Recommended IELTS Preparation Books & Study Material
International English Language Testing System ( IELTS )
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Nowadays a lot of IELTS books and reading material are available to prepare best for the IELTS exam. In the article below we have mentioned the list of popular IELTS books and practice tests that are a must for preparing for the IELTS. The best part about the IELTS books is that one can use these anywhere, in class or at home. Some of the prep material also includes books and CD that includes exercises to learn about all four IELTS skills.
Q: Which is the best book for IELTS preparation?
Q: How can I get 8.5 in IELTS?
Achieving a score of 8.5 in IELTS requires thorough preparation and practice. Focus on improving your English language skills across all four sections: Listening, Reading, Writing, and Speaking. Use high-quality study materials like "Target Band 7" by Simone Braverman for effective strategies. Regularly practice with past papers and take mock tests to familiarize yourself with the exam format. Additionally, consider seeking feedback from teachers or peers to refine your skills.
Q: Which is the best study material for IELTS exam?
Q: How can I prepare for IELTS at home?
The preparation for IELTS can be done either through self-study or by attending professional classes. Here are some IELTS preparation tips that will help you achieve your desired results.
For free preparation, join our free Shiksha online classes with our IELTS preparation expert Disha Wahi (TESOL Certified Trainer). Don’t forget to check out the Calendar for Free IELTS Live Practice Tests & Solutions.
IELTS Reading: The IELTS Reading section can be the trickiest of all and requires lots of concentration as well as preparation. To achieve high IELTS band scores, you can check out our IELTS Reading Tips and Tricks.
IELTS Listening: The IELTS Listening section requires concentration and is a high scoring part of the exam. Scoring high in this section will elevate your total IELTS score so it must not be taken lightly. Check out our IELTS Listening tips for boosting your chances of desired band scores.
IELTS Speaking: The IELTS Speaking section has three parts and is one of the highest scoring modules of the exam. In order to achieve a high band score, you can check out our specially curated IELTS Speaking Tips.
IELTS Writing: The IELTS Writing section can be a little tricky but with the right strategy you can increase your chance of scoring well in this section. Go through our IELTS0 Writing tips and prepare for this section comprehensively.
Q: Which is the best book to prepare for the reading section of IELTS exam?
One of the best books for reading preparation for the IELTS exam is "Cambridge IELTS 16 Academic Students' Book." This book includes authentic practice tests that closely resemble the actual exam format, helping students familiarize themselves with the types of questions they will encounter. Another excellent choice is "The Official Cambridge Guide to IELTS," which provides strategies and tips specifically for the reading section.
IELTS Preparation Books: Price
One can check the below mentioned recommended best books for IELTS 2025.
Books for IELTS Exam Preparation Online
| Book Title | Price |
|---|---|
| The Official Cambridge Guide to IELTS by Pauline Cullen | ₹730 |
| Complete IELTS Bands 4-5 Student's Book with Answers with CD-ROM | ₹5,240 |
| The Official Cambridge Guide To IELTS Student's Book With Answers With DVD ROM | ₹597 |
| IELTS 18 Academic Student's Book with Answers with Audio with Resource Bank | ₹2,928.15 |
| IELTS 15 Academic Student's Book with Answers with Audio with Resource Bank | ₹2,562.31 |
| IELTS Academic Authentic Practice Tests 19 and 18 with Audio, Answers, Cambridge | ₹679 |
| Complete IELTS Bands 5-6.5 Student's Book with Answers with CD-ROM | ₹5,209 |
| Cambridge IELTS 16 Academic With Answers (Savina) | ₹269 |
| Cambridge Vocabulary For IELTS Book With Answers And Audio CD | ₹2,934.31 |
| Complete IELTS Bands 6.5-7.5 Student's Book without Answers with CD-ROM with Testbank | ₹589 |
| The Official Cambridge Guide to IELTS Student's Book without Answers Paperback – Student Edition | ₹649 |
| IELTS 16 General Training Student's Book with Answers with Audio with Resource Bank | ₹4,938 |
| IELTS 18 Academic By CUP | ₹650 |
| Cambridge IELTS 7 Student's Book with Answers by Cambridge ESOL | ₹4,156.60 |
| CAMBRIDGE ENGLISH IELTS 11 ACADEMIC WITH ANSWERS | ₹149 |
| The Official Cambridge Guide To IELTS + IELTS 17 Academic | ₹1,369 |
| Complete IELTS Bands 6.5-7.5 Student's Book without Answers | ₹199 |
| IELTS 19 Academic Student's Book with Answers with Audio with Resource Bank (IELTS Practice Tests) | ₹5,023 |
| IELTS Academic 18 with Answers, Authentic Practice Tests with Audio, with Resource Bank | ₹449 |
| IELTS Common Mistakes for Bands 5.0-6.0 | ₹1,654 |
| CAMBRIDGE IELTS 14 ACADEMIC WITH ANSWERS | ₹299 |
| IELTS 17 Academic Student's Book with Answers with Audio with Resource Bank | ₹320 |
| Complete IELTS Bands 6.5-7.5 Student's Book Without Answers | ₹4,899 |
| IELTS Academic combo 14-15-16-17 (Set of 4 books) Latest Edition Cambridge English | ₹908 |
| New IELTS Academic combo 17-18-19 (Set of 3 books) Latest Edition Cambridge English | ₹799 |
| IELTS Trainer 2 Academic: Six Practice Tests | ₹4,500 |
| IELTS - 100+ SPEAKING QUESTIONS: BOOK 1 (IELTS SPEAKING) Kindle Edition | ₹213 |
| IELTS Practice Exams with Downloadable Audio; Ed. 4 (Paperback - 2020) | ₹523 |
| Cambridge IELTS Academic 14 + 15 + 16 + 17 (Set of 4 Books) Latest Edition Paperback – 1 January 2022 | ₹919 |
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How to Prepare from IELTS Books?
