IELTS Practice & Preparation | Free Tests, Tips & Strategies

Welcome

Everything You Need to Succeed

IELTS Hero gives you comprehensive, free preparation for every part of the exam — no sign-up required.

4 full interactive reading tests with instant band scores
10 sample Task 1 & Task 2 essays with model answers
Speaking practice for all three parts — 200+ questions
Recently reported exam topics, updated by real test-takers
Band calculator, criteria guides, tips, and much more

Learn about all parts of the IELTS →

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Band Score Calculator

Estimate your overall band from your four module scores

Listening

Reading

Writing

Speaking

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Your Estimated Overall Band

Which test is right for you?

Academic IELTS

University & Professional Registration

Required if you're applying to undergraduate or postgraduate study at a university, or registering with a professional body such as nursing, medicine, or engineering.

University Entry Postgraduate Study Professional Bodies Higher Band Targets

Explore Academic Writing →

General Training IELTS

Immigration, Work & Secondary Education

Required for migration to Australia, Canada, or the UK, for work visas, or for entry to secondary school or non-degree training programmes.

Australia / Canada / UK Visa Work Permits Secondary Education Letter Writing Task 1

Explore General Training Writing →

Practice Modules

🎙 Speaking

Part 1: Introductory questions about you and your life.

Part 2: Cue card — speak for 1–2 minutes on a topic.

Part 3: In-depth follow-up discussion.

Go to Speaking Practice →

✍️ Writing

Task 1 Academic: Graph, chart, table, or diagram.

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Task 1 General: Formal or informal letter writing.

Task 2: Essay — all five question types covered.

Go to Writing Practice →

📖 Reading

4 Full Test Sets — 40 questions each, instant scoring.

True/False/NG, matching headings, multiple choice, and more.

Academic and General Training band conversion included.

Go to Reading Practice →

🎧 Listening Coming Soon

Section 1: Conversation between two speakers.

Section 2: Monologue on a general topic.

Section 3: Multi-speaker conversation.

Section 4: Academic lecture or monologue.

Hot off the exam room

🔥 Crowdsourced from real test takers

Recently Reported IELTS Topics

Students who've just sat the exam share the speaking and writing topics they were given. Updated regularly so you can practise what's actually coming up.

🎙 Technology & Society 🎙 Environmental Issues ✍️ Health & Lifestyle 🎙 Work & Education ✍️ Urbanisation

See All Reported Topics →

Quick tips

Expert Tips to Boost Your Score

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Speaking

Don't answer in one word

In Part 1, examiners assess your Fluency and Coherence. Even for simple questions, give a 2–3 sentence answer with a reason and an example. "Yes, I do" will hurt your score — "I enjoy it because it helps me unwind, especially with jazz" is Band 7 territory.

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Writing Task 2

Always include a thesis statement

Your introduction should end with a clear thesis that previews your position and the main points you'll cover. Don't just paraphrase the question and stop. Examiners check this immediately — it sets the tone for your entire Task Response score.

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Reading

Read the questions before the passage

For most question types, skimming the questions first tells you exactly what to look for. You're not reading for pleasure — you're on a search mission. Knowing your targets cuts your time by a third and reduces exam panic significantly.

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Academic Task 1

Your overview is worth more than your data

The most common reason students score Band 5 on Task 1 is a missing overview. Two or three sentences summarising the most striking trends — without specific numbers — placed after your introduction is what separates a Band 5 from a Band 7.

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All Modules

Never leave a question blank

IELTS does not penalise wrong answers. In Reading and Listening, a guess costs you nothing but a blank guarantees a lost mark. If time is running out, write something — even a synonym of a word you spotted nearby in the text.

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Speaking Part 2

Use your one minute of prep time properly

Don't write full sentences — jot down three or four quick bullet points covering the cue card areas. These become your roadmap. Most students trail off after 40 seconds; a brief plan prevents silence and keeps you speaking fluently for the full two minutes.

Understand how you're marked

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IELTS Scoring System Explained

How does IELTS calculate your overall band? What's the difference between Academic and General Training reading scores? Learn how Speaking and Writing criteria are weighted and how rounding works across all four modules.

Read the Scoring Guide →

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Speaking Band Descriptors

What does a Band 6.5 speaker actually sound like compared to a Band 7? Read the full examiner descriptors for every band from 5.5 to 9.0 — and use our self-assessment checklist to estimate your current level right now.

View Band Descriptors →

Ready to start?

Your band score is waiting — start practising today.

Everything on IELTS Hero is completely free, with no registration required. Pick a module and begin right now.

🎙 Start Speaking Practice 📖 Try a Full Reading Test

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