The 10 Best IELTS Preparation Books

In order to pass IELTS, you need to prepare long and hard. Test tasks and the structure of the exam itself are quite complex. That is why numerous courses for preparing for IELTS are very popular today, on which you will not only learn the procedure for testing, but also undergo the necessary practical training.

However, such courses are not available to everyone, many prefer to prepare for the exam on their own, paying more attention to the most difficult tasks and adjusting the preparation to their knowledge and abilities. If you decide to prepare yourself for IELTS, then read the guidelines for preparing for each part of the exam.

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Books will be your main helpers in preparing for IELTS. Today, many publishers produce such manuals, and finding them in any bookstore is not a problem. True, in so many tutorials, it is not always easy to find the ones that will actually prove useful to you.

If you decide to prepare for IELTS on your own, choosing the right books is half the battle. Among the large number of specialized textbooks, there are those that are advised by educational experts and people who have already gone through the path of independent preparation and passing IELTS.

1. “Insight into IELTS” by Vanessa Jakeman and Clare McDowell

Insight into IELTS is a series of books from the Cambridge publishing house that has proven itself as a guide for complete independent preparation for the exam. The books include preparation materials for all types of tests included in IELTS, assignments with correct answers, and CDs with listening recordings.

2. “How to pass IELTS”, E.P. Protasenya

This book is perfect for the first stage of preparing for the IELTS. After reading it, it will be easier to understand the structure of the exam, the type of frequently occurring items and the strategy to follow in order to successfully write all the tests. In addition, the book is equipped with a small but useful dictionary of rare and unusual words found in IELTS assignments, especially in the Reading part, which are worth learning before the exam.

3. “101 Helpful Hints for IELTS” by Garry Adams

This manual is considered one of the best for self-study IELTS. The book is well-structured, talks about exam-passing strategies and "tricks" that you can use to get better and easier on the tests. In addition, the book includes self-assessment assignments that get more difficult as you prepare.

4. "Longman Exams Dictionary"

This book includes a glossary of terms and words that are often used in IELTS assignments. Thus, the book helps to learn the distinction between the style of spoken and written English. The manual also includes narrowly focused sections: Writing Guide (understanding the British standard for written assignments in English), Topic Activator (expanding vocabulary in topics that are often found in IELTS), Essay Activator (principles of writing essays in English). Moreover, the book explains the words that people make the most mistakes in using.

5. "Cambridge IELTS Practice Tests 1-9"

Using the books in this series in preparation will help you practice and assimilate the format of the test items. These tutorials are especially useful because they consist of material that has already been used in real IELTS exams in the past. It is no longer possible to meet them during the exam, however, having studied the materials of these books, you will get a complete picture of what will await you during testing.

6. “IELTS Practice Tests”, Pearson Longman Collection

This two-book series is for those looking to get really high scores. The textbooks are notable for the fact that they contain test tasks of increased complexity, which are very difficult to pass. Thus, if you can complete the tasks from these books for at least a score of 5.5, you can safely count on a much higher grade on a real exam.

7. “IELTS Preparation and Practice”, Oxford Collection

This IELTS Preparation Book Series contains many test items from all parts of the exam. These tutorials are suitable for those who want to practice as much as possible before taking IELTS.

8. "Cambridge Grammar for IELTS with answers"

This book differs from others in that it focuses on preparing for one section of the exam. This is exactly an English textbook, not an IELTS textbook. This book will undoubtedly improve your knowledge of English grammar, which will help you write a high score test.

9. "Cambridge Vocabulary for IELTS with answers"

The textbook will help you expand your vocabulary, master the terms, specific vocabulary that will definitely be present at the exam.

10. “Cambridge Common mistakes at IELTS intermediate”

It is important to remember that preparation for IELTS testing should consist not only of completing tasks, but also of mastering the structure of the exam and its features. Often people do not receive the coveted points precisely because they are unprepared for some "pitfalls". In this case, it is best to learn from other people's mistakes. This is exactly what this book allows you to do, which talks about the most common mistakes when writing IELTS tests.