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20 Best IELTS Preparation Books for Self Study 2024

13 min read

Updated On Apr 24, 2024

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Embark on a journey of knowledge and expansion through the world of books – your ultimate companions on the path to IELTS success. These literary allies hold the key to achieving your desired band score, but remember, the books you select determine your triumph in the test.

Introducing our curated selection of the finest IELTS books that stand ready to empower you. Each page, a step closer to your dream score. However, your choice should mirror your unique requirements, ensuring a harmonious partnership between you and the wisdom within those pages. Explore, decide, and elevate your IELTS journey!

IELTS Preparation Books

Are you searching for the best IELTS books to prepare in the best way for the IELTS test? Look no further. Here are our list and reviews of the 20 best IELTS books or study materials for 2023(for both academic and general training ).

1. IELTS Academic: A Comprehensive Learner’s Bundle ( July – December 2023)

This is one of the best eBook combos for IELTS Academic. It is a pack of 5 eBooks for all four sections of IELTS:  Listening , Reading, Writing (Task 1 and Task 2), and  Speaking  of the Academic module.

Distinct Features:

• What stands out is that it has the latest IELTS questions (July – December 2023).
• The answers are also provided by IELTS experts. The pack contains 41 listening tests and 35 reading tests with answers.
• The Speaking book has an intensive 110 part 1 questions and 92 part 2/3 questions with answers.
• You get sample answers and essay ideas for 84 IELTS questions in Writing Task 2 and 100 reports in  Writing Task 1 .
• This book is ideal for IELTS preparation at home but can also be used in a classroom setting.

2. IELTS Reading General: Learner’s Kit: Actual Tests eBook Combo (July – December 2023)

It is a pack of 5 eBooks. The combo has the latest questions (January – April 2023) on Listening, Speaking, Reading, Writing Task 1, and  Writing Task 2  of the General module.

• It has sample answers [For Speaking and Writing] written by IELTS experts.
• The pack has 41 listening tests and 20 reading tests with answers.
• While the Speaking book has an intensive 110 part 1 questions and 92 part 2/3 questions with answers, the book on writing task 2 has 84 essay questions with answers.
• Also, there are 27 sets of letters for Writing task 1.
• Each set will contain a formal, semi-formal and informal letter. This book is ideal for  IELTS preparation at home  but can also be used in a classroom setting.

3. The Official Cambridge Guide to IELTS

The Official Cambridge Guide to IELTS’ is the definitive guide to IELTS from the organization that produces the test – Cambridge Assessment English.

• This guide  covers all 4 IELTS sections  (writing, reading, speaking, listening) to provide you with useful  step-by-step instructions,  tips, and hints for IELTS  and focuses on  skills development  and  test-taking strategy  to help you maximize your band-score and has  10 practice tests for both Academic and General Training .
• It is recommended for IELTS learners who aim to get a 6.0 or above in the IELTS test.

You can register for IELTS while preparing for IELTS.

We would recommend it for IELTS learners who aim to get a 6.0 or above in the IELTS test.

4. IELTS Academic Test Preparation Set of 6 Books by Career Launcher (Reading, Listening, Writing, Speaking, Grammar and Aviator)

Drawing upon several years of teaching experience and in-depth research, this book is an integral part of the overarching theme. It provides a great learning experience since it encompasses concept-based learning that revolves around various relevant themes with an adequate number of practice exercises that reinforce learning.

The package consists of 6 books, suitable for the IELTS Academic Test, i.e,

5. English Collocations in Use

To sound like a native speaker, you should check this book out without fail! Whether you’re striving for precision in your written assignments or aiming to speak with fluency and authenticity, this book is your passport to unlocking the subtleties of English collocations.

• It’ll help you improve your style of spoken and written English with 60 lessons on a rich variety of topics, each containing 2 pages for the theory and practice exercises with a total of more than 1,500 collocations.
• This book is ideal for IELTS learners at the intermediate level and above.
• To get Band 6.5+ for IELTS, this excellent book,  English Collocations in Use , is highly recommended.

6. English Vocabulary in Use

This book series is known as the best-selling vocabulary reference and practice books from elementary to advanced level and is the perfect choice for IELTS learners wanting to build their vocabulary skills.

My personal favorite book in the family of the  best-selling vocabulary books  is ‘ English Vocabulary in Use  (Upper-Intermediate edition). The main features of this book are:

• Vocabulary is explained and presented on left-hand pages with a wealth of innovative follow-up activities opposite.
• 100 units, covering approximately 3,000 new vocabulary items
• Offers learners the opportunity to consolidate and expand existing vocabulary

This book is suitable for anybody who has a burning desire to get band 6.5 or above in the IELTS test.

7. New Insight into IELTS

New Insight into IELTS’ offers comprehensive preparation and practice for IELTS. By exploring the test paper-by-paper, and looking in detail at each task type, the course gradually builds up the skills, language, and test techniques students need to approach IELTS with confidence.

• The course contains a detailed introduction to the test and a full answer key and is one of the best IELTS books for use in the classroom or for self-study.
• The material is intended for students whose current level is around Band 6 and is suitable for both Academic and General Training candidates.

8. Barron’s IELTS Practice Exams

Barron’s is the leader in test preparation and students’ #1 choice. It is your comprehensive resource for preparing and excelling in the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) examination.

Within these pages, you will find a carefully curated collection of practice exams, meticulously designed to mirror the format and content of the actual IELTS test.

• This newly updated second edition comes with two audio CDs
• It prepares test takers for success on the IELTS, an English competency test that’s recognized by leading colleges, universities, and government agencies in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa.

9. Official IELTS Practice Materials Volume 1 & 2

This book is a comprehensive teacher resource pack with the view to help prepare learners for the IELTS test.

• Written by Cambridge ESOL examiners and material writers with many years of experience preparing IELTS tests, this pack shows candidates how each of the tests is assessed and provides valuable tips.
• ‘These Official IELTS Practice Materials Volume 1 & 2’ offer samples of the Reading, Listening, Writing, and Speaking tests with sample answers and examiner comments.

10. Cambridge Vocabulary for IELTS

This advanced version of ‘ Cambridge Vocabulary for IELTS’  covers the vocabulary needed by students who are aiming for band 6.5 and above in the IELTS tests and also provides students with practice exam tasks from each paper.

• ‘Cambridge Vocabulary for IELTS Advanced’ focuses on guiding students to 6.5 and beyond by working on  vocabulary-building strategies  necessary for success at advanced levels.
• It includes useful tips on how to approach IELTS exam tasks and covers especially tricky areas such as paraphrasing and collocation.

11. Cambridge Grammar for IELTS

It is one of the best Grammar books for IELTS preparation.

• ‘Cambridge Grammar for IELTS’ has got you covered, in terms of the grammar needed for the IELTS test and also helps develop your listening skills.
• It includes a wide range of IELTS tasks from the Academic and General Training Reading, Writing, and Listening modules, and contains helpful grammar explanations and a grammar glossary.

12. IELTS Advantage Series

IELTS Advantage: Writing Skills – A book on IELTS Writing

‘IELTS Advantage: Writing Skills’ written by Richard Brown (Author), and Lewis Richards (Author) is a fully comprehensive resource designed for IELTS learners who want to achieve a grade of 7.0 or higher in the Writing section of the Academic IELTS test.

• Students are guided step-by-step through the different tasks in the writing module, using material developed in the classroom, by authors with many years’ experience in helping hundreds of IELTS candidates achieve a high IELTS score.
• It is one of the best books for IELTS in terms of learning how to write essays.

IELTS Advantage: Reading Skills 

This book is suitable for IELTS learners who want to pass the IELTS Academic Reading Test with a grade of 6.5-7.5 or higher. It provides intensive preparation for success in the  IELTS reading  paper, with a focus on vocabulary development and paraphrase training. It teaches IELTS learners a range of key strategies for reading effectively and for understanding texts more easily, such as skimming, scanning, and speed-reading techniques, helping students to get better results in the Reading paper.

IELTS Advantage: Listening & Speaking Skills

‘IELTS Advantage: Speaking & Listening Skills’  is a comprehensive resource for all IELTS candidates who aim to get Band 6.5 or higher in the Speaking and Listening modules. IELTS learners are guided step-by-step through the different stages of the speaking and listening modules, and covering a wide range of topics that are likely to occur in the IELTS examination.

13. Improve your IELTS Skills Series

Improve Your IELTS Skills – Reading

‘Improve your IELTS Skills’ is for students aiming between bands 4.5 and 7.5. The series has three preparation courses, Academic Reading, Academic Writing, and Listening and Speaking. Its courses develop language, skills, and test techniques to help students achieve a higher IELTS score. The three books in the series may be used together as a complete course or may be used to target specific skills or they may be used separately to supplement other course books.

Improve Your IELTS Skills – Writing

This book puts emphasis on the importance of sentence structures, vocabulary, and improving one’s ideas from a variety of drills for the examination. This book is a must-have for all candidates for the IELTS test. Studying alone or with a coach, ‘ Improve Your IELTS Writing Skills’  will definitely be the best English proficiency training for you.

Improve Your IELTS Skills – Listening & Speaking

It is a complete preparation course for the Listening and Speaking Modules of the International English Language Testing System. Through targeted practice, it develops skills and language to help you achieve a higher  IELTS score  in these two modules.

14. Cambridge IELTS Trainer with Answers

‘IELTS Trainer’ by Cambridge English includes six full practice tests with easy-to-follow expert guidance and exam tips designed to guarantee success.

• The first two tests are fully guided with step-by-step advice on how to tackle each paper.
• Extra practice activities are informed by a bank of real candidates’ exam papers and focus on areas where students would typically need the most help.

15. English Grammar in Use

‘English Grammar in Use Fourth Edition’ is the world’s best-selling self-study grammar book for learners of English, written by Raymond Murphy and published by Cambridge University Press.

• It is a self-study reference and practice book for intermediate to advanced students of English. It has 136 two-page units covering all areas of English Grammar with a multitude of additional practice exercises to consolidate learning.
• I would highly recommend this book to any IELTS learners who want to get a 6.0 or above on the IELTS test.

16. Target Band 7: IELTS Academic Module – How to Maximize Your Score by Simone Braverman

This excellent self-study book for intense IELTS preparation is designed to help students achieve their best personal score. All the tips, techniques, strategies, and advice are focused on maximizing students’ scores by increasing their task-solving speed and efficiency and preventing typical mistakes.

Simone Braverman’s Target Band 7

• One of the most attractive features of this book is its straightforward strategies that can be easily applied by candidates during their IELTS General exam.
• The approach followed by this book helps candidates cover the syllabus for IELTS in a shorter amount of time without compromising on the quality of the content.

17. IELTS Academic COMBO Pack of Latest 5 books, Achievers 9 Bands January 2023 New Edition Perfect Paperback

This is a combo pack of 5 ACADEMIC IELTS BOOKS which include Achievers IELTS books 9 Bands 4 in one for Speaking and Writing Academic Training (February 2023 Updated New Print Edition), Achievers IELTS 9 Bands Bool – 2, 15 Listening Practice Set With Answer Keys, Achievers IELTS 9 Bands Student’s NoteBook, Academic 10 Reading & 6 Listening Practice Tests with Answer keys as well as Sure Shot exam questions handy book

18. IELTS Trainer 2 Academic (South Asian Edition) Unknown Binding – 1 January 2023

IELTS Trainer 2 Academic (South Asian Edition)” is a highly specialized and thoughtfully crafted resource designed to empower South Asian candidates in their pursuit of excellence in the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) Academic exam. It stands as a testament to the commitment to delivering relevant and effective test preparation materials that cater to the distinct needs of students and professionals from the South Asian region.

• Six IELTS practice tests for perfect exam training, including details of the test format, question types, and scoring system, plus step-by-step guidance and tips.
• With six full practice tests, it offers easy-to-follow, expert guidance and tips designed to guarantee exam success.
• Extra grammar, vocabulary, and writing practice activities are informed by a bank of real candidates’ exam papers and focus on areas where students typically need the most help.

19. Focus on IELTS Foundation: Foundation Coursebook

Focus on IELTS Foundation provides substantial knowledge to the readers to help them build their English language skills for IELTS.

• With several practice exercises and practice question papers, candidates can significantly boost their preparation for IELTS using this book.
• This book also contains a language bank to help you with your basics for the English language so that you can score well in your IELTS General and other English language exams.

20. Ace The IELTS: IELTS General- How To Maximize Your Score- Simone Braverman

“Ace the IELTS: IELTS General Module – How to Maximize Your Score” is a book authored by Simone Braverman. It’s an indispensable companion for anyone aiming to conquer the IELTS General Module.

• The strength of this book lies in its clarity and comprehensiveness, covering every aspect of the IELTS General Module with meticulous attention to detail.
• It doesn’t just inundate you with information; it equips you with strategies and techniques to tackle each section of the exam effectively.
• The sample questions and practice tests are a treasure. They mimic the real IELTS exam, allowing you to gauge your progress and identify areas for improvement.

I hope you have found this article useful. Do you agree with my top 20 books for IELTS? Do you have any other recommendations? Comment down below.

How do these IELTS Books help in your IELTS Preparation?

One of the most crucial parts of your IELTS preparation is to make sure that the study material you are referring to is reliable and from a reputed publication. There are various IELTS preparation books available when it comes to the IELTS examination, therefore it is important to filter the good sources from the mediocre ones.

