r/IELTS Apr 07 '26

Study Resource IELTS Preparation Resources

47 Upvotes

A curated guide by the r/IELTS moderation team

Last updated: April 2026

 

This post collects the best free IELTS preparation resources available online, verified and curated by the moderators of r/IELTS. We have also listed trusted teachers and communities who can provide additional help. This is a living document — if you spot a broken link or a resource worth adding, please let us know in the comments.

 

Official IELTS Resources

Always start here. These are free materials from the organisations that own and administer the IELTS test.

 

Practice Tests & Familiarisation

•        IELTS.org — Sample Test Questions — Free official sample questions for all four skills.

•        British Council — Free Practice Tests (all skills) — Official free practice for Listening, Reading, Writing, and Speaking.

•        British Council — Free Writing Practice Tests — Writing-specific official practice.

•        British Council — Free Speaking Practice — Understand the Speaking test format and practice with sample questions.

•        IDP — IELTS Preparation Materials — Practice tests and preparation guidance from IDP.

•        IDP — Diagnostic Tool — Identify your strengths and weaknesses before you start studying.

 

Computer-Delivered IELTS

•        British Council — IELTS on Computer (How it Works) — Essential if you are taking the computer-delivered version.

•        British Council — Computer Familiarisation Tests — Get used to the interface before test day.

•        IDP — Get Familiar with IELTS on Computer — Additional familiarisation from IDP.

 

Apps

•        British Council — IELTS Ready App (free) — Official free preparation app from the British Council.

•        British Council — Learning Apps — Broader English learning apps including pronunciation support.

•        IDP — IELTS by IDP App — Preparation app from IDP.

 

Webinars & Live Sessions

•        British Council — Free Weekly IELTS Webinars — Regular free webinars covering test skills and strategies.

 

Recommended Books

These are the most widely used and reliable print resources. Cambridge books use real past test material and are the gold standard for practice tests.

 

Practice Test Books

•        Cambridge IELTS Books 12 onwards — real past papers; the most authentic practice available. Start from the most recent number and work backwards.

•        Cambridge IELTS Trainer — includes teacher explanations and tips alongside practice tests.

•        Collins Practice Tests for IELTS — good supplementary tests with clear guidance.

Skill-Specific Books

•        The Official Cambridge Guide to IELTS — comprehensive coverage of all four skills with DVD.

•        Collins Writing for IELTS / Reading for IELTS — useful for targeted skill work.

•        Barron's IELTS Superpack — popular all-in-one study package.

Note: Avoid unofficial third-party test books that are not based on real past papers. The quality varies enormously and some contain inaccurate information about scoring.

 

Trusted Websites & YouTube Channels

These are established, teacher-run resources with a strong track record in the IELTS community. All offer substantial free content.

 

•        IELTS Liz — One of the most comprehensive free IELTS sites online. Lessons, tips, model answers, videos, and practice materials for all four skills. Highly recommended as a starting point.

•        IELTS Simon — Run by a former IELTS examiner. Focused and practical advice, particularly strong for Writing and Speaking. Daily lessons and model answers.

•        IELTS Advantage — Detailed and accurate. One of the most reliable channels for in-depth strategy guides. Particularly strong for Task 1 and Task 2 writing.

•        ESL Fluency — Detailed guides, articles, and videos covering IELTS skills and test strategy. Run by one of the r/IELTS moderators.

•        IELTS Lilli — Practical tips and strategy guidance from an experienced IELTS teacher.

•        E2 IELTS (YouTube) — High-production-value video lessons covering all skills. Good for visual learners. Note: they also sell courses, but there is a large volume of free content.

•        Anfisa's Speaking Simulators (YouTube) — Speaking simulation videos for students who need to practise without a partner. CELTA-certified teacher.

•        Cambridge English — Supporting Learners — Free activities and skill practice directly from Cambridge, including pronunciation support.

 

Helpful Reddit Communities

Beyond r/IELTS, these communities can support your preparation:

 

•        r/IELTS — You are already here! Use the search function before posting — most common questions have been answered many times.

•        r/EnglishLearning — General English improvement, useful if you need to build your overall language level alongside IELTS prep.

•        r/languagelearning — Broader language learning strategies and motivation.

•        r/IELTS_Guide — A valuable guide for our main community. 

 

Trusted Teachers in This Community

The following members have been awarded Teacher flair by the r/IELTS moderation team. This means they have demonstrated consistent, high-quality, and accurate contributions to this community. They are real, qualified teachers — not accounts promoting spam or low-quality services.

