30-day IELTS study plan: band 7 to band 8
Updated 2026-10-20
Moving from band 7 to band 8 in 30 days is possible only if you target the specific gaps behind your current scores, rather than doing general practice. No plan can guarantee a score, but a focused plan can close the gaps that cost the most marks. Use the first week to diagnose, the middle two weeks to fix, and the last week to test under real conditions and taper. The plan below assumes your test is 30 days away and that you can study 60 to 90 minutes a day, with one rest day each week.
The daily session
Every study day follows the same structure, so the time goes on the work rather than on deciding what to do next.
| Block | Minutes | What you do |
|---|---|---|
| Warm-up | 10 | Answer three Part 1 Speaking questions aloud and record one |
| Main skill | 40 | The skill focus for the day (see the weekly tables) |
| Error review | 15 | Add the day's mistakes to your error log and fix the wording |
| Vocabulary and grammar | 10 | Learn five phrases with example sentences, and review one grammar point |
| Planning | 5 | Write down tomorrow's focus |
The total is 80 minutes. On heavier days, the main skill can run to 60 minutes.
Week 1 (days 1 to 7): diagnose and fix the biggest habit
| Day | Main focus |
|---|---|
| 1 | Diagnostic: Listening sections 1 and 2 and Reading passage 1, all timed. Log every error with its reason. |
| 2 | Writing Task 2: one timed essay in 40 minutes. Check the introduction and conclusion against the formula. |
| 3 | Speaking Parts 1 and 2: record your answers and apply the checklist to your weakest habit. |
| 4 | Reading: one passage in 20 minutes, then review the reason for every wrong answer. |
| 5 | Writing Task 1: one chart in 20 minutes. Write the overview first, then check it. |
| 6 | Mini-test 1 (see the section on mini-tests below) |
| 7 | Rest |
Week 2 (days 8 to 14): fix the core gaps
| Day | Main focus |
|---|---|
| 8 | Writing Task 2: one essay in 40 minutes, then rewrite one body paragraph to tighten its control. |
| 9 | Speaking Part 3: answer abstract questions with a view, a reason and an example. |
| 10 | Listening sections 3 and 4: note the signposting words and log why each distractor was wrong. |
| 11 | Reading: True, False and Not Given questions. Practise the question type where you lost the most marks. |
| 12 | Writing Task 1: a process diagram or a comparison of two charts. Check the tenses and passive forms. |
| 13 | Mini-test 2 |
| 14 | Rest |
Week 3 (days 15 to 21): timed sets and fluency under pressure
| Day | Main focus |
|---|---|
| 15 | Writing Task 2: a new topic in 40 minutes, then self-mark with the band descriptors. |
| 16 | Speaking Part 1: 20-second answers using the answer, reason and example pattern. |
| 17 | Listening: one full section, timed. Log every distractor and the wording that misled you. |
| 18 | Reading: one full passage in 20 minutes. Review every wrong answer and the paraphrase it depended on. |
| 19 | Writing Task 1: a map or a table with a clear overview. Check accuracy of figures and comparisons. |
| 20 | Mini-test 3 |
| 21 | Rest |
Week 4 (days 22 to 30): taper
| Day | Main focus |
|---|---|
| 22 | Writing Task 2: one timed essay, then compare it with a band 8 sample. |
| 23 | Speaking: a full mock of Parts 1 to 3, recorded. Check fillers and tense range. |
| 24 | Listening: one full test under timed conditions. |
| 25 | Reading: one full test under timed conditions. |
| 26 | Full mock test with all four skills, in the same order and time limits as the real test. This is the only session longer than 90 minutes, so schedule it for the morning. |
| 27 | Light review of the top ten items in your error log. No more than 45 minutes. |
| 28 | A 20-minute speaking warm-up, then listen to one band 8 sample answer. Stop there. |
| 29 | Rest. Check the test location, the time, the route and your identification document. |
| 30 | Test day |
What to practise for each skill
Listening
Practise recognising paraphrase. The answer is often said in different words from the question, and the distractors are usually close to the right answer. Note the signposting words that announce a change of point, such as "however" or "the main reason". For forms and maps, check spelling and singular or plural forms after each answer.
Reading
Skim each passage for its structure, then scan for the key words in each question. Keep to about 20 minutes per passage. For True, False and Not Given questions, the most common error is treating a claim that is not in the text as False. If the passage does not confirm it, the answer is Not Given.
Writing
In Task 1, write the overview before any details. In Task 2, state your position in the introduction and keep it consistent. Most band 7 gains come from paragraph control and vocabulary precision. The band 7 writing tips give a full checklist, and a band 8 Task 2 essay shows the paragraph control you are aiming for.
Speaking
Work on fluency first, then on stress and intonation, then on tense range. Extend each answer with a reason and an example. Practise Part 2 with a recorded two-minute talk, and listen for the sentences where your stress falls on small words instead of content words. A band 8 speaking sample shows how a full answer moves from the question to the reason to the example.
How to review errors
An error log is the most useful tool in this plan. For each mistake, record the date, the skill, what you wrote or chose, the correct version and the reason. Review the log for 15 minutes each day, and group repeated patterns, such as a wrong collocation or a tense error.
| Date | Skill | What I wrote | Correct version | Reason |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Day 2 | Writing | do a decision | make a decision | Collocation |
Re-attempt every error after three days and again after seven. If you make it again, move it to the top of the next day's review.
Weekly mini-tests
Each mini-test takes about 90 minutes. It includes a timed Writing Task 2 (40 minutes), a timed Writing Task 1 (20 minutes), and a recorded Speaking Part 2 and Part 3 (about 15 minutes). Score each piece with the band descriptors and compare it with the previous mini-test. If a score has not moved after a week, change the focus for the next week rather than repeating the same work.
The last days and the taper
The final week reduces the load while keeping the skills active. Day 26 is your last full mock test. After that, study only the top ten items in your error log, speak for short periods, and rest. Avoid learning new material in the last three days, because it adds stress without adding marks. Sleep at the same time each night in the final week, so your concentration is steady on test day.
For the full picture of what separates band 7 from band 8, read the band 7 to 8 guide. IELTS A has practice tests for all four skills, a band 8 sample answer library and a live AI examiner for speaking, which you can use for the mini-tests and the full mock.