SIT DOWN BECAUSE ITS GOING TO BE VERY LONG

First of all, my exams didn’t go as good as I anticipated. Listening was bad because I have tinnitus and although headphones provided were top notch, I couldn’t manage it well due to my hearing impairment. Reading was easier than mock tests. I purposely chose the hardest mock tests and I was literally scoring 6.0-6.5 in them, so I thought reading is my weakest section. I wasn’t confident in writing because Gemini consistently graded me 6.5 with occasional 7.0. In mock tests and chatgpt, I scored 7.0-8.0 in speaking, so I was relaxed in it. But my speaking examiner kept interrupting me. I knew why she might be interrupting but she was literally impatient. I thought I had performed horribly in my speaking assessment.

TIPS

LISTENING

1. I practiced with 1.30x speed. I could barely score 27-33 in those, but I was chill since I knew that I would be able to perform well in the exam.
2. Practiced map questions intensely as I’m the weakest in that.

READING
My weakest skill amongst all.

1. Purposely chose hard mock tests to push myself.
2. Heavily utilized the highlighter tool.
3. Highlighted normal key words, but took a note of lines that had the answer and numbered them.
4. In TFNG questions, I had a straight approach. Read the questions first. Search for answers. See if it matches the question. If yes, then it’s true, if no then it’s false, if there is no info as such then not given.
5. Wore the headset even after listening to distract myself from the noise which helped me focus better.

WRITING
I wasn’t very confident although I have good writing skills in general.

1. Before practicing for computer based assessment, I wrote in a notebook because I focus better here.
2. I kept scrutinizing myself with the help of Gemini and correcting mistakes with a red pen as you can see in the pictures attached.
3. Made notes for relevant vocabulary that was helpful for me.
4. Primarily focused on Task Response and cohesion.

SPEAKING

1. I practiced it from chatgpt and mock tests.
2. Asked chatgpt to always ask me uneasy, abrupt and uncomfortable questions to assess how I form answers under exam stress.
3. Gave timed responses.
4. Made sure to smile and keep the environment light.

I feel I could’ve scored higher if the speaking examiner was a little patient, but I’m happy with the results since I didn’t get proper time to prepare. If you have any doubts, you may ask.

Just remember: TRAIN HARDER TO FIGHT EASIER

Basically I was really nervous during the speaking test so I ended up getting a low score, but yeah I am happy with my overall result!!

Took the test recently, I've described my study plan in the comments.

Feel free to ask questions.

GUYS HELP WHY WRITING IS SO LOW??? Should I retake it or is it okay
P.S. I am not applying to any extremely prestigious universities tho

my first attempt did not go how i wanted, so i changed how i practiced instead of just doing more mock tests. finally got the score i needed. honestly didn’t expect to feel this relieved

holy i did not think i would get more than 7.5

So Basically my test day is in 2 days from now, and so far in my preparation i've improved in all parts, except writing, it just feels impossible and so frustrating, and the problem with me os actually the lack of ideas, especially on task one, when i see a graph my mind just freezs I wouldn't say things are similar in task 2 but this is stressing me so much and i need help please

I have speaking exam on 30 oct but the website was showing just the time of exam thts 1pm but no entry exit time and what all to carry ... And my rlw is on 31st .. so will I get any mail regarding spekaing and what all I have to carry with me

Hello! My mother is trying to pass the Ielts and found out today that her Oral is supposed to take place at 3am? Is this normal? Was there a mistake????

That's INSANE?!?!

International Indian student. Target: stony brook mscs, sjsu msse, Purdue mscs, and nyu tandon mscs. My scores clears requirements for all colleges but should i retake to have more chance of admit. Is it really needed. I mailed sjsu and department told me ielts is just required for clearing english cutoff. Admission process solely depends on other factors. And also advice for TA as it needs ielts speaking score but I think I am fresher with no work experience. I don't think i have a chance for TA.

please give me some tips, how not to be so nervous.
my test is on 29 oct
i’m an introvert and i can’t imagine how hard ielts speaking will be for me
im worried about writing and speaking parts
and i’m going to drink a cup of double espresso before my test. i’m hoping it will help me

Hi guys, I'm planning to take my IELTS test in December. I've been practicing through IELTS online tests. The best I could score in reading and listening was 8, and I've been getting a band 7 or 6.5 consistently. I'm at the point where I've started to doubt my English skills. Any recommendations on what I should do? I'm terrified that I'll score badly on the IELTS.

Hey guys, I’m from Pune, India. With the new IELTS rules, do we now have to take the Speaking test via video call, or can it still be conducted face-to-face with an examiner?
Would appreciate it if anyone who has recently taken IELTS in Pune could share their experience. Thanks!

Hi, everyone. I got a band 8 in IELTS Academic after a week of studying on and off. I am surprised with this score as I was expecting around 7 or 7.5 as an overall band score.

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Hey everyone! I wanted to share the resources I used to prepare for IELTS and some tips that might help others preparing for the exam.

