Useful Websites & Resources for IELTS

This page contains useful links to the best IELTS websites to help you develop your IELTS skills, IELTS information and tips as well as English language. These websites cover both the Academic and General Training IELTS tests with useful resources to help you practice at home.

IELTS Official Websites

• The Official IELTS Website
  • http://www.ielts.org/
• British Council Website for IELTS (the BC is one of the three owners of IELTS)
  • https://ielts.britishcouncil.org/
• IDP Website for IELTS (IDP is one of the three owners of IELTS)
  • http://www.idp.com

Find an IELTS Test Center & Application

• Find a Test Center near You
• IELTS Test Dates
• IELTS Application Form
• Application information

Free IELTS Practice Tests Online

Authentic papers published by IELTS.

• IELTS Listening Practice Test
• IELTS Reading Practice Test: Academic
• IELTS Reading Practice Test: General Training
• IELTS Writing Practice Test: Academic
• IELTS Writing Practice Test: General Training

IELTS Band Score Descriptors 

These are the assessment criteria for IELTS writing (both academic and general training) and speaking. Each marking criterion is explained for each band score. These public band scores are published by IELTS to help you understand the requirements of each band score and to learn how you are assessed by the examiner.

• IELTS Band Scores Explained (listening, reading, writing and speaking)
• IELTS Speaking: Public Band Score Descriptors
• IELTS Writing Task 2: Public Band Score Descriptors
  • IELTS Writing Task 2: Band Scores Explained from 5 to 8 with Tips
• IELTS Writing Task 1: Public Band Score Descriptors

IELTS Answer Sheets

It is useful to practice doing a full test using the answer sheets before your test. Remember you get an extra 10 mins for transferring answers in listening but no extra time for transferring answers to the answer sheet in reading.

• IELTS Listening Answer Sheet
• IELTS Reading Answer Sheet
• IELTS Writing Answer Sheet
  • Task 2 Answer Sheet
  • Task 1 Answer Sheet

Other Useful Links

• IELTS Academic Reading Practice: PDFs
  • Matching Headings – Passage 1
  • Summary completion and T/F/NG – Passage 2
  • Matching Paragraph Info & Short Answer Questions – Passage 3
  • Answer Key to all Passages
• Listening and Reading Topics (this may not be IELTS but it will help you improve your skills)
• Listening Topics and Practice (a great website for plenty of  general listening practices (not IELTS) on all different topics at easy, medium and difficult levels)
• Listening Quizzes (good for extra practice)
• Funny Stories: these stories are informal and the vocabulary in them will help you with your speaking
• Spelling Practice (improve your spelling with quizzes for all levels)
• Grammar Practice (great practice exercises to improve most aspects of your English grammar)
• Basic Pronunciation Practice (minimal pairs etc)
• Learn English with the British Council: free exercises for all skils
• BBC World News (good for developing academic reading as well as some listening. Also good to keep up with current world issues)
• The Economist (Science, Business, Economics, News etc)
• The New Scientists (Technology, Science, Environment etc)
• The National Geographic (Animals, Environment, Travel, Photography etc)
• Focus Magazine Online (Science and Technology)
• BBC Radio (Interviews with People)
• Ted.com (Non-Academic Talks from various People)

ANSWER 20 QUESTIONS IN P&G QUIZZ TO FIND YOUR BEST HOME DECOR STYLE & LEARN NEW VOCABULARY

IELTS and TOEFL exams require students to master a large vocabulary. The Quiz below is a fun way to learn some new vocabulary that you can use to talk  about such topics as your favourite home , design style and fashion.

What kind of home décor best suits your personality? 

Take our quiz and find out!

The source: 

http://www.pgeveryday.com/home-garden/home-decor/article/quiz-whats-your-design-style 

By: Camille Simmons

Surrounding yourself with your favorite colors, accents, fabrics and artwork will make you love where you live. Take our quiz to discover your design style, and then read the matching design guides for how to achieve it.

What colors do you love to decorate with?

A. Earthy tones with bright pops of color like pink, yellow or orange.
B. Neutral colors such as gray and off-white, but accented with gold, silver or bronze.
 C. All shades of blue, like cerulean and turquoise, that remind you of the sea
D. Purples, pinks and other bold jewel tones, plus mixing colors.
E. Only natural colors like sea green or blue with clean whites, browns or black

If you could take a dream vacation, where would you go? 

A. On a low-key trip to a resort where you can spend all day relaxing at the spa.
 B. To a gorgeous vintage hotel with classic restaurants in a metropolitan city.
 C. To a villa overlooking the sea with a huge terrace and ocean breezes.
D. To a bustling town with dozens of markets to buy fabrics, jewelry and exotic trinkets.
E. To a peaceful retreat away from noise where you can completely unwind and relax

For months, what item has continually been on your shopping list?

A.  A beautiful, handwoven throw blended with bright colors in plush fabric
B. A coffee table with brass in a geometric pattern and dark tabletop
C. A large metal bed frame perfect for draping with a light and airy canopy of fabric.
D. A brightly colored rug with a bold pattern to be the focus of the entire room.
E.  A sofa with clean modern lines and smooth fabric that is simple and comfy, yet stylish

Your bedroom is currently filled with what accent pieces? 

A. Eclectic bohemian patterns and sheets in complementary colors.
B. Brass lighting, black and white, and metal trinkets on the nightstand.
C. Scroll patterns, elegant accessories and crown molding trim.
D. Tons of pillows in all shapes, sizes and colors piled on the bed and in every corner.
E.  Bamboo, cotton or linen fabrics, natural wood pieces, and other organic accents

TO READ THE ANSWERS  GO TO:   http://www.pgeveryday.com/home-garden/home-decor/article/quiz-whats-your-design-style

TOP 20 SENTENCE PATTERS OF ENGLISH

There are around 20 top sentence patterns of English. Learning these patterns will teach you how to combine short,  basic sentences into longer ones and so to express your ideas in a more elegant way.

PATTERN 1

Subject  - Verb ;  Subject - Verb

This pattern helps you join 2 short sentences that talk about similar ideas using a semicolon ( ; ).

EXAMPLES

Gloria, try on these jeans; they seem to be your size.
Some people dream of being something; others are awake and are.

PROFESSIONAL EXAMPLES

Study these examples to notice how this pattern is used to combine closely related ideas.


' He who knows others is wise; he who knows himself is enlightened." Lao-tzu

' Sign up for our Family plan and you can share minutes with our one-rate plan; if you sign up now, you can take advantage of our special rate.' Ad for Nokia


Source : adapted from " The Art of Styling Sentences' by A. Longknife & K. D. Sullivan Find this book on Amazon

CHECK YOUR VOCABULARY

 Hi ! Do you know that you should have a certain size of your vocabulary to score 6.0 - 7.0 IELTS ? For example, to score 6.0 IELTS your vocabulary should be somewhere around 5000 - 6500 word families min. Here is an excellent Vocabulary Test  to do a preliminary check-up. 

Vocabulary Test Recognition 1-14k

Vocabulary Test Productive 2k-14k including UWL ( University Word List)