4 must-read IELTS Reading books to conquer the exam easily!

Although Reading is considered one of the most boring skills for learners, it is a test that can help candidates easily boost their scores. Therefore, you need to combine it with some good materials for additional practice at home. In today's article, PREP will reveal the top 4 IELTS Reading books that will help you conquer the exam easily! Let's take a look!

I. Basic IELTS Reading

1. Overview

Basic IELTS Reading is the best book for IELTS Reading, consisting of 3 parts: Introduction, Reading Comprehension Practice, and Answer Key. This IELTS Reading book provides learners with a general overview of the question types in the Reading test, along with tips on how to quickly and accurately answer each question type.

2. Suitable learners

This IELTS Reading book is specifically designed for learners at a proficiency level of around 3.0 - 3.5 IELTS who are familiarizing themselves with the IELTS exam. After acquiring the knowledge and completing the exercises in this IELTS Reading book, you can achieve a band score of 4.5 or higher in the Reading skill.

3. Advantages

• Easy-to-understand lesson design: Basic IELTS Reading is a useful and effective IELTS Reading book for those who want to improve their reading comprehension skills. The lessons in this IELTS Reading book are arranged from easy to difficult, which is convenient for beginners in this skill. This IELTS Reading book is relatively easy to read and learn from due to its simple design, without being excessively long or complicated.
• Provides many tips and strategies for answering questions: This IELTS Reading practice book also includes interesting tips and strategies for answering questions, which will help you study and apply them effectively in the actual test.

4. Disadvantages

• Written entirely in English: Because the Basic IELTS Reading book is written entirely in English, it requires readers to have a certain foundational knowledge to understand the content presented in the book. 

5. Study guide

• Firstly, understand the format of each question type in the IELTS Reading test to differentiate them from different types of tasks by carefully reading Unit 1 of this IELTS Reading practice book.
• Study the techniques for handling the Reading test mentioned in Units 2 and 3.
• Practice each question type in the arranged sequence and follow the instructions in this IELTS Reading book. Pay attention to completing all the exercises in each unit in order, as this is an important guiding part that helps learners develop necessary Reading-Comprehension skills, such as guessing word meanings based on context, while also helping readers build the ability to complete various question types simultaneously.
• After completing the requirements of each reading passage, take the time to look up the meanings and learn important vocabulary from the notes section at the end of each unit in the IELTS Reading book.

II. Get Ready for IELTS Reading

1. Overview

The book Get Ready for IELTS Reading is one of the best books for IELTS Reading, consisting of 12 units, covering 12 vocabulary topics. A special feature of this IELTS Reading book is that each lesson focuses on a specific type of IELTS Reading task.

2. Suitable learners

This IELTS Reading book is most suitable for individuals with a proficiency level ranging from 3.0 to 3.5 who intend to take the IELTS exam and need a stronger foundation in practicing reading skills.

3. Advantages

• Provides hints and tips for quick completion: One highly valued aspect of this IELTS Reading book is the inclusion of hints and tips for quickly completing commonly encountered question types. Additionally, each lesson highlights common mistakes made by IELTS test-takers during the actual exam. This is crucial for candidates to avoid losing points in the IELTS exam.
• Contains useful information in each exercise: The glossary section summarizes important vocabulary and provides detailed explanations, making it easier for learners to tackle progressively challenging exercises. Moreover, the "Exam Tips" and "Watch Out" sections offer valuable information within each exercise.

4. Disadvantages 

• Written in English: This IELTS Reading book is entirely written in English, which can be a barrier for beginners.

5. Study guide

• You may not need to study the units in order, but within each unit, you must complete the sections in the specified order. This is because Part 1 prepares the vocabulary foundation for Part 2, and Part 2 develops the practical skills for Part 3, which is where the real test effectiveness lies.
• For the Reading section, it is advisable to read and analyze the answers carefully to identify your mistakes and learn from them in order to improve your band score quickly.
• To achieve the best results, you need to practice all types of questions and exercises in this IELTS Reading book.

III. Essential Reading for IELTS

1. Overview

Essential Reading for IELTS is divided into three levels: Pre-intermediate, Intermediate, and Upper-intermediate. It includes 22 lessons corresponding to 22 common topics in the IELTS exam, categorized into these three levels.

