Free and Official IELTS Practice Material: What to Use and What to Avoid
Farhan from Lucknow had 40 PDF “IELTS tests” on his phone from messaging groups. Several answer keys were wrong, and one Reading test had 52 questions.
Start with material from the IELTS partners: free official practice tests and familiarisation tests, then official practice-test books if you want more. Unofficial tests may not match the real test’s level, question types or rules.
What counts as official practice material?
Official practice material comes from the IELTS partners, who run IELTS together: the British Council, IDP IELTS and Cambridge University Press & Assessment. Their own websites are where to confirm a resource’s name, provider and whether it is free or paid.
To check your general English before you start, try Enable Academy’s free English level test. It does not give an IELTS band.
Which resources can you use?
The table lists only resources we found on the websites of the IELTS partners.
| Resource | Offered by | Free or paid | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| IELTS sample test questions | The official IELTS website | Free | Seeing each task type and checking answers |
| IELTS practice experience on computer | The official IELTS website | Free | Seeing the screen layout; the tests are untimed |
| Free IELTS practice tests; IELTS on Computer familiarisation test | British Council | Free | Practising each skill and learning the computer format |
| IELTS Ready and IELTS Ready Premium | British Council | IELTS Ready free; Premium free if you book with the British Council | Mock tests with Reading and Listening scores |
| IELTS by IDP app | IDP IELTS | Free to download; some courses free for a limited time | Preparation videos, quizzes and a self-assessment tool |
| IELTS 20 Practice Test books | Cambridge University Press & Assessment | Paid | Full practice papers for timed mocks |
Cambridge describes the papers in IELTS 20 Practice Test as authentic examination papers, with four complete tests per book.
Why practise on the computer format?
IELTS is now delivered on computer, so learn the screen before test day; computer-delivered IELTS in 2026 explains how it works.
The official practice experience is untimed, and its timer, highlighting and notes tools work differently from the live test. Use it to learn the layout, then keep timed practice for full tests. For Academic Writing on Paper, the official website has its own practice test.
How should you use official material?
- Full tests for timed mocks: Use IELTS Ready Premium or a Cambridge book, and sit Listening, Reading and Writing in one go.
- Single sections for skill practice: Use the sample test questions for one task type at a time.
- Analysis after each test: Taking and analysing a mock test shows how to log mistakes.
- A weekly routine: Fit tests into a plan such as our 30-day study plan.
Incorrect: “All online IELTS mock tests are the same.”
Correct: Check any test against the official format first, including its question counts and timings.
How do you check unofficial tests?
Compare a test with the official format before you trust its score. Our IELTS exam pattern guide has the full details.
- Question counts: Listening and Reading each have 40 questions. A Reading test with 52 questions, like one of Farhan’s PDFs, does not match.
- Timings: Listening takes about 30 minutes, Reading 60 and Writing 60.
- Word minimums: Writing Task 1 needs at least 150 words and Task 2 at least 250.
If a test fails these checks, treat its answer key and band estimate with caution.
Tip
Keep one folder with only the resources in the table, and move any PDF you cannot match to the official format out of it.
Key Takeaways
- Start with practice material from the IELTS partners.
- Cambridge describes its practice-test books as authentic examination papers; they are paid.
- The official computer practice is untimed, so use it to learn the layout.
- Listening and Reading each have 40 questions; check any test against that.
The bottom line: Build your practice around material from the IELTS partners, and check anything else against the official format before you trust its score.