The books for IELTS mentioned in this article are published by well-known and popular publishers or authors who have personal and substantial experience with the IELTS exam. Thus, there is no doubt that every book mentioned in this article will significantly improve your skills and prepare you for giving a great IELTS performance.

What are you waiting for? Unlock your path to IELTS success with a  free trial  today!

These are the best  IELTS preparation books  that will give a boost to your IELTS Preparation and help you to score your desired band scores.

Also check :

• Best IELTS General Training Books
• Best IELTS Academic Books
• Best IELTS Listening Books
• Best IELTS Reading Books
• Best IELTS Writing Books
• Best IELTS Speaking Books

Frequently Asked Questions

How can I stay motivated during self-study?

What tips do you have for a successful self-study journey for IELTS 2023?

How long does it take to prepare for IELTS on my own?

How will the listening practice tasks of these IELTS preparation books help me?

How will the Reading practice tasks of these IELTS preparation books help me?

Start Preparing for IELTS: Get Your 10-Day Study Plan Today!

Nehasri Ravishenbagam

Nehasri Ravishenbagam, a Senior Content Marketing Specialist and a Certified IELTS Trainer of 3 years, crafts her writings in an engaging way with proper SEO practices. She specializes in creating a variety of content for IELTS, CELPIP, TOEFL, and certain immigration-related topics. As a student of literature, she enjoys freelancing for websites and magazines to balance her profession in marketing and her passion for creativity!

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Post your Comments

20 comments.

Posted on Aug 1, 2020

Hi.. pls send the materials… thank u

Posted on Jul 27, 2020

Please kindly send me the IELTS materials to [email protected] thank you

Pooja grover

Posted on Jul 3, 2020

Hi!! Would you please required me a ielts free books online for preparation???

Ammar Alswari

Posted on Jun 22, 2020

Hello, could you please send the IELTS materials to my email [email protected] .

Thanks a lot.

Posted on Jun 13, 2020

Please send me an IELTS material ebook with audio at [email protected] Thank you 🙂

Mahesh Kakumani

Posted on May 7, 2020

Anyone Please send me IELTS material for the preparation to my mail [email protected]

Posted on May 1, 2020

Hello, could you please send the IELTS materials to my email [email protected] Thanks in advance’

Posted on Apr 22, 2020

please send ebooks for ielts to [email protected] TIA

satyanarayana reddy.k

Posted on Apr 19, 2020

can any body share the IELTS study material to [email protected]

Victoria Egboje

Posted on Apr 9, 2020

Kindly share the preparatory materials with me; e-mail is [email protected]

Posted on Apr 6, 2020

Please kindly send the IELTS materials to [email protected]

Please kindly send the IELTS materials to [email protected] . Thanks!

Posted on Apr 2, 2020

Hello could you please send me best material for academic reading in order to score band8.. Thank you

Emrul Hasan

Could you pls send it to my mail

Ganesh Govindarajan

Posted on Mar 24, 2020

Kindly send the materials to [email protected]

Thanks a ton!.

Posted on Mar 22, 2020

Hello, could you send me the IELTS materials, please, [email protected]

Posted on Mar 15, 2020

Please email me the study material at [email protected]

Posted on Feb 21, 2020

can you send me the material to [email protected]

Posted on Jan 26, 2020

Please kindly send me the IELTS materials to [email protected]

PVN Kishore kumar

Posted on Jan 21, 2020

Hi guys, can you please email the IELTS material to [email protected] Thank you guys.

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Recommended Book List for IELTS

Below is a list of books that I recommend for your IELTS preparation. The first set of books are a must for IELTS and no student should be without one of them. The rest are useful books which you can get depending on your time limit and areas of weakness. There are many books for IELTS preparation on the market but these are the standard books that you will need.

IELTS Books

Below are books which you really should consider to help you prepare for your IELTS test.

IELTS Cambridge Test Books: Essential!

You MUST practice from real IELTS test published by IELTS if you want to prepare fully for your test. And that means getting the IELTS Cambridge test books. Even if you are taking the test on a computer, you should still be preparing from these books.

They are real IELTS tests published by IELTS for you to use at home. Each book contains four IELTS tests. The different numbers are about when they were released. The higher the number, the more recent the tests. But you can use any number as the test as barely changed in years.

• No student should enter the IELTS exam without having first done some practice tests from one or more of these books.
• These books have limited topics and questions for the speaking test. You will need to find practice speaking topics on my website. Here’s a link to some free speaking topics and questions for IELTS .
• Avoid using websites that claim to have full tests. Only use authentic IELTS tests with their authentic answer keys in these books.

Where to buy: These books can be bought from any amazon online store. They can be bought new or second hand. It might also be possible to find them in your local book stores.

Ideas for IELTS Essay Topics E-book

Ideas for over 150 IELTS essay topics for writing task 2. Suitable for both Academic and GT tests.

A very useful e-book with ideas and vocabulary to help increase your writing task 2 score. The level of language and ideas is targeting a higher band score.  It comes in pdf form.

Where to buy: Available in my online store.  Click here: IELTS Liz Online Store . 

Grammar for IELTS Writing Task 2 E-book

Take your English language to a higher level by learning complex grammar in easy steps. Improve your grammar score for writing task 2 with this e-book. Learn how to create complex structures and see a range you can use in your essay. Learn about aspects of grammar the examiner will mark you on and learn to improve your accuracy to boost your score. This is a complete grammar book for more than just IELTS – it is to help you develop your English for your future. 

Where to buy: Available now in Liz’s Store. Click here: Visit Store .

Other Useful IELTS Books

IELTS Official Practice Materials : If you have completed the above set of test papers (IELTS Cambridge Books), you should try these practice materials.

IELTS Trainer : This is a book which contains 6 practice tests for IELTS as well as some useful advice for tackling the test. Please note that the practice tests are not officially published by IELTS (they are not written by IELTS) but are still quite realistic and good practice. Also note that the practice test materials in this book are for the academic paper only.

 ………..

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The 10 Best IELTS Preparation Books of 2022

Let’s talk about the best IELTS preparation books. It’s hard to name the absolute best books for IELTS preparation—what helps one person may not be as effective for another. However, our experts have picked some of the best IELTS prep materials, including the best IELTS books and free IELTS resources (like Magoosh’s free IELTS eBook ), and categorized them according to their strengths. This should help you prepare for the IELTS in a smart, efficient, and focused way. Let’s get started!

The Best IELTS Prep Books of 2022

• The Official Cambridge Guide to IELTS
• Barron’s IELTS Superpack
• Target Band 7: IELTS Academic Module
• Official IELTS Practice Materials Volume 1 and Volume 2
• IELTS 15 (General Training and Academic)
• IELTS Trainer
• IELTS Vocabulary Up to Band 6
• IELTS Grammar For Bands 6.5 and Above
• The Road to IELTS
• Online IELTS Resources

1. The Official Cambridge Guide to IELTS

2. Barron’s IELTS Superpack

All in all, these three books are great, full of tips, tricks, and practice materials that will help you prepare well for test day. That said, the three Barron’s books in the Superpack have some minor flows: occasionally they give advice that doesn’t really ring true. For instance , these books tell you that the True/False and Yes/No questions are the hardest questions on the test, but this is not true for most students. To give one other example, you’re also told to add as many personal details and experiences as possible into your Task 2 essay, but this is not necessary at all for getting a top score. And the practice material, while fairly IELTS-like, is just a little off; the audio focuses on American accents far more than the real IELTS would, and the passages and questions are simpler than average for the exam.

3. Target Band 7: IELTS Academic Module

4. Official IELTS Practice Materials Volume 1 and Volume 2

5. IELTS 15 (General Training and Academic)

6. IELTS Trainer

7. IELTS Vocabulary Up to Band 6 (Cambridge)

8. IELTS Grammar For Bands 6.5 and Above (Cambridge)

9. The Road to IELTS

10. The Best IELTS Preparation Books: Online Resources

In addition to the online course I mentioned above, I have several other web-based IELTS resources I can recommend to you. Many of these are free, and the rest are quite affordable.

Prep From the Four Official IELTS Websites

While many standardized tests have one official website, the IELTS has numerous official sites. The main four sites feature quite a few free practice tests and question sets, and a variety of free or cheap webinars, video lessons, eBooks, and so on. Magoosh offers a guide for the four official IELTS websites and how to use them .

Magoosh’s IELTS Section and Skill Guides

Magoosh also offers the following guides to the sections and important elements of the IELTS exam:

• Magoosh’s Guide to the Whole IELTS Exam (free eBook)
• IELTS Writing: Everything You Need to Know
• The Complete Guide to IELTS Speaking
• All Things IELTS Listening
• Everything you Need to Know About IELTS Reading
• All About IELTS Vocabulary
• What You Should Know About Your IELTS Results

Magoosh IELTS Premium (Video Lessons and Practice Questions)

If you like what you see on our blog, go to Magoosh IELTS and consider signing up for a free trial or perhaps even a paid subscription. A paid subscription comes with over 125 lessons, more than 600 questions, and free email assistance. You also have the option to have your IELTS Writing essays scored , for a small additional fee.

Those are our rankings for the best IELTS preparation books! For more rankings of great IELTS resources, check out the Best Apps for IELTS Students . We hope these resources help you prep in an effective and helpful way. Good luck! 🙂

David is a Test Prep Expert for Magoosh TOEFL and IELTS. Additionally, he’s helped students with TOEIC, PET, FCE, BULATS, Eiken, SAT, ACT, GRE, and GMAT. David has a BS from the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire and an MA from the University of Wisconsin-River Falls. His work at Magoosh has been cited in many scholarly articles , his Master’s Thesis is featured on the Reading with Pictures website, and he’s presented at the WITESOL (link to PDF) and NAFSA conferences. David has taught K-12 ESL in South Korea as well as undergraduate English and MBA-level business English at American universities. He has also trained English teachers in America, Italy, and Peru. Come join David and the Magoosh team on Youtube , Facebook , and Instagram , or connect with him via LinkedIn !

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Eliot Friesen-Meyers is the Senior Curriculum Manager for Magoosh IELTS and TOEFL. He attended Goshen College (B.A.), New York University (M.A.), and Harvard University (M.T.S.), gaining experience and skills in curriculum development, ESOL instruction, online teaching and learning, and IELTS and TOEFL test prep education. Eliot’s teaching career started with Literacy Americorps in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and later, taught ESL programs at Northeastern University, University of California-Irvine, and Harold Washington College. Eliot was also a speaker at the 2019 TESOL International Conference . With over 10 years of experience, he understands the challenges students face and loves helping them overcome those challenges. Come join Eliot on Youtube , Facebook , and Instagram . Recent blog posts Complete Guide to IELTS Writing Task 1 Complete Guide to IELTS Writing Task 2

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17 responses to “The 10 Best IELTS Preparation Books of 2022”

Hi – I want to donate some IELTS books to refugees / asylum seekers hoping for entry to Australia – can you recommend the most useful books to buy remembering they will likely not have access to audio players or the Internet – thanks Kerrie

It’s an honor to give you advice on such important humanitarian work, Kerrie! I’d recommend Cambridge IELTS books. These are official books with authentic IELTS practice questions. And Cambridge books are plentiful and affordable, especially if you buy used copies from sites like Amazon.com. The lack of audio players or computers isn’t ideal. However, the asylum seekers you’re working with may benefit form reading the transcripts out loud, or having native English speakers read the transcripts to them. And most Cambridge IELTS books also do come with CDs, in case the asylumees are able to get access to a CD player.

Please donate me …..I m unable to buy these but have a desire to study them Please please please give me And reply for it if you r interested

Sir its 3rd time i m stick same general reading band pls give me some tips where i take start to improve general reading ….i have only one month

Hi Jawaria,

Thanks for reaching out! The best way to improve your reading score is to…read! We recommend that students read every day–this will help you to build your reading comprehension and English skills. As we mention in this blog post, this is the best way to improve your general reading ability. I recommend that you check out this blog post for more tips: https://magoosh.com/ielts/improve-ielts-reading-score/

Hi there, a couple of books I’d recommend are Teach Yourself IELTS Reading and Teach Yourself IELTS Writing by Richard King. You can find them on Amazon.

Thanks for the recommendations, Chris. I’m not personally familiar with those books, but will keep them in mind the next time the team and I look at doing additional book reviews. 🙂

Hi – I would like to ask about “mindset for IELTS” series and if you have used any of the books of this series, please. I have noticed that Cambridge has advertised for this series recently and would like to make sure if it’s really effective in improving the students levels or just the sources you have mentioned above are more than enough? Thanks in advance – Mohamed

Hi Mohamed,

Unfortunately, we do not have much experience with this resource. There are a lot of resources out there and we try to review the most popular ones. But being a small team means that we have to prioritize the materials we look at and review. So we may review this in the future, but as of right now, we don’t have plans to review it.

Please could you send me cambridge ielts trainer -2 [academic module] full pdf+ audio.

We link to those resources for purchase but do not sell or give them away.

Countries should spend money on trains rather than new roads. Do you agree or disagree.

The world should invest on train transport instead of building new roads. I strongly disagree with this statement as providing infrastructure seems feasible, it is cheaper to construct, and it would allow commuters to use it at any given time.

