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We've collected the most frequently asked questions from our IELTS test takers, covering every stage of your IELTS journey. Our IELTS experts have provided answers and shared their unique insights.

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iconJun 17, 2025

Last answered by Rocco

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Rocco Nigro
IELTS Expert
Have a look at some sample essays to see how they are structured. After viewing a few of them, you may notice particular styles or patterns. Have a look at the vocabulary and grammar too so you can see typical structures you can use. Reading editorial articles can also help as they can give you an idea about how to arrange an argument.
Jun 17, 2025
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Last answered by Rocco

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Rocco Nigro
IELTS Expert
Obviously, the more practice you do the better. But initially, try skimming the articles first and just focus on the key words. Once you have located an answer in an article, just read that section carefully. Also, try the questions that appear in order first, as there may be some text you can set aside more easily.
Jun 17, 2025
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Last answered by Linda

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Linda Alley
IELTS Expert
The IELTS Reading test has 3 parts and you have 60 minutes to answer 40 questions. It’s best to spend no more than 20 minutes on each part. The reading passages get more challenging as you move through the test, so make sure you leave enough time to complete the final part. During your preparation, focus on learning and practising reading techniques that help you read more quickly and accurately. Some examples include skimming, scanning and strategies for guessing words you don’t know.

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Aug 5, 2025
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Reza Tasviri
IELTS Expert
As a rule of thumb, become a good reader: read for pleasure daily. It can be anything; news, a novel, social media posts, or magazines. When we read for pleasure, we don’t get stuck with words. We try to guess and move on, so make a habit of it. There are some techniques though that can help you: read the questions first, remember key words, and then scan the passage quickly. You don’t need to read every line at this stage. Look at headings and graphs or pictures and read the first couple of sentences of each paragraph to know what it is about and where you can find information. You then only go to the relevant section in the passage to find the piece of information you’re after.

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Feb 7, 2025
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iconJun 17, 2025

Last answered by Rocco

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Rocco Nigro
IELTS Expert
Make sure you improve your grammar range and accuracy. Use a wider range of vocabulary and ensure your argument is more fully developed. Have a look at the public band descriptors to see what type of language examiners look for at band 6 level.
Jun 17, 2025
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iconFeb 18, 2025

Last answered by Fahad

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Fahad Rafique
IELTS Expert
IELTS Preparation can be done through plenty resources available on our IELTS Prepare website and also through Macquarie free courses available once you register for an IELTS Test. You may also be able to join the various Master Classes or Training courses that may be free and provided by a Test Centre by IDP closer to you. Please check with the test centres in your vicinity.

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Aug 4, 2025
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Linda Alley
IELTS Expert
Correct spelling is very important in the IELTS Listening test. If you spell an answer incorrectly, it will be marked as wrong. If you’re taking the IELTS on paper test, you’ll be given 10 minutes to transfer your answers from the question book to the answer paper so make sure you check your spelling carefully when you do this. You can use British or American spelling.   Our blog post How to improve your spelling in the IELTS test has some good tips if you struggle with spelling.

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May 14, 2025
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Linda Alley
IELTS Expert
Good question! Our IELTS Prepare Hub has lots of free resources you can use to get ready for your test. These include practice tests, masterclasses, videos, articles and our IELTS Prepare by IDP video podcast series. You can find these resources on our website: IELTS Prepare Hub
Feb 18, 2025
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iconFeb 7, 2025

Last answered by Linda

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Linda Alley
IELTS Expert
It’s different for everyone as there are a lot of factors to consider such as your current level of English, your target band score, your first language and how many hours you can study/practise. Instead of focusing on the amount of time you have, I recommend concentrating on using your preparation time efficiently. Start by setting goals for your study sessions and make these as specific as possible. If you want to get a higher score in IELTS Writing, think about what areas of writing you want to improve and work on these. For example, do you need to use a wider range of vocabulary? Or do you need to get better at supporting your ideas in the Task 2 essay?

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Aug 5, 2025
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Reza Tasviri
IELTS Expert
There is no magic number as it’s different for each person. It depends on how proficient you are, which means how good your grammar knowledge is (simple and complex structures), how well you use vocabulary (simple and complicated words), how well you link your ideas, how fluent you are, etc. So, I hope you agree that it’s hard to give an exact number. If your English is up for it (that is it’s close to the level you want to achieve in the test) you may need 1-4 months of test preparation practice.