📖 Reading

I practiced using the Cambridge IELTS books, and they're excellent. I also did some IELTS mock tests for extra practice. The more you practice, the more familiar you become with the question types, so I definitely recommend doing as many practice tests as possible.

🎧 Listening

Cambridge IELTS books are great for listening as well. Practice as much as you can to get used to the format and different types of questions.

🗣️ Speaking

One important thing I learned is that the speaking test isn't necessarily about giving the "right" answer. The examiners want to see how well you can communicate your ideas, structure your sentences, and keep a conversation going.

My biggest tip is to keep talking until the examiner stops you. Don't give one-sentence answers and then wait for the next question. Develop your ideas, explain your opinions, and give examples when appropriate.

Most importantly, imagine you're talking to a friend. Be natural, don't sound robotic, and don't memorize answers or sentences because examiners can often tell when you're doing that. Use simple words and don't try to impress the examiner with fancy vocabulary. Just speak naturally, like you would in a normal conversation.

English might not be your first language, and that's okay! You don't need to sound like a native speaker; you need to show that you can communicate your thoughts clearly and fluently.

If you get a difficult question, take a moment to think. You can even say, "Hmm, that's an interesting question. I've never really thought about it before." Then continue answering as naturally as possible.

✍️ Writing

For Writing Task 1, IELTS Liz on YouTube is amazing. Her videos explain how to structure your response and approach the different types of questions.

For Task 2, practice, practice, and practice as many topics as you can. Use the Cambridge IELTS books and mock tests to get familiar with different types of questions. This way, you'll cover a wide range of topics and have a better idea of what to expect in the actual exam. The questions may not be exactly the same, but you might get similar topics, or at least have an idea of how to approach them. IELTS Liz also has a website with different essay topics, so you can use that for extra practice too! One technique that really helped me was the PEEL method:

https://ielts.idp.com/vietnam/about/news-and-articles/article-peel-paragraph-ielts-writing/en-gb

P – Point: State your main idea.

E – Explain: Explain your point.

E – Example: Give a relevant example.

L – Link: Link your idea back to the main argument.

Practicing the PEEL method can make a real difference in how you organize and develop your paragraphs. It could potentially help improve your writing score by 0.5–1 band, depending on your starting level.

Make sure to read Liz's guides and formats for both tasks so you understand how to structure your answers and what to include. https://ieltsliz.com/#

I had to take an IELTS One Skill Retake because I needed at least 7.5 in each section. The PEEL method really helped me with Writing Task 2 by making it easier to structure my essays and develop my ideas, so I definitely recommend giving it a try!

Finally, make sure you do the official IELTS mock tests! They're great for practicing under timed conditions and getting familiar with the exam format.

I hope these tips help someone preparing for IELTS. Good luck, everyone! 😊

Being a non-native English speaker, this is absolutely unexpected, and I am super happy!!
You can ask anything. Will try to help as much as possible.

I have an exam on nov 7th(speaking), and 8th(lrw). on listening, im usually getting 7.5-8.5, on reading mostly 7.5. my speaking is ~ 7. writing is 6😭. i need an overall 7.5 at least so i neeeeed to do smth about my writing and speaking. what can i do? also, ant tips for band 9 l/r?

Guys writing was SO bad like I got a map for task 1 and I didn't know what I was doing. I've NEVER practiced with maps and was literally praying to not get them. Therefore I started with task 2, which went quite well and spent the remaining 30 minutes on the first one. I normally write around 180 words but I ran out of time so I was stuck at 158 words. I'm so relieved bc I thought I was getting like a 6 or something, ig my task 2 carried my score, or task 1 wasn't as bad. Also yall don't trust chat gpt it used to give me like 5.5 sometimes and most of the time it would score me a 6.

The other sections was fine except for listening I read a question wrong and reading part three was genuinely so weird, which might explain my score being drastically lower compared to listening. Speaking went very well, the examiner was friendly and was smiling all the time, though I think I spoke too much bc she would keep cutting me off.

Anyway if you have any questions feel free to ask them. This subreddit has rly helped me so thank you all and I hope you all achieve your desired scores!

is it accurate or should i follow cambridge mock tests 17-21 for reading esp, i find that reading passages in cambridge books are straightforward

Not perfect but not a bad result either. (Need to work on my writing though!)

For preparation, I only did 3-4 mock tests on IELTS ready premium (it's a free resource on ielts website and becomes available once you book your test) and they were helpful. Especially if you don't have a lot of time like myself and need to get familiar with the test format fast. The mock tests are more difficult in my opinion, so it will be a great practice material for you guys. Good luck!!

I have logged in and there are exam center details but nothing else . Can someone guide me

Been reading this sub for the last month or so thought id share my results as they are a bit different to what most people post.

Surprisingly I got 8 in writing which I did not expect. I even used the word 'youngsters' as a synonym for children which you shouldn't do as its informal.

For reference im native (english) but I do not hold a degree and im a tradie.

Did the test on 0 hours sleep but I did practice for a couple of weeks before (mainly writing structure)

Messed up reading clearly, but will try for 8 for the extra 10 points.

Happy to answer any questions.