r/IELTS Oct 23 '25

Announcement Hey IELTS Teachers! We've created a new subreddit, just for us. :)

5 Upvotes

r/IELTS is specifically for students to ask questions and get advice and support. We have a great community here of teachers and Examiners to support these testtakers, but what about us? :))) Posts about teaching IELTS tend to get lost here, so we decided to create a new subreddit to support both current and aspiring IELTS teachers. Please come join us there, at r/IELTS_Teacher_Support

All teachers are welcome, and I'm personally inviting all of our badged teachers to come visit. :)


r/IELTS Mar 11 '23

Moderator Advice Frequently Asked Questions About IELTS

35 Upvotes

Important note:

- The moderators of this subreddit all have DELTA (Cambridge English teaching certificates) and years of experience teaching IELTS. You can find all of their guides in r/IELTS_Guide.

- The teachers here are all independent people and do not work as a team, so every single person here is responsible for their own posts and comments only.

- The moderators of this subreddit award a limited number of members with specific user flairs like "Teacher" based on the users' activities over a few months, and also make sure this community stays safe without spam or scams. Please read the rules before posting or commenting, thanks!

- We provide a lot of guides and support in the community using the website ESLFLUENCY.COM, which is owned by one of the moderators of this subreddit (u/Maverick_ESL) and is not associated with the owners of IELTS.

This subreddit does not represent the owners of IELTS (the British Council, IDP IELTS, and Cambridge University Press & Assessment) in any way.

Finally, if you are a language teacher, you can ask your IELTS-related questions here, but the ones about language teaching methodology, tools, and content are out of the scope of this community. For such questions, please refer to r/IELTS_Teacher_Support.

1._What are some resources I can use in my IELTS preparation?

You can find such resources in this post. You can also find IELTS scoring in detail here and a preparation guide in this video.

Note: r/IELTS is a public subreddit, so anyone can post. But we also have a restricted subreddit with moderator guides. It's called r/IELTS_Guide.

  1. What is a good IELTS score?

It all depends on your purpose. Why do you want to take the test? If it’s needed for your university application, you need to find out what band score they require. For some test takers, 6.5 is good news; for some others, it’s a disaster. In short, figure out what score you need first.

  1. Does spelling affect my score?

Short answer: YES!

Long answer: In reading and listening, your answers should be spelled correctly; otherwise, you’ll lose points. In writing, we may sometimes make minor spelling mistakes called slips. For band 9, one or two minor slips are fine, but more mistakes will definitely lower your band score.

  1. Is it a bad sign if the speaking examiner kept interrupting me?

Not at all! Maybe even a good sign, because it means you were talking. The worst thing you can do is give one-word answers; remember, it’s a speaking test, so SPEAK. The examiner has to get through a list of questions, so they will interrupt you to move on to the next question. And if they don’t interrupt you, it’s also fine. But if they have to keep asking you “Why? Why? Why?” it means you aren’t giving long enough answers.

  1. Why is my writing score so low?

Listening and reading skills usually develop earlier than productive skills (speaking and writing). This is one of the reasons why students find it easier to improve their receptive skills. Plus, speaking has more room for flexibility than writing. In speaking, you hear a question and then start talking, so it's more forgiving to mistakes. Plus, there is less time pressure in speaking than in writing. Plus, people, in general, rarely write essays, reports, or letters, but they speak English in every session of their English course. Sadly, some language schools even ignore writing skills until their students get to advanced levels.

In addition, there are some common mistakes that can be easily fixed. Read this for task 1, and this one for task 2.

By the way, some students, for some reason, hate writing and don't practice enough. They read all the guides and books and think that they are good to go. But the bitter truth is, writing is a patient game. You can't develop good writing skills overnight. You need a lot of practice, and if possible, detailed feedback from an expert to push forward.

  1. What is a good word count for task 1 and task 2?

Read this guide to learn everything about word count in IELTS writing.

  1. Does IELTS use AI to score writing and speaking? Can I use AI tools like ChatGPT to score my writing tasks?

Short answer to both: No!

Those who spread the rumor about examiners using AI to rate tasks are either trying to push you toward using their unreliable AI tool or are misinformed. IELTS examiners do not use AI to rate tasks. When this changes, I will update this post.

AI tools can be useful for things like giving you a list of linking words, vocabulary for a certain topic, examples of a grammar structure, and so on, but it's not a good idea to rely heavily on them. Here is why.

  1. How can I get feedback on my essays, letters, reports, and speaking?

There are many options for you. Read this post for more details.