Firstly, building technology has developed to such an extent that new and cheaper materials are being used in making asphalt. Engineers now can use massive mixing containers, and quickly produce surface mixtures to cover roads. It has been estimated that contemporary methods in construction roads, are exceedingly more affordable than actually making trains. An evidence for this is a Tokyo based research company and according to its latest published report, trains appear to be not only costly to build but even more expensive to maintain. Secondly, another example of this excessive spending on trains is confirmed by the New York Public Travel Authority which also states that running trains has proven to be extremely exorbitant and perhaps improving existing roads is a viable option. `

Apart from having to spend all these money on trains, Governments are now finding out that accessibilities and facilities of train station is also a major deterrent. Apparently, new train tracks require stringent compliance to bylaws as well as substantial investment in providing facilities including handicap accesses, elevators, and ventilation systems. Furthermore, train operations demand staff available to work overnight as well as on weekends which also contributes to running costs. As a result, investments in train transport is clearly proving to be unjustified. According to the city of New York, a workable solution is for roads to be updated and or connected to existing ones. Hence, enabling individual drivers and buses to facilitate commuters with journeys to work and back with a comparatively minimal cost.

In conclusion, even though the global perception is that money should be spent on trains, roads in fact prove to be a much cheaper version that allows commuting and infrastructure improvement.

Please, feedback Writing 2 task

Thank you for sharing your essay with us! Unfortunately, we are unable to grade your writing at this time. However, if you’re interested in having your essay graded, then check out our plans.

Magoosh IELTS Plans

Hello Magoosh

I’ve just started preparing for IELTS also I have one year to improve my English and get ready for the test. also beside that, I study for university lessons (resource books are in English), therefore I see so many new words in books or YouTube videos and sometimes they’re more than 20 in a day and it’s so distracting and sometimes exhausting to switch between studying English and studying for university lessons.

In this case what would you recommend ? should I keep writing every new word I see in my vocabulary journal or stop finding new words while I’m studying for my university lessons?

Thanks for reaching out. It can definitely be tough to learn a lot of new words while studying! My recommendation would be to continue writing the new words in a journal, but to limit yourself to learning only a handful of new words each day. That way you are continuing to learn, but not overloading yourself with too much information.

Absolutely Right . IELTS 15 (General Training and Academic) is best Book for practice. If you want to move to an English-speaking country to study, then you should take the IELTS Academic test. For work or immigration, the IELTS General Training test is recommended. Please check the entry requirements of your organisation before choosing your test.

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IELTS Preparation Books to help you pass your exam!

While preparing for your IELTS exam , it is important that you use the correct materials to help you with your IELTS preparation . If you are looking for IELTS preparation books & methods of revision that you can do at home, an effective strategy is to:

1) Complete practice tests 2) Identify where you lose points on the paper 3) Focus and improve on those exact weak points

If you discover that you lose points on the “ gap fill ” part of the reading section, you will know that is where you should focus your attention in the next test.

For the first part of IELTS  test, we recommend that you use the Cambridge IELTS 12 Academic Student’s Book with Answers: Authentic Examination Papers (IELTS Practice Tests).

These IELTS preparation books are from the creators of test, so you know they are the authentic. You can purchase these books online, or even in your local stores.

The above strategy is useful for the receptive skills (listening and reading), because you have your feedback via the answer section at the back of the book. For the productive skills (writing and speaking), you probably need feedback. Essay correction feedback is a great place to start.

Preparation Book for IELTS General Training

Preparing for your International English test? The IELTS General Training and Academic Study Guide is a comprehensive guide that offers a series of test questions to help build your confidence. The book is well organised and it has a very detailed reading section that highlights frequently made errors. It is divided into four sections Reading, Writing, Speaking and Listening. There is test at the end of each section, which is on par with the actual test that you are preparing for. It offers suggestions on how best to tackle the test and how to use your time efficiently. The listening section contains audio links.

Recommended IELTS book for Writing Task 2

The recommended book, IELTS Writing Task 2 – Sentence Guide is written by Ben Worthington. Here he shares knowledge from years of experience in training students for the IELTS. It takes a step by step approach to teaching students how to answer task I and II questions. It explains the questions and the reports and essays that will be written during the test. This book can be purchased online here 

Book for IELTS General Training

Barron’s is the leading publisher of IELTS preparation books and they don’t disappoint with Writing for the IELTS. Whether you’re preparing for the general or the academic version of the test, this publication has all that you will require to achieve a high score. This IELTS preparation book takes a stepped approach, training the student to plan, write and revise the essays. It covers vocabulary with explanations on how to correctly use the words. The book offers examples of tests and a number of excellent essays that have been written in response to IELTS questions . The book is simple to understand and well laid out.

Preparation for IELTS Academic

Intended for self-study the top tips for IELTS takes the route of offering strategies and tips to quickly and efficiently complete the test for a high score . It points out the most typical errors that students make. It is a comprehensive guide and covers all the questions and reports that will be required in the test. The book is to the point and easy to follow. It offers methods and techniques for passing the exam. Combined with your knowledge of English the guide will help you to do achieve an excellent score in the test
.

Recommended IELTS preparation books

There is no better way to prepare for an examination in English than boosting your vocabulary the  Cambridge Grammar for IELTS Student’s Book focuses largely on the types of grammar that will be required to write an essay. Understanding the grammar and their uses will help you to read, write, listen and speak so that you can get into a university of your choice. It contains easy to understand descriptions, examples and illustrations for quicker learning. It also includes tips for the learner, and offers advice on how to improve your writing. It contains exercises and practice sessions to build confidence.

Here are sine resources to help you with your IELTS Preparation

• IELTS Writing Task Tutorials
• IELTS Speaking Tutorials
• IELTS Reading Tutorials
• IELTS Listening Tutorials

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Books and study guides

You can benefit from a wide range of IELTS preparation books and materials, created by some of the world’s leading English language specialists.

How To Prepare for IELTS

Available in British Council test centres and selected book stores, this IELTS practice book can be used in class or for home study. It includes a CD-ROM and recording transcript that contains practical preparation exercises to help you study each of the four IELTS skills. 

Official IELTS Practice Materials Volume 1

This book and audio CD contains some sample tests for all modules: Reading, Writing, Listening and Speaking.  Answers and examiners’ comments are also included for extra help.

Official IELTS Practice Materials Volume 2

The second volume of the Official IELTS Practice Materials range contains more helpful sample tests for each of the four IELTS skills. Answers and examiners’ comments are also included, as well as a DVD of a practice listening test and footage of students taking their speaking tests. 

Top Tips for IELTS Academic

If you’re taking the Academic test, then this IELTS practice book is a must-read. It comes with a CD-ROM containing:

• an interactive practice test
• sample answers and scores
• test feedback.

To give you a clearer idea of what you’ll need to do when taking your test, a video of a Speaking test is also included.

Top Tips for IELTS General Training

This guide is really helpful for those of you taking IELTS General Training. It includes important advice for all four parts of the test, as well as a CD-ROM containing: 

To give you an idea of what to expect on your test day, a video of an example Speaking test is also included.

Top 10 books to prepare for IELTS at home

If you decide to prepare for the IELTS exam yourself at home, you will definitely need to know the best IELTS books for training and practice to download as pdf or to buy it.

In search of a standing book or textbook, you go to Google and enter “ books to prepare for IELTS ” in the search bar.

As a result, you can find hundreds of different manuals for free, from which it will be hard for you to choose something really worthwhile.

10 Best IELTS Books

Table of contents.

• a. Exam books
• 1. Cambridge Series 1-13
• 2. Cambridge IELTS trainer
• 3. Official IELTS Practice Materials
• b. Strategy books
• 4. Official Cambridge guide to IELTS
• 5. Cambridge grammar for IELTS
• 6. Cambridge vocabulary for IELTS
• 7. Check your vocab. for IELTS
• 8. Ace the IELTS
• 9. New insight into IELTS
• 10. Cambridge objective IELTS

BEST IELTS BOOKS TO PREPARE FOR IELTS AT HOME .

Now on the Internet, you can find a lot of different IELTS books and textbooks with promises to quickly teach you to write essays and letters, to cope with the parts Listening and Reading, to speak correctly with the examiner in the part of Speaking, etc.

However, do not trust the first textbook that came into your hands as not every book contains really useful information about the test.

In addition, each student has his own learning needs:

• someone needs to tighten grammar and vocabulary ,
• and another one wants to learn how to write an essay .

Therefore, the book should be chosen based on your individual needs.

In this article, IELTS GAME will tell you about ” The best IELTS preparation books “.

In this list, we included manuals with trial test tasks, as well as books for training on individual skills for the test.

a- IELTS books with IELTS exam samples .

First, let’s look at the IELTS books which contain IELTS exam samples.

Before going to the real test, you should definitely try your hand and pass several IELTS test samples, marking time and using examples of answer forms.

This will give you an opportunity to be acquainted with different types of exam assignments, get used to the time limit and check your level of preparedness.

However, IELTS candidates often argue about the usefulness and accuracy of trial tests.

• Some argue that assignments on such tests are much easier than on the actual exam.
• Others say that the test tasks they performed were more difficult than the real test.

You also have the opportunity to compare the tasks of the trial and the real exam.

When you pass your test, be sure to share your opinion on the issue in the comments below.

1- Cambridge IELTS Practice Tests Series (Books 1-13)

If you want to take a test for your IELTS exam, you will find many tests in this series of books .

Every year, Cambridge English Language Assessment publishes a new edition with official IELTS test assignments.

A big plus of this series of benefits is that there are publications for both academic and general test module.

In each book, you will find 4 complete IELTS tests with answers to the tasks Listening and Reading, as well as examples of answers to the part of Writing.

➤Therefore, every time you perform an IELTS test for practice, you can check your correct and incorrect answers and roughly imagine what score you would get at the moment.

I would not advise you to use the earlier editions of this series, since they may contain outdated material.

Better to start the tests from the last, 13th edition , and go backward to 12 , 11 and so on.

Cambridge IELTS Practice series 1-13 PDF .

2- cambridge ielts trainer.

Cambridge IELTS Trainer – another IELTS book with free IELTS test tasks from Cambridge English Language Assessment.

Surely, you are already wondering what this book differs from the previous one. Read more about everything below 👇:

➤ The main difference between these manuals is that the IELTS Trainer contains test tasks only for the academic module .

This is means that parts of Reading and Writing are not suitable for training to students who prepare to the general module of the test.

Cambridge IELTS Trainer .

3- official ielts practice materials (vol. 1, 2).

This manual is intended primarily for teachers who prepare for the IELTS exam, but it is also suitable for self-preparation.

The book was written by Cambridge ESOL teachers and IELTS experts who developed the test for many years.

In addition to the IELTS tests themselves, you will find information on how each section is evaluated, as well as tips and comments by examiners.

This tutorial consists of two parts, each of which you will find trial tests of the academic and general module, answer forms for Listening, Reading and Writing, answer keys

and examples of Writing and Speaking tasks, with commentaries of the examiners.

Official IELTS Practice Materials (Vol. 1, 2) .

B- ielts books with courses & strategies..

In this part, we’ll talk about study guides for preparing for the test, as well as IELTS books with useful tips and strategies .

If you are preparing for the exam yourself, such manuals will be compulsory for you to read, since you should be aware of all the features of each section and about the techniques of performing different types of tasks.

Download Common Mistakes at IELTS Advanced

Download all rachel mitchell ielts books pdf, 4- the official cambridge guide to ielts for academic and general training.

In this book, you will find everything that is required for the successful passing of the test.

The Official Cambridge Guide to IELTS book is primarily concerned with the structure of the test and the various strategies for completing assignments.

From this manual, you will get a complete idea of ​​each section of the exam, as well as receive valuable tips for overcoming tasks of different types.

➤ In addition to theoretical material, the book contains a large number of IELTS practical exercises for the formation of certain skills for the exam.

Tasks are chosen so that you get acquainted with each type of questions and improve your skills.

In addition to step-by-step instructions and tips, the book presents ten IELTS tests with comments and answers (8 tests of the academic module and 2 tests of the general module).

Also, if you purchase a full edition in the amazon store, you will have a DVD with video examples of answers to the Speaking part.

This manual is suitable for the self-preparation of students for both academic and general module of the test.

In addition, students from any level of preparation (starting from 4.0 points and above) can study this book.

Download Official Cambridge guide to IELTS PDF .

5- cambridge grammar for ielts.

This tutorial is intended primarily for those who want to improve their knowledge of grammar for the IELTS exam.

As you know, there is no separate grammatical part in the test, but knowledge of grammatical structures and rules is checked throughout the test.

In this book, you will find certain grammatical rules that will help you in the exam, as well as practical exercises for training these rules.

Also, among the practical exercises, you will find assignments from different parts of the exam: Writing, Reading, and Listening.

Authors of the publication offer two ways of using the book:

• The first method is a step-by-step study of each section of the book (total of 25) in order to repeat or master all the rules presented.
•  Another way is selective:
• First, the authors propose to pass the “Entry test” at the beginning of the textbook and determine weaknesses.
• Then you can already work on the textbook with material that is unfamiliar to you, or which you should repeat.

Download Cambridge Grammar for IELTS .

6- cambridge vocabulary for ielts advanced.

