Weeks 1–2
Diagnose and rebuild
Sit a full mock. Fix the grammar patterns that cost you marks and start a daily 20-word vocabulary habit.
Study resources
How to study for IELTS, and what our library gives you
Our tutors wrote this page to answer the questions students ask most. Enrolled students also get the printed workbook, transcript library and question banks below.
Study plan
An eight-week plan that actually moves a band
Follow this whether you study with us or on your own. Consistency beats long weekend cramming sessions every time.
Weeks 3–4
Skill by skill
One skill per session with timed drills. Submit two Task 2 essays a week for marking.
Weeks 5–6
Speed and accuracy
Full Reading and Listening sections against the clock. Record every speaking answer and listen back.
Weeks 7–8
Exam rehearsal
Two complete mocks in exam conditions, review clinics, then taper and rest before test day.
Strategy
Tutor notes on the three hardest papers
Reading: never sit on one question
- · Read the questions before the passage, not after
- · Underline the keyword you are hunting for
- · Give a question ninety seconds, then guess and move on
- · Not Given means the passage is silent — not that it disagrees
Writing: structure buys you marks
- · Four paragraphs in Task 2: intro, two bodies, conclusion
- · Answer the whole question, including both parts of a two-part prompt
- · One clear idea per paragraph, developed with an example
- · Leave three minutes to check articles, plurals and tenses
Speaking: fluency beats big words
- · Extend every answer with a reason and an example
- · Use the one-minute Part 2 prep to write four bullet points
- · Paraphrase instead of stopping when a word escapes you
- · Speak at a normal pace — hesitation costs more than accent
Student library
Materials included with every course
Collect printed copies at reception or ask your tutor for the digital set. Everything is written or curated by our teaching team.
Band descriptor pocket guide
What examiners actually look for in Writing and Speaking, written in plain language with example sentences at each band.
Writing Task 2 question bank
Over 120 recent-style essay questions grouped by theme: education, environment, technology, crime, health and globalisation.
Listening transcript library
Full transcripts for every practice recording so you can shadow the audio and see exactly where you lost the answer.
Speaking cue-card deck
Part 2 cue cards with model answers, timing prompts and the follow-up Part 3 questions examiners commonly ask.
Academic word list drills
The 570-word academic list broken into weekly sets with collocations and gap-fill practice.
Test-day checklist
Everything to carry, what to leave at home, timing for arrival and what happens at each stage of the day.
Daily habits
Twenty minutes a day, even on busy days
Listen
One podcast episode or news bulletin in English, then write three sentences about it.
Read
One long article a day. Note five unfamiliar words with their collocations.
Write
One paragraph, timed at ten minutes, on any Task 2 question from the bank.
Speak
Record a two-minute answer on your phone and listen back once.
Want these materials with a tutor behind them?
Join a cohort at Kilimani, Westlands or the CBD, or study live online from anywhere in Kenya.