Free IELTS Preparation: A Complete Guide

Cracking IELTS is easy, but only if you do it right! With our IELTS Preparation online materials, acing IELTS will be stress-free, effective, and even FUN! 
 

On this page, we’ll explore different important strategies to help you understand all the IELTS modules. 

Preparing for the IELTS Reading section requires a combination of strategies to improve comprehension, time management, and test-taking skills. 
 

Here are some effective strategies for IELTS Preparation Online:

Familiarise Yourself with the Test Pattern:  The IELTS Reading test typically includes three passages with several question types, such as multiple-choice, matching questions, true/false/not given, and sentence completion. Understanding the pattern is crucial for preparation. 

Click here for a detailed explanation of the IELTS Reading Module. 
 

Build Your Vocabulary:  Vocabulary is the core of the IELTS exam. IELTS Reading passages are sourced from various texts, including newspapers, magazines, academic articles, and online resources. You can build your vocabulary by reading these materials! Note down new words and practice using them in the right context.

Practice Skimming and Scanning: The secret to crushing IELTS Reading is to develop skimming and scanning techniques! Skimming means reading quickly to get a general idea of the text, and scanning means searching the passage for a specific keyword to locate relevant information.

Underline Keywords: Using keywords to find references in the passages is a foolproof way to crack IELTS reading. Keywords are significant mentions, typically associated with important dates, names, information, and timelines. Pay attention to these words to find your answers quickly! 

Manage Your Time: You have 60 minutes to complete the IELTS Reading section. Allocate your time wisely during the test. Aim to spend about 20 minutes on each passage, and reserve some time to review your answers once. To manage your time, it’s important to read regularly, and work on your reading speed.

Practice Studying the Text: There’s a difference between reading and studying the text. Practice studying techniques by engaging with the text, making notes, summarising paragraphs, and rephrasing information in your own words. With time, this technique will improve your reading speed, skimming and scanning skills, and vocabulary. 

Practice with Sample Tests: Taking a practice test is the best way to get used to the IELTS test format! Mock tests are necessary for IELTS preparation; since you get a real feel of IELTS, you’ll feel much more comfortable during the test. 
 

Click here to access free IELTS Reading Practice Tests! 
 

Analyse your Strengths and Weaknesses: Practice tests provide a good overview of your strengths and weaknesses. Review your answers and identify the areas you lack. Work on improving this during your preparation. 

Seek Feedback or Review: Getting a third perspective can be highly useful! Ask for advice from tutors or peers who have experienced the IELTS exam. You could also contact Leap’s certified IELTS Trainers for guidance and feedback! 

Practising Listening skills requires concentration and commitment! It’s easy to lose focus or miss out on information without effective listening. Therefore, the Listening module is not to be taken lightly! 

Here are some expert-given tips: 

Don’t Hear, but Listen: You can improve your listening skills by listening to Podcasts, Radio Broadcasts, News broadcasts, and TED Talks. To actively engage in listening, you must pay attention to the words, tone, and subject matter. It’s important to focus and take notes to keep up with the audio. 
 

Understand the Test Format: The IELTS Listening test consists of four sections with various question types, including Multiple-choice, Matching, Labeling Diagrams, Completing Notes, and Sentence Completion. These question types are very similar to those in IELTS Reading. 
 

Click here to understand the IELTS Listening Module in detail. 
 

Practice Note Taking: The best way to keep up with audio is to practice taking notes while listening to recordings. Keep the note short, and focus on key points such as main ideas, names, dates, numbers, and other relevant information that may help you answer the questions later.
 

Focus on Different Accents: Listen to audios that cover a variety of English accents, including British, American, Australian, Canadian, and others. Exposing yourself to various accents will help you feel comfortable with any audio you get during the exam. 
 

Focus on Keywords: Just like in IELTS Reading, keywords play a significant role in solving IELTS Listening questions. Keywords are important words that indicate important names, dates, timelines, or subjects. Identifying these keywords will help in locating answers more efficiently.
 

Practice Time Management: Completing your answers within the given time limit is extremely important. This time management skill can only come with practice, so learn to pace yourself! One strategy to manage time is to answer the questions you find easy and then move on to the more challenging ones.
 

