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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
Don't force yourself to speak in a manner you are not used to. Just make sure you use a wide range of language as accurately as you can and expand and support your ideas.
Jun 17, 2025
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iconMay 27, 2025

Last answered by Linda

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Linda Alley
IELTS Expert
It’s best to speak at a normal pace. If you speak too quickly, you might not express yourself clearly. If you speak too slowly, you might sound unnatural as it could affect your pronunciation in areas such as rhythm or intonation.   My tip: Imagine you’re talking to a colleague at work and speak at a natural pace.
May 27, 2025
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iconJun 17, 2025

Last answered by Rocco

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Rocco Nigro
IELTS Expert
As long as you use them correctly, then it should be fine. For vocabulary, it is important you use a wide range and ensure they are applied in the right context.
Jun 17, 2025
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iconJun 17, 2025

Last answered by Rocco

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Rocco Nigro
IELTS Expert
It is up to you - it doesn't really matter. Just make sure that you only use a given name for an informal letter and both a given name and surname when ending a formal letter.
Jun 17, 2025
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iconMay 29, 2025

Last answered by Linda

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Linda Alley
IELTS Expert
Absolutely. Because writing an essay plan is optional, you might be tempted to skip it, so you have more time to write your essay. However, creating a quick plan before you begin could actually save you time later. Imagine you’re in middle of your essay and you realise you don’t have enough ideas. Or you discover you don’t have enough examples to support your ideas. Take the pressure off yourself by spending a few minutes brainstorming and planning at the beginning of your test. Decide your position on the topic. Use bullet points to note ideas and examples you’d like to include. That way you can check if you have enough information before you start. If you’re taking IELTS on computer, you’ll receive some scrap paper for this.

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May 29, 2025
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iconJun 17, 2025

Last answered by Rocco

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Rocco Nigro
IELTS Expert
You can include: - one word - two words - a number - a word and a number - two words and a number
Jun 17, 2025
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iconJun 30, 2025

Last answered by Reza

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Reza Tasviri
IELTS Expert
Yes. There is always the practice that indirectly helps, and that is listen, listen, listen: podcasts, lectures, speeches, etc. The other advice I have is : always read the questions carefully, remember the key words, look for words that may direct you to the answer, things like” next”, “however”, “in summary”, “as a result”, and also try to predict what the answers might be.

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Jun 30, 2025
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iconMay 27, 2025

Last answered by Linda

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Linda Alley
IELTS Expert
I’d recommend listening out for signposting language. When you’re driving, road signs give you directions and warn you what is coming up ahead. Similarly, speakers use signposting language to tell you what information is coming next in a talk or lecture. They might use words or phrases to show the sequence of ideas or a change of topic e.g. “Let’s begin with” or “now, let’s look at...”  Paying attention to signposting language can also make it easier to follow a lecture because it shows how ideas are related to each other. Listen for language for giving examples, comparing and contrasting and showing cause and effect e.g. “for example”, “although” and “because of this.”

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May 27, 2025
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iconJun 30, 2025

Last answered by Reza

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Reza Tasviri
IELTS Expert
A very good question. This is an indicator of how cohesive and coherent a piece of writing is. Referencing and substitution is when we use words like pronouns (him/her, this/that, these/those, it), and articles (a/an, the). Substitution and referencing help avoid repeating ideas and making sentences clearer.
Jun 30, 2025
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iconJun 30, 2025

Last answered by Reza

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Reza Tasviri
IELTS Expert
Complex structures are those sentences that have more than just the basic elements of subject, verb, object, and adverb as in “ I studied French in the first year of college”. They contain one or two structures within a sentence. Examples of complex structures are conditionals, adverbials, relative clauses, passive structures, using participle clauses, etc. Instead of saying “I don’t have time. I cannot finish my assignment by this evening” we can combine the two sentences into a complex structure and say “If I had more time, I could finish my assignment by this evening”. Complex structure allow us to express more ideas and also make the writing more engaging

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Jun 30, 2025
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iconJun 19, 2025

Last answered by Linda

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Linda Alley
IELTS Expert
Discourse markers are words and phrases that help you organise your thoughts when you speak. You can use them to connect your ideas, show how you feel about what you're saying and make your speech flow more naturally. You can also use discourse markers if you need to pause and give yourself a moment to think about what to say next.  Here are some common discourse markers: ‘to begin with’, ‘another reason for this’, ‘unfortunately’, ‘similarly’, ‘for example’, ‘let me think about that’, ‘as a result’ and ‘on the whole’.  Our article ‘Using discourse markers to communicate in IELTS Speaking’ gives some good examples of how you can use these in your Speaking test.

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Jun 19, 2025
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iconJun 17, 2025

Last answered by Linda

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Linda Alley
IELTS Expert
Skimming and scanning are reading techniques. They can help you find information in a text more quickly. Skimming means reading quickly to get a general overview of the main ideas of a text. You can do this by focusing on headings, subheadings and the first and last sentences of paragraphs rather than reading every word. Scanning involves finding specific information in a text. Again, you don’t need to read every word. Just look for the key words related to the information you want to find, such as names, dates, numbers etc. In your IELTS Reading test, you might want to highlight or underline these key words as you read to help you answer the questions.

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Jun 17, 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

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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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Vishal Ramesh

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India

1 year

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IELTS Expert

Your friendly neighbourhood community manager

Last online Mar 4, 2025

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