Build an IELTS Foundation Course in WordPress

Introduction

30 Second Summary

Every year, millions of students prepare for the IELTS exam to unlock university admissions, visa approvals, and career opportunities. Many of them start at a level too low for most IELTS prep courses, leaving them without a structured path to build their English foundations first.

In this project, you will design a 4-phase IELTS master roadmap and build a complete, sell-ready Foundation course in Tutor LMS that takes learners from Pre-A2 to a solid A2 level.

What You'll Build

A professional IELTS Foundation course (Phase 1 of 4) inside WordPress with Tutor LMS, featuring 6 structured topics with lesson shells, checkpoint quizzes, homework assignments, sequential content drip, and pricing configured for enrollment.

By the end of this project, you'll have:

• A documented 4-phase IELTS roadmap covering the full learner journey from Pre-A2 to C1 (band 7.5).
• A complete Phase 1 Foundation course in Tutor LMS with 6 topics, lesson shells, quizzes, and assignments.
• Sequential content drip configured so students progress through the material in the right order, with course pricing set and the course ready to accept enrollments.
• Secret Mission: Build a diagnostic placement quiz that helps incoming students figure out which of your 4 phases they should start with.

Are there any prerequisites?

This project assumes you already have a WordPress site with Tutor LMS Pro installed and activated. You do not need any additional tools or plugins to get started.

Before We Start

Before We Start...

Design the 4-Phase IELTS Master Roadmap

Before building anything in Tutor LMS, you need a clear map of the entire learning journey. A strong roadmap prevents curriculum gaps and shows students exactly where each phase takes them.

In this step, you will create a master roadmap document that defines all 4 phases of your IELTS preparation series. The finished roadmap doubles as a marketing asset you can share with prospective students.

In this step, get ready to:

• Define all 4 phases with CEFR levels, target IELTS bands, and estimated durations.
• Create a skills matrix and assessment strategy for each phase.
• Save the roadmap as a reusable reference and marketing asset.

Define each phase with CEFR levels, target bands, and duration

Each phase of your roadmap maps to a CEFR level range, a target IELTS band score, and an estimated duration. Defining these boundaries upfront keeps each course focused and prevents content overlap between phases.

• Open Google Docs, Notion, or a text editor of your choice.
• Create a new document and title it IELTS Master Roadmap: Pre-A2 to Band 7.5.
• Add the following 4 phases to your document, including all the details listed for each one.

Phase 1: Foundation (Pre-A2 to A2) targets band 3.0-3.5 over 8-10 weeks. This phase builds the absolute basics for learners who are not yet at a solid A2 level.

• Core grammar: present simple, past simple, articles, prepositions, basic question forms.
• Essential vocabulary: 500-800 high-frequency words.
• Alphabet and spelling confidence.
• Basic reading comprehension and listening to slow, clear speech.
• Introduction to the IELTS Academic test format.

Phase 2: Elementary to Intermediate (A2 to B1) targets band 4.0-5.0 over 10-12 weeks. Students move from basic grammar into expanded structures and start working with IELTS question types.

• Expanded grammar: present perfect, comparatives, conditionals type 1, passive voice basics.
• Academic vocabulary building: 800-1500 words.
• IELTS question type familiarity across all 4 modules.
• Basic Writing Task 1 descriptions.
• Speaking Part 1 confidence.

Phase 3: Intermediate to Upper-Intermediate (B1 to B2) targets band 5.5-6.5 over 10-12 weeks. This is where students transition from learning English to practising for the exam under realistic conditions.

• Complex grammar: all conditionals, reported speech, relative clauses.
• Academic Word List expansion.
• Timed practice across all modules.
• Writing Task 1 and Task 2 structure and coherence.
• Speaking Parts 1-3 fluency.
• Reading strategies: skimming, scanning, paraphrasing.

Phase 4: Upper-Intermediate to Advanced (B2 to C1) targets band 7.0-7.5 over 8-12 weeks. Students polish their accuracy, eliminate errors, and build exam strategy for a high band score.

• Advanced grammar accuracy and range.
• Sophisticated vocabulary and collocations.
• Error elimination strategies.
• High-band Writing techniques: cohesion, lexical resource, grammatical range.
• Speaking naturalness and precision.
• Full-length timed mock tests and exam strategy optimization.

What is CEFR?

The Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR) is an international standard for describing language ability on a six-level scale: A1, A2, B1, B2, C1, and C2. IELTS does not use CEFR levels directly, but the two systems map onto each other.

A2 maps to roughly band 3.0-3.5, B1 to band 4.0-5.0, B2 to band 5.5-6.5, and C1 to band 7.0-7.5. Using CEFR levels alongside IELTS bands makes your roadmap understandable to students who come from non-IELTS backgrounds.

Why start with a Foundation phase below A2?

Most IELTS prep courses assume students are already at B1 or above. That leaves lower-level learners behind. Phase 1 fills this gap by building core grammar and vocabulary systems before introducing test-specific strategies.

Students who skip foundations struggle with IELTS question types because the language itself is still a barrier. Starting from Pre-A2 means students arrive at Phase 2 ready to engage with real IELTS content.

Define the skills matrix and assessment strategy per phase

A roadmap with phases and focus areas is a good start. To make it actionable, each phase also needs two things: can-do statements for each IELTS module and a clear assessment strategy.

Can-do statements describe what students should be able to do by the end of each phase across Listening, Reading, Writing, and Speaking. The assessment strategy defines how you will measure their progress.

