Best IELTS Books 2023 - Check IELTS Preparation Books and Study Materials

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Samarpita Goswami
Updated on Apr 30, 2023 10:30 AM IST

The overall score obtained in the IELTS exam 2023 is determined on the basis of the marks obtained in all four sections of IELTS. It is, thus, important that candidates pay attention to the IELTS 2023 exam pattern and syllabus and give equal importance to all four sections while preparing for the exam. 

Various IELTS books 2023 are available online and offline for students and with the help of these books and materials, score the maximum marks on the final test. With a good amount of practice, patience and determination, students can score good marks on the test. Here are some of the guidelines and recommended books to prepare for IELTS 2023.

Best Books for IELTS Preparation - How to prepare for IELTS?

A plethora of best books for IELTS preparation is available in the market. However, it is advisable to choose the most appropriate, authentic, and recommended preparation books to prepare for IELTS test. Listed below are some of the highly recommended books you can use for your test preparation this year.

The Official Cambridge Guide to IELTS

The Official Cambridge Guide to IELTS is a book published by the Cambridge University Press to help students prepare for the test. The book is officially recommended by the British Council and is one of the best IELTS books 2023 used by aspirants across the globe. With a CD attached, this book contains important questions, tips, and techniques to score maximum marks on the test.

Official IELTS Practice Materials

The Official IELTS Practice Materials is another one of the top IELTS exam books written by Cambridge English Language Assessment examiners and material authors who have years of experience in preparing for the globally renowned test. The book is approved by the British Council, the Cambridge English Language Assessment, and IDP: IELTS Australia.

The Official IELTS Practice Materials are recommended for anyone who wants to score well on the test this year. The book contains practice sets for all four sections along with the respective answer keys. A DVD is also available with this Cambridge IELTS book for candidates to practise answering questions for the listening and speaking sections.

Barrons IELTS Superpack

Barrons IELTS super pack is a comprehensive book aspirants can use to practise for the test this year. As one of the top IELTS books, the super pack contains 10 full-length practice tests along with answers. The book is also a good book to enhance your English language vocabulary and your grammatical skills overall. The Superpack is a 3-in-1 book set with intensive preparation for the test this year, thus, making it stand out among the many IELTS test books.

Barrons IELTS super pack also contain two audio CDs to improve a candidate's speaking abilities and work on the listening section of the exam.

Target Band 7: IELTS Academic Module: How to Maximize your Score

Target Band 7- IELTS Academic Module- How to Maximize your Score is one of the top IELTS prep books and is written by Simone Braverman. It contains excellent self-study IELTS study materials written for aspirants looking to ace the test this year. The book is specially designed for students who wish to prepare for the test in a few weeks.

Students can refer to this book for tips, techniques, strategies and advice to help students maximize their test scores. This IELTS material is useful for students to improve their vocabulary, enhance their efficiency and speed of attempting tests, prevent them from making mistakes and thus boost their confidence.

Collins English for IELTS

Collins English for IELTS comes in series i.e Collins Reading for IELTS, Collins Writing for IELTS, Collins Vocabulary for IELTS, Collins Listening for IELTS, Collins Listening for IELTS, Collins English for IELTS - Collins Cobuild IELTS Dictionary, Collins IELTS Practice Sets etc. Experts claim that it is one of the better IELTS books 2023 for someone who wishes to focus on a specific topic of the English language while preparing for the test this year.

Anyone preparing for the test this year can buy one of the Collins IELTS best book for preparation based on their need. This IELTS material is useful for students who want to study a particular topic in detail. For instance, if one wants to learn English grammar one can buy Collins English for IELTS - IELTS Grammar IELTS 5-6+ (B1+): With Answers and Audio.

Focus on IELTS Foundation: Foundation Coursebook

Focus on IELTS Foundation: Foundation Coursebook, written by Sue O'Connell, is also one of the more recommended IELTS exam books for aspirants across the globe. The book emphasises providing a solid foundation in the English language and the skills needed to score maximum marks on the test this year.

Candidates using the IELTS material can consider it as a coursebook and a comprehensive guide to prepare well for the test. It is a good foundation book and ideal for someone who is at an intermediate level of understanding of English. The book is well-structured and engaging to the reader.

Focus on IELTS Foundation: Foundation Coursebook gives a complete idea of what the exam looks like and how to attempt the exam. It is considered to be one of the more complete and adequate IELTS exam books for the test.

IELTS Practice Tests Plus 2 with Key and CD Pack

This is another one of the highly recommended IELTS prep books with all the sections covered and strategies that focus on ways to score high on the test. The book also includes sample answers with annotations and explanations, six full tests, audio scripts to help you improve, and is really easy to use. It is highly recommended for those appearing for either the General Training or Academic tests.