It is obvious that if you want to do well on IELTS you need to have a good command of the English language. Obviously, the best way to improve your skills for this test is to take coaching classes if you are totally new to the basics of the English language. But for those who prefer the option of self-studies, you probably will need to buy a grammar or IELTS book, along with helpful software and CDs.
There are various choices when it comes to buying a good IELTS book, but the final selection will depend on your current English level. However, this list will tell you which IELTS books are the best overall for the general readership.
1. IELTS Cambridge Test Books: There are actual IELTS tests published by IELTS which one can use for IELTS practice. Cambridge Practice Tests for IELTS contains four practice tests. They are expensive but useful and authentic to use. These books include speaking test questions and topics.
2. Grammar for IELTS Writing Task 2 E-book: This E-book improves your grammar in easy steps. With this book you can improve your grammar score for writing task 2. Create complex structures and see a range that you can use in an essay. You can learn about different aspects of grammar and improve your accuracy that will help you score more. This book is helpful not just for IELTS but also grammar in general.
3. Ideas for IELTS Essay topics E-book: This book contains more than 150 IELTS essay topics for writing task 2. This is a useful book that will help you with ideas and vocabulary that will increase your score in writing task 2. The language and ideas you will learn from this book help you in getting a higher band score. The book comes in PDF form.
4. IELTS Trainer: This book includes 5 IELTS practice tests and useful advice for IELTS practice. Although they are not published by IELTS but are still quite useful for IELTS practice. The practice test material in the book is for IELTS Academic only.
5. IELTS Official Practice Materials: You can start with the IELTS official practice material and learn the basics about the exam. The Official Cambridge Guide to IELTS is the best book, to begin with, for both IELTS Academic and IELTS General Training. The book will help you understand the pattern of the test and practice all the types of questions asked in different sections of the examination.
6. Cambridge IELTS 10 Student's Book with Answers: Cambridge IELTS 10 includes four authentic IELTS past papers from Cambridge English Language Assessment that are excellent for exam practice. The book includes four complete tests for Academic candidates, plus extra Reading and Writing modules for General Training candidates. The book can be purchased at Amazon.
7. IELTS Trainer: This book includes 6 IELTS practice tests along with useful tips to secure a good IELTS band score. The Cambridge IELTS Trainer includes the practice test material specially crafted for the IELTS academic exam.
8. IELTS Tutor Kit - The IELTS Tutor has a 40 minute CD with an accompanying booklet. This kit has been designed to help non-English speaking students achieve success. Its content is unique and it prepares students for the IELTS Test by providing tips and suggestions in a visual format. It is a self-study aid and if used correctly, it provides students with around 100 hours of tuition.
9. The Cambridge IELTS Course Workbook - Insight into IELTS offers comprehensive preparation for the IELTS. Insight into IELTS also introduces students to the types of tasks they are likely to meet during the exam. This is a workbook providing extensive practice material for the IELTS examination. It prepares students for the updated Speaking Paper and contains vocabulary builder activities to develop the vocabulary. The answer key of the recorded material makes it ideal for self-study.
10. Step Up to IELTS Personal Study Book with Answers – This book is the perfect choice for intermediate-level students who find most IELTS books too challenging for them. This book covers essential exam skills for the Academic Training modules in 60 hours of teaching time. It provides students with advice on how to maximize their band scores. The practice sections at the end of each unit constitute sample IELTS tests.
11. Cambridge Grammar for IELTS Student's Book with Answers and Audio CD - This excellent book fills a crucial gap in the learning materials available to the IELTS students, and is currently the only book that helps IELTS students in this area. Although IELTS doesn't contain a specific grammar module, but the appropriate usage of grammar is undoubtedly important for success in the other modules. All grammar points needed for IELTS are covered in the book and are presented in context through listening and self-discovery activities provided on the CD.
12. Barron’s IELTS Superpack - It is highly detailed and comprehensive. The overall package contains: Academic module practice papers, General module practice papers, Subject review, Audio tracks, and Essential Words. Students who have more than 3 weeks must refer to this resource.
Download this guide to read it offline
IELTS Preparation Tips 2025
- Make sure that you understand the IELTS exam pattern
- Do not utilize multiple resources. Having too many IELTS books on your shelf will only confuse you
- Make sure that you revise the Official Guide multiple times
- Do not skip IELTS practice tests at any cost
- Make sure to revise your notes at least 3 times before the examination
- Keep your language natural and organic. Any forceful use of tough words can be easily spotted by the examiner
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