0.1 IELTS Readiness Check
Welcome to IELTS Success: Band 6–7. Before you begin Unit 1, this Readiness Check helps you orient yourself to the exam, get a rough picture of your current level and decide where to focus first. Nothing here is scored or stored — it is an honest self-assessment to make the next 50 lessons work harder for you.
- Understand what IELTS measures and how it is scored
- Spot your strongest and weakest skills using quick mini-checks
- Audit your confidence in writing and speaking
- Match yourself to a learner profile and a personal study plan
Section 1 — Welcome to IELTS
Read the cards below, then move straight to the mini-checks. You do not need to memorise anything yet — Unit 1 will revisit all of it in depth.
- University entry & professional registration
- Reading: 3 academic passages
- Writing Task 1: describe a chart, graph, map or process
- Writing Task 2: discursive essay
- Work, migration & secondary education
- Reading: notices, workplace texts, longer article
- Writing Task 1: a letter (formal / semi-formal / informal)
- Writing Task 2: discursive essay
Complete this Readiness Check honestly.
Each one-hour lesson integrates reading, listening, writing, speaking, vocab and grammar.
Use your study plan from Section 9.
Apply skills under real exam conditions before test day.
Section 2 — Quick Reading Check (8 min)
Give yourself 8 minutes. Read the passage once, then answer the 5 questions before checking the answer key.
Across Europe and parts of Asia, a growing number of companies are experimenting with a four-day working week. The idea is simple: employees work fewer hours but are paid the same, on condition that productivity is maintained. Trials in Iceland between 2015 and 2019 involved more than 2,500 workers and reported broadly positive results — workers said they felt less stressed and more engaged, while most workplaces produced the same amount of work in less time. A larger pilot in the United Kingdom in 2022 found that the majority of participating companies chose to continue with the shorter week after the trial ended. Supporters argue that the change improves wellbeing and helps families balance work with childcare. Critics, however, point out that some industries — such as hospitals, schools and customer service — find it difficult to reduce hours without hiring extra staff or cutting services. Most researchers now agree that the four-day week is unlikely to suit every sector, but in office-based roles the early evidence is encouraging.
- Q1 — TRUE / FALSE / NOT GIVEN: Workers in the Iceland trial were paid less for working fewer hours.
- Q2 — TRUE / FALSE / NOT GIVEN: Most UK companies in the 2022 pilot decided to keep the four-day week.
- Q3 — Multiple choice: According to the passage, supporters of the four-day week mainly highlight (a) higher salaries, (b) improved wellbeing and family balance, (c) faster promotion, (d) lower company taxes.
- Q4 — Short answer (NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS): Name one type of workplace the writer says finds it difficult to cut hours.
- Q5 — Multiple choice: The writer's overall view is that the four-day week (a) will replace the five-day week everywhere, (b) has failed in early trials, (c) suits some sectors more than others, (d) is only useful in factories.
Section 3 — Quick Listening Check (6 min)
Generate this with ElevenLabs using a British English voice (e.g. 'Charlotte' or 'Daniel'). Export three versions: Slow (0.85×), Standard IELTS speed (1.0×) and Fast challenge (1.15×). Listen once at standard speed first.
Good morning everyone, and welcome to the Central University Library. My name is Sarah and I'll be showing you around today. The library is open from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. on weekdays, and from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. at weekends. On the ground floor you'll find the help desk, the printers and our short-loan collection — those books can be borrowed for 24 hours only. The first floor is the silent study area, so please switch your phones to silent before going up. Group study rooms are on the second floor and must be booked online at least one day in advance; each booking lasts a maximum of two hours. Finally, the café is on the lower ground floor and stays open until 8 p.m. If you have any questions during your visit today, look for staff wearing a blue lanyard. Thank you, and enjoy the tour.
- Q1 — At what time does the library open on weekdays?
- Q2 — Books from the short-loan collection can be borrowed for how long?
- Q3 — Which floor is the silent study area on?
- Q4 — Group study rooms must be booked at least how far in advance?
- Q5 — How can students identify members of staff?
Section 4 — Vocabulary Check (10 Qs)
Choose the best option for each sentence. Aim for accuracy, not speed.