• In your roadmap document, add a new section under each phase titled "Skills Matrix and Assessment".
• For each phase, write 1-2 can-do statements per IELTS module (Listening, Reading, Writing, Speaking) that describe what a student can do when they complete that phase.
• Below the can-do statements, add the assessment approach for each phase using the details below.

Phase 1 assessment: Entry diagnostic quiz, end-of-topic quizzes, and a final assessment. No timed tests at this stage. Focus entirely on accuracy and comprehension.

Phase 2 assessment: Entry level check, IELTS-format quizzes per module, a mid-course mock (untimed), and a final mock (lightly timed).

Phase 3 assessment: Entry level check, timed IELTS-format practice per module, and 2 full mock tests (timed).

Phase 4 assessment: Entry level check, weekly timed practice, 3 full mock tests under exam conditions, and a writing portfolio review.

Why does assessment intensity increase across phases?

Foundation learners (Phase 1) need to build confidence without the pressure of timed conditions. Adding time limits too early can cause anxiety and reduce performance.

By Phase 3 and 4, students must train under exam-like conditions because time management is itself a skill the IELTS tests. The progression from untimed to exam conditions mirrors how students build real readiness.

Save the roadmap as your reference and marketing asset

Your completed roadmap now has all 4 phases with CEFR levels, target bands, durations, focus areas, can-do statements, and assessment strategies. This document serves two purposes going forward.

• Save your document. You will reference it each time you build a new phase course in Tutor LMS.
• Add a visual progression chart at the top or bottom of the document. Include arrows showing the flow from Phase 1 through Phase 4, with the target band range and estimated weeks labelled on each phase.
• Use a simple horizontal flow (Phase 1 > Phase 2 > Phase 3 > Phase 4) or a vertical timeline. Either format works as long as the progression is clear at a glance.

Turn the chart into a landing page asset

The visual progression chart is a powerful marketing tool. Export it as a PDF or image and embed it in your course landing page, social media posts, or email campaigns. Students are more likely to enrol when they can see the full path ahead.

• Verify your document contains all 4 phases, each with a CEFR range, target band, duration, focus areas, can-do statements, and an assessment strategy.
• Confirm your visual progression chart clearly shows the flow from Phase 1 (Pre-A2 to A2, band 3.0-3.5) through to Phase 4 (B2 to C1, band 7.0-7.5).

Not sure what to write for the can-do statements?

Can-do statements describe observable abilities, not topics covered. For example, instead of "Learned present simple", write "Can form correct affirmative, negative, and question sentences in the present simple tense."

Help me write IELTS can-do statements for my 4-phase roadmap. Each phase maps to a CEFR level range and needs statements for Listening, Reading, Writing, and Speaking.

Your 4-phase roadmap is complete. Next up, you will break Phase 1 down into a detailed week-by-week syllabus that maps directly to Topics, Lessons, Quizzes, and Assignments inside Tutor LMS.

Design the Phase 1 Foundation Syllabus

Your 4-phase roadmap captures the full journey from Pre-A2 to band 7.5. Now it's time to zoom into Phase 1 and break it down into a detailed, week-by-week syllabus.

This syllabus maps directly to how you'll structure the course inside Tutor LMS. Every section you define here becomes a Topic, Lesson, Quiz, or Assignment in the platform.

In this step, get ready to:

• Define 6 Topics with their lessons, quizzes, and assignments for the Phase 1 Foundation course.
• Map quiz types and assignment formats to Tutor LMS features.

Define the 6 Topics for Phase 1

Your Foundation course needs a clear structure that guides students from zero confidence to solid A2 level over 10 weeks. You'll organize the course into 6 Topics, each covering a focused skill area.

What is a Topic in Tutor LMS?

In Tutor LMS, the curriculum hierarchy works like this: a Course contains Topics, and each Topic contains Lessons, Quizzes, and Assignments. Think of Topics as chapters in a textbook.

You're defining the full skeleton now so that building it in the platform later is just a matter of following your plan.

• Open your roadmap document from Step 1.
• Add a new section called Phase 1 Foundation Syllabus.
• Document each of the following 6 Topics with their lesson breakdowns, quiz names, and assignment descriptions.

Topic 1: Welcome and Diagnostic Assessment (Week 1)

• Lesson: Course overview and how to use the platform.
• Lesson: What is IELTS Academic? Covers test structure, scoring, and the four modules (Listening, Reading, Writing, Speaking).
• Diagnostic quiz to assess the student's current English level.
• Goal-setting exercise where students define their target band score and timeline.

Topic 2: Grammar Foundations Part 1 (Weeks 2-3)

• Lesson: Present simple (affirmative, negative, questions).
• Lesson: Present continuous.
• Lesson: Past simple (regular and irregular verbs).
• Lesson: Articles (a, an, the, zero article).
• Lesson: Grammar practice putting it all together.
• Quiz: Grammar Checkpoint 1.
• Assignment: Write 10 sentences using each tense correctly.

Topic 3: Grammar Foundations Part 2 (Weeks 4-5)

• Lesson: Prepositions of time and place (in, on, at).
• Lesson: Countable and uncountable nouns with quantifiers.
• Lesson: Comparative and superlative adjectives.
• Lesson: Basic question forms (who, what, where, when, why, how).
• Quiz: Grammar Checkpoint 2.
• Assignment: Error correction exercise where students find and fix grammar mistakes in a paragraph.

