On Monday and Tuesday I linked to some practice materials from the official IELTS website, ielts.org. This is the best place to start looking for official practice materials online because all of the example questions there are 'real'.
ielts.org is a big website, and it's not easy to find the test samples, so here's a direct link to the page you need: click here. Just go down the page until you see the PDF links.
Of course, the other sources of 'real' test practice are the Cambridge IELTS books.
Thanks for the info, Simon!
It is also very important to remind students to save the "real tests" until they have done enough practice in a regular basis. I've known several students who wasted so much time on those precious tests.
I personally like Simon's previous advice of doing the practice tests during the weekend and devote weekdays to work on grammar, vocabulary, small exercises, etc.
Posted by: Martin | January 14, 2012 at 20:21
Hi,Simon
Thank you very much.This is very helpful!
Posted by: Sunny | January 16, 2012 at 01:53
Hi Simon
I had given academic ielts in dec 2011 and got R = 8.5, L= 8.5, W = 7.5, S = 7. Thanks for the online lessons and e-book. Your tips were very helpful to me. Could you plz advice me how can I improve my Writing and speaking score to get 8 each.
Regards,
Kanwal
Posted by: Kanwal | January 16, 2012 at 08:12
Good point Martin. Thanks for the reminder!
...
Hi Kanwal,
Those are great scores! To improve your writing and speaking scores, maybe you just need to develop your ideas in a bit more detail, and reduce the number of small mistakes.
NB. You don't 'give' a test (unless you are the examiner), you 'take' one.
Posted by: Simon | January 16, 2012 at 12:19
hii Simon,
I want to ask that i am keep doing practice of reading by doing practise test paper from different books like cambridge 1 to 8 which i completed and some others as well.
I am usally do 2 test of reading 5 days a week and now i do not have enough material so what shuld i do?should i limit my practise test?
this time i am planning to give general exam once and for that i have to get 34 right.I am practising more of 1 and 2 passange which comprise 4 small different passages to make less wrong as passage 3 is the same like academic reading so am doing right thing?will keep practising essay by following your eassay stucture and work little bit harder for task 1 because before that i gave general exams 3 times so i am aware about letter writing.
How is my plan to practise?
thanks
Posted by: siya | January 21, 2012 at 03:08
Hi Siya,
Maybe you could try reading newspapers and other non-IELTS things during the week, then only test yourself at the weekend.
Your practice plan seems good to me. Keep working hard!
Posted by: Simon | January 21, 2012 at 12:01