BLOGS

Get insights, tips, and strategies from IELTS experts and former IELTS examiners.

Whether you're aiming for a high band score or seeking clarity on different aspects of the IELTS Test, our blogs provide guidance to help you excel.

Stay ahead with exclusive advice straight from Team IELTS!

Image of a pile of books containing strategies for achieving Band 7 + in IELTS Reading

  • Nov 20, 2025

IELTS Reading Success Part 1

  • Leila Tehrani
  • 0 comments

Both IELTS preparation books and IELTS teachers will tell you that you need to use your reading skills effectively to do well in the Reading Test. But what are these skills? How are they helpful?
IELTS Band Descriptor categories: Task Response, Coherence and Cohesion, Lexical Resource, Grammatical Range and Accuracy A checklist for Band 7 Task Response in IELTS Writing Task 2

  • Oct 20, 2025

How to Use the IELTS Band Descriptors to Check Your Writing and Understand Your Band

  • Daniella Di Mambro
  • 0 comments

So you’ve been told a required band score for IELTS, what does that mean and how do you make sure that your writing meets that band? This guide to using the Band Descriptors will give you some simple tips to help you understand your band and check if your writing is ready.
A leaf and multiple leaves showing difference between singular and plural; boosting IELTS Listening score, effective listening.

  • Aug 20, 2025

IELTS Listening Test: The Role of Grammar (Part 2: Singular or Plural)

  • Marijana Petrovic
  • 1 comment

In the IELTS Listening test, each mark contributes to your overall band score. Even minor mistakes, such as mixing up singular and plural nouns, can result in lost points. In other words, if you write ‘book’ instead of ‘books’, your answer could be marked incorrect if that wasn't exactly what was said. This second blog in our series helps you pick out the detail you need to get the answer right and get that extra mark. Stay tuned for a quiz at the end to test your knowledge!
WordCloud with parts of speech to help with the grammar in the IELTS Listening Test.

  • Jul 19, 2025

IELTS Listening Test: The Role of Grammar (Part 1: Parts of Speech)

  • Marijana Petrovic
  • 0 comments

While the IELTS Listening Test primarily tests your ability to understand spoken English, your responses must be grammatically correct. Incorrect grammar leads to a wrong answer and one wrong answer could be the difference between a band score of 6.5 and 7! In this blog we'll look at a number of sample questions and show you how a good grasp of grammar can boost your band score.
A picture showing a quill used for writing a letter in IELTS General Training Task 1 in order to achieve a band score of 7

  • Jun 20, 2025

A Guide to IELTS General Training Writing Task 1

  • Leila Tehrani
  • 0 comments

Find out what IELTS General Training Task 1 entails, what needs to be covered, and how to approach this task.
Two talking heads across a desk illustrating IELTS Speaking Test format.

  • May 30, 2025

How is the IELTS Speaking Test assessed?

  • Leila Tehrani
  • 0 comments

Knowing how the IELTS Speaking Test is assessed is essential for success. In this blog we look at the assessment criteria in detail and tell you what examiners are looking for.
Headphones, IELTS listening, books, mistakes, higher band score, success

  • May 17, 2025

Five most common mistakes in IELTS Listening — and how to avoid them

  • Marijana Petrovic
  • 0 comments

The IELTS Listening Test can be difficult, even with plenty of preparation. With 40 questions spread across four parts, it's easy to make small mistakes that can cost you valuable points. In this blog, we’ll highlight the 5 most common mistakes and provide effective strategies to help you avoid them. Ready to improve your score? Click to find out how!
Image of calculator/numbers and red pencil for IELTS Academic Writing Task 1

  • May 2, 2025

Numbers and symbols in IELTS Academic Writing Task 1

  • Sarah Philpot
  • 3 comments

Task 1 usually requires you to describe data – numbers, percentages, fractions etc.. The data is often presented in the form of a table, a pie chart, a line graph or a bar chart. Difficulties can arise, though, in how to write that data in your report. In this blog, I will go through the advice I give my students in my IELTS preparation classes about writing numbers and symbols in their descriptions of diagrams and figures.

  • Apr 26, 2025

How to Improve Vocabulary for the IELTS Test – Part 2

  • Yasir Husain
  • 0 comments

Following on from the previous one in the series, this blog will continue to look at effective ways to help improve vocabulary in the context of the IELTS test.
A handwritten IELTS Task 2 high band scoring essay through a magnifying glass with errors noted in red

  • Apr 4, 2025

How to check your writing in the last minutes of the IELTS Writing Test.

  • Daniella Di Mambro
  • 0 comments

You’ve heard this advice a million times: Check your writing! But what does this mean, and how can you do this when you have very little time at the end of the IELTS Writing Test? Let’s look at some quick tips to help you make important changes and boost your IELTS Writing Band Score!
Picture showing a dictionary to visually indicate that the blog is about vocabulary and understanding the meanings and usage of new words.

  • Mar 21, 2025

How to Improve Vocabulary for the IELTS Test – Part 1

  • Yasir Husain
  • 0 comments

This blog looks at the importance of improving vocabulary in the context of the IELTS test and explores effective strategies and practical tips for learning new words.

  • Mar 7, 2025

Understanding accents in the IELTS Listening Test

  • Marijana Petrovic
  • 0 comments

Many IELTS test takers are concerned about the different accents they might hear in the Listening section, and worry that these accents could impact their ability to understand words, phrases, and overall meaning. Do you feel the same way? Are you concerned that this might result in your missing answers? Could unfamiliar pronunciation, intonation, and regional differences cause confusion? This blog provides examples of various accents and offers practical tips to help you feel more confident in understanding them. Let’s practise together!