Topic 4: Vocabulary Building (Weeks 5-6)

• Lesson: High-frequency everyday vocabulary (family, work, education, food, travel, health).
• Lesson: Word families (noun, verb, adjective forms).
• Lesson: Basic collocations and phrases.
• Lesson: Numbers, dates, times, and spelling.
• Quiz: Vocabulary Checkpoint.
• Assignment: Create a personal vocabulary notebook with 50 words organized by topic, including example sentences.

Topic 5: Basic Listening and Reading Skills (Weeks 7-8)

• Lesson: Listening to slow, clear speech and identifying key information.
• Lesson: Understanding short written texts (signs, emails, simple articles).
• Lesson: Matching, true/false, and gap-fill practice at A2 level.
• Lesson: Introduction to IELTS Listening Section 1 format.
• Lesson: Introduction to IELTS Reading question types (simplified versions).
• Quiz: Listening and Reading Skills Checkpoint.
• Assignment: Listen to 3 short audio clips and answer comprehension questions. Read 2 short passages and complete exercises.

Topic 6: Basic Speaking and Writing Skills + Course Review (Weeks 9-10)

• Lesson: Introducing yourself and answering basic personal questions.
• Lesson: Describing familiar topics (your home, daily routine, hobbies).
• Lesson: Writing simple sentences and short paragraphs.
• Lesson: Introduction to IELTS Speaking Part 1 format.
• Lesson: Introduction to IELTS Writing Task overview.
• Lesson: Course review and progress check.
• Quiz: Final Assessment covering grammar, vocabulary, listening, and reading.
• Assignment: Record a 1-2 minute self-introduction audio. Write a short paragraph (80-100 words) describing your daily routine.

Why define lesson shells instead of full content?

You're building the complete structural skeleton of the course first. Getting the structure right is the architectural work.

You'll flesh out each lesson with detailed text, videos, and practice exercises over time using your classroom experience. The structure ensures nothing gets missed.

Overlap between Topics 4 and 5

Notice that Topic 4 (Vocabulary Building) and Topic 5 (Listening and Reading) both cover Weeks 5-6 and 7-8 respectively. Students who finish vocabulary quickly can start skills practice while still reviewing new words.

Define quiz types and assignment formats

Each Topic has a checkpoint quiz and an assignment. You need to define exactly what question types, time limits, and passing grades each one uses so you can configure them correctly in Tutor LMS later.

• Add a new section to your syllabus document called Assessment Specifications.
• Document the following quiz configurations for each Topic.

Diagnostic Quiz (Topic 1)

• Question types: Multiple Choice, Fill in the Blanks, True/False, and Matching.
• Question count: 20-25 questions.
• Time limit: None (no time pressure for a diagnostic).
• Passing grade: 0% (the purpose is assessment, not pass/fail).
• Include answer explanations so students learn from every question.

Grammar Checkpoints (Topics 2 and 3)

• Question types: Multiple Choice, Fill in the Blanks, and Matching.
• Question count: 15-20 questions per checkpoint.
• Time limit: 20 minutes.
• Passing grade: 60%.

Vocabulary Checkpoint (Topic 4)

• Question types: Matching, Fill in the Blanks, and Image Answering.
• Question count: 15 questions.
• Time limit: 15 minutes.
• Passing grade: 60%.

Skills Checkpoint (Topic 5)

• Question types: Multiple Choice, True/False, and Short Answer.
• Question count: 15 questions.
• Time limit: 20 minutes.
• Passing grade: 60%.

Final Assessment (Topic 6)

• Question types: Mixed format covering all question types from previous checkpoints.
• Question count: 30-40 questions.
• Time limit: 45 minutes.
• Passing grade: 60%.
• This quiz serves as the course completion requirement.

Why do these question types match IELTS formats?

Tutor LMS supports True/False, Multiple Choice, Single Choice, Matching, Fill in the Blanks, Short Answer, Open-Ended, Image Answering, and Ordering question types. Several of these map directly to real IELTS question formats.

Multiple Choice and True/False mirror IELTS Listening and Reading questions. Fill in the Blanks mirrors gap-fill exercises. Matching mirrors the "match headings" question type. By using these from Phase 1, students start building familiarity with IELTS patterns early.

Now document the assignment format that applies to all Topics from 2 through 6.

• Add an Assignment Specifications subsection to your Assessment Specifications section.
• Document the following standard settings that apply to every assignment:

• Submission deadline: 7 days (1 week) from when the assignment unlocks.
• Total points: 100.
• Minimum pass points: 60.
• File upload limit: 3 files per submission.
• Maximum file size: 10 MB.
• Submission method: File upload through the Tutor LMS Assignment add-on.

How does content drip affect assignments?

When you enable sequential content drip in Tutor LMS, students must submit their assignment before the next Topic unlocks. They do not need to receive a grade or pass first. They just need to submit.

This means you can review and grade assignments at your own pace without blocking student progress.

• Save your syllabus document.

Your document should now have two clear sections: the 6 Topic breakdowns with all their lessons, and the Assessment Specifications covering every quiz and assignment configuration.

Not sure if your syllabus is detailed enough?

Check that every Topic has at least 3 lessons listed, one quiz with question types and time limits specified, and one assignment with clear instructions. If any Topic feels thin, revisit the lesson breakdown from the outline above.

help me review my IELTS Foundation syllabus for completeness

Your syllabus is locked in. Next up, you'll bring this entire plan to life by creating the actual course and Topic structure inside Tutor LMS.

