One week isn’t a lot of time for IELTS preparation. But you can still do it and ace the test if you stay committed to this plan.
My strategy for IELTS preparation in a week was fairly simple:
- Day 1: Get myself familiarised with the test
- Day 2: Focus on the Reading section
- Day 3: Focus on the Listening section
- Day 4: Focus on the Writing section
- Day 5: Focus on the Speaking section
- Day 6: Trying out a practice test
- Day 7: Evaluate my mock test result and practice the weaker sections
Here’s what you’ll achieve through our IELTS preparation plan:
- Picking up strategies to crack each of the 4 IELTS sections
- Taking up at least one IELTS practice test
Of course, this plan comes with its own challenges. Let me brief you about that before we proceed.
The challenges of preparing for IELTS in a week
There could be several challenges considering you have only one week to prepare. Here are some:
Time constraints: You will have only very limited time to cover all the aspects of the test. It would help if you had a fairly good command of the language and were aware of the exam format.
Improving your English proficiency: You will not be able to improve your language proficiency in a week. You can only familiarise yourself and strengthen your existing skills.
Time management strategies: You should know to not spend too much time on every question. You can get better at this only with practice. 1 week might not seem to be enough, but you can definitely get better at it with daily practice on all 7 days.
Managing stress: It could be quite stressful to prepare for a major test like IELTS within a week. You will also be spending money on the fees, which you would not want to go to waste.
Let’s get into the schedule to help crack IELTS with one week of preparation. Here’s what you’ll do on:
Day 1 of IELTS Preparation - Get yourself familiarised
With what, you ask? With everything about IELTS, of course. I think we can all agree that any preparation requires a sound understanding of what you’re going to prepare for. So, that’s your first step. However, since we are kind of pressed for time, you’ll superficially get oriented with the format of the test and its sections. This will fetch you a clear picture of IELTS and what your next 6 days are going to be about. To make it easier for you, I’ll list down what you need to understand to get an overview of IELTS:
- IELTS Exam Format (detailed below)
- Overview of the Reading section
- Overview of the Listening section
- Overview of the Speaking section
- Overview of the Writing section
More importantly, I used this time to familiarise myself with the scoring system.
You must understand how your answers will be marked, to prepare for IELTS accordingly.
Again, don’t go deep into any of this, as you have only a week to prepare for IELTS. This is just for your understanding and helps a lot in how you approach the test.
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IELTS exam pattern
First up, let’s be clear on this: IELTS consists of four sections (Reading, Writing, Listening and Speaking) and you will be scored separately for each section.
The 4 different modules are designed to assess your listening, reading, speaking, and writing skills. Each module is allotted a band score according to the performance of the candidate in that module. An average band score of all modules is then calculated to give the overall band score. The listening and speaking modules remain the same across both the Academic version and the General Training version, while the reading and writing modules are different.
IELTS Speaking
Number of questions |
Interactive section; hence can vary |
Question types |
The questions focus on your skill to use appropriate language to speak at length on a give topic, express your opinions and add justifications, analyse and discuss issues etc. |
Time given |
11 – 14 min |
IELTS Reading
Number of questions |
40 |
Question types |
|
Time given |
60 min |
IELTS Listening
Number of questions |
40 |
Question types |
|
Time given |
30 (+ 10 min for transferring the responses to the answer sheet) |
IELTS Writing
Number of questions |
2 |
Question types |
Long answers |
Time given |
60 min (It is ideal to complete task 1 in 20 min and spare 40 minutes for task 2) |
Institutions might have individual band requirements based on the program you choose. So be sure to check with your college or university before attempting the test. You can also reach out to our counsellors who have first-hand information about the application requirements.
IELTS Band Score Calculation
The Listening and Reading sections have 40 questions each with 1 mark per question. So, the raw scores for listening and reading are calculated out of 40.
