Each year thousands of students from India move abroad for higher studies and better opportunities. Getting admitted to a top university is crucial to ensure your success abroad. 

Most universities in English-speaking nations require non-native English students to present an English language proficiency test score. 

There are a lot of different tests to prove English-language proficiency in the market. However, the most preferred and accepted tests are IELTS, TOEFL, PTE, and the Duolingo tests. 

The IELTS is the most preferred by Indian students because of its feasibility and easy format. Almost all universities across the globe accept the IELTS. 

The IELTS is an easy test, but you still need a good study plan and strategy to score the best. Many students doubt if they can study for the IELTS in one month. 

The answer is yes! You can get a good score by studying for 1 month; however, you will need a perfect IELTS study plan for 1 month.

In this blog, I will suggest you a one-month study plan for the IELTS.

Why do you need a study plan?

Before discussing the study plan, let us know the benefits of an IELTS study plan for 1 month. Making a study plan is the most crucial step in your preparation. A study plan has several benefits, which are listed below:

1. It gives you a proper direction: Starting your preparation without a proper study plan leads to a directionless and scattered preparation. You will constantly think about the topics which are left to do, and you will not be confident in those which you have completed. When you have a study plan, it gives your mind direction and the confidence that what you are doing is effective.
2. Balance: Many students who do not study by plan end up giving more time to some sections and neglecting others. Having a good study plan will help you balance all the sections properly and you will be able to pay attention to all sections. 
3. Efficiency: One of the biggest benefits of a study plan for the IELTS is that it will increase your efficiency. You will be more efficient as everything will be planned and organized, and thus, you will be able to achieve more in less time.

Understand the IELTS Exam Pattern by reading our other blog.

IELTS study plan for 1 month- Week 1

Now that you know the benefits and the importance of a study plan, let us discuss the best study plan to get the best score in the IELTS. This study plan will be for one month, and we will divide all the preparation into 4 weeks. Firstly, let us discuss the study plan for week 1.

First-week target

Each week will have a specific target in your IELTS study plan for 1 month. The target of the first week is to familiarize yourself with the format of the IELTS. If you are already aware of the format then this target may take less than a week for you, but if you are new to the exam this is a crucial step that you should not skip. So, the first week should be dedicated to familiarizing yourself with the format and the scoring system of the exam.

How to familiarize me with the format?

To know the format in a better way, you can visit the official website of the IELTS. The IELTS exam is divided into 4 sections: Listening, writing, speaking, and reading section. All the sections consist of different types of questions like multiple choice, short answer type, essay writing, etc. The speaking section also requires you to have a conversation with the examiner, who assesses you based on your English speaking and communication skills.

The duration of the IELTS is 2 hours 45 minutes. When you visit the IELTS website, search for the IELTS official handbook and download it. It contains all the information regarding the format of the exam and the structure of the exam in detail. This handbook will also give you some sample questions with answer sheets. Go through these questions and the answers thoroughly. 

After going through the handbook and having a good understanding of the format of the exam, now you have to take a full syllabus practice test. You do not need to prepare anything for this test, just go through the sample questions and answers in the handbook. Giving this test without preparation will give you an idea of where you currently stand. You might have a good natural grip over some of the sections. After giving the test, analyze the results and identify which section is your strength and which is your weakness. Analyzing is the most crucial part of the IELTS study plan for 1 month.

Read our other blog to understand How to improve IELTS Listening.

IELTS study plan for 1 month- Week 2

After taking a full-length practice test in the first week, you will understand which sections are your strength and which are your weaknesses. You will have to analyze the sections that need more practice. Whichever section has been harder for you in the practice test section, focus on that in week 2. Here, I am supposing that you have found difficulties in the writing section, and I am thus taking it in the IELTS study plan for 1 month- week 2.

The writing section of the IELTS has two tasks. One requires you to describe an image, diagram, pie chart, bar graph, or any other form of visual representation. To prepare for this you can look for sample papers and other practice tests. You do not need to purchase a book for task 1. It is not that hard but you will still require some practice. Solving some practice tests will give you a clear idea of how to solve this task.

Task 2 of the writing section is the main task in this section. This requires you to write an essay on a given topic. The topics are usually general, education, and environmental related. Your grip on grammar and vocabulary will define your score in these sections. If you have experienced fewer marks in task 2 of the writing section in your practice test, then analyze what made your score less. If your score was affected by grammatical mistakes then work on the basics of grammar like tenses, and try to improve your spelling. 

Vocabulary also plays an important role in building your score. You can improve your vocabulary by using online tools which offer new words daily or some apps which help you with new vocabulary. Try to learn the usage and the meaning of the words that you are learning. Students often learn new words but use them in the wrong places leading to a reduction in scores. 

To know How To Improve Grammar For IELTS, read our other blog.

IELTS study plan for 1 month- Week 3

Now that you have practiced the writing section of the IELTS, in week 3 of the study plan, you will focus on the listening and reading sections. These sections are the easiest sections of the IELTS. You do not need a whole week for each of these sections and thus they have been taken together. The listening section requires you to listen to some recordings and then answer questions based on them. The reading section is a comprehension-type task where you have to read one text and answer questions based on them.

The best way to prepare for the listening section is by watching videos and listening to podcasts of foreign origin. The main hurdle while scoring in the listening section is the accent. Indian students struggle to understand the accent of foreigners, and thus by watching videos from youtube channels like TedTalks you can familiarize yourself with the accent and improve your listening skills. Try to develop a note-making habit while listening to videos and podcasts. This will help you to answer memory-based questions more efficiently. 

To get more scores in the reading section, you can try to read some texts like articles, blogs, newspapers, or any informative text. You will have to improve your reading speed to answer the questions faster in the exam. This section is a scoring one. You can also try the skim and scan technique for a better score. Skimming refers to quickly going through the text to get an overview of the plot of the text. Scanning refers to reading a text thoroughly to get through the details. This will help you to answer the questions that require detailed and to-the-point answers. 

Read our other blog to learn How To Get 7 In IELTS.

IELTS study plan for 1 month- Week 4

Week 4 should be dedicated to preparing for the speaking section and analyzing and working on the sections that you found to be weaker at the time of preparation. The speaking section involves you having a conversation with an examiner. The examiner will ask you to introduce yourself and will have a conversation with you to analyze your speaking abilities. The examiner will give you scores based on your clarity in conversation, fluency, and pronunciation. 

To get the best score possible in the speaking section you can try to speak English with your friends or your family regularly. Most of the time we ace a lack of words while speaking. By practicing more and more in English you will adapt yourself to speak fluently at the time of the exam. 

Conclusion

The IELTS study plan for 1 month given above is effective and practical. By studying for 4 hours a day, you can easily get 7 bands in the IELTS. 

You may make your own IELTS study plan by recognizing what sections are your strengths and what are your weaknesses. 

Persistence is the key when you are trying to study for the IELTS in one month. Focusing on smart work instead of just hard work will get you a higher score in less time. 

I hope you found this helpful. If you have any questions or queries, you can contact our experts. All the best for your preparation.

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