How I Got an 8.5 Band Score on IELTS in Just Two Weeks: A Proven Strategy

I got an 8.5 band on my IELTS test after studying for two weeks in January 2023.

Score breakdown by section:

Reading: 9
Speaking: 9
Writing: 7
Listening: 8

Overall score: 8.5

I didn't watch any fancy videos of tips and tricks or tried shortcuts - I did it the right way, and that's what I'll share with you.

In a nutshell, I read, wrote, spoke, and listened - fundamental things to ace the IELTS exam. So if you're thinking or preparing for the IELTS exam and English is your second language, this article is meant for you.

What is IELTS and why take it?

IELTS is simply an International English Language Testing System. It is an objective way immigration agencies, universities or even overseas employers judge your nglish language skills.

So if you're applying for admissions abroad - Canada, UK, Australia, New Zealand - you'll probably take the IELTS exam.

Or if pursuing a career in accounting, engineering, law, medicine, nursing, pharmacy, or teaching, you'll need IELTS to prove your English proficiency.

For all the individuals seeking immigration: IELTS is like the golden key for governments in more countries than any other English language test. If you're dreaming of permanent residency in countries like the UK, Australia, Canada, or New Zealand, then you'll most definitely take the IELTS exam.

What's included in the test?

IELTS tests your four core skills: Reading, Writing, Listening, and Speaking. I will skip the details because I want to share my strategy, not talk about how the test is structured. However, I added the general overview of each section at the end of this article.

The proven strategy that I used to score an 8.5 band in IELTS

My strategy for studying for IELTS was simple. I knew that if one was comfortable with the English language, tests like IELTS are easy to ace. So I did everything to immerse myself in the language.

Reading

To improve my reading, I read a lot of books and articles. The purpose was to get comfortable with written information and not feel overwhelmed during the exam. There is always added pressure when you're in the exam room, but if you are in the habit of reading, you'll have no issues concentrating and comprehending the information presented in the paragraphs during the test. While reading, I followed two basic rules: I underlined every bit of information that I found critical to the narrative and added side notes to summarize important sections that captured the essence of what the writer was talking about. It helped me distill the information in a few lines.

I read with concentration to the point that if someone asked me a question about the information presented on a page, I knew the top ideas and could answer any question correctly. It is hard to sit for hours and read without losing focus, but if you force through it and concentrate till you reach the state of flow, you can ace any exam that tests your comprehension skills. So two weeks leading up to the exam, I read as many books as I could read. And two days before the exam, I attempted sample questions on the official IELTS website - they were a piece of cake.

My recommendation:
To prepare for IELTS, pick up a book, read it from cover to cover with concentration, make notes and make sure you understand the essence of what the author is talking about. Take your time because no one is judging you but make sure you don't move forward until you get it right!

Writing

To improve my writing, I wrote. I love journaling and writing my thoughts, so I did that. Every day, I spent an hour writing - from my feelings to something new I learned about to my countless encounters that left a mark on my life - I wrote about it all. The more I wrote, the more comfortable I got with forming sentences. After each writing session, I checked my mistakes and used tools like Grammarly to improve my grammar and sentence structure (I used the free version, so I don't believe there is any need to purchase the premium version unless you need to). I also took help from my friends to peer review what I wrote and give me suggestions - both techniques helped.

As with reading, forming sentences feels like a challenge when you start writing, but it all gets better with practice. The more you write, the better you get. I'm embarrassed that I scored seven on my writing section, and I don't blame the examiner: I went overboard and wrote over 2000 words when the minimum requirement was just 400 words. I guess being super efficient doesn't always pay off.

My recommendation:
Write every day and write whatever you feel like - fiction, non-fiction, a story, or an informative essay - that doesn't make a difference. Use tools like Grammarly to improve your writing skills. Share your musings with your friends and get feedback on your work. Don't be embarrassed and have a growth mindset - don't feel bad about getting bad feedback but feel fortunate that you're getting a chance to improve on your skill.