You should score an average mark out of 40 to achieve a particular IELTS band score. For example, if you score 30 in listening, your band score will be 7. It will be 8 for a raw score of 35. The same applies to the reading section.
For the writing and speaking sections, you will be evaluated on different criteria.
Speaking criteria |
Listening criteria |
Fluency and coherence Lexical Resource Grammatical range and accuracy Pronunciation |
Task achievement Coherence and cohesion Lexical resource Grammatical range and accuracy |
Head to our article on IELTS band score calculations for details on what these mean.
All these criteria are given equal weightage in deciding the final score. Examiners use a set of assessment standards to arrive at a band score for these different criteria.
The overall band score is calculated as an average of the scores for the four sections of listening, reading, writing, and speaking. The average will then be rounded to the nearest whole or half band.
Now that you are familiar with the IELTS exam pattern, let’s move on to Day 2.
Day 2: Concentrate on improving your IELTS Reading skills
Yes, you’ll start your day 2 with Reading section. In this section of IELTS, you’ll come across a lot of reading passages, based on which you’ll be asked questions. On Day 2, you can dive into the details of the IELTS Reading section.
Here’s what you need to know about the IELTS Reading test:
There are 3 sections in the IELTS Reading test.
Your reading skills will be assessed as part of this test. The reading skills that are focused in an IELTS Reading test are:
- Skimming – Your ability to read quickly to note only the main points – to get a general overview.
- Scanning – This is the act of reading a passage to search for particular information. For example, you could be looking for a particular term or word in a passage to be able to answer the question.
- Reading for detail - This reading strategy allows you to understand the writer’s opinion, attitude, the logical arguments etc.
You will have around 60 minutes to respond to 40 questions. Ideally, you should spend only 20 minutes on each section. Each section will have 1 long passage based on which the questions are asked. The passages are taken from magazines, newspapers, books etc.
Let’s recall the question types:
- Multiple choice
- fill in the blanks
- identify information or writer's views
- Short answers to open question
- Complete sentences, summaries, notes, tables, flow-charts or diagram labels
- Matching information, sentences, or headings to content
Now that you have a fairly good idea of what is expected, it is time to practice. There are umpteen number of resources on the internet. Simply google IELTS Academic Reading passages and questions and practice them. Time yourself and try to complete each section within 20 minutes.
Here’s a tip:
Naturally, we all read the passages, completely, right? Well, no – here’s the trick – if you read every word of every line of every passage in the test, you won’t be able to comfortably complete the test in time.
Here’s the strategy I used during my IELTS preparation to avoid being pressed for time in the Reading Section – learn the art of skimming and scanning.
While you work on your Reading practice tests, make sure to use this method. Guess what, it did help me boost my score by saving some time for other questions!
Day 3 – Concentrate on your Listening skills
Day 3 is all about preparing for the Listening test of IELTS. As far as the Listening Section goes, it is of paramount importance to familiarise yourself with English audios. In this age and time, you will most probably be watching a lot of English series or listening to English podcasts. If not too, don’t worry – we can make the best use of this day by focusing on improving your listening skills.
Here’s what you need to know about the IELTS Listening test:
- The listening test has 4 sections.
- For each section, you will listen to 1 audio.
- These audios could be monologues or conversation between 2 or more people
- You will be asked 10 questions at the end of each audio.
- You can listen to the audio only once.
The questions aim to understand your listening skills, particularly:
- Your ability to understand the main idea and any factual information
- Your ability to follow the flow of ideas
- Your ability to figure out the opinion and attitude of the speakers
- Your ability to figure out the purpose of what was spoken
Let’s recall the question types:
- Multiple choice
- complete the sentences
- matching
- labelling (plans, maps, diagrams etc)
- Short answers
- Complete (notes, tables, summaries, forms, flow charts etc.)
Here’s a tip:
With the internet, you’ll easily be able to access English news programmes, radio programmes or podcasts from BBC. This way, you are prepared with the accents and tone – which play a significant role in grasping lines that are played during the test. This exercise helped me because I was able to quickly identify the tone and words. More importantly, I didn’t feel lost.
