The IELTS Preparation Course & Practice Test follows closely the structure of the actual IELTS exam. The course consists of five modules: introduction, listening, reading, writing, speaking and, finally, a complete practice test.

In all parts of the course there are detailed explanations and discovery exercises, useful tips for candidates and a wealth of interactive practice material. This includes a variety of different reading and listening texts, and extensive use of videoclips of sample interviews from the speaking test. A wide range of exercise types and authentic exam tasks aim at providing opportunities for genuine practice, while motivating candidates with a high degree of participation at all stages.

The Self-Study Book is a user-friendly reference guide which includes a description of the exam, strategies, tips and transcripts. It also includes the entire Practice Test with answers and feedback, such as why certain answers are correct or incorrect.

The CD-ROM offers the full Preparation Course and Practice Test in an interactive format. It guides the user through the skills needed to pass the IELTS exam, with a variety of tasks and activities in all the sections. The CD-ROM provides instant feedback on the Practice Test. The visually attractive materials, the high quality of the listening material and the wide variety of exercise types and activities help to make practising for the Cambridge IELTS exam a meaningful and fun experience.

An innovative and distinctive feature of the McGraw-Hill Exam Preparation Series is the Personal Tutor option. This service is available at a reasonable cost to any user of the Exam Preparation Series. It provides a personal tutor to guide and assess students in the Speaking and Writing sections of each exam via telephone and email contact. This service is designed to provide users with a high quality preparation and a clear advantage when sitting the exam, although students who decide to use only the Self-Study Guide also receive a thorough preparation. This service is entirely optional. Additional information and access to the Personal Tutor option is available on the IELTS website.