IELTS Preparation Books and Study Material

Picking the best IELTS exam books for preparation is essential for scoring well and paving the way for your education abroad. It may seem challenging, but cracking the examination successfully is not impossible, Opting for the right preparatory material is also vital as they help you understand the material covered in the examination paper. It is common to get confused between what one should get and what would suit the needs, as numerous options are available. Here is a list of IELTS preparation books that will help you get high scores.

IELTS Exam 2024: Overview

Section	Number of Questions	Duration	Marks Per Question
Listening	40	Approximately 30 minutes (plus 10 minutes of transfer time for the paper-based test)	1 mark for a correct answer.
			Marks are converted into a 9-band scale.
Reading	40	60 minutes	1 mark for a correct answer.
			Marks are converted into a 9-band scale.
Writing	2 tasks	60 minutes	A certified IELTS examiner will evaluate writing tests.
Speaking	3 parts	11-14 minutes	IELTS examiners will evaluate your test performance based on four key criteria:
			fluency and coherence,
			lexical resource,
			grammatical range and accuracy and
			pronunciation.

IELTS Study Material

To find IELTS study material, you can explore the following resources:

1) IELTS Free Preparation Resources:

• The British Council offers a variety of free online IELTS practice tests and materials to help you prepare for the official test. You can access mock tests, exercises, tips for test day, and more on their website.
• These platforms provide free practice tests, eBooks, courses, and live learning options. They also offer personalized online IELTS coaching with a band guarantee program.
• IELTS Ready is another platform where you can find free access to six mock tests in all four IELTS sections, along with practice exercises and tips to improve your score.  

2)IELTS Vocabulary

• Various platforms give vocabulary lessons with practice exercises, word lists, and pronunciation tips. You can learn about word lists for common topics and how to pronounce words correctly in English.
• There is a compilation of approximately 300+ vocabulary lists for IELTS on the British Council website. It includes synonyms for common English words and can be particularly helpful for the reading and writing sections.
• IELTS Podcast provides a curated list of essential vocabulary words and phrases you need to know for the exam, covering a range of topics commonly found on the IELTS exam.
• Better Words Online has a comprehensive collection of common vocabulary topics for IELTS that often appear in the exam in both Academic and General Training versions. 

How to Choose the Best IELTS Exam Preparation Books?

1. Choosing the best books for IELTS preparation is tricky, but you can easily find the right books for yourself with the right approach. As an aspirant, you need to know about your strong and weak points. Once you become aware of the section that demands your time and attention, selecting the best IELTS preparation books that suit your needs becomes easy.
2. While selecting the book, connect with people who have previously attempted the IELTS exam and take their suggestions. You can also join online forums, ask for their suggestions, and search for books and reviews online. Most of the time, online forums help a lot.
3. You should consider your end objectives while making a choice for the IELTS preparation book. Some books have a general perspective, while others offer intensive academic training. The academic preparation books for IELTS usually have more detailed information than the books for IELTS general training. 

List of Best IELTS Preparation Books

Some of the highly recommended best books for IELTS preparation include the following: 

1. Barron’s IELTS Superpack

Barron’s IELTS Superpack fuses all vital IELTS materials into a package that will hugely benefit you to crack the examination, hence the super pack name. This extensive set of four books will include the following: 

a) Barron’s IELTS – This contains two general and four academic module practice examinations, an extensive review of the subjects, and online audio track access. 

b) IELTS Practice Exams with MP3 CD – This contains six academic module practice tests and six general training module practice examinations with access to online and CD-based audio material and answer-based explanations. 

c) IELTS Strategies and Tips with MP3 CD – This will help you gather more expert tips and strategies for answering questions better, and you will also be getting a CD and online audio material. 

The main features of the above mentioned books are as follows: 

• This IELTS study material is comprehensive.
• The pack of two CDs supplementing the study material makes learning interesting. You can listen to it when you are not in the mood to read. 

Price: INR 3851 at Amazon

2. The Official Cambridge Guide to IELTS

The Official Cambridge IELTS Guide covers general and academic studies/training. This starter’s IELTS book for preparation offers tips, insights, and guidance regarding the experiences of previous aspirants and listed explanations on achieving higher scores as well. You can boost your knowledge through eight official practice examinations and a step-wise guide towards every section. Eventually, you will get video and audio for all practice tests and listening exercises.

Things that are interesting within the book:

• The book shares glimpses of the mistakes and experiences of IELTS aspirants during their exam preparation.
• Includes pointers from competent people who have cleared the exam.
• It enables candidates to prepare for the speaking and listening sections as it comes along with a DVD.

Price: INR 642 at Amazon

3. Cambridge IELTS 14 Academic Student’s Book with Answers with Audio

As a part of the Cambridge IELTS Academic Series, the IELTS 14 Academic Student’s Book with Answers with Audio: Authentic Practice Tests is known for its legitimacy and offers four examination papers (authentic) courtesy of Cambridge Assessment English. This is just like the real test, and along with four complete examinations for academic aspirants, there is an introduction available for all the modules and scoring methods, along with an extensive answer section. This is similar to other books for preparation; students will get access to downloadable audio materials for listening. 