Create the Course and Topic Structure in Tutor LMS

Your Phase 1 Foundation syllabus maps every topic, lesson, quiz, and assignment across the full 10-week course. Now it is time to bring that blueprint into your learning platform.

In this step, you will create the actual course inside Tutor LMS, configure its settings, and build out the full Topic and Lesson hierarchy. By the end, you will have a complete course skeleton ready for assessments, content, and student enrollment.

In this step, get ready to:

• Create a new course and configure its basic settings.
• Add all 6 Topics to the course curriculum.
• Create lesson shells inside each Topic.

Create a new course and configure the basics

The Tutor LMS Course Builder is split into three sections: Basics for general settings, Curriculum for your content structure, and Additional for final configuration. You will start in the Basics section.

• In your WordPress dashboard, hover over Tutor LMS in the left sidebar.
• Click Courses.
• Click Add New to open the Course Builder.

You will land on the Basics section. Fill in the course details starting with the title.

• In the Course Title field, enter IELTS Foundation: Build Your English Base (Phase 1 of 4).
• In the description editor below the title, write a compelling course description.

What to include in your course description

Cover three things in your description:

• Who the course is for: complete beginners and Pre-A2 English learners preparing for IELTS Academic.
• What students will achieve: solid A2 level, IELTS band 3.0-3.5, and readiness for Phase 2.
• What is included: 6 modules covering grammar, vocabulary, listening, reading, speaking, and writing, plus quizzes and assignments.

• Scroll down to Course Level and select Beginner.
• Set Course Duration to 10 weeks.
• In the Category section, click Add New Category.
• Enter IELTS Preparation and click the button to create it.
• Check the box next to IELTS Preparation to assign the category to your course.
• In the Tags field, type each tag and press Enter after each one.

Add these 5 tags: IELTS, Foundation, Beginner English, A2, Grammar.

• In the Course Thumbnail area, click to upload a professional course image.
• Click Save as Draft to save your progress.

What makes a good course thumbnail?

Use a clean, professional image related to IELTS or English learning. If possible, overlay the course title or phase number so students can instantly tell which course this is.

A strong thumbnail helps your course stand out on the course listing page and builds trust with prospective students.

Don't see Tutor LMS in the sidebar?

Make sure the Tutor LMS plugin is installed and activated. Go to Plugins in your WordPress dashboard and check that Tutor LMS shows as Active.

If you just activated the plugin, refresh the page. The Tutor LMS menu item should appear in the left sidebar.

Help me troubleshoot why Tutor LMS is not appearing in my WordPress sidebar.

Add all 6 Topics to the curriculum

In Tutor LMS, Topics are the top-level containers inside a course. They work like chapters, grouping related lessons, quizzes, and assignments together.

• In the Course Builder, click the Curriculum tab at the top.
• Click + Add Topic to create your first Topic.

Add each of the following 6 Topics. For each one, enter the title and summary text, then click + Add Topic again for the next.

• Topic 1 title: Welcome and Diagnostic Assessment. Summary: "Get oriented with the course platform, understand the IELTS Academic test, and take a diagnostic quiz to establish your starting point."
• Topic 2 title: Grammar Foundations Part 1. Summary: "Master present simple, present continuous, past simple, and articles through structured lessons and practice."
• Topic 3 title: Grammar Foundations Part 2. Summary: "Build on your grammar with prepositions, countable/uncountable nouns, comparatives, and question forms."
• Topic 4 title: Vocabulary Building. Summary: "Expand your vocabulary across essential everyday topics and learn word families and basic collocations."
• Topic 5 title: Basic Listening and Reading Skills. Summary: "Develop core comprehension skills and get your first taste of IELTS-style listening and reading questions."
• Topic 6 title: Basic Speaking and Writing Skills + Course Review. Summary: "Practice speaking and writing at A2 level, learn IELTS Speaking and Writing formats, and take your final assessment."

• After adding all 6 Topics, verify they appear in order from Topic 1 through Topic 6.
• If any are out of order, drag and drop them into the correct sequence.
• Click Save as Draft to save your progress.

Why does Topic order matter?

When you enable content drip in a later step, Tutor LMS locks content sequentially based on this order. Students will start with Topic 1 and must complete each Topic before unlocking the next.

Getting the order right now saves you from rearranging content after students have already enrolled.

Topics not appearing in the Curriculum?

Make sure you clicked + Add Topic and entered at least a title before moving on to the next one.

Try refreshing the page and returning to the Curriculum tab to check if the Topics saved correctly.

Help me figure out why my Topics are not showing up in the Tutor LMS Curriculum tab.

Add lesson shells to each Topic

Lesson shells are placeholder lessons with titles and brief descriptions. You do not need to write full lesson content now.

Creating the shells gives you a complete course skeleton. You can fill each lesson with text, videos, and resources over time based on your classroom teaching experience.

Why build lesson shells first?

Getting the full structure into Tutor LMS is the architectural work. Once every lesson has a title and a place in the curriculum, you can write content for any lesson in any order without losing track of the overall plan.

It also lets you configure quizzes, assignments, and content drip on top of a complete skeleton before writing a single paragraph of teaching material.

• Inside Topic 1: Welcome and Diagnostic Assessment, click + Lesson.
• Enter the lesson title and a short description based on your Phase 1 syllabus.
• Repeat for each lesson in that Topic, then move on to the next Topic.

Here are all the lesson titles to add inside each Topic.

