From IELTS 7.0 to 8.0 Overall: Is it That Difficult?
For those who might not know, I'm currently a final-year student pursuing a Bachelor of Biomedical Sciences at Monash University. A little over three years ago, preparing my study abroad application meant I absolutely had to have an English proficiency certificate. At that time, I managed an IELTS score of 7.0, just enough to get into Monash and secure a scholarship.
Fast forward three years, and I thought I was done with IELTS. However, I discovered I needed it again for postgraduate studies, not just at Monash but also at other prestigious institutions like the University of Melbourne. A quick check revealed the requirements had increased – at least 7.0 overall and a minimum of 7.0 in Writing, particularly for postgraduate Medicine programs at the University of Melbourne. My previous IELTS certificate had long expired, and frankly, my Writing score of 6.0 back then wouldn't cut it. So, yes, I had to take the IELTS again!
I chose to retake the exam in Vietnam because the cost in Australia was double – a hefty 445 AUD (around 7 million VND) compared to 4.7 million VND in Vietnam. It was also a perfect opportunity since I was already planning a visit home to see family. With just one month to prepare for my February exam in Vietnam, it was a race against time.
My results from that retake were: Reading 8.5, Listening 8.5, Speaking 7.5, and Writing 7.0.
My Preparation Strategy for the Leap to 8.0
-
Defining a Plan
My first step was to create a detailed study plan, breaking down preparation by section and identifying my strengths. Having attended international schools since childhood and with three years of study abroad experience, my Listening, Reading, and Speaking skills were generally strong. However, Writing was my Achilles' heel.
Therefore, I dedicated most of my study time to improving my writing. I committed to practicing 2-3 writing tasks (Task 1 and Task 2) every week. To stay organized, I utilized Google Sheets to track my study schedule and practice sessions, setting weekly goals for each skill. For example, my targets might have been to complete 3 Task 1s, 5 Reading passages, and practice one speaking topic per week, then breaking these down into daily tasks.
-
Skill-Specific Practice
-
Reading
As I'm not an IELTS specialist, I'll share my personal approach. I exclusively used practice tests from the renowned Cambridge IELTS series, tackling nearly 50 Reading tests. I believe Reading is a skill that can significantly boost your overall score through consistent practice. When practicing, my aim was to complete each test within 30 minutes, allocating only 10 minutes per passage instead of the standard 20. This strategy significantly improved my reading speed, ensuring I wouldn't run out of time during the actual exam. In the real test, I finished within 30 to 45 minutes. Crucially, I didn't just focus on correct answers; I analyzed why I got answers right and wrong, learning from my mistakes to avoid repeating them.
-
Speaking
For Speaking, I primarily reviewed forecast topics and practiced around 4 sample questions, about one per week. Given my experience as an international student and daily English usage, speaking wasn't a major hurdle for me. My focus was on refining commonly used grammar structures and updating my vocabulary with relevant examples for everyday topics like Education and Technology. While some advise being very formal in the speaking test, others suggest a more relaxed approach. My experience led me to strike a balance: avoiding excessive stress which can hinder performance, but also maintaining an academic tone. It's important to showcase your grammar and vocabulary effectively.
-
Listening
Honestly, I don't have extensive tips for Listening as my practice was mainly through tests, and I even did less listening practice than reading. However, for those looking to improve, I highly recommend listening to Ted Talks, English-language shows, and YouTube vlogs. I believe practicing with various accents, learning synonyms, and reviewing transcripts after tests to understand where answers came from and how paraphrasing and inversion were used is key.
-
Writing
This is the skill I was most apprehensive about, as I've never been a strong writer. I dedicated considerable time to practicing. My main approach involved working through sample essays, learning to quickly plan my responses within 5 minutes for each task. I also referenced the IELTS Advantage YouTube channel to enhance my writing style. University writing typically involves scientific reports, so adapting to academic writing felt challenging initially. For Task 2, I consistently applied the TEEL structure (Topic Sentence, Explanation, Example, Linking Sentence) for body paragraphs and strictly followed my outlines. I focused on writing what I was most confident about, keeping it simple rather than overthinking. I also watched videos from Huy The Forum on YouTube for Task 1 and Task 2 practice. I found that organizing ideas effectively and minimizing grammatical errors, while using appropriate vocabulary, were crucial. I'm hesitant to share too much about Writing as achieving a 7.0 was a struggle, and I did retake to meet that goal. My knowledge is limited to what I managed to learn.
Typically, exam results are available within 1-2 days after a computer-delivered test. So, to answer your question: is it difficult to go from IELTS 7.0 to 8.0 overall? Absolutely not, if you have a clear and specific study plan!
I hope this post is helpful for those preparing for IELTS. Don't be afraid; you'll do great! If you're planning to study abroad, attending information sessions about the English language requirements for top universities can help you set realistic goals and prepare more effectively. I had to find all my information myself when I was planning my studies, which was quite a task. Now, it's much easier, with readily available support.
Global Pathways is hosting an education fair in Dong Nai this April. If you dream of studying in Australia, New Zealand, or Canada but haven't yet met the IELTS requirements, you can still apply through their programs to improve your English skills. Plus, you might be eligible for scholarships of up to 75% if your profile fits. I've shared the event details in the comments below.
#IELTS #StudyAbroadAustralia #GlobalPathways #ISB
Credits: @Nguyễn Lâm Minh Thư (https://www.facebook.com/thulon.be/) and the Study Abroad Australia Community. Apologies for not being able to tag the profile directly!
-
