Recommended IELTS Preparation Books & Study Material
International English Language Testing System ( IELTS )
Preparing for the IELTS exam is a big step for your future. But honestly, it is very confusing to choose the correct study material. Every student have this one big question in mind: Which is the best book for IELTS preparation? If you search on internet, you will see 100s of IELTS prepration material options and it makes you feel stress. You think maybe you need to buy many books to get a high IELTS Band score. But that is not true. Actually, using too many books can confuse you more. You only need one or two trusted sources to improve your Reading, Writing, Listening, and Speaking skills. In this article, we have recommended the top IELTS books that actually works. Let’s check the list and save your time.
Some of the best IELTS books are:
- The Official Cambridge Guide by Pauline Cullen
- Cambridge Vocabulary for IELTS by Cullen
- English Comprehension for Competitive Exams by Pinnacle Publications
- Barron’s IELTS Premium by Lin Lougheed
Today, many IELTS books and reading material are available to help prepare for IELTS. In this article, we have listed some popular IELTS books and practice tests you must use. The best thing is, you can use these books anywhere, at home or in class. Some books and CDs also have exercises to help learn all four IELTS skills.
You need practice everyday. It is important to refer good IELTS preparation books like Target Band 7 to learn tips and tricks. Solving a good number of IELTS mock tests and old papers again and again will boost the preparation level. Ask teachers or friends to check your work. This help you improve English and get high band score.
The Cambridge IELTS 16 Academic Students' Book is good for IELTS reading preparation.
- Best book for IELTS preparation 2025: Price, Ratings
- Top 10 books for IELTS Exam Preparation
- IELTS Preparation Tips 2025
Best book for IELTS preparation 2025: Price, Ratings
One can check the below-mentioned recommended best books for IELTS 2025.
Best Books for IELTS Exam Preparation
| Book Title & Author |
Price (INR) |
Rating |
|---|---|---|
| The Official Cambridge Guide to IELTS Student's Book with DVD-ROM by Pauline Cullen |
INR 698 |
4.4 ★ |
| The Official Cambridge Guide to IELTS South Asia by Pauline Cullen, Amanda French, et al. |
INR 576.80 |
4.4 ★ |
| Cambridge Vocabulary for IELTS by Cullen |
INR 463 |
4.2 ★ |
| IELTS 18 Academic (South Asia Edition) by Cambridge University Press & Assessment |
INR 599 |
4.3 ★ |
| IELTS 17 General Training by Cambridge University Press |
INR 465 |
4.4 ★ |
| The Official Cambridge Guide to IELTS (South Asia Edition) by Pauline Cullen, Amanda French, et al. |
INR 669 |
4.3 ★ |
| IELTS Writing Academic 2025 by Karamveer Singh |
INR 299 |
3.9 ★ |
| English Comprehension for Competitive Exams by Pinnacle Publications |
INR 199 |
3.7 ★ |
| Barron’s IELTS Premium by Lin Lougheed |
INR 611 |
3.6 ★ |
| IELTS 16 Academic Student's Book |
INR 200 |
4.2 ★ |
| IELTS 19 General Training by Cambridge University Press & Assessment |
INR 650 |
4.5 ★ |
| IELTS Academic Books Set 2025 by Darshan Singh & Karamveer Singh |
INR 729 |
4.8 ★ |
| Cambridge IELTS Academic Practice Tests (Set 17, 18, 19) |
INR 1,399 |
3.5 ★ |
| IELTS Academic Readings Vol 3 by Dr. Kiranpreet Kaur Makkar |
INR 299 |
5.0 ★ |
| IELTS 19 Academic by Cambridge University Press & Assessment |
Unavailable |
3.5 ★ |
Commonly asked questions
The Cambridge IELTS series (like IELTS 16, 17, or 18) has real test papers of past years. These are made by the people who help make the IELTS exam, so they are close to the real thing.
One good book can be enough if it has everything – tips, practice tests, grammar, and vocabulary. But if you want extra practice, you can also get more books like the Cambridge IELTS test books.
Some books, like the Official Cambridge Guide, are for both Academic and General Training. But many books are only for one version. So always check if the book is for Academic IELTS or General IELTS before buying.
Top 10 books for IELTS Exam Preparation
Preparing for IELTS is confusing because there are too many books in market. But you don't need all of them. Here is the list of books that are famous in India and actually helps to get Band 7+ in IELTS.
The Official Cambridge Guide to IELTS
This is like the "Bible" for IELTS. It is written by the people who make the test, so it is 100% trusted. If you are a beginner and want to understand all sections (Listening, Reading, Writing, Speaking) in one book, this is the best. It has 8 practice tests also.
