How Much Time is Required for IELTS Preparation?
Updated on 09 January, 2023
Mrinal Mandal
Study Abroad Expert
IELTS is used for assessing your reading, writing, speaking, and listening skills in the English language. It helps in measuring one’s competence to study, work or migrate to an English-speaking country. So how much time is required for IELTS preparation?
We shall learn about it in a while but first, let us look at its pattern:
Table of Contents
IELTS Exam Pattern
Here is the exam pattern mentioned below:
Sections | Test description | Total questions | Duration |
Listening | The section comprises monologues and conversations. | 40 | 30 minutes |
Reading | There will be three long reading passages and tasks. There will be descriptive as well as factual texts. The analytical part includes diagrams and graphs. | 40 | 60 minutes |
Writing | A writing task of a minimum of 150 words in which the candidate has to summarize. The candidate may even be asked to describe a table, chart, graph, diagram, etc. There is another task of writing an essay of 250 words. | 2 | 60 minutes |
Speaking | It is a face-to-face interview, including short questions, speaking on a familiar topic, and even a structured discussion. | 3 | 11-14 minutes |
What is the Average Preparation Time for IELTS?
It is quite difficult to mention how many days it may take for someone to prepare for IELTS. It depends upon the proficiency in English of the candidate. However, the average preparation time for IELTS is six to eight weeks. Depending upon your command of the language, it may take you less time.
To get started with the preparation, you must first try to understand the exam pattern. Once you are familiar with the pattern, you can prepare a study plan. Make sure the study materials you have are reliable. If you want to focus your preparation on an individual section of the IELTS test, you can follow these guidelines:
Preparation for Listening Section
The listening section of the IELTS test comprises four subsections with 10 questions each. This section needs to be completed within 40 minutes.
Section 1: A dialogue on a general topic between two people will be played.
Section 2: A monologue on an event with factual information will be played.
Section 3: Dialogue on an academic subject or event between two or more people will be played. The speaker’s opinions and factual information needs to be focused on.
Section 4: A lecture on an academic topic will be played with a focus on the lecturer’s main ideas.
So, how much time does it take to prepare for the IELTS listening section?
Usually, the preparation time for the listening section can range between one to two weeks. However, if you have additional time, it always helps. Listening to mocks and watching videos with different English accents, news, podcasts, book recordings, etc., can prove helpful while preparing for this section.
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Preparation for Writing Section
Lasting 60 minutes, the writing section can be divided into two types. The first section consists of visual information and requires you to observe, understand, and write your understanding of the information in 150 words.
The second task requires the candidate to write down their points and ideas on a given topic in 250 words. As task 2 takes longer, the candidates should spend 40 minutes tackling this task and use the remaining 20 minutes for task 1. To prepare for this section, the participants need to practice writing short essays and getting them edited.
How much time is required to prepare for the IELTS writing section?
Depending on the candidate's writing skills, it may take between one to four weeks.
Preparation for Reading Section
There are 40 questions in the reading section, including MCQs, matching headings, sentence completion, and short answer questions. There is a time limit of one hour assigned to complete this section. IELTS General exam syllabus consists of everyday English topics such as newspapers, advertisements, handbooks, etc. Studying journals, magazines, books, research articles, etc., are recommended for academic IELTS preparation.
So, how much time is required for IELTS Reading section preparation?
Preparation for this section varies according to the ability of the candidate. Usually, two weeks are considered sufficient. Mock tests are very helpful in the practice of this section.
Preparation for Speaking Section
The IELTS trainer interviews the candidate in this section. It is 15 minutes long and has three sub-sections.
Section 1: General questions on family, interest, study, work, etc., are asked.
Section 2: A task card is shared with the test taker, followed by a two-minute talk on a topic of choice from the card.
Section 3: The section consists of some questions on the topics by the trainer. The test taker needs to answer these questions in about five minutes.
Test takers need to practice with a partner and focus on minimizing fillers and perfecting pronunciation.
How much time is required to prepare for the IELTS speaking section?
The preparation time of one to two weeks for this section is adequate for most people.
Taking mock tests for IELTS is a great way to prepare. The sooner you get started, the better your results will be!
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IELTS Preparation Time for Retake
If your IELTS test score hasn't been satisfactory and you intend to take a retest, it is advisable to undergo it whenever you feel ready.
Usually, a time of four months is considered sufficient for preparing yourself for the retest.
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Things to Consider When Reapplying for IELTS
Think through the following when reapplying for IELTS:
- Identify your weakness and work dedicatedly on it.
- It's important to have a goal and work towards it. In this case, have a target IELTS band score in mind when preparing.
- Practice mock tests.
- Have a strategy in place to attempt all the four IELTS sections.
Example of IELTS Preparation Timetable
Here's a one week IELTS preparation schedule sample for your reference:
| Monday | 30 mins - practice reading section 30 mins - attempt speaking section questions 60 mins - read writing task 1 samples and practice their responses |
| Tuesday | 30 mins - dedicate to vocab building 30 mins - practice speaking for the one-to-one interview 60 mins - go through writing task 2 samples and practice writing them |
| Wednesday | 30 mins - reading practice 30 mins - practice speaking topics 60 mins - read writing task 2 samples and practice their responses |
| Thursday | 30 mins - listening section practice 30 mins - attempt speaking section questions 60 mins - read writing task 1 samples and practice their responses |
| Friday | 30 mins - undertake listening practice 30 mins - practice speaking section 60 mins - work on errors identified throughout the week |
| Saturday | Take a full-length mock test Check for errors Re-attempt portions that need improvement |
| Sunday | Take a full-length mock test Check for errors Re-attempt portions that need improvement |
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Frequently Asked Questions
Q. How much time is required to prepare for IELTS?
The time required to prepare for IELTS should hover between 30 to 60 days. Experts recommend that one must spend three to four hours a day preparing for IELTS.
Q. Is 30 days a good time to prepare for IELTS?
With a proper plan in place, no period is too short to prepare for IELTS. All you need is dedicated effort to prepare for the exam and a convenient schedule to follow regularly. So, to answer the question, a 30-day period is good enough to prepare for IELTS.
Q. What is the hardest part of IELTS for preparation?
The hardest part of IELTS preparation will vary for individual aspirants. However, most learners believe that the writing section is the most difficult to prepare for.
Q. Which is the easiest part of IELTS?
The proficiency of English skills varies from one aspirant to another. But the sections that are considered the easiest when taking the IELTS test are: Listening and Speaking.
Q. How to manage time during the IELTS test?
Here are some time management tricks to incorporate when taking the IELTS test:
- Familiarize yourself with the test format and the time allowed in each section.
- Get an understanding of your language proficiency and prepare accordingly.
- Try to stay calm and stress-free on the test day.
- Practice writing, paraphrasing, listening and speaking to take the test confidently.
- Don't spend too much time on one question.
Q. What is the minimum time required for IELTS preparation?
The minimum time required for IELTS preparation will depend on your command of the language. While a week can be enough for some, others may need 30 to 60 days or more for the same.
Q. Can I prepare for the IELTS exam by myself?
Yes, you can prepare for the IELTS exam by yourself if you have a good command of the language and have access to the right study material. However, most aspirants claim to have benefited much from professional help.
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