What good IELTS study material looks like
Not all material labelled "IELTS" is helpful. Some is out of date, some is far easier or harder than the real test, and some is simply a collection of memorised phrases. Before you spend time on any IELTS study material, check that it:
- Follows the official format: the right number of questions, the real timings and the actual question types for your track.
- Explains answers, not just lists them. Knowing that the answer is C is useless unless you know why A and B are wrong.
- Separates Academic and General Training for Reading and Writing.
- Gives feedback on Writing and Speaking using the four official criteria.
- Is honest, with no promises of guaranteed bands or secret tricks.
Free PDFs passed around messaging groups in Sharjah can be a mixed bag. Some are useful; others have wrong answer keys or unusual formats. If you use them, double-check anything that looks strange.
What good study notes look like
Good notes are short, personal and practical. They are not copies of a textbook. For IELTS, the most useful notes are:
- A strategy page for each module: your timing plan, how you approach each question type, and reminders for test day.
- An error log: the mistakes you actually make, grouped by type. This is far more valuable than general advice.
- A vocabulary list by topic: education, environment, health, technology, work, cities and transport, with example sentences you wrote yourself.
- A short list of flexible phrases for Writing and Speaking that you can adapt, not memorised paragraphs.
Our Study Notes and tools
IELTS Learning includes Study Notes: strategy chapters for each module, covering question types, timing and common traps. Use them before you start a new question type, then go back after a practice set to check what you missed.
Several other tools support your notes:
- Mistake Notebook: every wrong answer from Listening and Reading practice is saved automatically, so your error log builds itself.
- English Improvement: grammar and vocabulary lessons for the areas that commonly hold back Writing and Speaking scores.
- Vocabulary flashcards using spaced repetition, so words come back just before you forget them.
- Personal study plan based on your test date and target.
- Quick Wrap: a last-minute checklist for the final days before your test.
Free practice material you can start with today
You do not need to pay anything to start. Free, with no card required:
- A complete sample mock test, all four sections.
- Sample Listening and Reading practice sets from the practice tests page.
- Daily Vocabulary: five new words a day.
- The Band Score Calculator to work out your overall band.
- The Quick Wrap tips and our weekly IELTS tips blog.
When you are ready for more, Full Access unlocks everything, including all 15 full mocks and the Charged sets, for $12 for 2 months.
Using official Cambridge practice books alongside our tests
Many students also use the official Cambridge IELTS practice books, and they are a sensible choice. They contain past-style tests from the official exam board. Our tests are independent but follow the same official format, so the two work well together.
A practical way to combine them:
- Use the Cambridge books on paper for a few tests, especially if you are taking the paper-based test, and to check your level against official material.
- Use our computer-style mocks to practise on screen, with the navigator, highlighter and drag-and-drop, and to get instant Listening and Reading scores.
- Use our Writing and Speaking prompts for feedback, since books can only give model answers, not comments on your own work.
Do not rush through all the Cambridge tests in the first fortnight. Save some for the final weeks so you have fresh official material to confirm your level.
A weekly study routine for Sharjah students and workers
This routine suits someone at university in Sharjah or working full time, with about an hour on most days and a longer session on one day off. Adjust the days to your own week.
- Day 1: Study Notes chapter on one question type, then a practice set on it.
- Day 2: Listening part or two, review mistakes, add to your error log.
- Day 3: Writing Task 1 with AI feedback.
- Day 4: Reading section under time, check explanations.
- Day 5: Three Speaking cue cards with timers, read transcript feedback.
- Day 6: Writing Task 2, or a full mock test every second week.
- Day 7: Rest, plus a quick review of your flashcards and error log.
Every day: Daily Vocabulary and five minutes of flashcards. On a bus from Al Nahda to Dubai or between lectures in University City, that adds up to a lot of words by test day.
Create a free account to open the Study Notes and start building your own.