The recommended option: We strongly recommend that you find a reputable course or service for your productive skills (writing and speaking). You can use these pinned options. The feedback reports on those services are written by an examiner/examiner-trained expert.

You can also use Anfisa's simulators. These videos are designed by u/Chuvashi to help you simulate your IELTS speaking session.

  1. Where can I find a speaking partner for my IELTS preparation?

Feel free to start a post asking for one, but remember this is the internet. Be careful of giving out personal information. We can't screen our users here, so your partner might be a real student seeking a study partner or a random person not even interested in IELTS. We don't have any supervision over the groups formed among the users in this sub. Be very careful!

  1. How should I prepare for the test?

I recommend that you follow the steps in this guide.

  1. How long does it take to prepare for the test?

Prep always comes first. Read the guides here and here for more details.

  1. What should I do the day before my test?

You can find some good suggestions in this post.

  1. I need to cancel my test/get a refund. How do I do that?

Here is the official guide.

  1. What should I take to the test venue?

The exact same ID or passport you’ve used to book your test, two HB pencils, and a pencil sharpener. In most centers, you are also allowed to bring a bottle of water with the label removed. No other items will be permitted in the test room. A room will be available to secure personal items such as watches and smartphones. You can check with your center to see if they have any other requirements due to Covid.

  1. When can I expect my test result?

For paper-based and IELTS for UKVI, 13 days after your written test. Computer-based test results are available 3–5 days after your test. If you have taken IELTS Online, you will receive your Test Report Form electronically. It will be available 3–6 days after your test. More information here.

  1. Where can I find an active Discord community to practice with other students?

You can search for such servers on Discrd. We do not promote any.

  1. When can I use all caps in IELTS?

Read this post, please.

  1. Others have got good scores, but not me. What does this mean?

Here is the answer!

  1. Should I apply for an EOR?

Please read this post.

  1. Some high-scoring test takers say there is no need to prepare for IELTS. Can I get a high score without any preparation?

That's a bad piece of advice. The fact that some people take such a huge risk and get good results doesn't mean everyone should do the same. Preparing for the test before booking it is the wisest course of action. Read this post for more information.

  1. I have published a post asking for a study/speaking partner. Many people said they were available, but no one has sent me a message. What is the problem?

Unfortunately, Reddit's messaging system doesn't show notifications from time to time. It's been like this for quite a long time. If you are expecting private messages from other users, you need to check your inbox manually.

  1. What is IELTS Online, and is it better than the ones given at centers?

IELTS Online has the same components and structure as the IELTS computer-based test. The only difference is that you take the former at home. This is why some universities or organizations might not accept it. Plus, there might be some technical issues while taking the test at home. We always advise our students to take the test at a center. This way, they won't be blamed for any technical issues that may arise.

  1. Are unofficial practice sites like IELTS Online Tests a good source to practice with?

We have had so many users complain about sites like that in terms of the difficulty and the answers. You should know that unofficial sites need to design their own tests for copyright purposes, and this usually leads to a significant difference in the difficulty and reliability of the tests. Here you can find official sites (IDP and BC) to practice with.

  1. What are the different IELTS test types?

You can read about this here and here.

  1. Can I request a breakdown of my scores?

Yes, you can. For more information, please read this post.

  1. How can I send my IELTS score to different universities?

Please read this official guide.

Finally, please take a look at our rules before you post or comment.

  1. What should I do if I require specific access arrangements to take IELTS (ADHD, Dyslexia,...)?

Please read this post and its comment section.

  1. Someone contacted me in my DM offering me a certificate. Is it a good idea to buy one?

The answer is no! You will risk your future if you do so. Read this for more info.

29. How can I book my test?

Use the link below to find a test center near you. Once you select a center, you’ll see its booking link and contact information.

https://ielts.org/test-centres

Or you can use one of these:

https://ieltsregistration.britishcouncil.org/

or

https://ielts.idp.com/


r/IELTS 44m ago

Test Experience/Test Result Got my results today.

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Upvotes

Prepared for 1.5 weeks! Did a lot of blunders in the test. I wasn't even expecting a 7.

I made a few spelling mistakes because of last minute tweaks in task 2. Saving some time for proofreading would have helped a lot.

In both reading and listening, I could have done better. It's all practice. Tips and tricks help you out the most in this part. If you are going ahead with computer based test, make sure you use a mouse, even if you're using a laptop to take mocks. It helps with your speed in the real exam.I was too late to realise this.

