the test itself, read what the IELTS exam is and who needs it.
Prepare with expert IELTS trainers
Join our IELTS preparation courses in Dubai and Abu Dhabi – group classes or a private IELTS course built around your schedule, in class or online. We prepare you for the test; you book the IELTS test itself with an official test provider.