Road to IELTS

If you are looking for an online course to prepare for the renowned test, then this is it! It Is not another one of the top IELTS books 2023 but an interactive online course including mock papers, tutorial videos and other interactive exercises.

You can download free IELTS practice papers, videos and interactive videos if you are registered for the test through the British Council.

Improve Your IELTS Skills by Macmillan

The series by Macmillan consists of three books: where the writing and reading sections have separate books, and the listening and speaking sections are combined. 

The books in this series are extremely comprehensive and helpful in self-preparation. The chapters focus on grammar, vocabulary and technique. Exercises are given at the end of each topic which helps students to determine their progress. Ample motivation and determination are needed to understand and complete the chapters of these books. 

IELTS Advantage Series by Delta Publishers

This particular series of books is suitable for advanced learners and those who have a high IELTS score target. A person must have a good grasp of English to understand this book. There are several sample essays and sample speaking answers which aid students to understand how to address questions. The summary of chapters is given at the end to help in the easy recall. 

How to Choose the Right IELTS Preparation Books?

To prepare for IELTS, lots of study notes and materials are available across the market and the internet that will provide the necessary guidance. However, IELTS books 2023 are the best sources for initial preparation. While purchasing books, consider taking help from experts and students who have appeared for the test earlier. Not every book available in the market will provide you with quality material. Therefore, it is necessary to first analyse your need, and your stage of preparation and then zero down to the books for IELTS preparation. Here are a few tips that will help you find the IELTS best book for preparation. 

  • The format of IELTS Academic and IELTS General is different for some modules and therefore it is necessary to purchase books according to the test type you are appearing for. 

  • The contents of the book are very important. Check if it fully covers the syllabus, and has practice papers, answer keys and tips to ace the IELTS exam. 

  • All the topics from the four sections: reading, writing, speaking and listening must be contained elaborately in the book.

  • The book must contain materials for both beginners and advanced candidates.

Choosing the right book is extremely important as it will keep you motivated and create interest to complete the course in time. 

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Books for IELTS Preparation Reading Section

While studying books that contain all the sections of the IELTS is good, studying each section individually is an even better idea as it helps to enhance skills. Referring to books for the IELTS reading section will help to prepare more effectively. The best way to score high in this section is to understand the types of questions, instructions and requirements. Amidst so many materials available in the market it is difficult to determine which books will serve the purpose. Here are some of the books for the IELTS reading section:

  • Collins Reading for IELTS by Els Van Geyte

  • IELTS Reading General Training by Darshan Singh

  • IELTS Academic Readings For Exam Practice by Dr Kiranpreet Kaur Makkar

  • IELTS Advantage Reading Skills: A step-by-step guide to a high IELTS reading score by Jeremy Tailor and John Wright

  • ESchool IELTS Reading Test

  • The Official Cambridge Guide to IELTS Students

With books specially curated for the IELTS reading section, it will be possible for candidates to focus on this section well and increase their chances of scoring high.

IELTS Preparation Books for Speaking Section

IELTS speaking section is one of the most challenging sections if candidates are non-native speakers of the English language. It is necessary to acquire fluency and appropriately use words and construct sentences to score high in this section. One of the best ways for guidance is to study IELTS books for the speaking section which will help candidates improve their speaking skills. The best books for IELTS preparation of speaking section are: 

  • Get IELTS Band 9 Speaking by Cambridge Publishers

  • Speaking for IELTS by Karen Kovacs

  • IELTS Advantage: Listening Strategies & Speaking Skills by Jon Marks

  • IELTS Speaking 2023

  • High Scoring IELTS Speaking

  • 15 Days Practice for IELTS Speaking PDF by Wang Hong Xia

Apart from studying these books, it is important to practice speaking in English with friends or family. This will help improve your confidence, pronunciation and speed. 

Books for IELTS Preparation for Listening Section

The listening section of IELTS is one of the most important modules for the examination. Preparation for this section requires lots of hard work, effort and dedication on behalf of the students. It is divided into four sections and the students get the opportunity to hear them only once. There are ten questions in each section. Students get ten minutes to transfer all the questions into the answer. It features a range of accents from various English-speaking countries. One needs to stay focused and follow instructions carefully. Here are some of the best books for IELTS Listening section preparation: 

  • Collins Listening for IELTS by Fiona Ash and Jo Tomlinson

  • Improve Your IELTS Listening & Speaking Skills by Barry Cusack and Sam McCarter

  • IELTS Advantage: Listening Strategies & Speaking Skills by John Marks

  • 15 Days’ Practice for IELTS Listening by Xia Li Ping – He Ting

  • IELTS Academic Score More in Listening 

  • Improve Your Skills: Listening & Speaking for IELTS 6.0 – 7.5 by Joanna Preshous