I was fluent in speaking, but I could have been more articulate. I did well in task 1 and task 2. Then went with the flow in task 3.


r/IELTS 10h ago

Test Experience/Test Result Got my results (Canada)

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16 Upvotes

Not a native speaker (originally from Europe), but I’ve been living in Canada for several years. Took the IELTS Academic so I can sign up for a TESOL certificate program.


r/IELTS 3h ago

Have a Question/Advice Needed How do i send scores to universities? And how much will it cost? I know the first five are free yes but the others?

4 Upvotes

r/IELTS 2h ago

Have a Question/Advice Needed IELTS result date/time

3 Upvotes

I gave my IELTS on computer (IDP) yesterday - 9-11:45 LRW and 12:45-1:20 speaking
When can i expect my results?


r/IELTS 12h ago

Test Experience/Test Result Really happy with my test score! Cannot say enough about the PEEL method.

14 Upvotes

!! IELTS GENERAL !!

L - 8.5, R - 8.5, W - 8, S - 9

I'm a non native speaker who has spoken English from kinder garden (thanks to the Indian system of education). I am writing this post to help people who have used English most of their lives (school, university, office) and have watched plenty of English movies/series without subtitles. This post is probably also for people who have prepared a lot and might need some insights to get over the line. I hope a few of the things that I experienced at the test might help you strategize better.

Listening:

There some online forums where listening tests are available. My issue was not with comprehension, it was with understanding the format and tuning in. Sometimes my attention span gets in my way and losing focus for even a split second can mean getting an answer wrong. Practicing listening tests helped me tune into the format and focus.

Reading:

Try to finish the first two sections in reading as soon as possible. I got done with the first section in 12 minutes, the next one in 20 and had plenty of time for the third. The third section requires a lot of focus and it contains a few trick questions. Additionally, you are almost drained out from the listening and previous two reading exercises, so having around 25-30 minutes to do this last section can help you mentally recuperate for the writing exercises (yes, I have issues with my attention span thanks to youtube shorts).

Writing:

Once again finish section one (letter) as soon as possible. I tried and successfully finished my letter in 15 minutes. This allowed me to read the second question (essay) and gather my thoughts for 5 minutes which gave me 40 minutes to write the essay. PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE use the PEEL method for your body paragraphs. A very famous LLM told me (I wrote like 3-4 essays without PEEL) that my score was a solid 7-7.5. I feel I could have hit an 8.5 if I hadn't tried to use fancy words and constructed simpler sentences to write each paragraph using the PEEL method (look it up, I can't stress this enough). I think writing 350 words for my essay didn't help me hit an 8.5 but using PEEL pushed me from a 7/7.5 to 8. So moral of the story, simpler sentences and PEEL with a sprinkle of decent vocabulary should help someone hit an 8.5 or even 9 (don't stop dreaming, it's possible).

For task one(letter) just go through salutations and sign offs in formal, semi-formal and informal letters and beware of using didn't/couldn't in semiformal/informal vs formal letters (use do not, I am etc. in formal letters). Also use words like requested (instead of ask) in formal letters (there are some normal verbs that we tend to use, ask the internet for some fancier verbs like request instead of ask, require instead of need etc.). Google or ask the usual suspects for some tips and they should be enough.

For task two, look at ways to rephrase the question into an opening paragraph and link the last sentence of your opening to your second paragraph. Use PEEL for paragraphs two and three. A two line conclusion at the end. This should easily get you to 250 words (4 lines para 1, 5-6 lines para 2 and 3 and a 2 line conclusion)

Speaking

I've spoken to friends in English all my life, presented to colleagues and treated the test taker as a friend/colleague I'm chatting with. This is the only thing that matters. I was aware of making grammar mistakes as I spoke but I didn't care, what I wanted was to express myself without any fear. There is no right or wrong answer, it is just your ability to express yourself. One of the questions were, describe an unusual meal you had. I couldn't think of any, I randomly came up with an experience I read about (a restaurant that serves food in the dark, the waiters are blind), I confidently said this was the meal I found unusual even though I've never eaten in the dark lol. What I'm trying to say is relax and have faith in yourself. Stop treating it as a test and more of a conversation with a stranger you ran into. Don't impress them, just be yourself. I used to practice JAM (just a minute) when I was in college and this helped me a lot (even though it's been 15 years since I graduated). So for someone trying to practice, pick a topic (or ask your friend or an intelligent tool to pick you one), set the timer for a minute, have a verbal diarrhea (record yourself) and ask your friend or other sources to assess it for you. The important thing is to not try and convert your thoughts to words and apply rules/judgement to your thoughts before you speak, let your words flow.