Look for Signal Words: Along with keywords, you must also pay attention to words like “Firstly,” “However,” and “Finally.” Questions are usually ordered in the same timeline as the audio. Therefore, these words can help you understand which question you have reached. 
 

Regularly Take Practice Tests: Make sure you take plenty of Listening practice tests for IELTS preparation, which helps you acclimate to the test pattern. Experts suggest taking at least 2 practice tests a week! 
 

Click here to access free IELTS Listening Practice Tests! 

IELTS Speaking is believed to be the easiest and shortest of the four modules. But it can become choppy if you don’t prepare well. 
 

Here’s how to navigate IELTS Speaking preparation smoothly: 

Practice Speaking English Regularly: It’s hard to improve your fluency without practice. Make it a point to engage in English conversations with friends and family. Additionally, you can also try using new words when you speak! 
 

Record Yourself Speaking: The best way to analyse your speaking is to record and play it back. Try speaking about various topics, and record it! Playing it back will help you understand where you lack, and you can quickly improve based on your observations. 
 

Click here to get an IELTS Speaking evaluation from Experts! 

Expand Your Vocabulary: Using the right words make all the difference! Work on improving your vocabulary range. You can learn new words by reading books, watching TV shows and movies, and interacting with native English speakers. 

Work on Pronunciation: One of the factors, or band descriptors under IELTS Speaking, is pronunciation! Work on saying the words correctly. When you learn a new word, search for how to pronounce it online. 
 

Click here to learn more about band descriptors and how they affect IELTS scores! 

Avoid filler words: Filler words include words like "um," "uh," or "you know.” While it’s not wrong to use such words, don’t repeat them often, as they break the flow of the sentence and affect your fluency. 
 

Listen Carefully to Questions: Listen carefully to the questions asked by the examiner and make sure you understand them before responding. You can always ask for clarification if you don’t hear the question properly or don’t understand it.

Practice Time Management: It is important to use a timer to simulate test conditions for speaking practice. Choose a topic, prepare for it in 1 minute, and respond in 2 minutes. The easiest way to improve your time management skills is to take practice tests! 
 

Practice Speaking on Different Topics: Part 2 or the Cue Card round of IELTS Speaking covers various topics, such as General, Societal, Environmental issues, and Personal Experiences. Make sure you practice cue card topics for effective preparation. 
 

Click here to access the list of Cue Cards for IELTS preparation! 

Whether Writing is your cup of tea or not, these tips will surely boost your skills!
 

Here are some effective tips to help you ace IELTS Preparation online for the Writing section.

Understand the Task Requirements: The IELTS Writing requirements for the Academic and General Training Modules vary slightly. Make sure you familiarise yourself with the tasks and requirements before preparing. 
 

Click here to get a detailed explanation of IELTS Writing Format.

Read and Analyse Texts: The best way to improve writing is to read (a lot!). When you read, you expose yourself to various writing styles, vocabulary, and more, which improves your writing skills. Read Books, Essays, Articles, and any other text you can read. 
 

Practice Writing Regularly: The foolproof way to improve your writing skills is to practice it! You can find plenty of practice prompts online. Write something about everything, and include it in your study plan. 
 

Develop a Clear Structure: Any well-written piece has a logical structure. Practice structuring your essays, reports, and letters. The ideal piece should contain a clear introduction, body paragraphs, and conclusion. 
 

Improve Vocabulary: Improving your vocabulary for IELTS Writing is a must-do for IELTS preparation. Learn new words and practice using them in the right context. Additionally, avoid slang and other overly informal expressions!

Improve Writing Speed: Practice completing essay tasks within the time limits for each task. The best way would be to break down your task into smaller parts and allocate time. For instance, set a time limit for brainstorming about the essay topic, writing it, and doing a final review before submitting it. 
 

Click here to access IELTS Writing Practice Tests

Practice Different Types of Writing: There are various essay writing tasks, such as opinion essays, discussion essays, problem-solution essays, and advantages-disadvantages essays. Familiarise yourself with all types of IELTS writing tasks to improve your confidence.