Cambridge Vocabulary for IELTS is a guide for students who prepare for Academic IELTS and want to score 6.5 points or higher.

This book will help to expand and improve your vocabulary. As a rule, new words and expressions are introduced through listening or reading exercises, which may occur in the IELTS exam.

This way of mastering new vocabulary is considered very effective, because in the context of words and expressions are remembered more quickly.

The whole material of the textbook is divided into chapters. Each chapter presents a vocabulary for a particular topic, which can meet in one of the sections of the exam.

Also, in each chapter, there are several practical exercises for training and memorizing new vocabulary .

At the conclusion of the chapter, you need to complete a task from any part of the IELTS: Listening, Reading or Writing.

The materials of the book can be used both for self-preparation for the test, and during classes with the teacher.

But for students with a low level of preparation, this textbook may seem rather complicated.

Download Cambridge Vocabulary for IELTS .

Get cambridge ielts 11 academic & general pdf + audio, download all cambridge ielts books pdf+audio (1-16), 7- check your vocabulary for ielts.

This is another guide for working on vocabulary for the exam.

But, unlike the previous book, this textbook can be used to prepare for both the academic and the general module of the test .

Also, this book is suitable for students, even with a low level of preparation.

The book is divided into two parts:

• The first part is devoted to general vocabulary, which you will need not only for the exam. But some of the presented words and expressions are introduced specifically for use on the test (for example, the lexicon for describing the changes on the graph).
• The second part of the book presents the vocabulary on the topics of the exam. In each chapter of the second part, there are three tasks:

The first two exercises represent a new vocabulary in the context, and the third exercise (filling in passes) allows you to repeat and fix new words and expressions.

You do not need to read the whole book in a row if you are already familiar with any material.

You can select specific vocabulary blocks that are unfamiliar to you, and work with them.

Download Check Your Vocabulary for IELTS .

8- ace the ielts.

If you are going to take the General training module of the IELTS exam, this book is sure to come in handy!

This manual will teach you the skills and strategies for overcoming each section of the IELTS and tell you about the specifics of each type of assignment.

The book “Ace the IELTS” is divided into several chapters.

One chapter is devoted to one section of the test.

The textbook is built in such a way that you do not need to read all the chapters in a row.

You can choose an order that will be convenient for you, or focus only on one particular part of the test.

In this book, you will not find many exercises. But at the end of each chapter, the author offers a list of links with useful materials and assignments for practice.

In addition, at the end of the book, you will find a detailed preparation plan for the IELTS exam in 21 days .

Buy Ace the IELTS .

9- new insight into ielts.

This training manual was originally intended as a textbook to prepare for IELTS in a group with a teacher. 

However, with proper use, it can be very useful also for self-preparation for the test .

This manual can be used to train skills for two test modules (academic and general). 

The entire material of the textbook is divided into 4 parts according to the sections of the test:

• Writing and

Each section starts with general information about a certain section of the exam and then is divided into several chapters.

Thus, the student dealing with this manual will be able to learn detailed information about each section of the IELTS and get to know different types of test assignments.

In my opinion, the main advantage of this book is that the practical materials are aimed not only at fulfilling the IELTS tasks, but also in general for mastering the English language.

The manual is intended for students who already know English not less than the intermediate level, but are still unfamiliar with the structure of the test.

New Insight into IELTS .

10- cambridge objective ielts.

This series of books consists of two publications: Intermediate and Advanced.

• The Intermediate level tutorial is for students who want to get 5.0 – 6.0 points on the IELTS.
• Objective IELTS Advanced is suitable for those who want to get 6.0 – 7.0 points on the exam.

Both textbooks are suitable for full preparation for the academic and general test modules .

In each book, several chapters cover a variety of different topics that support student interest during preparation and help track progress.

In each chapter, you will find exercises for training vocabulary, grammar, and pronunciation, as well as several training tasks from different sections of the test.

After every three chapters, a repetition section awaits you, which offers even more practical IELTS exercises and shows the results of your studies.

This tutorial is for training with a teacher in a group. But you can use it also with self-preparation.

If you want more training tasks, use the workbook to the textbook (Workbook).

There you will find additional exercises for reading, listening, lexicon, grammar, and writing.

THE 20 DAY IELTS ESSAY WORKOUT PDF

Grammar for ielts writing david’s wells pdf.

Prepare for the test yourself and get a good result is realistic, if you have enough motivation and willpower to force yourself to deal with every day.

But if you are not sure of your abilities, or need someone who will “poke” you, it is better to seek help from the teacher.

Don’t forget to leave a comment and vote for this article👇👇.

The IELTS Reading Module: A Comprehensive Guide

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35 Best IELTS Books and Sources to Prepare for the Test

Are you wondering how to prepare for IELTS at home? Luckily, there are plenty of online resources you can employ for self-study. However, how to know which of them are effective and which are not? Although being popular, some IELTS preparation books don’t prove their usefulness and may even confuse you. On the other hand, there are alternative ways of studying, such as YouTube channels and mobile apps. They are handy, and you can bring them with you wherever you want. There are many IELTS vocabulary apps that you can use to boost your skills whenever you have a free minute.

We analyzed over 50 IELTS sources and selected the 35 best IELTS resources for you. The list includes channels available for free and paid materials so that you can choose the best option. We found resources that may be useful for achieving different goals. Apart from that, there’s also a vast selection of essay samples for you to check out in order to improve your skills. Whether you want to improve your writing or deal with pre-exam anxiety – there is a perfect match for you!

📕 10 Best Apps for IELTS Preparation

💻 15 ielts youtube channels to watch, 📱 10 best ielts apps.

Although many books from the list below first appeared around ten years ago, they keep being updated, and you can buy the versions that cover all specific issues in the latest IELTS test. We attach links to these IELTS books on Amazon, so you can choose whichever you like the most. Some of them are rather general, while others focus on the specific aspects of the exam, such as vocabulary or grammar. Also, there are entries for General and Academic training.

Now, let’s see what crucial features each book has.

1. The Official Cambridge Guide to IELTS Student’s book with answers with DVD ROM

This edition is one of the best Cambridge IELTS books of all time. It’s an ultimate guide to all sections of the exam: Writing, Speaking, Listening, and Reading. It pays equal attention to each of them. The guide consists of targeted exercises that aim at improving your skills. Many students confirm that this IELTS book includes everything you need to know to pass the exam with a high score.

• For both General and Academic training
• Audio included
• Eight practice tests
• Accompanied by app
• Covers all four sections
• Sample answers for Speaking and Writing
• Thorough explanations of each section and task
• Suitable for self-study
• Audio prompts are very similar to the actual ones
• Mainly consists of exercises

2. Barron’s IELTS Superpack

This coursebook is one of the best IELTS books for self-study. The book has over 1000 pages and includes eight practice tests with thorough explanations of each step. Although some students claim to have trouble accessing the audio materials on the official website, this issue can be easily resolved, and you can enjoy high-quality listening. The Superpack presents various exercises to boost your skills in each section of the exam. You also receive sample responses to Writing and Speaking.

3. Official IELTS Practice Materials

One of the places to look for IELTS books online is the official website. You can discover dozens of articles, videos, and exercises accessible online for free. Also, you can order the Official IELTS Practice Materials. The best thing about this study resource is that it’s 100% up-to-date because it’s released by the official organization responsible for IELTS. That’s why it’s a reliable guide to all the sections both for General and Academic training.

• Additional study materials online
• Sample answers
• Two practice tests

4. IELTS 15 Student’s Book ( General & Academic editions)

One of the golden guides for prospect IELTS test-takers are these editions by Cambridge University Press. These are one of the best books for IELTS General and Academic trainings. According to the reviews on numerous websites, these are the most accurate and practical resources both for self-study and training with a teacher. What makes it that good? First of all, it’s based on real exam tasks so that you won’t come across anything irrelevant. Secondly, its structure follows the original test that helps you get used to this routine. There are other benefits that make these books perfectly suitable for IELTS preparation.

• Separate books for General and Academic training
• Practice tests

5. Common Mistakes at IELTS Advanced And How to Avoid Them

When you’re preparing for IELTS, it’s crucial to understand what errors you can make and prevent that. In this case, the Common Mistakes at IELTS Advanced And How to Avoid Them is an excellent guide that will help you. The practice book contains the usual errors that test-takers make in each of four sections. You can learn how to master English grammar, read tasks properly, and analyze questions to choose the correct answer promptly. This guide shouldn’t be used as a single tool when preparing for IELTS; however, it’s a great resource to consult with during the final revisions shortly before the exam.

• Highlights real mistakes
• Clear and concise explanations
• Excellent structure
• Offers practice exercises

6. Cambridge Vocabulary for IELTS Advanced

Next on the list of the best training books is a special edition of Cambridge Vocabulary for IELTS. This is another in-demand resource that many tutors use in their daily practice. The book can be helpful not only for future test-takers but also for everyone learning English, as it contains an excellent selection of advanced vocabulary. You can combine this edition with Cambridge Grammar for IELTS and The Official Cambridge Guide to IELTS to achieve maximum results.

• Specific vocabulary-oriented exercises
• Contains practical exercises

7. Cambridge Grammar for IELTS

Cambridge Grammar for IELTS is an excellent solution for those not confident about their grammar skills. This guide contains basic and advanced rules that you will need to complete the exam tasks in all four sections. Regardless of which section you’re struggling with, improving your grammar can positively impact your general performance. The book provides practical exercises to strengthen your knowledge of particular rules. The best way to excel with this guide is to use it alongside Cambridge Vocabulary for IELTS and The Official Cambridge Guide to IELTS to achieve maximum results.

• Specific grammar-oriented exercises

8. Improve IELTS Writing Skills

If you’re looking for outstanding IELTS Writing books, this one will be an excellent choice for you. This edition includes dozens of sample letters and essays for General training practice. You can find explanations for different writing approaches, learn how to analyze the tasks appropriately, and outline your answer. The IELTS Writing section varies in General and Academic exams, so be sure to focus on the type you are planning to take and thoroughly examine the examples in this book.  

• Writing samples
• Clear explanations

9. Ready for IELTS: Coursebook with Key by Sam McCarter

Ready for IELTS is a modern guide to the exam’s structure and key milestones. The book has 14 units that relate to various topics you may encounter in the test. Although the tasks may differ from those in the actual exam, they are also beneficial for improving general language skills. Here, you can find exercises to enhance your vocabulary and grammar, as well as explanations of each exam section’s specific vital aspects.

10. Mometrix IELTS Book for General Training and Academic 2021 – 2022

This IELTS practice book is an excellent solution for everyone who wants to improve their skills in all four sections: Writing, Reading, Listening and Speaking. The guide includes sample tests, and you can also download video instructions to master complex topics. This IELTS training book is an affordable way to prepare for the actual exam.

• Additional study materials

If you’re seeking alternative methods of preparing for IELTS, YouTube can be more than helpful for you. Here, you can find tutors from all around the world, including native speakers. This is an affordable way to access high-quality studying. You can watch tutorials by teachers with various accents, thus practicing listening intensively. What’s more, you can get in touch with experts and your peers in the comments below the videos to get advice. This routine is suitable for preparing for IELTS on your own and as an addition to regular preparatory lessons with a tutor.

We compiled a list of the most popular and helpful YouTube IELTS channels, which offer dozens of handy tutorials, speaking and listening practice tests on YouTube, and more. Some tutors behind these resources also offer to purchase or get their IELTS books for free on their websites. Let’s see what they are!

1. IELTS Liz

IELTS Liz has over 1,000,000 subscribers and is one of the most diverse IELTS-oriented channels on YouTube. Liz, the tutor behind the channel, is an eager professional with significant teaching background and excellent pronunciation. She’s been an official IELTS examiner for over a decade, so her expertise in this field is doubtless.

The channel includes four playlists: Popular IELTS Lessons, IELTS Speaking, IELTS Writing Task 1 & 2, and IELTS Listening. Also, there are other handy tutorials about the Reading section. Liz’s videos are suitable for prospective test-takers of different levels. She offers helpful tips on General and Academic exams. The videos on this channel are not too short or too long, so they’re perfect for daily practice. You can combine this routine with doing exercises in the books we mentioned in the section above.

2. E2 IELTS

E2 IELTS is another excellent channel to improve your English skills and prepare for IELTS. The channel has nearly 1,000,000 subscribers today, and the number keeps growing. The information here is up-to-date, so you get to know the latest details about IELTS. For instance, you can watch the playlist IELTS to learn the updates and get ready. There are 20+ collections of videos on different topics, including all four sections of the exam, mock tests, super methods to speed up your training, etc.

On the E2 IELTS channel, you can listen to live classes for free. What’s more, you can watch how other people deal with the test. The best thing about this resource is that it’s run by professionals with excellent pronunciation and command of English. The lessons are also engaging and fun, so you will enjoy preparing for IELTS with this channel.

3. IELTS Advantage

The IELTS Advantage channel offers free tutorials on all sections of the exam. You can practice IELTS listening and reading, as well as get handy tips on writing and speaking. The resource provides short courses on vocabulary and grammar for IELTS. The channel is popular among prospect test-takers because the tutors are experienced in the field, and they present the information in a captivating way.

The channel suggests dozens of helpful IELTS study videos. Here, you will also find a podcast with 20+ short discussions of such topics as pre-exam anxiety and other related psychological phenomena that stop you from getting a higher score.

