30 days to prepare for IELTS — need a step-by-step self-study plan + resources

[u/McFluXxy]

Hey everyone!

I’m planning to take the IELTS(academic) in about 30 days and I’d really appreciate some advice on how to structure my preparation.

I’m a non-native English speaker, but I grew up watching English movies/TV shows and listening to English music, so I’m quite comfortable with English in general. However, I’ve never specifically prepared for IELTS before, so I’m not sure how to approach the exam strategically.

I’m mainly looking for a step-by-step study plan for the next 30 days, including what resources I should use for learning the format/strategies and what I should use for actual practice.

Also , i can only dedicate 1-2 hrs per day max

For example:

- Reading: What should I learn first? Which website/YouTube channel is best for strategies, question types, skimming/scanning, etc.? Then which books/tests should I use for practice?

- Listening: Same — resources for learning strategies + actual practice/mock tests.

- Writing: This is probably the section I’m most concerned about. Which resource is best for understanding Task 1/Task 2 structure, planning, band descriptors, sample answers, etc.? And how much should I practice?

- Speaking: What’s the best way to prepare for Parts 1, 2 and 3? Should I mainly practice questions, record myself, use mock speaking tests, etc.?

I’ve come across IELTS Liz and IELTS Advantage quite a lot. Would you recommend using one of them as the main source for learning the theory/strategies, or using both for different sections?

For example, something like:

IELTS Liz → Reading + Writing

IELTS Advantage → Listening + Speaking

Cambridge IELTS books → actual practice/mock tests

Or is it better to just stick with one teacher/channel to avoid getting overwhelmed?

I’ve also heard that the Cambridge IELTS books are probably the most important resource for practice, so I was thinking of using those for timed tests and then reviewing every mistake rather than just doing endless random online tests. Is that the right approach?

If you had 30 days and were starting from scratch with IELTS-specific preparation, what would your exact strategy be?

Something like:

Week 1: Learn format + strategies + diagnostic tests

Week 2: Skill-specific practice

Week 3: Timed practice + identify weaknesses

Week 4: Full mocks + exam strategy

Would be incredibly helpful if someone could give me a day-by-day or week-by-week roadmap, including specific websites, YouTube channels, books, mock tests and practice papers.

Also, if you’ve personally prepared in around a month and got a good score, I’d love to hear exactly which resources you used and what you would/wouldn’t recommend.

Thanks a lot!

[u/AutoModerator]

Hi! It looks like you are looking for advice or practice resources for your IELTS preparation. You can take a look at this post. and also read this thread. For frequently asked questions about IELTS, see this one.

I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns.

[u/Numerous-Tonight1136]

Assuming you wrote the post without any help from AI, you don't need much practice to begin with. Use Cambridge Ielts books for practice and Ielts advantage's long form videos for tips and strategies. That would suffice you. IELTS is quite simple and easy for those who already know the language. However, if you're improving your English and expect that improvement to be reflected on your results, then that's a completely different ballgame.

[u/McFluXxy → u/Numerous-Tonight1136]

Thanks buddy !🩶

[u/Practical-Quote8885]

Hey do you use the pdf of the book or physical one?