Topic 1: Welcome and Diagnostic Assessment (3 lessons):

• Course Overview and How to Use the Platform.
• What is IELTS Academic? (Test Structure, Scoring, Modules).
• Goal-Setting Exercise.

Topic 2: Grammar Foundations Part 1 (5 lessons):

• Present Simple: Affirmative, Negative, and Questions.
• Present Continuous: What's Happening Now.
• Past Simple: Regular and Irregular Verbs.
• Articles: A, An, The, and Zero Article.
• Grammar Practice: Putting It All Together.

Topic 3: Grammar Foundations Part 2 (4 lessons):

• Prepositions of Time and Place (In, On, At).
• Countable and Uncountable Nouns with Quantifiers.
• Comparative and Superlative Adjectives.
• Basic Question Forms (Who, What, Where, When, Why, How).

Topic 4: Vocabulary Building (4 lessons):

• High-Frequency Everyday Vocabulary (Family, Work, Education, Food, Travel, Health).
• Word Families (Noun, Verb, Adjective Forms).
• Basic Collocations and Phrases.
• Numbers, Dates, Times, and Spelling.

Topic 5: Basic Listening and Reading Skills (5 lessons):

• Listening to Slow, Clear Speech and Identifying Key Information.
• Understanding Short Written Texts (Signs, Emails, Simple Articles).
• Matching, True/False, and Gap-Fill Practice at A2 Level.
• Introduction to IELTS Listening Section 1 Format.
• Introduction to IELTS Reading Question Types (Simplified Versions).

Topic 6: Basic Speaking and Writing Skills + Course Review (6 lessons):

• Introducing Yourself and Answering Basic Personal Questions.
• Describing Familiar Topics (Your Home, Daily Routine, Hobbies).
• Writing Simple Sentences and Short Paragraphs.
• Introduction to IELTS Speaking Part 1 Format.
• Introduction to IELTS Writing Task Overview.
• Course Review and Progress Check.

• After adding all 27 lesson shells across the 6 Topics, click Save as Draft.
• Expand each Topic in the Curriculum tab and verify that every lesson appears under the correct Topic.

What about quizzes and assignments?

You are only adding lesson shells in this step. Quizzes and assignments live alongside lessons inside each Topic, but you will build those in the next step.

Lessons ended up in the wrong Topic?

Tutor LMS supports drag-and-drop reordering in the Curriculum tab. Drag any misplaced lesson from one Topic into the correct one.

If drag-and-drop is not working, delete the lesson from the wrong Topic and recreate it inside the correct one.

Help me reorganize my Tutor LMS lessons into the correct Topics.

Your course skeleton is in place with all 6 Topics and 27 lesson shells. Next up, you will add quizzes and assignments that turn this structure into an interactive learning experience.

Build Quizzes and Assignments

Your course now has a solid skeleton with 6 Topics and lesson shells inside each one. The structure looks right, but without assessments it is just a collection of pages.

Assessments are what turn passive reading into active learning. In this step, you will add quizzes and assignments to every Topic in your Tutor LMS course. You will start with a diagnostic quiz that measures where students are right now, then layer in checkpoint quizzes and homework assignments that keep them accountable throughout the IELTS Foundation journey.

In this step, get ready to:

• Create a diagnostic quiz in Topic 1 to assess incoming student levels.
• Build checkpoint quizzes for Topics 2 through 6 with time limits, randomized questions, and feedback.
• Add homework assignments to Topics 2 through 6 with file upload settings and grading criteria.

Create the diagnostic quiz in Topic 1

The diagnostic quiz is the first thing new students interact with. Its job is to reveal their current English level so they can set realistic goals for the Foundation phase.

• In the Course Builder, navigate to the Curriculum tab.
• Expand Topic 1: Welcome and Diagnostic Assessment.
• Click + Quiz inside Topic 1.
• Enter the Quiz Title: Diagnostic Assessment: What's Your Starting Level?.
• Set Time Limit to 0 (no time limit).
• Set Passing Grade to 0%.
• Set Quiz Attempts to 1.

Why set passing grade to 0%?

This quiz is purely for assessment, not grading. You want every student to complete it regardless of their score. A 0% passing grade means no one "fails" the diagnostic.

The single attempt limit is also intentional. You want an honest snapshot of their current level, not an improved score from a second try.

Now add 20 to 25 questions to the diagnostic quiz. These questions should cover the foundational skills your course addresses.

• Add 5 Multiple Choice questions on basic grammar (verb tenses, articles).
• Add 5 Fill in the Blanks questions on vocabulary (everyday words, common phrases).
• Add 5 True/False questions on reading comprehension (short sentences).
• Add 5 Matching questions (match words to definitions).
• Add answer explanations to every question by filling in the Answer Explanation field when creating each question.

Why add answer explanations to a diagnostic?

Even though this quiz is for assessment, the explanations turn it into a learning moment. Students see where they went wrong and get a preview of what the course will teach them. This builds trust in your course from the very first interaction.

• Click Save on the quiz.

You should see the diagnostic quiz listed inside Topic 1 alongside your lesson shells.

Don't see the + Quiz button?

Make sure you are inside the Curriculum tab of the Course Builder, not the Basics tab. The + Quiz button only appears when you expand a Topic.

If you still cannot find it, confirm that Tutor LMS Pro is activated under Plugins in your WordPress dashboard. Help me troubleshoot the missing quiz button in Tutor LMS.

Create checkpoint quizzes for Topics 2 through 6

Checkpoint quizzes serve a different purpose from the diagnostic. They test whether students actually learned the material in each Topic before moving on.