Listening

To improve my listening skills, I did what we all love doing: watching Netflix. I binge-watched my favorite TV shows and movies. I listened to my favorite podcasts on Spotify and interviews with people I admire. Like why not? Isn't this what you'll get tested on during the listening section? You'll hear a conversation or a monologue, after which you'll have to answer questions regarding what was said. If you can understand and explain what was said in a podcast to your friends, you can surely ace the listening part.

I even used subtitles while watching Netflix, which improved my listening and reading skills! I loved it - it didn't even feel like a waste of time because I had a genuine excuse: I'm preparing for the listening section of my upcoming IELTS exam!

My recommendation:
Double down on listening to podcasts or watching your favorite movies on Netflix. But don't turn off your brain. Instead, engage your brain to concentrate on the content. Understand the emotions behind each word and carefully look for the context of each conversation. It truly builds your listening skills.

Speaking

To improve my speaking skills, I did what was obvious: I spoke English. I promised to talk in English as much as possible until the exam. Even when people around me spoke Urdu (as I was in Pakistan back then), I replied in English (of course, not with the street vendors). Luckily, I had a solid group of friends from NYU, and we conversed in English, so it was like a daily practice session for me.

If you don't have friends to practice English with, you should talk to yourself in English. Get in front of the mirror and introduce yourself. It sounds silly, but honestly, it works! You have to be shameless enough to try it out. And what's wrong with being shameless? After all, you're giving IELTS to get a shot at a bright future - why care what others say?

My Recommendation
Practice your speaking skills. Find a group of friends and strictly speak in English. If you don't have a support group, speak in front of the mirror. Recite a paragraph from the book, say whatever you want, practice your introduction, and keep doing it until you feel comfortable and confident spitting out basic sentences. It's a solid start!

And for the practice tests, I practiced from whatever was available on the official website. That was it. I believe it had the least amount of impact on my score.

Conclusion

There you have it.

Do the basic things right: read a book, or articles, listen to podcasts, write every day - even 100 words and speak without shame. No need for tips and tricks - do it the right way.

Remember: you're taking or planning on taking IELTS to build a better life for yourself and get a shot at opportunities on a global level. Be disciplined and follow my strategy because it worked for me, and I'm sure it will work for you.

I have also studied Chinese and German - the difference is that my Chinese is better than my German because I immersed myself in the Chinese language. You have to do the same with English to achieve success in any language test that comes your way.

I did all these things and got an 8.5 on IELTS in just two weeks. I'm sure if you follow this strategy, you'll be able to achieve it too.

Till next time.
Raheel

IELTS Structure

General Training Reading Test Overview

The General Training Reading test evaluates various reading skills. You'll encounter texts from everyday sources like books, magazines, newspapers, notices, advertisements, and company materials.

Test Format:

Three sections with 40 questions.
Section 1: Short texts or multiple shorter texts.
Section 2: Two texts.
Section 3: One long text.
Takes 60 minutes.

Question Types:

Multiple Choice: Choose the correct answer from options.
Identifying Information: Decide if statements agree with the text.
Identifying Writer’s Views/Claims: Determine if statements align with writer's views.
Matching Information: Match information from the text to options.
Matching Headings: Match headings to paragraph themes.
Matching Features: Match statements to features from the text.
Matching Sentence Endings: Complete sentence endings with options.
Sentence Completion: Complete sentences using text information.
Summary/Note/Table/Flow-Chart Completion: Complete a summary, note, table, or flow-chart using text information.
Diagram Label Completion: Fill in labels on a diagram using text information.
Short-Answer Questions: Answer questions about specific details.

Scoring:

Each question is worth 1 mark.
Band Score conversion table translates your score out of 40 into the IELTS 9-band scale.
Scores reported in whole and half bands.
Good spelling and grammar are important, so write carefully.

Tips:

Develop skills in reading for gist, main ideas, details, and logical argument.
Practice skimming and scanning techniques.
Understand instructions about word limits for answers.
Familiarize yourself with various question types through practice.

IELTS General Training Writing Test Overview:

The General Training Writing test assesses your ability to communicate effectively in writing. It consists of two tasks that focus on general topics of interest.