2. Suitable learners

This IELTS Reading book is suitable for learners with a proficiency level of 4.0 and above. It can help students reach a Reading proficiency equivalent to band 6.0.

3. Advantages

• Suitable for beginners preparing for IELTS: "Essential Reading for IELTS" has a logical and easily understandable system, divided into different levels, making it ideal for beginners starting with IELTS (band 4.0+). Especially the "Warm-up," "Skill Analysis," and "Skill Training" sections. These three parts guide learners step by step through the lessons, helping them study in a relaxed and comfortable manner. In particular, the Skill Analysis section provides detailed information about the required skills, helping readers understand what they need to do before moving on to the Skill Training section.
• Includes various practice exercises: This IELTS Reading book offers a diverse range of exercise types related to the IELTS Reading section. Additionally, the Workbook section provides many useful exercises along with this IELTS Reading book.

4. Disadvantages

• Less focus on vocabulary: This IELTS Reading book primarily focuses on the Reading and Comprehension skills and does not fully utilize the vocabulary related to the given topics. The exercises related to each topic do not specifically provide vocabulary instruction.
• Not suitable for test practice: The book's pace is slow, starting with basic skills rather than major strategies. Therefore, the exercises provided may have simple requirements, which may not be suitable for those who want to practice test-like exercises.

5. Study guide

• Although this IELTS Reading book is divided into topics, it does not provide extensive vocabulary support. Therefore, when studying, you need to select and learn new words from the practice sections. You can highlight these words directly in the text and write them down in your own English vocabulary notebook for further study. This approach can help you take a more proactive approach to learning.
• After completing all three levels, this IELTS Reading book also includes a Workbook section for further practice. Make sure to diligently complete all the exercises and check the detailed answers provided at the end.

IV. IELTS Advantage Reading Skills

1. Overview

The book IELTS Advantage Reading Skills is written by the author for a target band score of 6.5-7.0. It provides knowledge and skills for reading, divided into 10 lessons based on common vocabulary topics in the Reading test.

2. Suitable learners

This IELTS Reading book is suitable for learners with a proficiency level of 4.5 and above in Reading skills, aiming for high band scores of 6.5 and above. 

3. Advantages

• Strategies for each question type: To achieve a band score of 6.5-7.0, knowing the strategies for approaching each question type is an effective way to save time and accurately identify information. Therefore, each unit in this IELTS Reading book focuses on different question types, such as matching headings accompanied by skills for that question type, as well as other types like topic sentence, matching information, etc.
• Numerous practice exercises with explained answers: After reading the theory and tips for the IELTS Reading test, learners can apply them to the practice exercises in this IELTS Reading book, which come with detailed answers and explanations. The exercises consist of short, easy-to-read passages and demonstrate the effectiveness of the methods.
• Wide vocabulary range organized by topic: Learners can expand their IELTS vocabulary according to topics. New vocabulary related to each topic appears frequently, allowing learners to continuously review and remember them.

4. Disadvantages 

• 100% written in English: This IELTS Reading book is entirely written in English, with many new concepts and knowledge. It may be confusing for learners below level 5.0.
• Short application exercises: The reading questions in this IELTS Reading book only include a few short passages. Therefore, learners should practice additional IELTS Reading mock test sources to get accustomed to the length of official reading passages.

5. Study guide

• Learners should study all the content in this IELTS Reading book in order before practicing with mock tests. In particular, the curriculum requires a significant amount of study time to complete. Therefore, allocate a specific amount of time to follow a reasonable study plan.
• For example, spend 45 minutes each day studying this IELTS Reading book. Complete one unit of the book within 5 study days, and finish around 6 units in one month. By maintaining this regular schedule, you will complete the book in two months.
• Additionally, make sure to memorize all the new vocabulary provided after each lesson in this IELTS Reading practice book. Those words are important and frequently encountered in the IELTS Reading test!

These are the top 4 recommended IELTS Reading books that PREP has compiled, which are useful for effective self-study at home. Let’s save this information to add a few books to your test preparation collection!