For most Australians, three blocks of uninterrupted time to study for the IELTS every day is an utopia, given the demands of work, family and everyday life. The good news? You don't need 3 hours. A successful IELTS study plan requires a smart 60-minute study which focuses on the required skills at the right time.
Whether you work in Sydney, have assignments to complete in Melbourne or are working shifts in Perth, this guide will help you plan your single hour of focus for your IELTS preparation so it truly makes a difference without you burning out in the lead up to the test.
Why More Hours Is Not The Solution
Many students think that they will succeed in IELTS if they spend more and more time on it. Actually, studying three hours without focus is less effective than six hours of focused and structured practice. The improvements in the band scores are the result of focused repetition, feedback and consistency, not hours-long sessions where you are drained by the 2nd hour.
This is particularly the case for IELTS Australia candidates, many of whom are migrating professionals, international students or skilled migrants who are preparing for PR pathways. You are not studying for fun, you are studying because you have a deadline, a visa application or a university offer that is dependent on your score. The volume is not as important as efficiency.
The 60-Minute Breakdown
Here is a basic template that you can use five or six days a week:
Mins 1-15: Listening or Reading Warm-Up
Start with whichever skill you're weakest in. If it's Listening, play a part of a practice test at the Exam speed (no pausing, no rewinding). If it's Reading, do one reading passage with a set amount of time for each one (here about 20 minutes per reading passage scaled down to get speed).
Mins 16 - 35: Deep work on writing or speaking
This is where the majority of your score will come from. Alternate days between:
Writing Task 2: 20 minutes to develop an essay answer for an old essay prompt, looking for structure and coherence, not perfection.
Record yourself for 2 minutes answering the question on the cue card in speaking Part 2, then play it back and make notes of any filler words, pauses, grammar errors.
Mins 36-50: Vocabulary and Error Review
Identify errors in previous writing and/or speaking and fix them. Use IELTS words (education, environment, technology, health) and add 3-5 more words related to the topic you are studying each week.
Mins 51-60 minutes: Quick IELTS Practice Drill
Conclude the lesson with a quick assessment to practice the IELTS in the form of five reading questions, one listening section or a quick grammar quiz. This helps to maintain the exam-style familiarity without causing fatigue.
Creating a Weekly IELTS Study Plan for 60-minute blocks:
One hour can make a difference, but consistency during the week can make a difference to improvement in score in the band. Here is a typical IELTS study plan for an Australian who is busy:
Tuesday: Listening + Writing Task 2
Tuesday: Reading + Vocabulary
Wednesday: Speaking Part 1 & 2 + Error Review
Thursday: Listening + Writing Task 2
Saturday: Full passage + Grammar drill
Saturday: Mixed Practice Test (one full section only)
Monday: Inspiration, Vocabulary revision or oral presentation of the same.
This rotation will provide attention to all four skills without long sequences of time devoted to the same skill.
When you have a limited amount of time try to make the most of it
A few things that make some people more successful than others during the 60-minute interviews include:
Use a timer for each task: Real exam pressure only comes when you practice under real time restrictions!
Count errors, not "mistakes," that are related to the band: Being told that you are using incorrect articles or sentences that are run-on is better than having a general indication that your writing "needs work.
Use official or good quality practice material: Tests on the internet will not be the same as the actual tests and will not be scored as it will be in the actual test.
Get feedback regularly: Self-study alone is only part of the solution. A trained eye is able to spot patterns that you couldn't see in your own writing or speaking.
Guided Support makes the 60 minutes go further, why?
This is where structured guidance makes all the difference. Online Class Nepal provides one to one, customized IELTS training with a dedicated mentor, no set batches, individual study plan, and focused on your target band, level and time. When you have only 1 hour a day to prepare, it's important to have a guide: You don't have to figure it out yourself; you have a roadmap that's been created just for you and a review each week to stay on track.
They also offer unlimited mock test sessions in the actual exam format, access to live sessions with lifetime replays (you can watch anything you missed), and time slots from early morning to late evening, an actual plus to having to travel across time zones to sit exams with a working, schooling or family schedule. Feedback from an experienced mentor is provided for each session; this is invaluable for Writing and Speaking, where self-assessment is only part of the answer.
For migration exam preparation or for the Academic test to attend university, Online Class Nepal's approach is designed to complement your life and not eliminate it; and if you wish to check first before you enroll, you can join for a free 30-minute demo class.
Final Thoughts
There isn't a requirement to log 3 hours a day to get to your desired band score. What you need is a well organized, consistent, hour-long time with the appropriate instruction in front of it. The 60 minute structure outlined above can be followed for four to 6 weeks and measurable progress will be observed without spending an entire evening studying.