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Good for: Everyone (Beginner to Advanced).
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Review: 4.5/5 - "Must have book."
Cambridge IELTS Academic 11-19 (Series)
These are not text books for learning, these are Practice Papers. Every year Cambridge releases a new number. Right now, book number 19 is latest, but you can use 16, 17, 18 also. To know the real level of the exam. The questions in these books are exactly like the real exam.
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Good for: Practice only (Not for learning grammar).
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Review: 5/5 - "Real exam feel."
Makkar IELTS (Speaking and Writing)
In India, this is the most famous book, specially for Speaking. Dr. Kiranpreet Kaur Makkar writes these books. For Guesswork. In the Speaking exam, examiners often ask questions from the latest Makkar pdf/book. It helps you prepare the exact topics that might come in exam.
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Good for: Speaking Cue Cards and Writing Ideas.
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Review: 4/5 - "Best for common questions."
Barron’s IELTS Superpack
This is a big bundle of books. It includes a main manual, practice exams, and a book for Audio words. If you want study material + vocabulary + tests all together. It is cheaper than buying separate books.
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Good for: Students who want lots of material.
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Review: 4.3/5 - "Good value for money."
Simone Braverman’s Target Band 7
This book is famous for Tips and Tricks. It is written by a person who took the exam herself and got high score. It does not teach you boring English, it teaches you how to solve questions fast. It tells you secret strategies to save time.
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Good for: People who are stuck at Band 6.0 and want to jump to 7.0 or 8.0.
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Review: 4.8/5 - "Very practical tips."
Cambridge Grammar for IELTS
Many indian students make small grammar mistakes in Writing and Speaking. This book fixes that. It teaches grammar specifically for IELTS, not general school grammar. It has listening activities too.
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Good for: Improving sentences and tenses.
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Review: 4.2/5 - "Clears basics nicely."
Collins English for IELTS (Series)
Collins sells separate books for each skill: Reading, Writing, Listening, Speaking. If you are weak in ONLY one section (example: your Reading is bad but Speaking is good), you can just buy the Reading book.
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Good for: Focusing on weak areas.
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Review: 4.4/5 - "Very organized."
IELTS Trainer 2
This book has 6 Practice Tests. The first two tests have step-by-step guidance. If you have finished the Cambridge 11-19 books and want more practice, this is harder than the real exam. If you score good here, you will score great in real exam.
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Good for: Advanced practice.
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Review: 4.6/5 - "Tough but helpful."
Road to IELTS
This is technically an online course by British Council, but they have workbook materials too. It is interactive. If you get bored reading paper books, this is good. It gives you instant feedback.
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Good for: Computer-based test preparation.
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Review: 4.0/5 - "Good for computer practice."
Mometrix IELTS General & Academic
This is a good book for quick revision. It has video tutorials links inside the book. It explains complex things in very simple way.
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Good for: Last minute preparation.
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Review: 3.9/5 - "Simple and easy."
Commonly asked questions
Although two weeks are less, however, with a solid strategy can help you get a decent IELTS score. Candidates should understand the IELTS test format and prepare a comprehensive study plan for the next two weeks covering all the topics. After covering all the topics in each of the sections give full-length practice tests.
There is no pass or fail in IELTS. But students want a good IELTS band score to go to top universities. To do well in first try, you should know the test format and practice all parts – Listening, Reading, Writing and Speaking.
IELTS Preparation Tips 2025
Don't confuse yourself. Just buy The Official Cambridge Guide to understand the test and Cambridge 18 or 19 for daily practice. If you are Indian student, buy Makkar PDF for speaking. That is enough. After that just follow these IELTS preparation tips and be ready for the test.
- Understand IELTS exam pattern
- Do not use too many IELTS books as you might get confused
- Revise Official Guide multiple times
- Take IELTS practice tests to know the status of your preparation
- Revise your notes at least 3 times before examination
- Keep your language natural and organic.
Commonly asked questions
After learning the complete format familiarize yourself with all the topics that you need to cover while preparing for the test. You can get online practice tests and make sure to do it while following the time. Prepare for the Listening test by listening to the audio recordings. Similarly, prepare for the Reading and Writing sections accordingly. Make sure you do as much practice as possible in order to get a decent IELTS score.
The reading and listening questions very rarely repeat. But in Writing Task 2, the main topics like pollution, technology, or children education come again and again. So prepare ideas for these common topics.
Dont use random websites, they have wrong answers sometimes. Best is to search for Cambridge IELTS books (like book 16, 17, 18) in PDF. They are real past papers. You can also check IDP website for some free sample materials.
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