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Feb 7, 2025
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iconJun 17, 2025

Last answered by Reza

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Reza Tasviri
IELTS Expert
There is no definite answer because it depends on how much you practise, which skills you need to improve most in and in which areas (e.g. grammar, vocabulary, or pronunciation e.g.). What is clear is that you need to work out what you need to work most on and practice daily.
Jun 30, 2025
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Rocco Nigro
IELTS Expert
It depends on how much work you are prepared to do. Consider setting some goals to help you stay motivated as you need to be consistent in your practice. Remember, there is no short cut, so be prepared to put in the effort.
Jun 17, 2025
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iconAug 7, 2025

Last answered by Rocco

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Rocco Nigro
IELTS Expert
Have a look at the public band descriptors to get a good idea of the requirements of band 7 for each criteria. For example, your body paragraphs in Task 2 need one cental idea, you need to use a range of complex vocabulary and grammar accurately, use a range of connectors, etc.
Aug 7, 2025
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Reza Tasviri
IELTS Expert
A very common question as 7 is the band that can be critical for many. As a starting point I think it’s best to have a look at the IELTS Writing band descriptors. Try to have a quick read through and then only focus on the descriptors at band 6 and band 7. Read them closely. In each box in the table (for each criterion, e.g. Task Achievement, Coherence and Cohesion, etc) there are a few lines. Read each line in band 7 and ask yourself did I do this in my test, or did I do what the lines in band 6 say? This helps you get a better picture of where you may have lost marks and where you can gain some. You can make your understanding even better by looking at official samples for band 6 and 7.

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Feb 7, 2025
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iconFeb 7, 2025

Last answered by Reza

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Reza Tasviri
IELTS Expert
I know the feeling as I learned English long before internet or social media and there was no one around to speak in English with. It can be frustrating, but the upside is there are a few things you can do. There are sone very good language learning forums or language exchange platforms online where people get together, share ideas and have chat rooms or speaking clubs where they speak. Also, more and more chatbots are becoming available for free speaking practice. If you are interested in computer games and online gaming, there is also some opportunity there to communicate with other players in real-time. Last, but not at all least, solo practice of talking, recording yourself and listening back to yourself is a proven technique.

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Aug 6, 2025
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Reza Tasviri
IELTS Expert
I know it’s a tough task. I had the same experience myself when I was learning English many years ago, but it’s much better times now. Find people online who would be willing to speak with you in English. Also there are chatbots available these days that you can speak with. Generative AI (e.g. Chat GPT) may also be helpful.
Jun 30, 2025
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Linda Alley
IELTS Expert
Don’t worry. It’s still possible to achieve a high band score in IELTS Speaking – even if you’re not living an English-speaking country. To improve your speaking skills, try an online language exchange. Many of these are free or only involve a small cost. They’re a great way to improve your fluency or try out new phrases in a friendly, low-pressure environment. You can also practise IELTS Speaking topics on your own. Record yourself on your phone. When you listen back, think about what areas you can improve. Want to hear some more ideas from someone who has been there before? Tune into episode 10 of our video podcast and listen to May Huynh who shares how she got a band 8 while preparing for IELTS in Vietnam.

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Feb 7, 2025
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iconJun 9, 2026

Last answered by Lewis

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Lewis Crannitch
IELTS Expert
A band score of 4 is an achievable goal for many learners with regular practice and preparation. I recommend starting by becoming familiar with the IELTS test format and question types. This will help you understand what to expect on test day and identify areas that need improvement. You can access free preparation resources here: • IELTS New Zealand preparation materials and practice tests https://ielts.co.nz/newzealand/prepare-for-ielts • E2 Test Prep, an official IELTS preparation partner https://www.e2language.com If you'd like support from a teacher, IELTS New Zealand also has a list of approved IELTS preparation providers: https://ielts.co.nz/newzealand/about/ielts-approved-preparation-provider Consistent study and regular practice are often the key to achieving your target score.

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Jun 9, 2026
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iconFeb 7, 2025

Last answered by Rocco

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Rocco Nigro
IELTS Expert
Firstly, only focus on the True or False options (Not Given is used as your last option if needed). Focus on the key words in the statement, like the nouns, verbs, adjectives and adverbs. If the statement is True, the information in the text is the same. If the information is opposite, the answer should be False. If you can't work out if the statement is the same or opposite, then use Not Given.