4. AcademicEnglishHelp (AEHelp)

AcademicEnglishHelp is an IELTS YouTube channel with over 1,400,000 subscribers and dozens of handy tutorials available for free. This online study resource has helped hundreds of students get IELTS Band 7+ over the recent years. The channel focuses on Academic IELTS, and you can explore nine playlists that cover different sections of the exam. The channel contains over 70 videos explaining IELTS Speaking, so this is the right place to get inspiration and practice this skill.

New videos appear on AEHelp almost every week, so you will get to know the latest updates of the exam. Also, you can attend live IELTS sessions where the tutor discusses the unique features of each section and answers the audience’s questions. Additionally, it can be beneficial to visit the AEHelp website and check out the Academic IELTS Premium Package – ultimate access to top materials on all aspects of the exam.

5. Learn English with Emma [engVid]

Emma is a professional IELTS tutor from the engVid platform who runs her own YouTube channel with dozens of helpful tutorials on various aspects of IELTS. Learn English with Emma is an in-demand resource for millions of English learners worldwide. On her channel, the tutor explains IELTS basics and more advanced tips and tricks that will help you achieve the highest score.

Emma’s vlogs cover all four sections of both General and Academic IELTS exams. Here, you will find information about the best practice exercises to boost your writing and speaking skills. Also, you will learn how not to lose points in the Reading and Listening sections.

6. Learn English with Rebecca [engVid]

Learn English with Rebecca is the most popular channel among English learners who look for online IELTS practice materials. It has over 2,000,000 subscribers and covers dozens of topics related to the test. Here, you can find practical tutorials on basic English grammar rules, tenses, business language, and preparation for the exams: IELTS, TOEFL, and TOEIC.

Rebecca is an experienced tutor with outstanding language and teaching skills. She offers short lessons that you can watch while commuting to work or doing household chores. Her tutorials can also be a beneficial addition to common IELTS practice coursebooks. A significant advantage of Rebecca’s channel is that you can find videos about different aspects of the English language that go far beyond the IELTS exam.

7. Fastrack IELTS

If you’re looking for engaging free IELTS tutorials on YouTube, check out Fastrack IELTS. This channel is run by an expert, Asiya, who has taken the exams a few times. Last time, she passed it with the highest score, so she has what to tell you about. Her video blog includes tutorials on various subjects related to IELTS. She discusses the specific features of each of four sections, both for General and Academic training. Also, she uncovers tricks that may help you achieve your goals and tackle the most challenging assignments.

On Fastrack IELTS, you can find over 50 videos on IELTS Writing, covering such issues as major mistakes, necessary vocabulary, words to avoid, etc. The tutor speaks from her own experience and tells what helped her succeed.

8. Learn with Sam and Ash

Learn with Sam and Ash is a great YouTube channel to discover lots of helpful information about IELTS. It has more than 1,000,000 subscribers, and the audience is growing fast. Although the tutors aren’t native speakers, they offer quick preparation methods for all four sections of IELTS. Sam and Ash post excellent tutorials on English punctuation, grammar, exam prompts, and more.

Explore the IELTS Full Course playlist to discover the latest news about the test and how to get ready for them. It includes over 40 videos covering all four sections in General and Academic training.

9. Oxford Online English

Another channel with an impressively large audience is Oxford Online English. Here, you will find videos on a huge scope of subjects, from British slang to advanced grammar. If you want to improve your English skills in general, this resource will be helpful for you. A significant advantage of this channel is that you can meet different tutors here to listen to various accents and develop your listening expertise.

Another benefit of this channel is that teachers speak relatively slowly. This is perfect for everyone who is not confident in English yet. It can obviously be challenging to listen to tutorials not in your native language; however, you can consider this as a part of your IELTS listening practice.

10. IELTS Master

IELTS Master is a YouTube channel with a great collection of handy tutorials on IELTS and everything related. It contains numerous videos about preparation strategies, advancing reading and speaking skills, planning essays, etc. It focuses both on General and Academic training. A particularly great point about this resource is that it offers many lessons on IELTS vocabulary with detailed explanations, usage, and collocation examples. This method of learning new words is highly beneficial and helps you remember what you’ve learned for a long time.

Each video on IELTS Master is made to fit in your daily routine, so you can practice whenever you have a free minute. These prompt tutorials will help you excel in English even more if you combine them with exercises from some of the best IELTS preparation books we mentioned above.

11. Write to Top

If you’re looking for a resource to practice writing skills before taking IELTS, Write to Top is an excellent channel to help you. The tutor, Adam, focuses mainly on this aspect of the English language and provides detailed explanations of various related issues. Here, you will find a comprehensive guide to composing texts of different genres: letters, essays, summaries, reports, etc. The teacher gives examples and describes their strong and weak points to learn what to avoid in your answer.

Adam is an experienced tutor with excellent pronunciation, so his channel can also help you boost your listening skills before IELTS.

12. Tony IELTS Box

The Tony IELTS Box channel focuses on speaking and vocabulary practice for IELTS. Here, you can explore numerous tutorials explaining advanced words and approaches to fulfilling the exam’s Speaking part. The videos are engaging and will brighten up your study routine.

However, there are also many short lessons on IELTS Writing. You can learn how to describe graphs and pie charts, outline your essay for Task 2, and more.

13. IELTS Official

IELTS Official is a helpful channel to check out if you want to keep up with the latest exam updates. It’s run by IDP IELTS organization which is directly responsible for the test. It provides comprehensive study materials, which you can find on the website. The YouTube channel is meant to give prospective test-takers additional help.

On this channel, you will find tips from professionals on how to get the highest score, tackle assignments in each of the exam’s four sections, and so on. Apart from that, the resource offers some technical tutorials regarding the computer-delivered IELTS and other aspects that you need to know before taking the exam.

14. IELTS Ryan

IELTS Ryan channel is the right place to learn about each aspect of the exam. The tutor behind it is also an author of comprehensive IELTS practice books. He developed his own methods of preparing for the test and shared his experiences with thousands of the channel’s subscribers. On his website, you can download his IELTS books in PDF for complex preparation.

The main advantage of this channel is that the author organized all videos in a course that covers almost everything you need to know about IELTS. You can enjoy the excellent structure of all lessons, which makes the study process much easier. Learn about IELTS Writing, Speaking, Listening, and Reading, combining this practice with mock tests to maximize the effectiveness of your study routine.

15. IELTS Charlie

The last channel on our list is IELTS Charlie. This resource provides diverse tutorials on IELTS-related issues. Here, you will find a guide to excellent completing of the Speaking section. Also, in recent years, the channel’s focus shifted to explaining advanced vocabulary. Another aspect that you can study is academic writing. IELTS Charlie offers numerous videos in which an experienced tutor describes the best practices of dealing with this type of assignment.

What’s more, you can watch a detailed step-by-step overview of the writing section. In these tutorials, the speaker displays each stage of composing your answer to the exam’s common questions.

Want to prepare for IELTS right on the go? The best way to do that is to use mobile apps. They will help you boost your skills whenever you have a free minute. Whether you’re commuting to work or doing housework, you can make the most of this time and learn more with the best IELTS apps.

We selected a list of mobile tools that work and help thousands students worldwide succeed in IELTS. Let’s see what they are!

1. IELTS Prep App by British Council

Speaking of the best apps for daily use, we should start with an official program that you can use alongside the best books for IELTS. The tool includes a comprehensive overview of the exam’s four sections, grammar exercises, free practice tests, videos of IELTS speaking interviews, and more. Additionally, you get explanations to assessment criteria, a preparation checklist, and numerous blog posts on related topics.

Whenever you want to scroll Instagram feed one more time, it’d be much better to open this app and do some exercises. Doubtlessly, the results will come up shortly!

2. English Radio – IELTS TOEFL

This app is the best one to boost your listening and speaking skills. It features popular radio stations in English-speaking countries, so you can hear various accents and learn to understand them. You can listen to the discussions of different topics that you may encounter later in IELTS. Same as in music apps, you can create your favorites list and save stations that you liked best.

You can also use this app to make new friends and practice your spoken English daily. It offers free messaging services, and you can share your progress with others as well. When you’re studying on your own, it can be highly beneficial to find your peers who are going through the same thing, and you can improve your skills together.

3. IELTS Word Power by British Council

This app is an excellent choice if you aim for boosting your vocabulary. It’s a powerful tool with a great selection of words on different topics you may encounter in the IELTS test. There are subjects like work & business, environment, traveling, family & friends, etc. You can do practical exercises to understand better and remember new vocabulary.

This tool is suitable for any level and regardless of which exam type you choose: General or Academic. Another feature of this app is that you can find the nearest testing center within a few clicks.

4. IELTS® Test Pro 2022

IELTS® Test Pro 20120 is one of the best apps of this kind available on the market, and what’s impressive about it is that most of its services are free. This tool offers pro IELTS preparation assistance, detailed progress reports, sample tests, over 3,000 tasks, and much more. It has high ratings among the users, and they mention that it was an ultimate helper when they studied for IELTS.

The app can work offline, which makes it even more convenient for daily use. Don’t hesitate to download it and improve your skills whenever you have time!

5. IELTS Essays

If you’re looking for a collection of high-quality IELTS written pieces, you’ve found a proper resource. This mobile app has a vast database of great sample essays and their analysis. Here, you can find out how to detect the topic of your essay question, outline your answer, brainstorm ideas, generate a compelling introduction, and much more.

The app offers writing pieces created both for General and Academic training. You can find what you need by entering some keywords in the search bar. The related sample essays will appear shortly, and you can choose whichever suits you the best.

6. IELTS Preparation – IELTS FREE – ILFREE

This is another diverse IELTS app that contains many handy tips & tricks covering different aspects of the test. It has a colorful and easy-to-use interface, so you will enjoy practicing with it. The information is well-structured: you can explore various sections like IELTS Vocabulary, Tips, Speaking, Writing, etc. For each creative task, you can check out sample answers to understand how to fulfill them. Also, you can save your favorite words or idioms. The app provides usage examples to all new vocabulary, which makes it easier to remember.

This tool is suitable both for those who plan to take General and Academic IELTS. The app offers various practical exercises for you to get used to the exam’s structure and demands.

7. IELTS TestBank – ESL Test Prep

This app gives you access to over 9,000 exam-type questions covering all four sections: Reading, Writing, Listening, and Speaking. With this tool, you can track and compare your progress, create lists of favorite questions, and learn many test-taking tricks.

The app includes sample tasks for other tests too, such as TOEFL, SAT, and ACT. What’s fascinating about IELTS TestBank is that it adjusts to your given answers. This helps avoid repeating questions, and you receive relative tips depending on your performance. This app is not 100% free; however, it gives access to unique materials to help you get ready for IELTS.

8. BBC Learning English

An official language tool by BBC can be a helpful addition to your regular study routine. Although you can’t solely rely on this app, it contains lots of useful materials for self-study. So, what’s inside?

BBC Learning English contains various topical lessons, audio programs with transcripts, quizzes, and more for free. You can choose a short course that you’d like to take and follow its updates. This app doesn’t focus on any exam in particular; however, it can help improve your general command of English, influencing your performance when taking IELTS.

9. IELTS Vocabulary

The IELTS Vocabulary app concentrates on one of the most crucial aspects of the exam. You can comprehend advanced grammar, but lacking the essential vocabulary will definitely affect your performance. This tool will help you learn all words you need in the most efficient way. It gives compelling explanations to each term and then adds some practical exercises to strengthen your knowledge.

All vocabulary is divided into sections, so it’s easier to learn the words by topics. It offers what you will encounter on the actual test only, so everything is worth learning. Vocabulary is essential for completing all four sections of the IELTS exam, so be sure to try this app as an additional study resource.

10. IELTS Speaking

The last tool on our list of the best IELTS apps focuses on speaking. This diverse study source will help you boost different related skills like vocabulary and answer structuring. Here, you can explore various tasks similar to the ones on the actual IELTS test. It’s hard to imagine that it’s possible to practice speaking with a mobile app; however, this tool makes this process easy and effective.

What makes it stand out is that you can record your answers and analyze them later. So it’s much like the actual IELTS interview. Also, you will receive hints on how you can improve your performance and make the most use of this tool. If you’re not able to practice speaking with a tutor, this is an excellent choice for you.

Today, we explored the diverse world of IELTS preparation materials, including practice books, YouTube channels, and mobile apps. One thing to admit is that there’s no perfect source to learn everything about the test and analyze the examples. However, you can experiment with various tools, buy IELTS books, online courses, and select the approaches that work particularly for you. If you see that you have troubles with new words, don’t hesitate to download a free app that provides profound vocabulary practice. Consider your personal need rather than ratings you see on the Internet and consult your tutor or mentor. The adventure of preparing for IELTS shouldn’t be tedious and exhausting. Remember that you are heading to your dearest dreams!

We hope that our list will help you get ready for IELTS and excel in your English skills in general. Keep up with our updates to learn more about language tests and much more!

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The Best IELTS Books In 2024 – IELTS Reading List

Dec 21, 2023 | IELTS Test

Every English test, exam and course that you can take requires a strong reading list behind it in order for you to attain the highest grade. The IELTS test is no different. So here we have compiled a comprehensive list of recommended books for IELTS preparation.

