Start with one useful resource: open the IELTS study-material folder, try 12 Reading questions with answers and explanations, or practise a cue card with Claire. The Reading exercise and public speaking practice open without signup.
This guide helps you choose material for your exam, complete a short task and decide what to practise next. Official sample-resource links checked on 20 September 2026. The writing exercise below is original BandLadder practice.
Choose Academic or General Training first
IELTS Academic and General Training share the Listening and Speaking tests, but their Reading and Writing tests differ. Use the version your receiving organisation requires. For example, Academic Writing Task 1 uses visual information, while General Training Task 1 asks for a letter. IELTS publishes separate Academic sample questions and General Training sample questions.
Before downloading a set, check its exam version, question instructions and answer key. For listening practice, check that the audio is available too. A resource labelled “IELTS” is not enough to tell you whether every section matches your exam.
Free IELTS resources by skill
Reading: answer first, then find the evidence
Try the interactive True, False, Not Given exercise. It contains two original passages and 12 questions. Submit your choices to see your exercise result and the explanation for each answer before signup.
For every mistake, underline the passage evidence and write a short reason: “contradicted by the passage”, “not stated” or “I misread the comparison”. Revisit the explanation before choosing a new passage. Your result on this short exercise is not an overall IELTS Reading band.
Writing: plan a response before collecting sample essays
Use the original planning exercise below, then read the IELTS Writing Task 2 guide for a fuller response structure. A sample helps when you can explain how it answers the question; memorising an introduction does not supply relevant ideas for a different task.
For Task 1, open your exam's official sample page above. Keep Academic visual-description practice separate from General Training letters. When reviewing your own work, check whether every part of the instruction is addressed before polishing vocabulary.
Listening: pair the questions with audio and an answer key
The official IELTS sample pages include Listening tasks, answer keys and recording transcripts. Choose a task with its recording. Listen and answer before opening the transcript, then locate the wording that led to each answer.
For your error log, distinguish a sound you did not recognise from a word you understood but spelt incorrectly. Read the Listening score 6–8 plateau guide for a focused review routine. A transcript on its own is a reading resource, so keep the audio in your listening session.
Speaking: record an attempt with Claire
Open the free IELTS speaking workbench and select a cue card. Claire is an AI practice guide using BandLadder's recorded examiner media. One “Try this cue card” action handles the prompt, preparation and speaking recording flow after microphone permission.
You can replay your recording locally and notice long pauses, repeated words or an example that needs more detail. This public recording is not uploaded or automatically scored. Account-based speaking practice is a separate next step, with the available evaluation limits shown in the platform.
Try a five-minute Writing Task 2 planning exercise
Original practice prompt: Some people think cities should spend more money on public parks, while others believe improving public transport should be the priority. Discuss both views and give your own opinion.
Before writing an essay, choose the strongest plan and explain your choice:
- Plan A: describe three parks you have visited and explain why your favourite one is beautiful.
- Plan B: explain how parks support residents' wellbeing, explain how better transport improves daily travel, and justify which priority you would choose for a city with limited funds.
- Plan C: list advantages and disadvantages of living in a city, then conclude that every city is different.
Reveal the answer and a model planning note
Plan B addresses the complete instruction. It covers both spending priorities and creates space for your opinion. Plan A becomes a personal description; Plan C moves to a broader topic and does not directly compare the two choices.
Both investments can improve daily life. Parks offer space for exercise and relaxation, while reliable public transport helps residents reach work and education. In a city where long journeys exclude people from opportunities, I would prioritise transport, while maintaining existing green spaces.
This is a planning note, not a complete essay or a band-scored answer. Develop one concrete explanation and example for each view, then make sure your conclusion follows your reasoning.
Write your own plan before reading the note again. For further practice, choose Academic Writing practice or General Training Writing practice. These links preserve your exam choice through account setup. This on-page planning exercise provides a model explanation, not automatic evaluation of your writing.
Download and organise your study material
For downloadable files, open the IELTS study-material folder on Google Drive. Browse it for the resource you want to work on, then keep a small set of files organised by exam and skill. Folder contents and individual file availability can change; use the official sample links above when you need a clearly identified test-provider resource.
- Keep together: a question set, its audio if needed, the answer key and your correction notes.
- Name the skill: for example, Academic Reading or General Training Writing, so you do not mix versions.
- Keep a mistake log: write what went wrong, the evidence or correction, and one action for your next attempt.
- Track vocabulary in context: save a useful phrase from the passage or recording and write your own sentence with it.
A simple 30-minute study session
- Five minutes: review two mistakes from your previous session and choose one focus.
- Fifteen minutes: complete one small practice task without looking at its answers.
- Ten minutes: check the result, record the reason for each mistake and rewrite or repeat the part that needs work.
This is a suggested study routine, not official test timing or a promise of a particular band. For a longer schedule, use the 30-day IELTS study plan. General Training learners working toward Canadian language targets can also use the CLB 7, 9 and 10 skill-by-skill plan.
What is free, and when do you need an account?
You can read this guide, reveal the writing explanation, complete the linked Reading exercise and use the public cue-card recording tool without creating a BandLadder account. Saving supported practice results and continuing account-based practice requires signup. AI evaluation and full-mock access depend on your account's current allowances and plan.
BandLadder's 30k+ IELTS library spans exam versions and includes prediction practice resources and AI feedback. It is not a promise that every question, full mock or evaluation is free. Compare Academic plans or General Training plans when you need more practice. Start with one exercise, review the result and choose your next task from what you learned.
