Before You Start: Set Your Baseline

Take a full IELTS mock test before beginning this plan. Record your scores in each section. You need to know where you are starting from.

Why a Baseline Test Matters

Without a baseline, you cannot measure improvement. It also tells you which section to prioritise. If you score Band 6.5 in Listening but Band 5 in Writing — Writing needs twice as much time.

Week 1: Foundations (Days 1–7)

Day Focus
Day 1 Listening: Section 1 & 2 strategies + 1 practice test
Day 2 Reading: Skimming and scanning techniques + 1 passage
Day 3 Writing Task 1: Line graph or bar chart response
Day 4 Speaking: Record yourself answering 10 Part 1 questions
Day 5 Listening: Section 3 & 4 strategies + 1 practice test
Day 6 Reading: True/False/NG + Matching Headings practice
Day 7 Writing Task 2: Full essay (opinion type) + self-review
Daily Vocabulary Habit

Every day, regardless of which skill you are practising, spend 15 minutes reviewing 10 new vocabulary items using the three-column method (word, example sentence, collocations).

Week 2: Skill Deepening (Days 8–14)

  • Days 8–9: Writing Task 1 (one graph type per day)
  • Days 10–11: Writing Task 2 (discussion + problem-solution)
  • Day 12: Reading full test (60 minutes, timed)
  • Day 13: Listening full test (timed) + review every wrong answer
  • Day 14: Speaking mock with a timer — Parts 1, 2 and 3

Week 3: Test-Taking Skills (Days 15–21)

Focus Shift

Week 3 is about strategy under time pressure, not learning new content. You should be practising with the clock running for every exercise.

  • Days 15–16: Reading timed passages — focus on time management
  • Days 17–18: Writing — both Task 1 and Task 2 in one sitting (60 minutes)
  • Days 19–20: Listening — sections 3 and 4 focus (most difficult)
  • Day 21: Full mock test (all 4 skills) — as close to real conditions as possible

Week 4: Refinement and Confidence (Days 22–30)

Days Focus
22–23 Review all writing from weeks 1–3. Fix recurring errors.
24–25 Reading: your weakest question types only
26–27 Speaking: record yourself answering Part 3 questions. Listen back critically.
28 Final full mock test
29 Light review — vocabulary only, no new practice
30 Rest. Your brain consolidates during sleep — do not study.
Day 30 Rule

Do not study the day before your exam. Test anxiety comes from over-preparation on the final day, not under-preparation. Rest is part of the strategy.

Daily Study Structure (2 Hours)

  • 15 min: Vocabulary review
  • 45 min: Main skill practice (whichever the plan says)
  • 30 min: Writing (something every day — even just one paragraph)
  • 30 min: Listening to English naturally (podcast, documentary, news)

Consistency beats intensity. Two focused hours every day for 30 days is more effective than 10-hour marathon sessions on weekends.