Setting yourself up to attain the highest band score on the IELTS test will require dedication, discipline, and the highest level of preparation through revision. Admittedly, some of these qualities will depend on the character of the candidate themselves. However, applying self-study techniques from the best IELTS books will no doubt be vital in getting your desired IELTS band score .

Whilst there are many books for IELTS dedicated to helping candidates study and prepare for the IELTS test, there are some which can be more useful than others. In addition, many IELTS preparation books will take an approach which broadly covers every area of the test. Whilst these are beneficial to candidates, there are many cases in which it could be one specific area that needs to be focussed on. In these cases, books which address that element of the test specifically will be much more useful. For example, many of the best books for IELTS may centre around specific components or skills, including Writing , Reading , Speaking or Vocabulary .

So from the general IELTS preparation books (including Barron’s IELTS and The Official Cambridge Guide to IELTS) to books written specifically around the different elements of the IELTS test, we have produced this recommended reading list full of IELTS study materials, and perfect for candidates wanting to improve their band score.

1. It’s Not Rocket Science: IELTS Writing Task 2

Many candidates will often find that their weakest area in the IELTS exam is the Writing component. This new book, co-authored by English With An Expert, is written specifically to improve candidates’ competency in Writing Task 2.  This book contains many pieces of helpful advice on key areas of weakness in IELTS Writing, such as time management and writing styles–offering support on how all of these can be improved to then succeed.

The book helps to break down some of the complexities of IELTS Writing Task 2 and has one of the largest ranges of model answers for this component available on the market. All wrapped up across 22 easy-to-follow chapters that aim to elevate candidates’ understanding of the band scores to help them achieve their  desired band.

It’s Not Rocket Science is available on Amazon and you can purchase the book by clicking this link.

2. The Official Cambridge Guide To IELTS

Probably the most well-known and well-recognised book in our IELTS reading list–and one we were sent an advance copy of to review before it was even published.

The Cambridge Official Guide to IELTS is one of the most comprehensive books for IELTS available to candidates. Their full package of IELTS study material includes their ultimate IELTS study guide, the entire collection of reading material for the IELTS test and also some video material that helps candidates improve their speaking and listening skills.

The Official Cambridge IELTS book also includes a huge amount of helpful tips, tricks and resources from past IELTS candidates who have all passed the test with flying colours. Often, resources such as these can be incredibly helpful when it comes to self-study, as a reader can identify better with someone who has been in their position over simply receiving the advice of a tutor.

You can visit the Cambridge English website and purchase The Official Cambridge Guide to IELTS by clicking this link.

3. IELTS Trainer

This IELTS resource offers a more structured approach to revising aspects of the IELTS exam. Eight example test modules have been annotated by IELTS exam writers to provide step-by-step guidance on the first two papers. Where the Cambridge Guide offers advice from former candidates, the IELTS trainer book provides the opinion of qualified IELTS professionals on how best to approach certain elements of the test. Adding that higher level of understanding to your own self-study efforts can be immensely beneficial.

The IELTS Trainer book itself also contains other interactive resources, such as audio elements, which help with the Listening elements of the exam. However, as detailed above, the greatest asset of this IELTS preparation book is that it provides excellent sample answers to the Writing and Speaking aspects of the text. All of which have then been annotated by a group of experienced IELTS professionals. It is worth noting that whilst the tests have been written by Cambridge examiners – we have found them to be at the top end of the difficulty range.  Note also that this book only covers the Academic test. Even so the Speaking, Writing Task 2 and Listening components are identical to the General test. 

This is a book we use regularly with our one-to-one students !

The IELTS Trainer is available on Amazon and you can purchase the book by clicking this link.

4. Cambridge IELTS Academic 18

Cambridge University is always releasing new and very valuable IELTS books for candidates to use in preparing for the exam. They have now released the 18th edition in their series of IELTS books, Cambridge IELTS Academic 18. This latest edition, superseding the previous 17th edition, remains a great addition to the reading list of anyone preparing for the IELTS exam.

Released in July of 2023, Cambridge IELTS Academic 18 has a lot of new and useful features that help you prepare for all of the different sections of the Academic IELTS test. With four complete tests for the Academic version of the exam, these papers offer a brilliant way for students to replicate the real IELTS test as part of their self-study.

The book comes bundled with downloadable audio for the Listening tests, tapescripts, sample Writing answers, and a unique example Speaking test video. All of these things are what makes this IELTS book so useful for candidates.

We highly recommend this resource and suggest you start with the latest edition and work backwards. The earlier the edition, the older the test papers it contains – and there have been small changes to the test over time that could mean you end up facing something unexpected when you come to sit the exam for yourself.

A note of warning – the books that are published by Cambridge University are always separate for the General or Academic test versions – so make sure you purchase the appropriate one for the type of test you are taking!

The Latest (18th) Edition of Cambridge IELTS Academic is available on Amazon and can be purchased via this link.

5. Barron’s IELTS Superpack

Another IELTS book which offers guidance on all of the different elements to the IELTS test, Barron’s IELTS Superpack is probably the second most well-known book in this list. It is hardly a surprise that a piece of IELTS study material carrying the title of ‘Superpack’ includes just about everything a candidate will need for IELTS preparation.

Whilst this does mean that Barron’s IELTS Superpack leaves a little to be desired when it comes to detail on certain elements of the test. The book and its resources provide a huge amount of study material in both writing and audio formats. Something which is great for candidates who find it difficult to retain textbook information and need an alternative way to digest its contents. We have found the practice tests in this book to be at the easier end of the scale and it is worth noting that this book does not contain official IELTS practice material.

Barron’s IELTS Superpack is available from World of Books and you can purchase the book and its contents by clicking this link.

6. Road to IELTS

This is approved and published by IELTS test providers themselves–the British Council. The Road to IELTS is not really a book but a 100% online course for IELTS preparation. It is filled with a vast amount of interactive IELTS study materials, all of which can be used by candidates to increase their ability in different areas of the test.

It is packed with over 100 different resources, including tutorial videos from IELTS professionals, mock papers with sample answers and guidance, and much more. This IELTS preparation course is one of the best available when it comes to putting your knowledge to the test during your hours of self-study.

You can visit the Road to IELTS website to read more and purchase this IELTS course by clicking this link.

7. IELTS Task 2 Vocabulary eBook

At English With An Expert, our experienced IELTS tutor, Andy Turner, has seen many students request his guidance after falling short in Writing Task 2 due to significant errors in their vocabulary. He therefore selected this eBook as a highly recommended resource for candidates struggling to eliminate these errors from their own vocabulary. 

There are over 200 pages in this eBook, all bursting with expert information on how to improve the overall writing ability of candidates as well as expanding their English vocabulary to ensure they use words in the correct context when approaching Writing Task 2. There are 10 model essay topics along with annotated guidance on how to approach the answers for each of them. Finally, there are some well-designed vocabulary exercises to help you understand key band 7.0 vocabulary.

You can visit our virtual book store and purchase the IELTS Task 2 Vocabulary eBook by clicking this link.

8. IELTS Writing Task 1 Academic Grammar eBook

Another one of the best books for IELTS is also authored by the insightful Sam Varley. IELTS Writing Task 1 Academic Grammar eBook is designed to fix the common grammatical errors which let down so many candidates in the Writing component of the test. Similar to his previous book, Sam’s Task 2 Vocabulary, this book contains resources that are all specifically aimed at improving the band scores of candidates on a specific task, though this book takes aim at Writing Task One.

The book comes with 10 different model answers, all of which have been written to a band 9 standard. 5 of the 10 answers are annotated with notes specifically around how you can maximise your score on IELTS Writing Task 1.

You can purchase Sam’s second IELTS Book from this website by clicking the link here.

9. Simone Braverman’s Target Band 7

One of the most recommended books by IELTS Canada, Simone Braverman’s Target Band 7 helps candidates to build on established IELTS understanding and really work toward accessing those higher grades on the test. On top of providing great IELTS study material, this IELTS book also differentiates itself from others by giving candidates advice on how best to manage their study time and how to be more efficient when it comes to structuring answers to essay questions.

Braverman’s IELTS book is packed with model Band 7 and higher answers, and accompanied by well thought out advice on how to apply these exact same methods to your own IELTS essay. All in all, this IELTS book helps not only expand a candidate’s knowledge but also helps them recognise how to solve common problems they will face in the IELTS exam. Beware though – books that are intended to help you achieve a certain band score can prevent you from scoring a higher one. You may also find errors in the Writing samples, but remember this book is aimed at helping you score a band 7.0 and not a 9.0. If you are aiming for a 7.0 then this book by a non-native speaker could help you. If you are aiming for an 8.0 it might not!

Simone Braverman’s Target Band 7 is available from Good Reads and you can purchase this IELTS book by clicking this link.

10. Check Your English Vocabulary for IELTS

Similar to the IELTS Task 2 Vocabulary eBook, this is one of the best books for IELTS when it comes to eliminating common errors in vocabulary that are letting a candidate down on Writing tasks in the exam. As a workbook it can be well utilised by candidates who complete the exercises and use it to further expand their vocabulary range, helping them to score well in the IELTS test.

Check Your English Vocabulary for IELTS is one of the best IELTS books when it comes to self-study as it uses an incredibly easy to follow format with concise instructions on how activities should be completed to gain the most from them. 

This is another book we use with our students!

Check Your English Vocabulary for IELTS is available on World of Books and you can purchase this IELTS book by clicking this link.

11. Official IELTS Practice Materials

This is an official book which is aimed at teachers of IELTS. One downside is that it contains only one full practice test – but for those of you with limited time to study, this could help you to focus your time effectively. You should complete at least one full practice test before test day itself!

Whilst the book will familiarise you with the test and give you a realistic idea of what to expect, it is not really sufficient for learning. 

This is our recommendation for those with limited time to prepare!

Official IELTS Practice Materials is available from Amazon and you can purchase this IETS book by clicking this link.

12. Cambridge IELTS Academic 17

This edition of the Cambridge University IELTS book series used to feature much higher in our recommended IELTS book list, until the release of the 18th edition! And whilst Cambridge IELTS Academic 18 is of course the latest version, its predecessor, the Cambridge IELTS Academic 17, still remains a good option for many students.

As a slightly older edition, Cambridge IELTS Academic 17 is often available at a more affordable price, making it an attractive option for budget-conscious students. Although it has been superseded by the 18th edition, the 17th edition’s test papers and materials are still close to what you can expect in the current IELTS test.

One of the crucial elements to this book is that it includes guidance on the scoring system for the IELTS test itself, which allows candidates to familiarise themselves in further detail with what examiners will be looking for.

Again, it is worth remembering that these books have separate copies for the Academic and General versions of the test, so make sure you choose the right one for you depending on which test you’ll be taking.

The 17th (released 2021) edition of this Cambridge IELTS Book is available on Amazon and you can purchase the Academic book by clicking this link.

Key Things To Consider When You Purchase An IELTS Book or IELTS Study Materials

Whilst all of the books we have listed above are brilliant learning resources for IELTS candidates, it is crucial that they evaluate their options before purchasing any of them. It is important to work out exactly what your aims and goals are for the book and how you want it to help improve your knowledge.

It may be that you know exactly what band score you need or want to achieve and naturally this will mean some books are going to be more beneficial than others. 

Also, as we mentioned in the introduction to this article, you need to work out whether you are looking for general IELTS help or if you need the best book for certain parts of the IELTS test. It is common for candidates to really let themselves down on the Writing section due to a poor understanding of the required vocabulary. Therefore, perhaps a Vocabulary focused book is going to provide the most benefit.

Other Helpful IELTS Study Materials & Advice

When you’re preparing for the IELTS exam, diversifying your study resources can be highly beneficial. While books serve as a valuable foundation, it’s also important to make sure that you keep up to date with any changes to the IELTS exam itself. The landscape of the IELTS exam is not static; it undergoes regular revisions and updates. Therefore, it’s crucial to ensure that the material you’re relying on is up-to-date. Pay special attention to the editions of the books and the freshness of the online content you’re using for preparation. This ensures that you’re practising with the most current strategies and types of questions.

Another key element of effective preparation is taking authentic, full-length practice tests under timed conditions. Although many preparation books offer practice tests, it’s advisable to make sure you’re using these correctly and working under exam conditions to really get the most out of your preparation. There are often IELTS practice exams available for free on the official IELTS website or that can be purchased as separate test packs.

If you are still not sure which IELTS book is going to be most beneficial to your study efforts, then you can contact our Tutors here at English With An Expert . We have years of experience in helping candidates from all around the world increase their band scores via Lessons , Writing Corrections , Video Courses and more. 

Contact us today and pass the IELTS test the easier way!

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Get your copy of IELTS Practice Materials 2

Using books to practice for the IELTS test is a proven method for many test takers aiming for desired scores. These books provide a structured approach for each test section (listening, reading, writing, and speaking).

One advantage of IELTS preparation books is their comprehensive coverage, offering sample questions and practice exercises resembling the actual exam. This can help you to get familiar with question types and develop effective strategies.

 The IELTS practice book, developed by top English language experts, is perfect for self-study or classroom use.

Official IELTS Practice Materials 2

The second volume of the Official IELTS Practice Materials (volume 2) is the most comprehensive study guide, tailored for both individuals and educators. It provides additional sample tests, complete with answers and comments from examiners useful both for individuals and for teachers.

