IELTS Liz Review: Free IELTS Lessons from a Former IELTS Examiner
IELTS Liz is a free IELTS preparation site run by a former IELTS examiner. It offers model band-9 essays, Writing structures, Speaking cue card walkthroughs, and exam strategies — for both Academic and General Training. Here's what students and teachers actually get, what works for self-study, and what to pair it with.Ready to try IELTS Liz?
"Advice comes from someone who has actually marked IELTS papers — rare to find for free."
Best for
Self-study students and teachers who want band-9 model answers and examiner-level advice on IELTS Writing.
Pricing
Free (paid eBooks and courses optional)
Pro tip — heads up before you bookmark it
A note on scope
IELTS Liz's free content is strongest on Writing. Listening and Reading are covered but less developed — pair with official Cambridge practice tests for balanced prep.
What is IELTS Liz?
IELTS Liz is a free IELTS preparation website run by Liz, an experienced English teacher who previously worked as an IELTS examiner. The site has been online for over a decade and is one of the most widely recommended free resources for IELTS candidates.
The site is organized around the four IELTS sections:
- Writing Task 1 — model answers for Academic (graphs, charts, diagrams) and General Training (letters)
- Writing Task 2 — essay structures, opinion/discussion/advantage-disagree templates, sample band-7, band-8, and band-9 essays
- Speaking — cue card walkthroughs, band descriptors explained, common mistakes
- Reading and Listening — strategy videos, question-type breakdowns, practice tips
What separates IELTS Liz from most free resources is the examiner perspective. Liz explains not just what to write, but how examiners score — task response, coherence, lexical resource, grammatical range. That lens is hard to find outside paid courses.
The interface is plain — essentially a blog with embedded YouTube videos. No login, no progress tracking, no app. For learners who want a structured curriculum, the site sells eBooks and self-study courses, but the free content is substantive on its own.
How teachers and students use it
IELTS Liz works best for these specific things:
- Writing model answers: the band-9 essays are the single most useful free reference for IELTS Writing Task 2. Students can compare their own draft against a scored sample.
- Examiner perspective: Liz explains band descriptors in plain English. Teachers use these videos to train students on what examiners actually reward.
- Speaking cue card practice: short video walkthroughs of common cue cards give students a model structure (opinion → example → conclusion) they can replicate.
- Self-study warm-ups: a 10-minute video per day covers one strategy. Suitable for students with 4–8 weeks of prep time.
- Teacher training: ESL teachers preparing students for IELTS use the model answers to calibrate their own marking against real examiner standards.
Is it worth your time?
Yes — particularly for IELTS Writing. If a student only has time for one free resource, IELTS Liz should be it for Writing Task 1 and Task 2. The examiner background shows up in the quality of advice on lexical resource, coherence, and task response.
For the other sections (Speaking, Reading, Listening), the content is solid but not unique — most major free IELTS sites cover similar ground. Pair IELTS Liz with a Listening/Reading specialist (official Cambridge practice tests, IELTS Podcast) for balanced prep.
Honest recommendation: use IELTS Liz as your primary Writing reference, supplement with official Cambridge practice tests for Reading/Listening, and add IELTS Podcast for weekly motivation and exam technique. Budget for at least one paid Writing correction (Liz's own service or another ex-IELTS examiner) to get personalized feedback.
The honest pros and cons
What works
- Examiner perspective Author has actually marked IELTS papers. Advice maps to real scoring.
- Model answers for every task Band 7, 8, and 9 samples for Writing Task 1 and Task 2.
- Free core content All main videos and model answers are free, no signup.
- Plain-English explanations Band descriptors and exam criteria explained simply.
- Long-running reputation 10+ years of content. Well-known in the IELTS community.
- Both Academic and General Covers both IELTS modules, not just Academic.
What doesn't
- Writing-heavy Listening and Reading sections are less developed than Writing.
- No progress tracking No account, no dashboard, no quiz scoring. You track externally.
- Blog-style interface No mobile app, no offline download. Plain site.
- Some videos dated Older videos reference the old band score scale. Mostly minor.
- Free = unstructured No guided curriculum. You have to build your own study plan.
- Paid upsells eBooks and courses are promoted aggressively throughout the site.
Best alternatives
If IELTS Liz isn't a fit, these are the resources teachers actually switch to:
IELTS Podcast
Free tutorials and audio lessons from ex-IELTS examiners, covers all four sections.
British Council — Learn English
Official IELTS prep content from one of the test's governing bodies. Free, structured.
BBC Learning English
Free listening and general English practice. Useful Listening warm-ups before IELTS.
ESL Brains
Lesson plans built around TED talks and authentic videos. Strong on discussion skills.
Teach-This.com
3,000+ printable ESL worksheets, CEFR-aligned, updated monthly.
Frequently asked questions
What is IELTS Liz?
Is IELTS Liz really free?
Who is IELTS Liz for?
Does IELTS Liz cover all four IELTS sections?
Can teachers use IELTS Liz in class?
Is IELTS Liz better than other free IELTS resources?
What are the best alternatives to IELTS Liz?
Ready to study IELTS with examiner-level advice?
Free, no signup, written by someone who has marked the test. Bookmark IELTS Liz for Writing model answers — it is the single best free resource for IELTS Writing Task 1 and Task 2.
Visit IELTS Liz