• Expand Topic 2: Grammar Foundations Part 1 in the Curriculum tab.
• Click + Quiz.
• Enter the Quiz Title: Grammar Checkpoint 1.
• Set Time Limit to 20 minutes.
• Set Passing Grade to 60%.
• Enable Randomize Questions.
• Enable Quiz Feedback Mode so students see explanations after submitting.
• Add 15 to 20 questions using Multiple Choice, Fill in the Blanks, and Matching question types.
• Click Save.

Why enable randomized questions and feedback mode?

Randomizing questions prevents students from memorizing the answer order if they retake the quiz. Feedback mode shows the correct answer and your explanation after they submit, which reinforces learning even when they get a question wrong.

Now repeat this process for Topics 3 through 6. Use the quiz specifications from your Phase 1 syllabus. Here is a reference for each:

• Topic 3 - Quiz Title: Grammar Checkpoint 2. Time Limit: 20 minutes. Question types: Multiple Choice, Fill in the Blanks, Matching. Questions: 15 to 20.
• Topic 4 - Quiz Title: Vocabulary Checkpoint. Time Limit: 15 minutes. Question types: Matching, Fill in the Blanks, Image Answering. Questions: 15.
• Topic 5 - Quiz Title: Listening and Reading Skills Checkpoint. Time Limit: 20 minutes. Question types: Multiple Choice, True/False, Short Answer. Questions: 15.
• Topic 6 - Quiz Title: Final Assessment. Time Limit: 45 minutes. Question types: mixed format covering all skills from previous topics. Questions: 30 to 40.

What makes the Final Assessment different?

The Final Assessment in Topic 6 is a comprehensive quiz that draws questions from all previous Topics. It covers grammar, vocabulary, listening, and reading. Set the passing grade to 60% to match the checkpoint quizzes.

With 30 to 40 questions and a 45-minute time limit, this quiz mirrors the pacing pressure of the real IELTS exam at a beginner-appropriate scale.

• For each quiz in Topics 3 through 6, set Passing Grade to 60%.
• Enable Randomize Questions on each quiz.
• Enable Quiz Feedback Mode on each quiz.
• Add answer explanations to every question across all quizzes.
• Click Save after completing each quiz.

Each Topic in your Curriculum tab should now show its quiz listed alongside the lesson shells.

Quiz not appearing inside the correct Topic?

Make sure you clicked + Quiz from inside the correct Topic, not from the top-level Curriculum area. If a quiz ended up in the wrong Topic, you can drag and drop it to the right location using the Tutor LMS reorder handles.

Help me fix quiz placement in my Tutor LMS curriculum.

Add assignments to Topics 2 through 6

Quizzes test knowledge, but assignments test application. Each assignment asks students to produce something original, which is exactly the kind of practice that builds real English skills.

• Expand Topic 2: Grammar Foundations Part 1 in the Curriculum tab.
• Click + Assignment inside the Topic.
• Enter the assignment title: Write 10 Sentences Using Each Tense Correctly.
• Write detailed instructions in the content area explaining what students need to submit (10 sentences demonstrating present simple, present continuous, and past simple usage).
• Set Time Limit to 7 days (1 week).
• Set Total Points to 100.
• Set Minimum Pass Points to 60.
• Set File Upload Limit to 3 files.
• Set Maximum File Size to 10 MB.
• Attach any reference materials, templates, or example files the student might need.
• Click Save.

What do the assignment settings control?

The 7-day time limit gives students a full week to complete their homework without rushing. Students submit their work by uploading files through the Course Journey Page.

You evaluate submitted assignments from the Tutor LMS frontend or backend dashboard. The 60-point minimum pass threshold tells students what "good enough" looks like while still giving you flexibility in grading.

Now repeat this process for Topics 3 through 6 using the same settings. Here are the assignment titles and instructions for each:

• Topic 3 - Title: Error Correction Exercise. Instructions: find and fix grammar mistakes in a provided paragraph.
• Topic 4 - Title: Personal Vocabulary Notebook. Instructions: create a vocabulary notebook with 50 words organized by topic, including example sentences for each.
• Topic 5 - Title: Listening and Reading Comprehension Practice. Instructions: listen to 3 short audio clips and answer comprehension questions, then read 2 short passages and complete exercises.
• Topic 6 - Title: Self-Introduction Audio and Daily Routine Paragraph. Instructions: record a 1 to 2 minute self-introduction audio and write a short paragraph (80 to 100 words) describing your daily routine.

• For each assignment in Topics 3 through 6, apply the same settings: 7 days time limit, 100 total points, 60 minimum pass points, 3 file upload limit, and 10 MB maximum file size.
• Attach relevant reference materials or templates to each assignment.
• Click Save after completing each assignment.

Expand each Topic in the Curriculum tab to verify that every Topic from 2 through 6 now shows its lessons, quiz, and assignment listed together.

Don't see the + Assignment button?

The Assignments feature is a Tutor LMS Pro add-on. Go to Tutor LMS > Add-ons in your WordPress sidebar and make sure the Assignments add-on is enabled. If it is already enabled, try refreshing the Course Builder page.

Help me enable the Assignments add-on in Tutor LMS Pro.

Your course now has teeth. Every Topic includes a quiz to test understanding and an assignment to build real skills. Next up, you will configure content drip so students progress through this material in the right order.

Configure Content Drip and Course Flow

Your course now has a full assessment layer with diagnostic quizzes, checkpoint tests, and homework assignments across all 6 Topics.