It contains further sample tests for listening, speaking, reading and writing, along with sample answers and examiners’ comments, plus a host of useful tips. The inclusion of a DVD, featuring a practice listening test and footage of individuals undergoing the speaking test, offers valuable insights into the testing process.

The Official IELTS Practice Materials (volume 2) study guide is available for purchase from the Cambridge University Press website.

Buy your copy

IELTS study materials tailored to suit your needs

Beyond these print resources, the British Council offers a wide range of online tools and resources .

Here, you can access IELTS Ready , our comprehensive preparation platform that includes practice tests, study guides, and interactive lessons to help you succeed on your IELTS exams or personalised coaching sessions. With an emphasis on flexibility and accessibility, these resources cater to diverse learning styles and preferences, empowering you to achieve your desired band scores.

16 Best Books For IELTS Preparation

What are the best books for the IELTS exam? If you are getting ready for the IELTS test, look at some of the top test preparation options below. 

IELTS stands for the International English Language Testing System, and the British Council runs it. This is a standardized test typically recommended for non-native English speakers to prove proficient English. The exam takes less than three hours, and it tests your ability to speak, write, read, and listen to English.

It is a challenging exam, so it is vital to prepare accordingly. General training and IELTS practice tests can be helpful, but you may also benefit from IELTS practice books.

1. The Official Cambridge Guide To IELTS

2. simone braverman’s target band 7, 3. the barron’s ielts superpack, 4. cambridge ielts 15 academic student’s book with answers, 5. ielts trainer, 6. the road to ielts, 7. check your english vocabulary for ielts, 8. the mometrix ielts book for general training and academic 2021 – 2022, 9. ielts 5 in 1 actual tests ebook combo, 10. focus on ielts foundation: foundation coursebook, 11. ielts advantage writing skills: a step-by-step guide to a high ielts writing score, 12. ielts 18 academic student’s book with answers, 13. ielts academic reading practice: student book, 14. ielts vocabulary masterclass 8.5 master phrasal verbs, essay vocabulary, graph vocabulary & speaking vocabulary, 15. ielts 5 practice tests, academic set 6 tests no. 26-30: 11 (high scorer’s choice), 16. ielts speaking masterclass: proven strategies for an 8+ band score, the final word on the best books for ielts, how do i study for the ielts exam , what is on the ielts exam, what should i expect on test day , further reading, popular books for ielts .

Take a look at some of the best books for the IELTS exam below.

One of the best books for IELTS preparation is The Official Cambridge Guide to IELTS . This book provides a lot of helpful hints and tips from people who have passed the exam themselves.

The book is also conveniently laid out with a step-by-step guide that will help you prepare for the exam. The book covers everything from how to tackle different types of questions to how to ensure your mind is ready for test day. It contains materials that will help score well on everything from the IELTS writing test to the IELTS speaking test.

Some of the most significant advantages of this book include:

• The book contains helpful test-taking tips from people who have taken the exam themselves.
• This book has materials to help you prepare for all test sections.
• The package comes with a DVD with listening and speaking tests.
• There are eight full-length IELTS practice exams to help you prepare. 

If you want to achieve the highest score possible, you might be interested in Simone Braverman’s Target Band 7 . While this study package contains a lot of tutorials, strategies, and materials, everything is explained clearly in a way the average learner can understand. It includes solutions to common obstacles, challenges, and pitfalls you will probably encounter on exam day.

In addition, the package contains a lot of tips from former students and reviews from prior users who all endorse it as one of the best materials for IELTS preparation. Even though it does not have any complete IELTS exams, it is still valuable study material. 

Some of the top advantages of this study package include:

• The book gives you a detailed breakdown of using your time effectively on exam day.
• All of the material has been presented in an easy-to-read and understood format.
• The book was written by someone with experience taking the exam themselves. 

• Braverman, Simone (Author)
• English (Publication Language)
• 80 Pages - 07/03/2012 (Publication Date) - Simone Braverman (Publisher)

The Barron’s IELTS Superpack comes with various strategies and tips to help you crush the test. This is ideal for beginners, academic students, and professionals because it contains study materials that address everything on the exam from various angles. This allows you to customize your study strategies to meet your needs. 

Some of the top benefits of using this super pack include:

• The package comes with two full-length practice exams.
• Two audio CDs can help you with the listening portion of the test.
• The super pack contains a list of essential words to help you get the most value for your study time.

An authentic examination paper will give you a firm idea of what you should expect when you arrive on exam day. The Cambridge IELTS series is one of the most well-respected study options, and this is one of the most recent versions – released in 2020. This book is explicitly aimed at IELTS academic students.

The package contains four tests in addition to a meticulous answer key. This will help you prepare for every exam section, clearly explaining why specific answers are correct and other answers are not. The tips are also organized clearly, allowing you to prepare individually for the IELTS listening, speaking, reading, and writing sections. 

A few advantages of this Cambridge study material include:

• All exam tips are broken up into sections, helping develop a strategy to address each exam portion. 
• The study material explains how to address different styles of questions to enhance your preparation.
• This is one of the most detailed study materials available. 

The best way to prepare for the IELTS test is to take practice exams. The  IELTS Trainer will give you a helpful in-depth study guide containing step-by-step advice on addressing specific questions and papers. Then, it will share tips from other successful test-takers that you can apply to your study habits.

This is one of the best books for IELTS preparation because it contains six full-length practice tests that will also help you build up the mental endurance to tackle the IELTS exam. It has questions of all types, a detailed breakdown of how to answer them, and common mistakes and pitfalls you need to avoid.

A few advantages of this study option include:

• It contains audio CDs for listening tests.
• The package comes with full-length practice tests that address all facets of the actual exams.
• The exams also come with the answer key to see why specific answers are correct, and other answers are wrong.
• The package comes with a guide to help you address test papers. 

• Hashemi, Louise (Author)
• 240 Pages - 04/11/2011 (Publication Date) - Cambridge English (Publisher)

If you are more of a visual or an interactive learner, you may be looking for an IELTS online course. The Road to IELTS provides you with access to tutorial videos, mock papers, and numerous other interactive exercises. The lesson will keep you engaged, preventing you from zoning out as you read through your study materials.

If you register to take the test through the British Council , you will also access numerous other videos and activities. The package includes an online course, nine practice tests with answer keys, and hundreds of activities that can help you enhance your learning.

Some of the advantages of this option include:

• It gives you nine practice tests that help you see what the actual test is like.
• This is an engaging study option that will hold your attention. 
• You can access countless other free study materials if you register through the Britsh Council. 

Even though Check Your English Vocabulary for IELTS  does not come with any practice papers or full-length exams, it is still a beneficial tool to have in your arsenal. This vocabulary book will help you quickly and easily expand your glossary before the exam. It contains a lot of vocabulary words, and it is suitable for anyone from beginners to advanced learners.

Keep in mind that this is not comprehensive study material, so you will need to use other resources to help you prepare for different portions of the test, such as practice tests and audio CDs.

Some of the advantages of this test preparation book include:

• This is a simple tool you can use to help you expand your vocabulary.
• All of the words have been laid out with short definitions that are easy to understand and remember.
• It is suitable for beginners, intermediate learners, and advanced learners. 

• Wyatt, Rawdon (Author)
• 128 Pages - 03/13/2012 (Publication Date) - A&C Black (Publisher)

The Mometrix IELTS Book for General Training and Academic 2021 –  2022   is one of the most comprehensive study guides. It contains helpful tips and comprehensive strategies to help you pass the exam. The package also includes video tutorials, practice test questions, and advice from prior test-takers. 

All of the information is incredibly detailed and laid out in a way that is easy to understand. As you go through your study sessions, you can organize the tips, apply them to specific questions, and learn from your mistakes. This can help you maximize your score on exam day. 

A few advantages of this test preparation option include:

• It covers all four areas of the actual IELTS exam.
• There are detailed video tutorials to help you master complex exam topics.
• It gives you a breakdown of the different types of questions and how to answer them successfully. 
• All of the information has been laid out in a way that is easy to understand. 

If you are looking for an eBook, the IELTS 5 in 1 Tests eBook Combo is one of the most comprehensive options available. It contains five separate eBooks that will cover all four sections of the IELTS exam. Each academic module will address a different test area, including listening, speaking, reading, and writing.

All of the answers have been provided by IELTS experts who have experience taking the exam themselves. Furthermore, this is an interactive study material that will hold your attention. It will go through different tips and tricks you can use to avoid common mistakes and raise your score on test day.

• It contains 35 reading tests and 41 listening tests, all of which come with detailed answers and explanations.
• There are a few essay ideas that you can use to practice papers.
• The package comes with dozens of questions and answers for writing task one and writing task two.

If you are a beginner, you need to develop the skills necessary to do well on the exam. FOCUS on IELTS Foundation   is a comprehensive coursebook that contains everything you need to know to go from no knowledge to enough knowledge to pass the test.

It comes with a critical language bank, ancillary study materials, and projects to help you progress on test day and outside the classroom. It also contains a list of comprehensive strategies to ensure you do well on the exam. It is a study material that has been designed for learning in the classroom, but it could be a helpful test preparation option as well.

Some of the advantages of this study material include:

• It comes with a listening CD that will help you prepare for the IELTS listening test.
• It is also beneficial for practicing English outside of the IELTS exam.
• This package comes with complete projects that will help you apply your knowledge to other areas. 

IELTS Advantage Writing Skills: A Step-By-Step Guide to a High IELTS Writing Score is one of the most popular books for improving your writing skills for the IELTS. It’s a stepped guide packed with tips and practice exercises. 

The book was written by experienced IELTS teachers with decades of experience preparing students for exams. It’s laid out in an effective manner that guides you through a detailed preparation process. The book keeps the exercises fresh by using interesting topics and newspaper extracts. 

• Step-by-step guide for hitting a high score in the writing section of the IELTS. 
• The use of real-world topics within the exercises makes you feel like you’re writing something that matters, not just preparing for an exam. 
• Grammar explanations throughout the book to help students improve sentence structures. 

IELTS 18 Academic Student’s Book with Answers is an examination preparation textbook updated for the 2023 IELTS. Working your way through the mock exams in this textbook will help you know exactly what to expect when you sit the actual exam. 

The book includes four complete exam papers and a downloadable audio package with speaking and listening tests. Therefore, this book covers every area in the exam, making it a very good tool to include in your exam preparation plan. 

A few advantages of this test preparation textbook include:

• Contains four entire exams with answers. 
• The included audio files allow you to practice both the oral and auditory sections of the IELTS. 
• The test explanation sections give you a detailed insight into how the exam is structured and what examiners are looking for from students. 

IELTS Academic Reading Practice: Student Book is a reading practice textbook that breaks down the reading section of the IELTS into 14 different sections. Breaking down the reading exam helps you focus on specific techniques to help you pass. 

Every section contains three sections that provide you with an understanding of the task, prepare you, and then put your knowledge to the test. If you’ve been struggling with the reading section of the IELTS, then this book can help you identify where you’re falling short and help you fill gaps in your knowledge. 

A few advantages of this reading preparation option include:

• Detailed breakdown of the IELTS reading section. 
• Clear three-step process for improving specific areas of your reading skills. 
• Plenty of extra activities give the reader the opportunity to expand their knowledge. 

IELTS Vocabulary Masterclass 8.5 Master Phrasal Verbs, Essay Vocabulary, Graph Vocabulary & Speaking Vocabulary is a vocabulary booster designed to help you hit the higher score bands in the IELTS exam. This book is a solid way to expand your vocabulary with words and phrases that native speakers use. 

The book’s target is students who are aiming for higher IELTS scores. The exercises are designed to focus on phrasal verbs, essay words, and graph vocab, which will help you in the exam and real-life conversations. 

• A useful tool for building your vocabulary with native phrases and words. 
• A good resource for students who want to improve their IELTS scores by using more technical terms in essays. 
• A variety of exercises that help you learn and correctly implement new vocabulary. 

IELTS 5 Practice Tests, Academic Set 6 Tests No. 26-30: 11 (High Scorer’s Choice) is a test practice book that contains five full-length IELTS exams with updates added based on the 2023 changes to the IELTS. The book also includes downloadable content for the speaking and listening sections. 

Completing the practice tests and examining your mistakes will be a massive boost to your exam preparation. A particularly useful aspect of this book is the writing section, where you’ll find model answers with explanations as to why they would score high in the exam. 

Advantages of this test preparation option include:

• Five practice exams with explanations designed to push you towards hitting a higher score. 
• Model writing answers give the reader a template to work with for achieving a higher score. 
• Reading practice includes model answers that explain why the answers are correct instead of just showing the answers. 

IELTS Speaking Masterclass: Proven Strategies for an 8+ Band Score is a guide to improving your speaking skills before sitting the exam. The book is based on research into high-scoring speaking students and provides a detailed breakdown of what separates a decent speaking score from a very good score. 

If you’re aiming high in the IELTS speaking section, this masterclass’s tips and practice sections can help you tidy up your technique. The book contains over 200 speaking exercises and has been revised in 2023 based on changes to the IELTS. 

A few advantages of this speaking masterclass book include:

• Hundreds of exercises to help you push your speaking skills into the highest IELTS band. 
• A step-by-step guide to the second half of the IELTS speaking section. 
• Includes vocabulary-expanding exercises and detailed grammar explanations. 

