Before you make your IELTS study plan you need to know 2 things.
First, read here to determine what your current level and IELTS band score is.
Next, take a look at approximately how long it will take you to get the score you need.
Those are just estimates, of course. But now you have some idea of where you are and the realistic timeframe for reaching your goal.
Be sure to avoid the mistakes that most students make on writing by signing up for my exclusive IELTS Ebooks here on Patreon.
The best way to reach your goal quickly is to put in more hours every day, every week and every month – all under a yearly plan.
A day is made up of various units just like the human body is made of body parts, muscles, tissues and cells. Each day breaks down into parts of the day, hours, minutes and seconds. Focus on each individual second and the boundaries of ‘day’ expand dramatically and you will have more time than you originally thought.
This is more important than signing up for an IELTS class at a school. Self-study is better than taking a class because you will be responsible for your own learning and take a more active (rather than passive) role in your improvement.
So let’s go through a sample plan together. I recommend that you buy a new notebook and start now!
Dave
Sample Study Plan
Here’s my new notebook and I’m going to put my current level and goal on the cover and the date when I am starting.
You can include an end date for your goal – but it must be realistic or it will be demotivating. Again, check out the links at the top if you’re not sure about your current level and time frame.
On the first page I’m putting a daily and monthly overview of what I’ll be doing. I don’t expect to keep to this exactly, but it will still be helpful. You might want to add a weekly one as well.
Here comes the important part – all the days and hours! The above plans will help you stay organized but this is the engine to your car.
If you don’t put in the daily work the car won’t go anywhere!
Here I write down first what I plan to do for the day. Then later in the day I tick the things that I did and make an X for the things I didn’t do. Don’t feel bad about what you didn’t do. Your attitude to your mistakes will determine your IELTS success.
The most important part of your plan is that you update it consistently. Even if you did nothing – write it down.
Here is the full video process and some advice from me:
A Better Way
The above method is very traditional and suits a lot of people. Most people like to plan things out in advance of doing them. But I think there’s a better way. I think it’s a bad habit to plan things out so I don’t use checklists that often.
A better habit, in my opinion, is to keep track of your work after you do it rather than making a checklist before. This way you won’t get the feeling of accomplishment, peace, and satisfaction that comes with making a checklist.
Instead, briefly sketch out in your head some of the things you want to get done. Maybe jot them down – it’s not a problem to make some notes. But get started doing them right away!
At the end of the day, write down all the things that you did.
This way, you will always be focused on getting things done, not on planning things out.
Don’t stress too much when your plans don’t work out – laugh about it and get back to work!
Take some inspiration from my favorite cartoonist, Chris Hallbeck:
You’ll soon get into the habit of getting more done because otherwise you’ll be facing a disappointed, accusatory blank page at the end of the day. That angry blank page will be the reason you don’t get the score you want.
But if you can fill up that page with accomplishments by the end of everyday and make that page happy, that will be the reason that you do reach your goal!
Best of luck!
Comment below – what score do you need to get on IELTS?
You can use these phrases to help write your comments:
I really need a …
I’d like to get …
If I don’t get … I won’t be able to …
In the next … months, I have to have a band …
Good advice. There are no shortcuts to IELTS success – just hard work and preparation.
Agreed! Easier said than done though!
Hi Dave! I found your blog weeks ago and I’ve been working out on listening and reading parts. I’m enjoying everything!Thanks a lot!
I’m glad you’re sharing this great advice with us as well. A plan is something very useful.
I downloaded an app to help me organise days/weeks/months on tasks, with a tick option. I think it’s faster than write the plan in a notebook, because we need repeat some tasks constantly and it takes time when we should be doing the activities, like you said.
At the end of the day, however, I write on a journal the activities that I did, to read when the fag comes.
In fact, I like both methods, each has its function.
What do you think about using these tools, in smartphones, to improve organization?
Thanks so much for saying that!
I agree with you about having an app. I use a combination of Google Keep (because it updates on my desktop computer and my phone) as well as some sticky notes that I put on my computer. Your idea of writing what you do at the end of the day is great and I think the best method. It keeps you motivated to accomplish real tasks every day.
Sometimes smartphones themselves are the biggest obstacle to getting work done so I don’t rely on apps to help with productivity. The best way to be productive is to hide your phone and turn off the internet in my opinion!
Hope that helps you!
Thanks for this tip Dave! I’ll try Google Keep. In fact, I can’t access that app in my computer, it could be something very convenient. Thanks a lot!
You’re welcome! I don’t use the app on my computer – it is a browser extension in Google Chrome!