A 4-week IELTS preparation plan that raises your band

<h2 id="understand-the-scoring-first" class="mt-8 mb-3 text-xl font-bold text-navy-900">Understand the scoring first</h2> <p class="mb-4 leading-7 text-slate-700">You receive four band scores (Listening, Reading, Writing, Speaking) and an overall average, rounded to the nearest half band. Universities commonly require 6.5 overall with no band below 6.0 — meaning <strong>Writing is usually the band that decides everything.</strong></p> <h2 id="week-1-baseline-and-format" class="mt-8 mb-3 text-xl font-bold text-navy-900">Week 1 — Baseline and format</h2> <ul class="mb-4 list-disc space-y-1.5 pl-6 text-slate-700"> <li>Take one full official practice test under timed conditions. Record your scores.</li> <li>Learn the format precisely: 40 questions per section, task types, transfer rules on paper tests.</li> <li>Start an error log — every mistake goes in with the reason.</li> </ul> <h2 id="week-2-writing-deep-dive" class="mt-8 mb-3 text-xl font-bold text-navy-900">Week 2 — Writing deep-dive</h2> <ul class="mb-4 list-disc space-y-1.5 pl-6 text-slate-700"> <li>Task 1 (Academic): practice describing charts with an overview paragraph — examiners reward a clear overview.</li> <li>Task 2: learn the four essay types (opinion, discussion, problem-solution, double question). Write one essay daily.</li> <li>Two mistakes that cap bands: <strong>under-length essays</strong> (automatic penalty) and <strong>memorized-sounding templates</strong> (examiners are trained to spot them).</li> </ul> <h2 id="week-3-reading-and-listening-speed" class="mt-8 mb-3 text-xl font-bold text-navy-900">Week 3 — Reading and listening speed</h2> <ul class="mb-4 list-disc space-y-1.5 pl-6 text-slate-700"> <li>Reading: practice skimming for structure before question-hunting. Time yourself at 20 minutes per passage, hard stop.</li> <li>Listening: use one practice test daily; replay only the segments you missed and transcribe them.</li> </ul> <h2 id="week-4-speaking-and-mocks" class="mt-8 mb-3 text-xl font-bold text-navy-900">Week 4 — Speaking and mocks</h2> <ul class="mb-4 list-disc space-y-1.5 pl-6 text-slate-700"> <li>Record yourself answering Part 2 cue cards for 2 minutes exactly. Fillers (&quot;umm&quot;) matter less than fluency and development.</li> <li>Take two full mock tests on consecutive days. Review your error log each evening.</li> </ul> <h2 id="test-day-tactics" class="mt-8 mb-3 text-xl font-bold text-navy-900">Test-day tactics</h2> <ul class="mb-4 list-disc space-y-1.5 pl-6 text-slate-700"> <li>Never leave blanks in listening/reading — guess.</li> <li>In writing, spend 5 minutes planning; it repays itself twice.</li> <li>In speaking, if you don't understand, ask the examiner to repeat — it doesn't cost marks.</li> </ul>