Right now, a student could jump straight to Topic 5 without ever touching the grammar lessons in Topics 2 and 3. That defeats the purpose of a foundation course. Content Drip solves this by locking content behind a progression gate, so students move through the material in the exact order you designed.

In this step, get ready to:

• Enable sequential Content Drip so students progress through the course in order.
• Set the course completion requirement to the Final Assessment quiz.
• Preview the full student experience to verify everything works.

Enable and configure Content Drip

Content Drip controls when students can access each piece of content in your course. For a foundation course, sequential access is essential. Students need to master grammar basics in Topics 2-3 before attempting skills practice in Topics 5-6.

• In the Course Builder for your IELTS Foundation course, click the Basics tab.
• Scroll down to the Content Drip section.
• Select Course content available sequentially.

What does sequential Content Drip do?

When sequential drip is enabled, students must complete each lesson before the next one unlocks. For quizzes, they need to attempt the quiz. For assignments, they need to submit their work.

An important detail: students do not need to pass a quiz to proceed. They only need to attempt it. This keeps students moving forward while still exposing them to every assessment.

Why sequential instead of the other drip types?

Tutor LMS offers four Content Drip types: schedule by date, days from enrollment, sequential, and prerequisites-based. Sequential is the best fit here because it requires zero per-lesson configuration. You set it once and every lesson, quiz, and assignment automatically locks behind the previous item.

For later phases where students are more independent, prerequisites-based drip may give you more flexibility.

Set course completion requirements

Course completion defines what "finishing" the course means for your students. For Phase 1, the finish line is the Final Assessment quiz in Topic 6.

• In the Course Builder, click the Additional tab.
• Find the Course Completion setting.
• Ensure course completion is tied to completing the Final Assessment quiz in Topic 6.

What about prerequisites for this course?

Phase 1 is your entry point, so it has no prerequisites. Leave the prerequisites setting empty.

When you build Phase 2 later, you can use the Course Prerequisites add-on to require students to complete Phase 1 first. This creates a clear progression path across your entire 4-phase series.

• Click Save or Update to save your changes.

Preview the student experience

Before moving to pricing, you need to see the course the way a student would see it. Tutor LMS lets you preview the course to catch ordering issues or misconfigured settings before anyone enrolls.

• Click Preview to open the course as a student would see it.
• Verify that all 6 Topics appear in the correct order, from Topic 1 (Welcome and Diagnostic Assessment) through Topic 6 (Basic Speaking and Writing Skills + Course Review).
• Check that lessons within each Topic are ordered logically, matching the sequence you defined in your syllabus.
• Confirm that Content Drip locks are working. Only Topic 1 content should be initially accessible.
• Open a quiz to verify the question types and time limits display correctly.
• Open an assignment to verify the instructions, deadline, and upload settings appear properly.
• Navigate through a lesson in Topic 1 to confirm the course progress bar updates as content is completed.

Topics or lessons in the wrong order?

Go back to the Curriculum tab in the Course Builder. Tutor LMS supports drag-and-drop reordering. Drag any Topic or lesson into the correct position, then save and preview again.

If Content Drip locks are not appearing, double-check that you selected Course content available sequentially in the Basics tab and saved the course.

Help me troubleshoot Content Drip locks and Topic ordering in my Tutor LMS course.

Your course structure is locked in and flowing in the right order. Next up, you will set the price and publish your course so students can start enrolling.

Set Up Pricing and Publish

Your course structure is locked in. Sequential content drip ensures students progress through the material in the right order. You have previewed the full student experience and confirmed everything works.

A great course needs more than great content to attract students. In this step, you will set pricing, build a compelling listing page, and publish your Foundation course so it is ready to accept real enrollments.

In this step, get ready to:

• Set the pricing model with a regular price and purchase type.
• Configure the course listing page with learning outcomes, audience details, and a preview lesson.
• Publish the course and verify it is live for prospective students.

Set the pricing model

Your course is currently saved as a free draft. To start accepting payments, you need to switch the pricing model and set your price point.

• In the Course Builder, click the Basics tab.
• Scroll down to the Pricing Model section.
• Select Paid to switch from the default free option.
• Enter your chosen price in the Regular Price field.

What price should I set?

Foundation IELTS courses for self-paced online learning typically range from $29 to $79. Consider your target market and the depth of content you plan to add.

You can always adjust the price later as you flesh out the course with full lesson content, video recordings, and downloadable resources.

• If you want to offer a launch discount, enter a lower price in the Sale Price field.
• Under Purchase Options, select One-time purchase only.

Why one-time purchase for now?

One-time purchase keeps things simple when you have a single course. Once you build all four phases, you can create a Course Bundle in Tutor LMS that offers a subscription or discounted package deal.

Configure the course listing page

The listing page is what prospective students see before they decide to enroll. A clear, specific listing builds trust and helps students confirm this course is right for them.

• Scroll to the What You'll Learn section in the Basics tab.
• Add 5-6 concrete outcomes describing what students will be able to do after completing the course.

Here are example outcomes you can use or adapt for your listing:

• Build confidence with core English grammar including present simple, past simple, and articles.
• Grow your vocabulary to 500-800 high-frequency English words.
• Understand the IELTS Academic test format across all four modules.
• Practice basic listening and reading comprehension at A2 level.
• Start developing speaking and writing skills for IELTS preparation.
• Complete a diagnostic assessment and track your progress through checkpoint quizzes.