The IELTS exam is challenging, and you need to do everything you can to put yourself in the best position to pass the test on the first attempt. Therefore, you should use the study materials above to develop a comprehensive strategy.

Everyone has a slightly different learning style, so you need to compare the benefits and drawbacks of each option to figure out what works best for you. As long as you have a strategy in mind, you can increase your score, expand your knowledge base, and prepare accordingly for test day. 

FAQs About The Best Books For IELTS

The best way to prepare for the exam is to practice questions. Before you can do so, you need to build a strong foundation in the English language. These test preparation materials will help you do that.

The exam is broken up into four different areas. There is a listening, reading, writing, and speaking section. You need to develop a test preparation strategy to help you do well in all four areas if you want to pass the exam. 

The exam itself is still administered using pencil and paper. In total, it takes two hours and 45 minutes.

You should expect to hear modules on different topics with English speakers with various aspects. You will also have a face-to-face interview with an examiner during the test. 

If you enjoyed this list of the best books for IELTS, you might also enjoy our round-up of the best essay writing apps for students and academics . 

You may also be interested in our guide on great essay writing topics for students . 

Peter is an experienced journalist and tech-lover who has spent years hunting for the best writing software. He firmly believes that we all need a helping hand crossing our Ts and dotting our Is and takes great pride in sharing his opinions on the best writing software out there.

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IELTS Superpack (Barron's Test Prep) Fifth Edition

Purchase options and add-ons.

• Barron's IELTS: Get comprehensive prep with 4 Academic Module practice exams and 2 General Training Module practice exams, plus extensive subject review and access to audio tracks online.
• IELTS Practice Exams: You'll get 6 Academic Module practice exams and 6 General Training Module practice exams with comprehensive answer explanations, plus audio material online.
• IELTS Essential Words: Build your vocabulary with 600 words that appear most frequently on IELTS exams, plus access to audio online.
• ISBN-10 1506268706
• ISBN-13 978-1506268705
• Edition Fifth
• Publisher Barrons Educational Services
• Publication date November 3, 2020
• Language English
• Dimensions 8.38 x 2.5 x 10.88 inches
• Print length 1368 pages
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• Publisher ‏ : ‎ Barrons Educational Services; Fifth edition (November 3, 2020)
• Language ‏ : ‎ English
• Paperback ‏ : ‎ 1368 pages
• ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1506268706
• ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1506268705
• Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 3.53 ounces
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• #116 in TOEFL & TOEIC Tests
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About the author

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Lin LOUGHEED started his EFL career in 1968 as a Peace Corps volunteer in Turkey. He earned his doctorate at Teachers College, Columbia University and has received two Fulbright awards: a scholar grant in Sri Lanka and a professor grant in Tunisia. In 1983, he founded Instructional Design International, Inc. to develop English teaching materials in all media. Lin is a past member of the TESOL Executive Board and has served as the chair of two special interest groups: Teaching English Internationally and Materials Writers. He has written over 40 English-as-a-foreign-language texts and has a daily radio show in China on business English.

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10 Recommended Books For IELTS Exam Preparation in 2024 | Study Material For IELTS

• IELTS Preparation
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Updated on 31 January, 2024

Mrinal Mandal

Study abroad expert.

Picking the best IELTS exam books for preparation is essential for scoring well. It may seem challenging, but cracking the examination successfully is not impossible. You need perseverance, determination, and willingness to absorb new concepts to score well quickly. At the same time, 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. However, here is a list of preparatory books that will help you get high scores in the IELTS exam.

Table of Contents

1. barron’s ielts superpack, 2. the official cambridge guide to ielts, 3. cambridge ielts 14 academic student’s book with answers with audio, 4. official ielts practice materials, 5. road to ielts, 6. ielts trainer, 7. mometrix ielts book for general training and academic 2022, 8. check your english vocabulary for ielts, 9. focus on ielts foundation: foundation coursebook.

• 10. Simon Braveman’s Target Band 7

How to Prepare for the IELTS Test?

How to choose the best ielts preparation books, online ielts preparation, download ielts sample papers, frequently asked questions : ielts preparation books, popular study abroad destinations, learn more about study abroad, recommended ielts exam preparation books .

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

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. 

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.

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. 

• 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.

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. 

• 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. 

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. 
• 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:

Download E-Books for IELTS Preparation

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. 

• 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. 

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. 

• There are step-by-step video tutorials that can help students master even complex topics.
• Well-explained answer keys along with practice papers. 
• A thorough review of all the IELTS test sections - Speaking, Listening, Reading, and Writing. 

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. 

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

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.

• 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. 

• 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:

Download IELTS Preparation Guide For Free

Get to know about the latest updates on the IELTS Exam, Eligibility, Preparation Tips, Test procedure,  Exam Pattern, Syllabus, Registration Process, Important Exam Dates, and much more!! This guide is a one-stop solution for every IELTS Aspirant who aims to crack the exam with an impressive band score.

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-

• 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. 
• Practice at regular intervals: You can practice speaking and reading skills with someone with a good grasp of English. 
• 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.

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.

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. To help you out, we have researched and gathered some of the best IELTS exam preparation books for you to consider. 

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. You should also note that selecting the appropriate study material will help you avoid boredom and develop a greater interest in preparations. Some IELTS books may not always be as interesting as their counterparts. 

Hence choosing something that interests you is a good strategy when preparing for one of the most essential examinations in your life. It will help you remain motivated while also helping you get ample practice. You should also consider tutoring and other assistance for the speaking and writing segments of the IELTS examination since they will give you the best possible feedback. Books do not always provide this feedback; you should also consider mock tests to get an idea of what you can expect.

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. 

Recommended books for each IELTS Section

• The Official Cambridge Guide To IELTS Student's Book With Answers With DVD ROM
• How to Improve English Speaking: How to Become a Confident and Fluent English Speaker by 
• IELTS SPEAKING 2022 | LATEST SPEAKING TOPICS FOR IELTS
• Speaking From The Past Exams
• The Ultimate Guide to IELTS Speaking
• IELTS Reading for Academic 2021
• Makkar IELTS English For Exams IELTS Academic Readings Vol. 1 For Exam Practice
• MAKKAR IELTS Academic Readings Practice Workbook Combo Vol. 1 and Vol. 2 (2022)
• Collins Reading for IELTS by Els Van Geyte (Ebook)
• Improve Your IELTS Reading Skills pdf by Sam McCarter & Norman Whitby
• IELTS Reading Recent Actual Tests Volume 4, 3,2,1
• Barrons Writing For The IELTS
• The Official Cambridge Guide To Ielts Student's Book With Answers With Dvd Rom 
• The Ultimate Guide To IELTS Writing
• IELTS Listening Practice Tests - IELTS Self-study Exam Preparation Book: For IELTS for Academic Purposes and General Training Modules
• Listening for IELTS (With Answers and Audio): IELTS 5-6+ (B1+) (Collins English for IELTS) Aish, Fiona and Tomlinson, Jo
• 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:

Which book is best for IELTS preparation?

Different books work for different people. The choice for books depends upon your strengths and weaknesses. You must read the book syllabus and reviews and then opt for one accordingly.

Is Cambridge book enough for IELTS?

Whether the Cambridge book is enough for IELTS or not depends upon your own preparation. Every year a book is released in the Cambridge book series. Ensure to get your hands on the recent one.

Are IELTS books available online?

All the IELTS books are available on various e-commercial sites.

Shall the IELTS books be preferred over online materials for preparation?

You can prefer both the books and online materials to prepare for the IELTS exam. You can prefer one over the other depending upon your convenience and comfort.

Do IELTS books include practice paper?

Some IELTS practice books contain practice papers such as the Cambridge book, the Official Cambridge Guide to IELTS, IELTS Trainer, Barron’s IELTS, and more.

How much time is required to complete the IELTS preparation book?

The time required to complete the IELTS preparation book depends upon your preparation. It might take three to six weeks to prepare for the IELTS exam.

How to start preparing for the IELTS?

There are various ways you can prepare for the IELTS. The first step in any preparation is to get a hold of the syllabus and then look for resources for preparation. You can start with practice papers, mock tests, online study materials, and more. Perseverance and dedication are the main qualities you need to prepare for the exam effectively. Start prepping 3-6 weeks before the exam date.

Which book is the best for IELTS beginners?

‘Check your English Vocabulary for IELTS’ is the best for beginners to  improve their vocabulary . Additionally, ‘The Official Cambridge Guide to IELTS’ is a comprehensive guide for beginners to help them prepare for both  IELTS Academic and  General Training .

How to get an overall 6.5 in IELTS?

With suitable practice and preparation, English must be integrated into your daily life. This can be done through simple tactics like reading books, newspapers, magazines, and journals. You can also write essays on various topics while listening to English shows, interviews, and other excerpts. You must practice speaking correct English in your daily life.

How can I prepare for IELTS at home?

 Given below are the tips to prepare for IELTS at home:

• Decide the test format you want to sit for
• Work on Vocabulary
• Improve Writing Skills
• Focus on fluency & correct pronunciation
• Enhance Listening Skills

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Mrinal Mandal is a study abroad expert with a passion for guiding students towards their international education goals. He holds a degree in mechanical engineering, earned in 2018. Since 2021, Mrinal has been working with upGrad Abroad, where he assists aspiring students in realizing their dreams of studying abroad. With his expertise and dedication, he empowers individuals to navigate the complexities of international education, making their aspirations a reality.

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The 6 Best Books for Studying IELTS

Posted by David S. Wills | May 7, 2017 | IELTS Tips | 5

There are so many important components to prepare for IELTS. Above all, you must practice, whether you do so online or with a friend or a teacher. However, if you prefer to study from a book, there are some that are essential reading.

Click on the book titles to visit Amazon.com, where you can purchase them.

Here is a 2021 update on the best IELTS books:

1. Cambridge IELTS Series

This is by far the most important and useful series of books you can collect in studying for IELTS. The Cambridge IELTS books 1-11 are compiled by Cambridge (who make the IELTS exams!) and are comprised of actual sample tests. If you start with the most recent one (11) then you are looking at tests conducted very recently. This practice is invaluable in your preparation, so even though the books may be a little expensive, it is a good investment.

2. The Official Cambridge Guide to IELTS

This is probably the best book you can use to prepare for the IELTS exam, excluding the above series. While the books above are practice tests (which are very important in your preparation), this is a definitive guide to the IELTS exam. It is published by Cambridge and based upon meticulous research into candidate’s difficulties. The advice contained in this book is crucial for getting a high score in the IELTS exam.

3. T arget Band 7: IELTS Academic Module

This useful book contains a range of advice intended to bring your score up to a band 7. It’s made by the founder of www.ielts-blog.com so you know you can trust the materials here.

4. Focus on IELTS

I have been using this book in my classes lately and find it very useful. It’s a good book for students around the 5.0-6.5 range, and mixes general English with IELTS components. This is a great book for students who want to transition into IELTS, but will lack the challenge desired by students who have been practicing for the IELTS for a long time.

5. IELTS Trainer Six Practice Tests

This book contains six IELTS practice tests. They are not actual IELTS tests – ie they were not produced by Cambridge – however they are very realistic. It is important to do lots of practice tests before you attempt the IELTS for real, so books like this one are in invaluable tool in preparing for the exam. This also contains some great information about how to approach each stage of the exam.

6. Cambridge Vocabulary for IELTS Advanced Band 6.5+

I don’t normally advocate specific study of vocabulary as I believe it should be integrated into a wider attempt at English use or IELTS practice. However, most students want to learn lots of vocabulary and in terms of vocab books, this one is great. It is produced by the same people who make the exams, and as the title suggests it is intended for students aiming at scores of at least 6.5.

And…. One more!

Actually, I wrote this one 🙂 Grammar for IELTS Writing is a short, simple handbook intended to help IELTS students with the most important points of grammar.

You can find my books here . 

About The Author

David S. Wills

David S. Wills is the author of Scientologist! William S. Burroughs and the 'Weird Cult' and the founder/editor of Beatdom literary journal. He lives and works in rural Cambodia and loves to travel. He has worked as an IELTS tutor since 2010, has completed both TEFL and CELTA courses, and has a certificate from Cambridge for Teaching Writing. David has worked in many different countries, and for several years designed a writing course for the University of Worcester. In 2018, he wrote the popular IELTS handbook, Grammar for IELTS Writing and he has since written two other books about IELTS. His other IELTS website is called IELTS Teaching.

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Describe a TV Programme [IELTS Speaking]

February 22, 2021

Can we also refer these for General Test

Sorry, these are mostly intended for IELTS academic study. Try the Cambridge IELTS General series.

Hi, David I love this website. it is very helpful. i also already downloaded your book “grammar for ielts”. Thank you that it’s free and it’s very useful. I already have Cambridge series, however i need more books to enrich my skills on ielts. Could you please recommend me book that are free to download? Thanks in advance.

Hi Ana, For free resources, you should probably check this FB group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1831389827093999 I think you’ll find what you need.

Hi Davis We can find different general English series like Cutting Edge, English Result and Total English, which one is the best to improve the general English to someone who prefer to take IELTS exam in future. If possible to rank or compare them could be more beneficial for students. Thanks in advance.

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