Click any username to visit their Reddit profile. Many are available for personalised help and coaching.

 

●       u/Achieve_IELTS

●       u/AcquBot

●       u/ajiazul

●       u/Alternaterealityset

●       u/BotherBeginning2281

●       u/chuvashi

●       u/deepsleepintra

●       u/EmploymentNo6198

●       u/EvolveEnglish

●       u/FinalDebt2792

●       u/gonzoman92

●       u/IELTS_Advantage

●       u/itanpiuco2020

●       u/jesuisapprenant

●       u/Kyosunim

●       u/Maverick_ESL

●       u/nautilus_pompilious

●       u/RedInBed69

●       u/squashed_liberty_cap

●       u/TeacherExhibitA

●       u/The_0xford_Coma

●       u/Todd_H_1982

●       u/upmyielts

●       u/YerManBKK

●       u/Yousychophant

If you are a teacher listed here and would prefer to be removed, please send a modmail and we will take care of it.

 

Quick Tips from the Mods

 

Before you start

•        Take a full diagnostic test first — do not study blindly. Find out your current band score and identify your weakest skill.

•        Understand the marking criteria for Writing and Speaking. Many students study the wrong things because they do not know how they are scored.

•        Use official materials (Cambridge books, British Council practice tests) as your primary source of practice. Third-party materials vary wildly in quality.

Common mistakes to avoid

•        Memorising model answers for Writing or Speaking — examiners are trained to spot this and it can result in a lower score.

•        Ignoring your weakest skill — it is tempting to practise what you are already good at. Focus on your lowest-scoring area.

•        Confusing Academic and General Training — make sure you are using the correct practice materials for your test type.

•        Relying only on free resources if you are seriously stuck — a few sessions with a qualified teacher can save months of wasted preparation time.

On Writing

•        Task achievement and coherence are the highest-weighted criteria. Vocabulary and grammar matter, but structure and relevance matter more.

•        For Task 1 Academic, learn to describe trends, comparisons, and processes — do not just describe every data point.

•        For Task 2, always plan before you write. A clear position and well-organised paragraphs will score higher than long, rambling essays.

On Speaking

•        Fluency does not mean speaking fast. It means speaking smoothly without long pauses and self-correction.

•        Extend your answers in Parts 1 and 3. Short answers suggest a limited range of language.

•        Record yourself and listen back. Most students are surprised by how different they sound compared to how they think they sound.

 

This resource post is maintained by the r/IELTS moderation team. Links are checked periodically, but if you find a broken link, please report it. Good luck with your preparation!


r/IELTS Jan 03 '26

Moderator Advice Thinking about IELTS EOR? Read this before you risk it!

36 Upvotes

There have been a lot of posts and comments lately about going for an EOR, and a lot of misconceptions floating around.  I'd like to try and clear that up.

What is an EOR?

EOR (Enquiry on Results / remark) is only for when you are 100% sure the Examiners made a mistake rating you. It’s not a lottery, it’s not something to “try” because you’re disappointed, and it’s definitely not “pay IELTS and they’ll give you a higher score.” Most EOR requests come back unchanged, and most people who lose their money don’t come back to post about it, so Reddit ends up looking more “successful” than it really is.

What about second marking?

Sometimes you may hear about "second marking", which is different from an EOR. These normal second checks happen before scores are released, and are triggered when there is a "jagged profile", which means some of your scores are very different from others.  For example, you might get 8s on Listening and Reading, and 6.5 on speaking, 6 on writing.  This is a jagged profile, and your speaking and writing would have been automatically second-marked by different normal Examiners.  Tasks are assigned randomly and anonymously; they don’t know who you are, they don’t see your other scores, and they don’t coordinate with the first set of Examiners.

For speaking, your original test is marked by the Examiner who did it with you, marks are submitted either immediately after the test (if electronic) or written down after you leave the room (for in-center).  If a second marking is needed, a second Examiner will listen to your recording online remotely.  If you have ANY issues on test day (technical or otherwise), you MUST report them before you leave the center, or else nothing will usually be done. 

For writing, two separate Examiners rate Task 1 and Task 2, then the scores are combined into your final writing score (Task 2 weighs double). Marking is done online, 24/7, by a global pool of Examiners. Any tasks that need second marking are just tossed back into the pool to be marked as any other task.