• Scroll to the Target Audience field.
• Enter: Pre-A2 and A2 English learners preparing for IELTS Academic.
• Scroll to the Requirements field.
• Enter: No prior IELTS experience needed. Basic English literacy required.

• Scroll to the Course Materials Included section.
• Enter a list of resources you plan to include, such as downloadable vocabulary lists, grammar reference sheets, practice worksheets, and listening audio files.

List materials you plan to create

You do not need these materials ready right now. The listing describes what students will receive as you flesh out the course content over time. Think of it as a commitment to your future course development.

Enabling a preview lesson lets prospective students sample your content before purchasing. This builds confidence in the quality of your course.

• Navigate to the Curriculum tab in the Course Builder.
• Expand Topic 1 (Welcome and Diagnostic Assessment).
• Click on the first lesson (your course overview lesson).
• Enable the Course Preview toggle for this lesson.
• Click Save to apply the change.

Why enable a Course Preview?

Course Preview is a Tutor LMS Pro feature that makes a specific lesson accessible to non-enrolled users. Students can watch or read the preview lesson without purchasing, which reduces hesitation and increases enrollment confidence.

Publish and verify the course

Everything is configured. Time to make the course live and verify it looks correct from a prospective student's perspective.

• Click Publish at the top of the Course Builder to make the course live.

Now verify the course as a prospective student would see it.

• Open a new incognito or private browsing window.
• Visit your course page URL as a logged-out user.
• Verify the price displays correctly on the course page.
• Click the preview lesson in Topic 1 and confirm it is accessible without purchasing.
• Confirm the enrollment or purchase button is visible and functional.
• Navigate to your IELTS Preparation category page and verify the course appears there.

Course not showing up?

Make sure you clicked Publish, not just Save Draft. Only published courses appear on the frontend.

If the category page is empty, check that you assigned the IELTS Preparation category to the course in the Basics tab. Also try clearing your browser cache or using a fresh incognito window if you see stale content.

If the preview lesson is locked behind a paywall, go back to the Curriculum tab, open the lesson, and confirm the Course Preview toggle is enabled.

Still stuck? Help me troubleshoot why my Tutor LMS course is not appearing on the frontend after publishing.

Once all six checks pass, your course is officially live. Students can browse the listing, preview the first lesson, and purchase access to the full Foundation course.

Secret mission

Build a Diagnostic Placement Quiz

What if your students could find out exactly where to start before they enroll? Build a free placement quiz that routes incoming students to the right phase of your IELTS course series. This becomes your most powerful lead generation tool and dramatically reduces refund requests.

Before you go

Clean Up Your Resources

Decide whether to keep your resources running, pause them to come back later, or delete them entirely. This project runs entirely on your existing WordPress site with Tutor LMS Pro, so there are no additional ongoing costs beyond your current hosting and plugin subscription.

Resources you used:

• 4-phase IELTS master roadmap document (Google Doc, Notion, or text file).
• Phase 1 Foundation course in Tutor LMS ("IELTS Foundation: Build Your English Base (Phase 1 of 4)").
• 6 Topics with lesson shells, checkpoint quizzes, and assignments inside the Foundation course.
• "IELTS Preparation" course category in WordPress.
• Course thumbnail image uploaded to your media library.
• Diagnostic Placement Quiz mini-course (if you completed the Secret Mission).

Keep everything running

No action needed. Choose this if you are ready to start fleshing out your lesson content, recording videos, or building Phases 2 through 4.

• Your published course is live and accepting enrollments at the price you configured.
• Your roadmap document is saved and ready to reference when you build the remaining phases.
• Content drip is active, so any student who enrolls will progress through Topics sequentially.

Pause - I'll come back to this later

Switch the course to Draft mode so it is no longer visible to students. This keeps all your work intact but hides it from public view.

• In your WordPress dashboard, go to Tutor LMS > Courses.
• Find your Foundation course and click Edit.
• Change the status from Published to Draft.
• If you completed the Secret Mission, repeat this for the Diagnostic Placement Quiz mini-course.
• Keep your roadmap document saved. You will need it when building Phases 2 through 4.

Delete - I don't want to use this again

Remove all project resources and start fresh. This permanently deletes your course structure, quizzes, and assignments.

• In your WordPress dashboard, go to Tutor LMS > Courses.
• Find the Foundation course, click Trash, then empty the trash to permanently delete it.
• If you completed the Secret Mission, also delete the Diagnostic Placement Quiz mini-course.
• Go to Posts > Categories and delete the "IELTS Preparation" category if you no longer need it.
• Go to Media > Library and delete the course thumbnail image you uploaded.
• Delete your roadmap document from Google Docs, Notion, or wherever you saved it.

Mission accomplished

That's a Wrap!

Nice work! You just built a professional, sell-ready IELTS Foundation course from scratch and published it for the world to enroll in.

You've learned how to:

• Design a 4-phase IELTS master roadmap that maps the full learner journey from Pre-A2 to CEFR C1 (band 7.5), complete with skills matrices and assessment strategies per phase.
• Build a fully structured Phase 1 course in Tutor LMS with 6 topics, lesson shells, checkpoint quizzes, homework assignments, and sequential content drip to enforce the right learning order.
• Configure course pricing, a compelling listing page, and publish the course so it is live and ready to accept student enrollments.
• Secret Mission: Build a free diagnostic placement quiz that routes incoming students to the right phase and doubles as a lead generation tool.

Ready to quiz yourself?