  • IELTS Listening Practice Tests

IELTS Preparation Books for Writing Section

The IELTS writing section can pose serious challenges for students appearing for the examination. There are two tasks that take 60 minutes to complete. The responses that are given on the sheet must be written in full and in an appropriate manner. The grammar and vocabulary must be used appropriately. Preparing from appropriate IELTS writing books will help to increase your total band score based on skills. Hence, it is important to select the best books that will help one choose the correct material type. The books generally contain video content along with quizzes and practice assignments. The exercises teach students to deal with data, charts and graphs.  The IELTS preparation books for the writing section are given below:

  • Get IELTS Band 9 in Writing Task 1 Data Charts and Graphs by Cambridge

  • IELTS for Academic Purposes: A Short Intensive Course by Malcolm Mann and Steve Taylore-Knowles

  • Get IELTS Band 9 in Academic Writing by Cambridge publishers

  • High-Scoring IELTS Writing Model Answers by Fang Ting – Wang de Fu

  • Achieve IELTS Academic Writing Success by Julie Halls

  • Academic Writing Practice for IELTS by Sam McCarter

  • Advanced Writing Skills by DS Paul

Know more about the IELTS writing tasks:

IELTS Writing Task 2 - Discussion Essay Topics Connectors for IELTS Writing Task 2 - Tips and Functions

FAQs on IELTS Best Books

How much time does it require to complete IELTS preparation books?

It usually takes three to six weeks to complete IELTS preparation books. However, it may differ from one candidate to another depending on how much time they devote to preparing for the test. 77% of IELTS trainers believe that the best IELTS preparation period is six to eight weeks or 30 days. 65% of IELTS trainers advise test takers to devote three to four hours each day to IELTS preparation.

Can I get free IELTS exam preparation materials?

Yes, you can get free IELTS exam preparation material. The conducting body of IELTS offers free IELTS preparation materials that may be downloaded from our official website or picked up in person at your local IDP centre. The IELTS basics pack, often known as IELTS Support Tools, includes the following items: Information regarding IELTS.

What is the best way to self-study for the IELTS?

There are many ways to self-study for the IELTS. However, the best way to self-study is by becoming familiar with the test structure first, creating a schedule and taking as many practice tests as possible. After you have taken practice tests, assess your weaknesses and work on them to score higher.

Can I prepare for the IELTS by referring to TOEFL prep books?

Yes, you can use the same prep books for the TOEFL and IELTS although when solving practice papers, both should not be mixed. While both IELTS and TOEFL need basic study, many test takers believe that TOEFL preparation is more difficult. However, this differs from person to person. The variation in exam patterns may result in tasks that require more preparation.

Is Barron's book authentic for IELTS?

Yes, Barron’s book is one of the authentic books for IELTS preparation. On the list of the best and authentic IELTS study books, Barron's IELTS Superpack is the second-best overall study guide. This "superpack" includes excellent theoretical reviews for reading, writing, and speaking. You will learn all you need to know for the test in each of these parts.

Is the Official Cambridge Guide to IELTS a good book for IELTS preparation?

Yes, the ‘Official Cambridge Guide to IELTS’ is a good book and also is one of the best books for IELTS preparation. It is also recommended by the British Council. The Official Cambridge Guide to IELTS is recommended especially for those aiming for a 6.0 band score or above. The book contains a wealth of information and recommendations that might assist you in learning English.

Is there any book available for the IELTS reading section?

Yes, there are many books in the market to prepare for the IELTS reading section. Below are the top 5 IELTS reading section best books containing full-length practice papers and CDs for preparation:

  • IELTS Superpack by Barron's
  • The Cambridge Official IELTS Guide
  • Cambridge IELTS 14 Academic Student's Book with Audio Answers
  • Official IELTS Practice Materials
  • Road to IELTS

Is 10 days of IELTS preparation sufficient?

10 days is insufficient to go from Band 6 to Band 9 and even 1 whole month is often considered insufficient to prepare for the IELTS exam. The IELTS exam assesses four skills: listening, reading, writing, and speaking. As a result, the following four days must be devoted to decoding the framework and comprehending the exam pattern for each of these sections.

Should I prefer IELTS books to online study material for preparation?

To prepare for the IELTS exam, you should use both online and offline study materials that will be helpful in your preparation for the test. In addition, online practice papers and mock tests are a must for IELTS preparation. However, to brush up on English grammar and usage of correct sentences, you can refer to books.

Which is the best book to prepare for IELTS?

There is no specific best book to prepare for IELTS. Though there are certain books that this page recommends for IELTS preparation, no one can be compulsorily considered the best among all. The best book for you is the one that helps you elevate from your current fluency level and at the time prepare for the IELTS exam. The methods must be comfortable with your learning process. 

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