A 30-day IELTS study plan you can actually follow

Thirty days is enough to improve your IELTS score noticeably if your English is already at an intermediate level and you study consistently. This plan assumes about 90 minutes a day, six days a week. Use the seventh day to rest.

Before you start: find your level

Take one complete practice test, or a free mock test at a Wordwicket centre. Write down your score for each skill and choose the two weakest. Those skills get extra time throughout the plan.

Week 1: understand the test

• Learn the format and question types for each section.
• Listening and Reading: one practice section a day, untimed, checking every wrong answer carefully.
• Writing: study the structure of Task 1 reports and Task 2 essays.
• Speaking: record yourself answering Part 1 questions for ten minutes a day.

Week 2: build skills

• Listening and Reading: timed sections, and keep a list of the question types you get wrong most often.
• Writing: one Task 1 and one Task 2 each week, with feedback.
• Speaking: practise Part 2 cue cards with a one-minute preparation timer.
• Vocabulary: learn ten useful topic words a day (education, environment, technology, health) in full sentences.

Week 3: work on weaknesses

• Spend extra time on your two weakest skills.
• Write two Task 2 essays this week and correct the same type of mistake each time.
• Practise Part 3 discussion questions: give a reason and an example for every answer.

Week 4: exam conditions

• Take two full practice tests under real timing, ideally at the same time of day as your exam.
• Review mistakes, but do not try to learn new material in the last three days.
• Sleep well the night before. Tiredness costs more marks than a missing word list.