Things that are interesting within the book:

• You will be able to get oriented to all the test modules.
• You will get an insight into the scoring system, getting an idea of what the exam would be like.

4. Official IELTS Practice Materials

Official partners write official IELTS Practice Materials of the IELTS examination and this explains how every section of the test is examined while providing invaluable tips on studying. Students will receive practice examinations covering general and academic training portions, tapescripts, answer sheets, examiners' feedback, and much more. This book will also benefit teachers in helping aspirants prepare better for the IELTS examination. 

Things that are interesting within the book:

• Receiving feedback from the examiners takes the perspiration a notch higher.
• This book for the IELTS exam helps students prepare for IELTS and is also a teacher guide. 

Price: INR 1569 at Amazon

5. Road to IELTS

This is not technically a book, although Road to IELTS is a highly interactive online program from the British Council for tutorial videos, mock papers, and interactive exercises. It is available in three versions:

• You can download five IELTS practice exam papers to get an overview of the test. 
• The Last Minute version will be free for people registering for IELTS via the British Council, including nine videos with tutorials and advice. About 100 interactive activities and two practice tests for each of the four skills are included here. 
• The full version has everything needed for IELTS test preparation, and for approximately $50, a fully online course is available with 300+ activities and nine practice examinations. There are expert tutorial videos, and evaluation is done based on practice test marks. 

Things that are interesting within the book:

• It has made the preparation for all four sections of IELTS easier with about 100 interactive activities & video tutorials.
• Though it is an online course, the IELTS preparation materials offer a classroom-type experience.

Read More Resources to Read:

IELTS Band Score Chart	How to get 8 band in IELTS	Types of IELTS Exam
Average IELTS Scores	IELTS Score for USA	Study in USA Without IELTS
Study in UK Without IELTS	IELTS Reading Band Score	IELTS Bar Graph
Writing Task 1 Line Graph	Collocation for IELTS	IELTS Reading Tips

Here are few more Samples Reading Answers for IELTS
The Development Of Plastic	The Development Of Museums Reading Answers	The History Of Salt IELTS Reading Answers
The Psychology Of Innovation	The Story Of Silk Reading Answers	The History of Glass
Biological Control Of Pests Reading Answers	Collecting As A Hobby Reading Answers	The Birth Of Scientific English Reading Answers
Moles Happy As Homes Go Underground	Flawed Beauty The Problem With Toughened Glass	The Need To Belong Reading Answers
New Agriculture In Oregon US Reading Answers	A Song On The Brain Reading Answers	Why Some Women Cross The Finish Line Ahead Of Men
How To Spot A Liar Reading Answers	Gifted Children and Learning Reading Answers	What Do Whales Feel Reading Answers

6. IELTS Trainer

IELTS Trainer offers six full practice tests while helping you build up towards greater success in the examinations. It is one of the best books for preparation since it offers ample guidance. It has CDs for listening tests and sample examinations for other portions. It has numerous answers and test paper guidance. 

Things that are interesting within the book:

• Thorough answers and tips on how to answer are given. 
• Briefs you about the commonly made mistakes by candidates taking the IELTS test.
• Good samples on the writing, speaking, and listening tasks. 
• Equips you with techniques on how to answer different types of questions as it has step-by-step guidance. 

Price: INR 1786 at Amazon

7. Mometrix IELTS Book for General Training and Academic

This is one of the best IELTS books for those looking for quality video tutorials, practice test examinations along with other strategies and tips. It has four areas covered for the IELTS examination along with video tutorials for mastery over tougher topics and is comparatively affordable. 

Things that are interesting within the book:

1. There are step-by-step video tutorials that can help students master even complex topics.
2. Well-explained answer keys along with practice papers. 

3. A thorough review of all the IELTS test sections - Speaking, Listening, Reading, and Writing. 

   Price: INR 2189 at Amazon

8. Check your English Vocabulary for IELTS

This is an IELTS reading book to develop the vocabulary of the students before the examination. It is ideal for both IELTS Academic and General. It has a wide vocabulary range for improving scores. It aims at the intermediate level and is best suited for beginners focusing only on vocabulary. 

Things that are interesting within the book:

• Helps students ace the IELTS exam by improving their vocabulary. 

9. Focus on IELTS Foundation: Foundation Coursebook

This book offers a solid foundation in the skills and language capabilities that you should master for scoring higher. It has numerous interesting materials and texts, a vital language bank, DIY learning projects and strategies, and a listening CD to enable better preparation. It may be used for added English language practice sessions outside of the IELTS exam as well.

Things that are interesting within the book:

• ACD is provided along with the study material.
• This book can be used to enhance students’ language requirements outside of IELTS. 

10. Simon Braveman’s Target Band 7 

If you are after scoring great marks, then this book for the IELTS exam is the best for you. It is written by professionals who have already taken the exam and fared well. The study material contains straight-to-the-point strategies for IELTS preparation that are easily implementable and executable and seeks to provide solutions to overcome the hurdles that you might face while studying for the test. 

Things that are interesting within the book:

• This book guides students on how to use their time efficiently and effectively.
• Students will get the solutions to the problems that IELTS candidates generally face during the examination.

