IELTS Band 6.0 Study Plan (Foundation)
Duration: 6 weeks · Daily time: 2 h · Target: 6.0
Who this plan is for
You are working toward 6.0 — often the visa or foundation-course threshold. At this level the plan builds comprehension first and adds exam timing only once accuracy exists.
The one principle
Input alone (memorizing words, watching lessons) stores knowledge; only OUTPUT (dictation, timed tests, speaking aloud, outlining) turns it into a band score. Every day below mixes both — never skip the output half.
The route
Tick tasks as you complete them — progress is saved on this device.
Phase 1 — Comprehension First (Weeks 1–3)
Untimed reading with full understanding; short dictations; vocabulary from context only.
Move on when: A full passage understood without a dictionary; a Part 1 section dictated with fewer than 6 errors.
Every day
One reading passage, UNTIMED — understand every paragraph before answering→
35 minmust-do
Dictation drill: replay ONE section of a listening test you already sat, write down every word, then check yourself against the transcript. This trains the ear, not the memory→
20 minmust-do
Re-read yesterday's wrong answers: for each, say out loud WHY the right answer is right before checking the explanation
15 minmust-do
Within the phase
Sit one full listening test from the newest month — exam conditions, then mark it→
40 minmust-do
Study the Keywords format guide, then find that question type in a test and do just those questions→
25 minthis week
Study the Paraphrasing format guide, then find that question type in a test and do just those questions→
25 minthis week
Phase 2 — Add the Clock (Weeks 4–6)
Timed passages, full tests, and instruction discipline (word limits, spelling).
Move on when: Exam day.
Every day
One reading passage, timed by its question mix (2 types ≈ 16 min, 3 types ≈ 20, 4 types ≈ 25)→
25 minmust-do
Re-read yesterday's wrong answers: for each, say out loud WHY the right answer is right before checking the explanation
15 minmust-do
Practice answering 3 current speaking topics out loud — record yourself once→
20 minmust-do
Within the phase
Sit one full listening test from the newest month — exam conditions, then mark it→
40 minmust-do
Sit one full reading test — 60 minutes strict, then mark it and read the explanations for every miss→
75 minmust-do
Study the Word-Limit Instructions format guide, then find that question type in a test and do just those questions→
25 minthis week
Read TWO band-calibrated sample essays for current questions — study the structure, not the vocabulary→
25 minmust-do
Scan this week's new exam recalls — note any 🔥 high-frequency questions in your skills→
10 minthis week
Daily anchors
Morning: Read one passage or transcript aloud for 10 minutes before anything else — mouth and ear before eyes.
Before bed: Before bed, review the words you collected today from wrong answers (5–10 minutes, no new material).
Weekly self-review
- Listening: is your score stable or rising? Which section loses the most points?
- Reading: are you finishing in 60 minutes? Which question type costs you most?
- Did you do the OUTPUT work (dictation, outlines, speaking aloud) — or only input?
- Write one sentence: what will you do differently next week?
A plan is a route, not a promise — no schedule can guarantee a band score. Adjust volumes to your reality and keep the output work.