An EOR is different: you’re paying for a Senior Examiner to re-mark your work after you already have your results. Examiners don’t “look at your old score and adjust it.”

Should I go for an EOR?

EORs are for when you are 100% SURE the Examiners rating you made mistakes, AND you are 100% SURE that your performance was excellent.  Anything less is pretty much just handing IELTS more money.  Mistakes, while they can happen, are pretty rare, and most people lose their money.  EORs are expensive!

But some people report positive change!

Yes, it can happen! For speaking/writing in general, band descriptors require professional judgement, so sometimes Examiners differ. But that doesn’t mean “they were wrong,” rating isn't always so black and white.  For example, they need to decide on things like density of errors (how much is too much?), or the intelligibility of pronunciation (Was it always clear? Was there ANY effect of native language? If yes, how much?), and so on.

Examiners aren’t robots (yet!), and are permitted a half band of variance. As long as they are within half a band of what a Senior Examiner would give, it’s considered fine. Of course, this isn't fine for you, the Testtaker, where a half a band could make a big difference, but that is the current system we have. :-/

Now, if you go for a remark, sometimes the Senior Examiner might have a different opinion, and be more or less strict than your original Examiner. If the Senior is stricter, your band won’t change. If they are a bit more lenient, you could go up a bit. If the first Examiner made a mistake, or if you produced an atypical sample that the original Examiner had difficulty rating, then you might see a greater change with an EOR. But for most, marks stay the same.

I still want to go for it.

If you’re going to do it anyway, request the EOR for all four skills. It costs the same, and if any score increases, you get the EOR fee back, minus any service charges. As listening and reading are computer-marked, change is extremely rare, but we have had some members who had a positive change.

However, if you’re not genuinely sure you were under-marked, the safer move is to figure out why you got that score, fix it, and retake it, if possible.  If you need help figuring out where you are making mistakes, you can hire an IELTS expert to help you. There are services you can use in the pinned posts at the top of this subreddit, or you can message any of the badged teachers here (but not me ;-) ), and they may be happy to work with you.

You might also want to request a score breakdown, if you have time, to see exactly what your Examiners rated you, this information can useful in helping you to decide.

EOR is expensive, and for most people it’s money lost, IELTS richer. :-/


r/IELTS 10h ago

My Advice The Dumbest IELTS candidate of 2026

149 Upvotes

I walked into the exam feeling confident.

After finishing the Listening and Reading paper.

Invigilator walks over "What's on your wrist?"

Me "...oh..."

My dumbass had totally forgotten that I was wearing my screenless Google fitbit air.

They took a photo and let me finish the exam.

A few days later, result is canceled.

I never even touched the thing during the exam.

Take away from the story:

My fitbit counted one workout that day: running my IELTS result into the ground.


r/IELTS 10h ago

Test Experience/Test Result First try as a non native speaker

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19 Upvotes

Not really happy with my speaking score. Took the exam in the Philippines with a Filipino examiner. They said they’re much stricter and tend to give lower scores, but just happy that it’s over!

Also didn’t take practicing the test that seriously, so overall, I feel okay with my results.


r/IELTS 1h ago

Have a Question/Advice Needed Does disliking everything in the speaking test lower the score?

Upvotes

If the examiner coincidentally picks the hobbies I hate like music, studying, or gaming and I respond that I do not like any of these things but give the example of somebody close to me who might, will it lower my score?


r/IELTS 2h ago

Have a Question/Advice Needed I wrote less than 150 words for task 1 should I retake?

2 Upvotes

Hello everyone,
I just finished my IELTS exam I think I did good despite not meeting the minimum for task 1 writing of 150 words I only wrote 143 because I ran out of time.

I need a band 7 or higher should I apply for a retake or should I just wait for the results to come out.

I am really worried that this will affect my score and get me under band 7.

My last exam before this one I wrote around 270 words for task1 but the structure was not great.

This time I think I summarized too much and didn’t meet the requirement of 150 words.


r/IELTS 2h ago

Writing Feedback (Peer Review) Please review this essay

2 Upvotes

hello everyone, I am going to appear for ielts examination in the first week of next month. GPT and Claude are giving me 6.0 bands, really worried.
Can anyone please tell me whether i am standing at 7.0 bands or not.

My essay:
In many countries, children are spending increasing amounts of time on electronic devices for schoolwork. Some people think this is a positive trend, while others believe it is having a negative effect on young people.

Discuss both views and give your own opinion.

Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience.

There is an ongoing debate as to whether the excessive use of electronic devices has a detrimental effect on the new generation, or whether it has, in fact, enhanced the way they learn. Both viewpoints carry some merit, although I would argue that, when used appropriately, technology can play a significant role in accomplishing the tasks assigned by their schools.

Advocates of electronic devices point out that with the widespread use of these equipment, students can now learn any difficult topic easily using the internet, thereby increasing their productivity. Numerous applications are available on the internet which helps the individuals to create schedule of their tasks, prioritize the jobs to do or to make a perfect timetable for studying. Thanks to modern electronic devices, many repetitive and time taking tasks are now can be performed on these devices; for instance, students now can make plots on digital calculators, thereby saving their time and energy.

On the other hand, a considerable number of individuals criticise the excessive surfing of these tools. They suggest that the students solely rely on these devices, which ultimately depreciate their ability to self-thinking and self-relying. This weakens their cognitive development and individuals can suffer through serious concerns, including mental ability disorders etc. It is widely observed that a large number of teens, who participate in olympiads and competitions, solve their mathematical problems on their finger-tips, which enhance their mental pattern developments.

In conclusion, while critics rightly highlights the dangers of overreliance on these devices, I maintain that, provided the children are guided the balanced use of these equipment, modern tools can play a vital role in the cognitive development of students.


r/IELTS 6h ago

Have a Question/Advice Needed It has been 5 days & still no results

4 Upvotes

Hi everyone. I’m on Day 5 waiting for my computer IELTS results (IDP), and my portal still says “Your results are pending.”

I’ve emailed & messaged the test centre but there is nothing reassuring.

Then I remembered something that happened after my test. After collecting my bag, I realized I’d accidentally left my (beaded) ring on my desk in the test room. I went back in to get it, not realizing re-entering wasn’t allowed. The staff stopped me, questioned me for a few minutes, checked me and my bag again, then let me leave.

Has anyone experienced something similar?
I’m trying to figure out whether this kind of incident is simply logged as a routine security check or whether it can delay the release of results.

Edit: Just got my results 30 mins after emailed the central IDP IELTS in my country. Finger crossed for everyone!!


r/IELTS 8h ago

Other Absurdity of IELTS IDP online

5 Upvotes

Is it just me or is IELTS idp doing test takers dirty? They cancelled (with no refund) my first test because their interface didn’t let me upload my passport photo in time (there was an error with the way they coded their website I believe). So I complied with their recommendation and booked another test because I WAS ALREADY ON A TIGHT SCHEDULE FOR SUBMITTING MY UNI REQUIREMENTS. It’s completely absurd because I took my speaking test yesterday and was taking my LWR test today but in the middle of my assessment, a pop-up from my computer surveillance company came out and automatically locked me out of the test. I understand it’s my fault that I didn’t consider the potential consequences of there being a pop-up but they practically cancelled my second test immediately, of course, with no refund.

There is absolutely no leniency in the system and this whole ordeal has costed me a total of abt $500. It honestly feels like a scam because there were so many things that went wrong without much proper support. I am just really disappointed in the technical aspects of this company. I’m just going to take IELTS at a test center as I should’ve done the first time.


r/IELTS 4h ago

Have a Question/Advice Needed How to evaluate your IELTS writing?

2 Upvotes

Like everybody else, I used AI to check my writing. However, when I asked it to rate a band 9 essay from the British Council website, I got 6–6.5. Are there any tips on how to rate your IELTS writing without an examiner or other professionals?


r/IELTS 1d ago

Test Experience/Test Result My IELTS score, non-native

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88 Upvotes

Honestly, I could’ve done better on the speaking part if it wasn’t for my anxiety 😭. The examiner kept on asking me about my ‘perfect job’ and work environment. During the task 2 I was so distracted and never even wrote down my thoughts on paper so I feel like my answers were not arranged logically and I kept repeating the same thing in different words.
Same goes for the writing part, it was computer based so I could hear everyone typing and it just messed with my thought process a lot and I got more anxious when my thoughts were interrupted and realising that everyone was writing continuously while I kept pausing and thinking.


r/IELTS 14h ago

Test Experience/Test Result Yaaay, got my ielts score today, I needed 6.0-6.5, but it turned out even better!

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13 Upvotes

r/IELTS 1h ago

Study Partner Request Good afternoon, everyone. Can anyone help me with my speaking? I’d like to practise the IELTS structure using academic vocabulary.If anyone scored 8–9, please help me understand. Thanks in advance.