Important Resources to Read:

IELTS Speaking Topics	IELTS Writing Task 2	Opinion Essay IELTS
Important Vocabulary for IELTS	IELTS Band Score	Validity of IELTS Score
IELTS Reading Section	IELTS Essay Writing Samples	Essay on Historical Places
IELTS Test Report form	Benefits of IELTS Coaching	How to Cancel IELTS Exam

 

How to Prepare for IELTS Test

It is imperative to understand the test format to prepare for the IELTS test to score a higher band. Once you know the type of questions you’ll have to answer, you will know what to expect in each section and how to answer them. 

There are four sections in the IELTS test, i.e., Reading, Speaking, Writing, and Listening, with a fixed time limit for each section. Here are a few ways you can prepare for the IELTS test to ace it-

1. Mock tests: Mock tests are the best way to prepare for the IELTS. You can perfect your time management and understand your strengths and weaknesses with practice tests. 
2. Practice at regular intervals: You can practice speaking and reading skills with someone with a good grasp of English. 
3. Connect with previous year's IELTS candidates: You can connect with the students who have earlier appeared for the test and scored a higher band. You can take tips and tricks from them, which can be extremely helpful.

Online IELTS Preparation

IELTS is a universally accepted English language proficiency test that is designed for aspirants who wish to study, work or migrate to English-speaking countries. However, if equipped with the right preparation tools, cracking the IELTS examination is not that daunting. Students falling short of time to prepare for IELTS can resort to online courses. Some of their benefits are as follows:

• Consolidated test tips and study strategies from experts.
•  Model answers and feedback from examiners
• Mock tests of your preferred module
• Will prepare you for the computer-based IELTS test through tutorial videos on how to take each section of the exam. 

Besides, opting for a Study Abroad program from upGrad Abroad reduces your worries about preparing for IELTS. You get an inbuilt IELTS preparation guide to help you perform well in the test. 

Here are few more Samples Reading Answers for IELTS
Making Every Drop Count Reading Answers	Air Traffic Control In The USA Reading Answers	Bring Back The Big Cats Reading Answers
Alternative Medicine In Australia Reading Answers	The Intersection Of Health Sciences And Geography Reading Answers	Sheet Glass Manufacture The Float Process Reading Answers
The Life And Work Of Marie Curie Reading Answers	What Price Fresh Flowers? - IELTS Reading	Spoken Corpus comes to life Reading Answers

Recommended books for each IELTS Section

Speaking

1. The Official Cambridge Guide To IELTS Student's Book With Answers With DVD ROM
2. How to Improve English Speaking: How to Become a Confident and Fluent English Speaker by 
3. Speaking From The Past Exams
4. The Ultimate Guide to IELTS Speaking

Reading

1. IELTS Reading for Academic 2021
2. Makkar IELTS English For Exams IELTS Academic Readings Vol. 1 For Exam Practice
3. MAKKAR IELTS Academic Readings Practice Workbook Combo Vol. 1 and Vol. 2
4. Collins Reading for IELTS by Els Van Geyte (Ebook)
5. Improve Your IELTS Reading Skills pdf by Sam McCarter & Norman Whitby
6. IELTS Reading Recent Actual Tests Volume 4, 3,2,1

Writing

1. Barrons Writing For The IELTS
2. The Official Cambridge Guide To Ielts Student's Book With Answers With Dvd Rom 
3. The Ultimate Guide To IELTS Writing

Listening

1. IELTS Listening Practice Tests - IELTS Self-study Exam Preparation Book: For IELTS for Academic Purposes and General Training Modules
2. Listening for IELTS (With Answers and Audio): IELTS 5-6+ (B1+) (Collins English for IELTS) Aish, Fiona and Tomlinson, Jo
3. Achiever IELTS 9 Bands IELTS Listening Practice Tests Kit (15 IELTS Listening Practice Tests with Transcripts including 5 High-Quality Moserbaer CD's with Answer Keys) Voice Content & Reading Format as per IDP & British Council

Recommended Reads:

Why IELTS Exam is Required	Causes and Effects of Obesity IELTS Essay
Advantages and Disadvantages of Tourism IELTS Essay	How to Write Conclusion in Writing Task 2
Is Computer Based IELTS Easier	How to Prepare for Computer Based IELTS

 

Here are few of the trending IELTS Reading Answers:

• The Life And Work Of Marie Curie Reading Answers
• Spoken Corpus Comes To Life Reading Answers
• Striking Back At Lightning With Lasers IELTS Reading Answers
• The Context Meaning And Scope Of Tourism Reading Answers
• A Spark A Flint IELTS Reading Answers
• The Concept Of Role Theory Reading Answers
• Micro Enterprise Credit For Street Youth Reading Answers
• When Evolution Runs Backwards IELTS
• The Impact Of Wilderness Tourism IELTS Reading Answers
• The Truth About The Environment Reading Answers
• The Politics Of Pessimism Reading Answer
• The Rocket From East To West Reading Answers
• Glass Capturing The Dance Of Light
• Population Movements And Genetics Reading Answers
• The Megafires Of California Reading Answers