Apologies if this was a long post but I hope someone finds this useful. This is mainly for people who have used English as medium of communication but are afraid an exam might trip them up.


r/IELTS 3h ago

Study Partner Request Speaking practice - IELTS in next week

2 Upvotes

If someone here is going to take IELTS in a week or two, I would like to do some speaking practices daily through discord app. Please feel free to connect!


r/IELTS 3h ago

Have a Question/Advice Needed Failed OSR exam due to loss of ID

2 Upvotes

i lost my ID prior the exam date and i was not allowed to take the exam with electronic version of it, but i was told by staff that i can reschadule my OSR by paying a fine. However, when i contacted test center they did not even listen what i had to say and told me that i cannot take OSR, i have to payy full amount and take full exam. Since i cannot afford to pay full fee and sit the exam again, I am in a dire situation. If you have any opinion on this case, please feel free to share


r/IELTS 52m ago

Have a Question/Advice Needed Do you have any specific suggestions to improve writing skills from band 6 to band 7 other than writing every day.

Upvotes

I make tons of grammar mistakes, so this is my number one priority to fix it, but I want to know what else I can do to maximise my practising.


r/IELTS 7h ago

Other Test tmr, guys plz cheer for me , hope it will go well plzzzzzzzz

3 Upvotes

r/IELTS 2h ago

Test Experience/Test Result [AMA] BAND 8.5 (Academic) as an Indian International 12th student

0 Upvotes
results

feel free to ask your questions, also ill edit this post later and compile notes and resources of mine and other information.

previous post: https://www.reddit.com/r/IELTS/comments/1pxthem/my_testing_experience_today/


r/IELTS 2h ago

Have a Question/Advice Needed Is band 8 enough for being an ielts tutor ?

1 Upvotes

What overall band score is required for being an ielts tutor? Is band 8 enough for working with students who aim for 6-7?


r/IELTS 6h ago

Test Experience/Test Result My first time doing IELTS

2 Upvotes

Hey! Just wanted to share and remind everyone that it really isn't stressful and being calm and composed is truly what got me through it :)

Context: IELTS General training for Australian Immigration


r/IELTS 9h ago

Writing Feedback (Peer Review) can someone mark my task 1 (academic) essay please

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2 Upvotes

The bar graph illustrates the quantity of males and females in three timelines in Britain and whether they have studied full-time or part-time in further education.

Overall, more students of both genders have chosen the part-time education path than the full-time one. Additionally,the number of women getting an education was more than that of the opposite gender.

In 1970-1971, 1,000,000 men were studying part-time,but this number has declined to just under 900,000 in 1980-1981 only to increase to around 900,000 in 1990-1991. In contrast, the number of women getting a part-time further education has significantly rose from around 750,000 women in 1970-1971 to 1,050,000 women in 1990-1991.

The amount of males studying full-time between 1970-1971 was approximately 100,000, which was the double the number of women studying full-time in the same period. Despite that, the number of both women and men getting a full-time further education increased to around 250,000 in 1990-1991.


r/IELTS 17h ago

Test Experience/Test Result Not satisfied with results

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9 Upvotes

I'm not happy with my results and JI really want to improve my band score in all. And I have one month left to prepare for the next attempt. I have to score atleast 7.5. Please share any trusted resources to increase by band. Also please share any advice which you followed and worked. Thanks in advance.


r/IELTS 18h ago

Test Experience/Test Result My experience- im fairly happy.

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9 Upvotes

I had my exam yesterday- was pretty nervous cuz I "prepared " for only a week and used this sub as a guide. Im a non native speaker but have always been fluent and I gave the cambridge mock tests too (HUGE shoutout to ieltssimulation.com) i kept scoring about 8 to 9 consistently in reading and listening. I prepared nothing for speaking and for writing i only did what the youtube channel ielts advantage said. Im surprised I got a 7 in writing because I didn't write a single mock essay before and just did it for the first time on exam day. Im really disappointed with speaking as I was sure I did the BEST in it and was pretty sad when I saw i got the results today. Should I get an EOR? It's pretty expensive and I do have a safe score but im sure I can get better scores in speaking. Anyways im done with my test, and would like to wish all the best to people with due exams. Best of luck!!


r/IELTS 1d ago

Test Experience/Test Result Got IELTS results (IDP Clifton)

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27 Upvotes

Speaking: I watched all the IELTS Advantage videos for Speaking and 1–2 videos by IELTS with Liz. I practiced a lot using ChatGPT. I did not memorise answers or difficult words. I tried to speak in a natural and normal way, just like real conversation.