Upvotes

If anyone scored 8–9, could you help me understand? Thanks in advance.


r/IELTS 7h ago

Have a Question/Advice Needed Need suggestions on book

3 Upvotes

Hey y’all! I need to know what are the best books to buy to study on your own for ielts!? Im aiming for overall 7+ band. Rn im getting 7.5 at listening, 5.5/6 at reading, 5.5 at writing, 7 at speaking!:)


r/IELTS 9h ago

Have a Question/Advice Needed Optimal number of paragraphs for task 2

3 Upvotes

Hello guys,

So I have been practising for task 2. For the "discuss both opinions and state your own" types of questions, I normally write 5 paragraphs, since it makes more sense to me (Intro + View 1 + View 2 + My view + Conclusion), however, I saw some example essays by IELTS tutors that are 4 paragraphs long. Some people told me that 4 is the smartest choice, since 5 is time-consuming during the test.

Any advice?


r/IELTS 8h ago

Have a Question/Advice Needed Starting from nothing

2 Upvotes

Hi, how should i approach the preparation for the ielts test?

I'm currently attending university, but also want to study abroad in the future. I know nothing about taking preparations for ielts. I bought Cambridge IELTS (from 10 to 20) following someone's advice. But should i just keep practicing those books from start to finish? Or is there something more to it?

In my country, the IELTS test is very expensive. Hence, i aim to give the test once. So i want to prepare as much as i can. I haven't registered for the test yet.


r/IELTS 4h ago

Have a Question/Advice Needed Has anyone done an enquiry on results for Reading or Listening Ielts results?

1 Upvotes

I scored a 6.5 in reading and would like to do an enquiry of results but was told it almost never changes because those exams are objective and computer marked

Has anyone been successful or know anyone that was successful with EOR? Were you/they able to see their reading or listening results move atleast 0.5 higher?


r/IELTS 23h ago

Test Experience/Test Result I just got my results of pen and paper based test

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24 Upvotes

I could've done better in writing . In writing I panicked and couldn't write effectively. Ask me anything or if you need any help regarding any section. I needed an overall 7 with no band less than 7 for my university admission so more than happy with this result.


r/IELTS 12h ago

Have a Question/Advice Needed Speaking test First or Later?

3 Upvotes

I’m about to register for my test.
For those who have taken it, would you recommend having the speaking teat before or after other section?


r/IELTS 14h ago

Have a Question/Advice Needed Any tips for Writing and Speaking improvements in 10 days?

3 Upvotes

Hey guys, I have my IELTS exam in one week and I really need some advice for speaking and writing

Right now, I'm scoring around an 8.5 in Listening (ranging between 8.0 and 9.0) and usually an 8.0 in Reading (with a couple of 8.5). However, I'm really worried about speaking and writing, bcs I was only focused about listening and reading. So, I want to focus my remaining 10 days on polishing speaking and writing and score 6.5 or 7 in each, with a target overall band score of 7.5

For context, I took exams twice before and scored an overall 6.5 both times (Attempt 1: L 7.0, R 7.0, W 5.5, S 6.0 and Attempt 2: L 6.5, R 7.0, W 6.0, S 5.5).

Do you have any tips or strategies I can use over the next 10 days?


r/IELTS 9h ago

Have a Question/Advice Needed Pls help me for find synonym

1 Upvotes

I wanna ask if there another synonym for chart?


r/IELTS 22h ago

Test Experience/Test Result Got my retake results

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9 Upvotes

Firstly,I got 6.5 while my classmates got 7 i thought about retake and still got 6.5.What do you think(im 14 btw) From Kazakhstan


r/IELTS 23h ago

Test Experience/Test Result My ielts result from a while ago

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9 Upvotes

Hi,

I took my test in 2022 but recently discovered this sub. So I just wanted to share my scores.


r/IELTS 1d ago

Test Experience/Test Result My results are out..

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16 Upvotes

I think I would have got 7.5 overall if I prepared slightly more on improving Reading and Speaking..

What do you think, is this good if I prepared only one and half month.

P. S: I had 6.0 initially, in 2024 when I was 14. Did nothing for straight two years, btw I am not native( who cares right?)


r/IELTS 1d ago

Test Experience/Test Result First attempt as a non-native speaker from BD

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16 Upvotes

Messed up writing a bit, but overall happy with how things turned out