Starting IELTS prep can feel confusing. What do you study first? How much time goes into each skill? Why aren't your practice scores moving? Here's the good news: you don't need to tackle everything at once. A focused 60-day plan builds your English, gets you familiar with the test, and works through the right skills step by step. If you want structured guidance along the way, IELTS classes in Ahmedabad at Madhavi British Academy can give you a clear study routine to follow.
First, Understand What You Are Preparing For
IELTS covers four skills — Listening, Reading, Writing and Speaking, and the whole test runs about 2 hours 45 minutes. Listening and Reading each have 40 questions, Writing has two tasks, and Speaking is split into three parts.
Before you even start the 60-day plan, figure out whether you need Academic or General Training. That depends on why you're taking it, study, work, or migration, so check the exact requirement with whichever university, employer, or organisation you're applying to.
Days 1 to 10: Build Your Foundation
Skip the full mock tests for now. The first ten days are about understanding the format and figuring out where you're actually weak.
Each day, try to work in a bit of everything: pick up 10-15 useful words and put them into sentences, read a short article for 20 minutes, and spend another 20 minutes listening to conversations, news, or podcasts. Talk about something familiar for 5-10 minutes, then write a short paragraph and check it over for grammar.
Days 11 to 25: Strengthen Listening and Reading
Once the basics feel comfortable, shift toward speed and accuracy.
For Listening, pay close attention to names, numbers, dates, places — the kind of detail that trips people up. Don't just check whether an answer was right; figure out why you missed it when you didn't. A notebook helps here, tracking recurring mistakes like spelling slips, singular/plural mix-ups, or keywords you skipped past.
For Reading, work through the different question types until identifying keywords and locating information feels quick rather than effortful. Time yourself while practising — getting answers right matters, but so does finishing within the limit.
Days 26 to 40: Improve Your Writing and Speaking
This is usually where beginners hit a wall.
For Writing, worry about structure before vocabulary. IELTS scores you on task response, coherence and cohesion, vocabulary, and grammatical range and accuracy — so a well-organised answer with simpler language often beats a messy one dressed up with big words. A decent routine: spend five minutes understanding the question, sketch a quick plan, write the answer, check grammar and spelling, then compare it against the assessment criteria.
For Speaking, record yourself answering common questions and listen back. You'll start noticing pauses, repeated words, and pronunciation that isn't quite landing.
Days 41 to 50: Start Timed Practice
Now ramp up the pressure. Run Listening and Reading under the real time limits, write Task 1 and Task 2 within their actual windows, and practise Speaking without pausing to translate in your head first.
It helps to keep a simple mistake tracker:
| Skill | Mistake | Reason | Solution |
|---|---|---|---|
| Listening | Missed a number | Lost focus | Practise number questions |
| Reading | Wrong answer | Misread keyword | Slow down and scan |
| Writing | Grammar error | Tense confusion | Review common tenses |
| Speaking | Long pauses | Lack of ideas | Practise topic outlines |
Every mistake you log becomes fuel for your next study session, which makes the whole process a lot more productive.
Days 51 to 60: Full Tests and Final Revision
The last ten days aren't about learning from scratch, they're about getting exam-ready. Take full mock tests under real exam conditions, and after each one, review your mistakes before jumping into the next.
Put extra time into whichever section is weakest. Weak Listening? Do more listening tests and go back through the transcripts. Weak Reading? Focus on question types and pacing. Weak Writing? Work on structure, grammar, and developing your ideas. Weak Speaking? Practise out loud with a partner or teacher and record yourself.
Your final band score is an average across all four skills, so ignoring the one you're worst at can drag your whole result down.
Common Beginner Mistakes to Avoid
Studying without any real plan makes it hard to track progress. Memorising essays doesn't help much either, learn to build ideas instead of reciting fixed answers. Speaking often gets neglected until the last minute, but it needs consistent practice like everything else. Reaching for difficult vocabulary you're not confident with usually backfires — clear, accurate English beats big words used incorrectly. And taking mock test after mock test without reviewing them wastes most of the value; the test shows you the mistakes, but only reviewing them actually fixes anything.
Your 60 Day Goal: Progress, Not Perfection
IELTS prep gets a lot easier once you know exactly what to do each day. Study regularly, track your mistakes, and improve one skill at a time, that's really the whole formula.
For learners after expert guidance and a properly structured strategy, IELTS classes in Ahmedabad at Madhavi British Academy can be a solid step toward preparing with more confidence. You can also call 9825074969 to know more.
Frequently Asked Questions
Find quick answers to common questions about preparing for the IELTS exam.
Yes, though your result still depends on your current level, target band, and how consistent your daily practice is. Sixty days used well can be a genuinely strong preparation window.
Around 2–3 focused hours is a reasonable starting point — more if your target score or current level calls for it.
Get familiar with all four sections first, then put extra time into wherever your diagnostic test shows the biggest gaps.
Not strictly. That said, feedback from an experienced teacher often catches mistakes in Writing and Speaking that are hard to spot on your own.