You can also make use of the listening practice tests available on the IELTS website.
Take up specific Listening sample tests for practice. While doing so, try and keep up with the recording. Even if you miss it, don’t get stuck with one question. Move on or you’ll lose the other questions as well.
Here’s a short video on tips to improve your IELTS Listening score:
Let’s move on to Day 4 – the time dedicated for the IELTS Writing test.
Day 4 – Concentrate on improving your IELTS writing skills
In the IELTS writing test, your skill to effectively articulate your response, coherence, vocabulary, grammar and other elements of the language is tested.
Here’s what you need to know about the IELTS Listening test:
There are two tasks in the Writing Section:
Task 1: Look at a graph, table or a diagram and summarise, describe or explain the information we see. Our response should have a proper structure.
Task 2: We’ll be given an argument, point of view or problem. You have to write a response for or against a point of view, about the advantages and disadvantages, explain a problem etc.
Let’s recall the question types:
- Summarise, explain or describe the information
- Write an essay
Here’s my strategy and tips:
The best tip to ace this section is to take on as many Writing practice papers as you can. When you write, try to simulate the actual test conditions as much as you can. You could:
- Find a quiet spot, which enables you to concentrate.
- Keep aside 1 hour 15 minutes to 2 hours and work on the writing tasks uninterrupted.
- Instead of typing your responses, write them to get more practice and speed.
- Set yourself strict time limits for the writing questions.
Once you’re done with the two writing tasks, look back and evaluate yourself. Ask yourself – Were you able to complete the tasks in the set time? Did you fall short of or exceed the minimum word count?
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Day 5 – Concentrate on improving your IELTS Speaking skills
Generally, this is the section that most Indian students dread the most. Knowing about the speaking test and understanding what to expect will definitely help to put you at ease.
Here’s what you need to know about the IELTS Speaking test:
- There are 3 parts in a speaking test.
- During part 1, the examiner will ask general questions – about yourself, family, home, work, interests etc. Part 1 lasts for 4-5 min.
- During part 2, the examiner will ask you to speak on a topic. They will ask you a couple of questions based on the topic. Part 2 lasts for 3-4 min.
- During part 3, you will be asked further questions based on part 2 topic. This part will last for 4-5 min.
There is no fixed question type as this section is interactive.
Here’s my strategy and tips for acing the speaking test:
Like the writing section, simulating the IELTS speaking condition will help your performance on the day of the test. I attempted to make my one-week IELTS preparation as realistic as possible by:
- Picking a topic of relevance
- Setting a timer and taking one minute to prepare my response
- Start speaking for 1-2 minutes (set another timer)
- Record my speech for self-evaluation
If possible, you could also get someone who is fluent in English to listen to you speak. This way, you’re prepared to talk in front of the examiner on the day of the test.
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Day 6 - Mock test
Now that you’ve spent one day each on every section, it’s time to test yourself with a full-length mock test. Give our IELTS mock test a shot for free and see how you fare. This is a great chance for you to analyse your weakness and strengths and improve accordingly.
You can also rely on the IELTS mock tests offered by different websites online.
While taking up a mock test, set aside around 3 hours of uninterrupted time and be strict about it. The IELTS time duration is as follows:
- 60 minutes for Writing Section
- 60 minutes for Reading Section
- 30 minutes for Listening Section
- 14 minutes for Speaking Section
Once you’re done, keep your answers aside. Don’t evaluate - just yet.
Day 7 – And you’re done!
The last day isn’t for cramming in anything new. Take out your mock test from yesterday and evaluate it. See where you’ve gone wrong and analyse ways to fix them. That’s about it for the day. Maintain a calm, fresh mind and go to the test with confidence – your IELTS preparation will certainly pay off and you’ll rock it!