- 1. The government plans to ___ a new law on plastic waste. (a) make up (b) introduce (c) put (d) raise
- 2. Studying abroad can ___ your career opportunities. (a) widen (b) wide (c) widely (d) wider
- 3. She gave a ___ argument for working from home. (a) strongly (b) strength (c) strong (d) stronger
- 4. Children today ___ a lot of time online. (a) make (b) do (c) spend (d) pass
- 5. Air pollution has a serious ___ on public health. (a) affect (b) effect (c) effort (d) afford
- 6. The report ___ that 40 per cent of workers feel stressed. (a) tells (b) says (c) states (d) speaks
- 7. He found it difficult to ___ a balance between work and family. (a) strike (b) hit (c) make (d) build
- 8. There has been a sharp ___ in housing prices this year. (a) raise (b) rise (c) arise (d) raising
- 9. Many students struggle to ___ deadlines at university. (a) meet (b) catch (c) achieve (d) reach
- 10. The two cities are ___ different in size. (a) considerable (b) considerate (c) considerably (d) consideration
Section 5 — Grammar Check (10 Qs)
- 1. By the time the lecture finished, the students ___ for two hours. (a) listened (b) had listened (c) have listened (d) were listening
- 2. ___ university I went to is in the north of the country. (a) A (b) An (c) The (d) —
- 3. If governments ___ more in education, fewer young people would be unemployed. (a) invest (b) invested (c) had invested (d) will invest
- 4. The teacher ___ I respect most is Ms Patel. (a) which (b) who (c) whose (d) when
- 5. She ___ in London since 2019. (a) lives (b) is living (c) has lived (d) has been living — choose the more natural option.
- 6. He spoke so quickly that I ___ understand him. (a) couldn't (b) didn't can (c) can't (d) wouldn't
- 7. ___ honest answer is always better than a polite lie. (a) A (b) An (c) The (d) —
- 8. If I ___ you, I would take the test in June. (a) am (b) was (c) were (d) be
- 9. The book ___ cover is torn belongs to the library. (a) which (b) that (c) whose (d) who
- 10. By 2030, many countries ___ stricter climate policies. (a) introduce (b) will have introduced (c) introduced (d) have introduced
Section 6 — Writing Readiness
Rate yourself from 1 (not yet) to 5 (very confident) on each statement. No score is recorded — be honest.
| Skill | Statement | Your rating (1–5) |
|---|---|---|
| Essay writing | I can plan and write a 250-word essay in 40 minutes. | ___ |
| Paragraph organisation | My paragraphs follow a clear structure (topic, support, example, link). | ___ |
| Topic sentences | I can write a clear topic sentence that previews the paragraph. | ___ |
| Grammar accuracy | I can write complex sentences with few mistakes. | ___ |
| Academic vocabulary | I use a range of formal vocabulary and collocations. | ___ |
Section 7 — Speaking Readiness
Rate your confidence honestly. There is no audio recording — this is for your eyes only.
| Area | Statement | Confidence (1–5) |
|---|---|---|
| Fluency | I can keep talking without long pauses for at least one minute. | ___ |
| Vocabulary | I can change words to avoid repeating myself. | ___ |
| Pronunciation | Most listeners understand me first time. | ___ |
| Long turn | I can speak for 2 minutes on a familiar topic with notes. | ___ |
| Abstract topics | I can discuss ideas like education, technology or society. | ___ |
Section 8 — Your IELTS Profile
Match yourself to one of the four learner profiles below. Use your scores and self-ratings as a guide — pick the one that best describes you today.
- Generally accurate but frequent slips under pressure
- Can give extended answers with some hesitation
- Vocabulary covers familiar topics well
- Essays show clear structure but limited range
- Largely accurate even under timing
- Speaks fluently with occasional self-correction
- Uses topic vocabulary and collocations precisely
- Essays show clear position, range and cohesion
Section 9 — Your Personal Study Plan
Based on your profile, choose the focus that matches you most closely. You can refine this after Unit 1.
- 10 new words / day
- Short daily listening
- Grammar focus each lesson
- Skip mock tests until Unit 4
- Complete every section in order
- Add one reading passage / week
- Record yourself speaking 2 min / day
- Prioritise writing labs
- Drill task strategies
- Weekly timed Reading or Listening
- Begin half mock test at Unit 5
- Accuracy under timing
- Part 3 abstract questions
- Full Task 2 weekly
- Full mock test from Unit 7
Roughly 1 hour each, in order.
Extra time on your lowest area.
Re-read notes, replay audio, redo errors.
Recovery matters as much as practice.
Write down one sentence: 'My focus for the next 2 weeks is ___.' Revisit it at the end of Unit 1 and adjust if needed.
Exam strategies
- Be honest in self-assessment — there is no score and no audience.
- Treat mini-check results as a snapshot, not a verdict.
- Pick one focus area at a time; do not try to fix everything at once.
- Re-take this Readiness Check after Unit 5 to track progress.
Self-study tasks
One sentence describing your priority skill for the next two weeks. Put it somewhere you will see it.
Digital or paper — one page per lesson, 10 words minimum, with collocation and example.
Block 60 minutes in your calendar for each one before opening Unit 1.
Key takeaways
- IELTS tests four skills — Listening, Reading, Writing, Speaking — in Academic or General Training versions.
- Your mini-check results suggest where to focus first, not a final band score.
- Every learner fits one of four profiles — your study plan flows from that.
- Personal focus + weekly rhythm matters more than total hours studied.