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Aug 7, 2025
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Rocco Nigro
IELTS Expert
Just focus on the True or False aspect first and see if the statement is the same or opposite to the information in the text. If you can't decide between the two, then use the Not Given option.
Jun 17, 2025
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Reza Tasviri
IELTS Expert
Not easy question types, I agree. Read the statements a couple of times and ask yourself “Does the text actually say/mention this idea?”. If yes, does the question agree with it? If yes, it’s true and if not, it’s false. If I can’t find it in the text and I “think” the passage says it, highly likely it’s a “Not Given”. A couple of other things: the information appears in the same order as the questions are presented, so if you find yourself looking in different places and going forward and backward, you are probably doing it wrong. Also, do not be misled by an exact word match. Ideas in the questions are paraphrased so make sure you focus on “meaning” and not “words”.

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May 13, 2025
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iconFeb 7, 2025

Last answered by Jess

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Jess Christie
IELTS Expert
All IELTS on Computer tests around the world use the same testing platform. If you click here you can see what the platform looks like and practice all 3 components before your test. Test out what all the buttons and options do. You will see you can change the font size, screen and text color. Knowing what to expect will help you massively on test day!

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Feb 7, 2025
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Fahad Rafique

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Canada

16 years

Experience

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IELTS Expert

Hello! I'm Fahad, and I've been a part of IELTS since April 2010. Having been born and raised in the UAE and then migrating to Canada, I can truly say that IELTS takes you places. I firmly believe that success belongs to those who actively seek it. I'm here to help answer any questions you may have about IELTS and guide you on how to take that crucial first step toward achieving your international dreams – whether it's study, migration or work. I look forward to supporting you!!

Last online Aug 2, 2025

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Jess Christie

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Australia

8 years

Experience

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IELTS Expert

Hi, I'm Jess and I’m an IELTS Expert who has worked in the world of IELTS for 7 years. I help test takers do the best they can in the IELTS test by providing them with helpful tips to ensure they have a smooth test day. I am originally from regional Victoria in Australia, but I was an international student when I went to Ireland for University. I came back and decided to work in the world of international education, which led me to IELTS.

Last online Jun 25, 2025

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Lewis Crannitch

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New Zealand

2 years

Experience

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IELTS Expert

Hi, I’m Lewis. I’ve worked with IELTS in New Zealand since 2017 and taught English in Japan, China, and NZ. Having also learned a language myself in China, I understand the challenges test takers face. I track English proficiency requirements in NZ and deliver IELTS Masterclasses and familiarisation sessions to support preparation, share resources, and make test day easier. I look forward to connecting with you on your IELTS journey.

Last online Sep 15, 2025

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Linda Alley

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Australia

11 years

Experience

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IELTS Expert

Hi! I’m Linda. I’m here to help you reach your IELTS goals by answering any questions you might have about the test and how to prepare. You may have seen me on our video podcast, IELTS Prepare by IDP. I also create learning materials and blog posts for IELTS test takers. Over the past 10 years, I’ve taught English as a Second Language to students from all over the world, so please get in touch if you have any questions on how to improve your language skills.

Last online Sep 16, 2025

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Reza Tasviri

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Australia

18 years

Experience

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IELTS Expert

Hi, I’m Reza. I’m here to help you with advice on how to effectively use your knowledge of English to get the best outcome in your IELTS test. I can answer questions on what the test asks you to do, how it assesses your performance, and how you can show you have what it takes. I’ve been involved with IELTS for 17 years now. I’ve been an English Language teacher for 27 years and a lifelong learner (English is not my first language. I started when I was 17 and haven’t stopped since).

Last online Jul 9, 2025

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Rocco Nigro

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Australia

26 years

Experience

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IELTS Expert

Hello, my name is Rocco and I am one of the IELTS Experts here at IDP. Since 1995, I've been involved in English language teaching, teacher training, assessment and academic management, which has helped me develop a wealth of knowledge about the IELTS test. I enjoy meeting students and test takers from all over the world. If you have any questions about how to do your best in the IELTS Listening, Reading, Writing or Speaking tests, I can give you some good approaches to help you on test day.

Last online Jun 18, 2025

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Vincent Blokker

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Australia

11 years

Experience

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IELTS Expert

Hi! I’m Vincent, and I'm here to help you succeed in your IELTS journey. I live in the beautiful city of Melbourne, Australia, but I work with students from all over the world. I can help with advice and resources and answer your questions about IELTS. I also write blogs with tips for the test and have created study materials for IELTS. I’m an expert on any questions about the organisations, universities, and governments that accept IELTS for work, study, or your visa. Feel free to contact me!

Last online Jul 1, 2025

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