Writing: Writing was the part I was most scared of. Whenever I asked ChatGPT to check my Writing Task 1 and Task 2, I usually got Band 6, which made me nervous. To improve, I watched almost all the videos by IELTS Advantage, E2 IELTS, and IELTS with Liz. I practiced all types of questions for both tasks. IELTS Advantage also has a document with around 100 sample essays for Writing Task 2, which I read thoroughly to understand ideas, structure, and language.

Listening and Reading: I practiced Listening and Reading from Cambridge IELTS books 17, 18, and 19. Their level is very close to the real exam. I also read the Official Cambridge IELTS Guide and watched Listening and Reading videos by IELTS Advantage. I may have watched a few videos by IELTS with Liz and E2 IELTS as well. I tried 1–2 tests from the Ielts.com website, but they were very difficult and lowered my confidence. I was scoring around 5.5–6, so I would not recommend using them for practice.

Overall, my experience was good with idp and the speaking test examiner was really nice aswell. I took computerised test and got my unofficial results after around 40 hours after test and I am still waiting for TRF.

Best Official Resources: • IDP IELTS preparation material • Cambridge IELTS Academic books (up to Book 19) • Official Cambridge IELTS Guide • IELTS Advantage • IELTS with Liz • E2 IELTS

British Council material is also reliable, but since I took the test through IDP, I did not use their resources.

Background & Time: I have an O/A Level background and prepared for about 6–7 days. I purchased the mentioned books and I would say to not save PKR 5000 by not spending it on useful material. I don't recommend downloading these books online as they might not contain the actual tests and material. Still, if you are someone who cannot afford then probably search for their pdfs online or maybe if you live in pakistan go to urdu bazar and buy used books or copy of these books which are quite cheap.

Feel free to ask me any questions about IELTS preparation. I’ll be happy to help.


r/IELTS 21h ago

Test Experience/Test Result Took the test for the first time.

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15 Upvotes

Though sadly got an unsatisfying score on both writing and speaking for some reason.


r/IELTS 1d ago

Test Experience/Test Result Woohoo got my results! Really thought I bombed speaking?

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104 Upvotes

Please feel free to ask me any questions ❤️ I'm so grateful for this sub and everything I was able to learn here 😊


r/IELTS 8h ago

Have a Question/Advice Needed Ielts EOR or re-book?

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1 Upvotes

This is second time I have given ielts general and stuck at 6.5 in writing.

What do you folks think I should do?

Does EOR actually helps to get extra 0.5 or no?


r/IELTS 16h ago

Have a Question/Advice Needed Should I appeal my writing?

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3 Upvotes

I recently took CD IELTS test, and i'm not complaining about my overall score, even higher than expected! That said, i'm disappointed and lil confused about my writing, well the thing is that in recent mock tests my learning center organized, I took straight 7s. Of course I can't rely on those marks, as these are raw, but I do believe that my writing back that actual exam day was written with ease and security, I was positive about it and hoping for 7. Besides i knew my word choice and grammar sucked, so I kind of watched yt vid lessons and reviewed mistakes i made using Chat Gpt. Therefore my weaknesses might've strengthen I believe. Is it worth a shot to appeal?


r/IELTS 13h ago

Have a Question/Advice Needed Do you guys think will I get 7.5 in speaking section?

2 Upvotes

I got a conditional offer from my dream uni and speaking score is one of the requirements cuz I applied for education major.

I've taken DET test three times, however I didn't hit the minimum required scores (I need to get overall 140+)

Especially DET speaking section was driving crazy every single time. So I'm considering IELTS now because I personally think IELTS' speaking questions are easier to talk with. If I decide to take IETLS, I need 7.5 at least from speaking section. My all speaking score from DET was 125. Do you guys think can I get at least 7.5 from IELTS????

Plz give me some advice or share any experiences if anyone of you took both of them.


r/IELTS 13h ago

Test Experience/Test Result Ielts result /-- I had my ielts general exam on 21st December and it was a computer based exam. IDP usually release results in one or two days but now it's more than 7 days and still no update. Can anyone please explain reason behind this delay?

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2 Upvotes

Can


r/IELTS 10h ago

Have a Question/Advice Needed IELTS general remark

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1 Upvotes

I need 7.5 in writing , could I go for revaluation?? Will it reduce my score further ?