If you have a bit more time on your hand, why don’t you explore IELTS preparation in detail? Armed with all kinds of preparations, you’re most likely to ace the test. We wish you the best!
Remember that our experts are on stand-by, to guide you through your study abroad journey. If at any point you feel that some professional guidance would help, reach out to our counsellors. A good news for you is that IELTS is now coming online – you can take the test from the comforts of your home. Don’t forget to check out our student news page for more details in the coming weeks. Meanwhile, you can also learn about the IELTS indicator test.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Focusing on vocabulary only: Even though vocabulary matters, it is not the only factor that decides your score. Focus on other language elements too.
- Avoiding practising some sections of the test: All sections of the test are important and can influence your overall score. Do not skip practising any section of the test even if you feel confident in it.
- Not preparing ahead: You should take the test seriously and meticulously prepare for it even if you have a fairly good command of the language. Don’t leave it to the last minute.
- Not attempting to understand the exam format: The exam format, the question types and the n-number of sample test papers are available on the internet. You’ll be caught off-guard and lose precious time if you don’t familiarise yourself with the test.
- Not taking feedback: It is ideal to get feedback from peers, teachers or from people who have already taken the test. Even the online IELTS mock test sites give feedback. Rectify your mistakes based on this feedback and practice those sections in which you are weaker.
Hope you are ready to face the test and ace it! All the best for your study abroad journey!
FAQs about IELTS preparation
Can I prepare for IELTS in a week?
One week might not seem enough. 1 week might not seem to be enough, but you can definitely get better at it with daily practice on all 7 days.
What is the full form of IELTS?
IELTS is International English Language Testing System.
It is one of the English language tests for determining proficiency and fluency in English. It is particularly used by universities and organisations in English-speaking countries while enrolling/hiring individuals from non-English-speaking countries.
What Is the Importance of IELTS?
If the medium of instruction is in English, institutions would want to ensure that students have the necessary language skills to succeed in the academic setting – to understand lectures, participate in discussions and make the best use of their coursework. So institutions would require a measuring system to assess the English language level of students coming from non-English speaking countries. Of the several English language tests in the market – including TOEFL, Duolingo, PTE and others, IELTS is one of the most widely accepted and reliable tests.
Let me guess – your IELTS exam is just around the corner and you’ve hardly prepared anything. Well, I’ve been there and done that – yet managed to score an 8! So, don’t panic, you’ve come to the right place. I’ll tell you how to prepare for IELTS in a week and still score an overall band of 8.0.
What do the IELTS band scores mean?
Here’s what each band on IELTS say about the English proficiency of the test taker:
IELTS band score |
What it means |
0 |
Test taker did not attempt the questions |
1 |
Non-users of English. They can use a few separate words. |
2 |
Intermittent users of English. Written and spoken English is difficult for them. |
3 |
They can understand English in very familiar settings. Extremely limited users of the language. |
4 |
Competent in the language in familiar settings only. They cannot use complex language and has difficulty understanding and expressing in English. |
5 |
They have partial command over the language. They will be able to understand the overall meaning in most situations. They are modest users of the language. |
6 |
They can understand and use complex language in familiar situations. They are competent users of English. |
7 |
They are good users of the language. They will be able to handle complex language and can understand detailed reasoning. |
8 |
Very good users of the English language. They can handle complex argumentation and only occasionally display inaccurate and inappropriate use of language. |
9 |
display appropriate, accurate and fluent use of the language. They have a complete understanding and full operational command of English. They are the Expert Users of the language. |
As co-owner of IELTS, we (IDP) conduct Computer Delivered tests in centres across cities such as New Delhi, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Chennai and Kochi among many others. So, if you haven’t registered yet, book online for a CD IELTS test slot now!
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Editor's note: This article was originally published in May 2019. Our content writer Roshna Mohan has edited it to include up-to-date information and made it comprehensive.
Note: Hotcourses India is part of IDP Connect, which is an IELTS partner.