Test Format:

Two tasks to complete.
Task 1: Write a letter in response to a situation (150 words minimum).
Task 2: Write a discursive essay in response to a point of view, argument, or problem (250 words minimum).
Takes 60 minutes in total.

Task 1 - Writing a Letter:

Write a personal response in the form of an informal, semi-formal, or formal letter.
Common situations include writing to request information or explain a situation.
Use language appropriate for the audience (e.g., friend, manager).
Include information from provided bullet points.
Spend about 20 minutes on this task.

Task 2 - Writing an Essay:

Write a semi-formal/neutral discursive essay.
Discuss a point of view, argument, or problem.
Support your ideas with examples and evidence.
Organize your essay clearly and coherently.
Use a range of vocabulary and grammatical structures.
Spend about 40 minutes on this task.

Scoring:

Each task is assessed independently.
Task 2 contributes more to the final Writing band score.
Scores reported in whole and half bands.
Penalties for writing under the minimum word limits, plagiarism, or off-topic responses.

Tips:

Familiarize yourself with letter-writing conventions and essay structures.
Focus on coherence and cohesion, lexical resource, and grammatical accuracy.
Provide relevant examples to support your arguments.
Write within the specified word limits for each task.
Practice writing essays on various topics to enhance your skills.

IELTS Listening Test Overview

The IELTS Listening test assesses your English language skills by having you listen to recordings and answer questions based on what you hear. There are four sections with a total of 40 questions.

Test Format:

Four recordings of native speakers.
Recording 1: Casual conversation between two people.
Recording 2: Monologue about an everyday topic.
Recording 3: Group discussion in an educational context.
Recording 4: Academic lecture on a subject.
Questions follow the order of the audio.
Takes around 30 minutes (plus 10 minutes for transferring answers).

Question Types:

Multiple Choice: Choose the correct answer from options.
Matching: Match items from the listening to options on paper.
Plan/Map/Diagram Labelling: Complete labels on visuals.
Form/Note/Table/Flow-Chart/Summary Completion: Fill gaps with key information.
Sentence Completion: Fill gaps in sentences using details from the audio.
Short-Answer Questions: Provide short answers based on what you hear.

Scoring:

Each question is worth 1 mark.
Band Score conversion table translates your score out of 40 into the IELTS 9-band scale.
Scores reported in whole and half bands.
Spelling and grammar matter, so write carefully.

Tips:

Listen attentively for main ideas and details.
Be ready for various English accents.
Pay attention to instructions like word limits.
Practice different question types to prepare effectively.

IELTS General Training Speaking Test Overview

The Speaking test evaluates your spoken English skills. The interaction is recorded and consists of three parts.

Test Format:

Part 1: General questions about yourself and familiar topics (4-5 minutes).
Part 2: Speak on a given topic for 1-2 minutes after 1 minute of preparation (3-4 minutes).
Part 3: Discuss abstract ideas related to Part 2's topic (4-5 minutes).
Total duration: 11-14 minutes.

Part 1 - Introduction and Interview:

Examiner introduces and verifies your identity.
Respond to general questions about everyday topics.
Questions are scripted for consistency.
Emphasis on communicating opinions and information.
Lasts 4-5 minutes.

Part 2 - Long Turn:

Given a task card with a topic and points to cover.
Prepare for one minute and speak for 1-2 minutes.
Examiner may ask follow-up questions.
Focus on speaking at length, using appropriate language.
Use task card points to structure and guide your talk.
Part 2 lasts 3-4 minutes, including preparation.

Part 3 - Discussion:

Engage in a broader and deeper discussion on Part 2's topic.
Explore abstract ideas and justify opinions.
Focus on expressing, analyzing, and speculating.
Lasts 4-5 minutes.

Scoring:

Examiner assesses your performance based on fluency and coherence, lexical resource, grammatical range and accuracy, and pronunciation.
Scores are reported in whole and half bands.

Tips:

Practice speaking on diverse topics to enhance fluency.
Organize ideas coherently and express opinions clearly.
Utilize a variety of vocabulary and grammatical structures.
Pronunciation should be clear and comprehensible.
Engage in Part 3 discussions with analytical depth.
Develop your ability to justify opinions and speculate.