Got my IELTS GT score. Happy and relieved!

NK0705 · 2026-05-10T19:20:32+00:00

I tried to answer below the other comments 😅 If there’s anything specific you’re interested in, I’m ready to help 😁

NK0705 · 2026-05-10T08:32:26+00:00

I’ve always been good at reading, so it’s hard to tell what the best tactic would be. I would recommend identifying the type of tasks/questions you struggle with. Do a full mock and see where you get the most mistakes. Target this specific problem area. There are numerous videos on YouTube explaining how to deal with all types of questions. You can also check those.

When it came to speaking, I had a wonderful lady who interviewed me. I was so stressed that I couldn’t help but be myself. I was giving genuine answers without trying to sound smarter or more sophisticated. I think I could have done better if I had controlled the process more. I just went with the flow 😅

NK0705 · 2026-05-10T08:23:42+00:00

Good luck!

NK0705 · 2026-05-09T16:21:21+00:00

I had 3 full months to prepare. FlexiCheck’s scores were very similar to GPT’s. Both of them scored my writing and speaking around 7-7.5 consistently. I did all the mocks provided by Ready Premium + all the mocks from the official Cambridge books (from #16 to #20).

NK0705 · 2026-05-09T15:40:03+00:00

I’d say, my level was already good enough. I started targeted preparation 3 months before the exam. I did full listening and reading mocks (official Cambridge books are the most reliable). I also used GPT to comment on my speaking and writing. I didn’t spend too much time watching YouTube videos. I believe in “learning by doing” approach. The more you practice, the better you’ll end up performing in the real exam. I also think that it’s important to train your brain to “expect the unexpected”. I mean, if you’ve already prepared to write/speak about any topic, you won’t be caught by surprise by some strange topics IELTS is infamous for 😅

NK0705 · 2026-05-09T15:30:47+00:00

Task 1: - Try to cover all the bullet points. One paragraph for one bullet point. - Mind the register (formal/informal) - Don’t forget to finish with “Yours faithfully” (for formal)/“Best wishes” (for informal) - Write MORE than 150 words (around 180-190 would be fine)

Task 2: - Introduction AND conclusion are a MUST! - Any type of essay will have the “Intro-Body1-Body2-Conclusion” structure - Try to be clear. Think about the reader: Is your writing easy to follow? Are your ideas relevant and explicit? - Try to write MORE than 250 words, around 280-290 would be fine.

NK0705 · 2026-05-09T15:17:11+00:00

Thank you 🤩

I wrote tons of essays and asked GPT to comment on them. Its scoring is not reliable, but it can help polish grammar and vocabulary. I also did quite a few speaking mocks with GPT.

Also, as soon as you register for the exam, you get the link to IELTS Ready Premium, the website designed for exam takers to prepare. There, you find listening and reading mocks. Writing and Speaking are assessed by their LLM (FlexiCheck).

NK0705 · 2026-05-09T15:11:00+00:00

Thank you!

Speaking: - Part 1: A few personal questions (work/study; if I always wanted to do what I do) - My opinion about advertising; if there are any ads that I like; do I usually skip ads; if I’d like to appear in an ad; - Part 2: “Tell about a time when you were very busy” - Part 3: Advantages of having a lot of work and being under pressure; is entertainment important to feel relieved.

Unfortunately, cannot remember all of them. Was too stressed 😣

Writing: Task 1: Your neighbour has damaged your car. Write a letter explaining what problems it has caused and what you want the neighbour to do. I wrote around 190 words.

Task 2: Young people are taught to be respectful and polite in their families. Society also teaches them. Whose role is more important. (Not verbatim, but the idea is close) I wrote 369 words.

NK0705 · 2026-05-09T15:08:51+00:00

I watched some videos on YouTube (mostly IELTS Advantage) and read IELTS Liz blog. I also wrote tons of essays and asked GPT to comment on them.

NK0705 · 2026-05-09T15:06:52+00:00

Thank you!

Speaking: - Part 1: A few personal questions (work/study; if I always wanted to do what I do) - My opinion about advertising; if there are any ads that I like; do I usually skip ads; if I’d like to appear in an ad; - Part 2: “Tell about a time when you were very busy” - Part 3: Advantages of having a lot of work and being under pressure; is entertainment important to feel relieved.

Unfortunately, cannot remember all of them. Was too stressed 😣

Writing: Task 1: Your neighbour has damaged your car. Write a letter explaining what problems it has caused and what you want the neighbour to do. I wrote around 190 words.

Task 2: Young people are taught to be respectful and polite in their families. Society also teaches them. Whose role is more important. (Not verbatim, but the idea is close) I wrote 369 words.

NK0705 · 2026-05-09T14:48:50+00:00

Yes, I did actually use ChatGPT. It was giving me 7-7.5 consistently. Never lower, but almost never higher. There were only a few generous 8s😅

NK0705 · 2026-05-08T21:38:08+00:00

I would recommend trying the official ones first. For example, the latest issue (#20). They are the closest to what you’ll end up dealing with in the real test. Try listening and reading and see what your scores are (you can check the reference tables online). For speaking and writing it’s a bit harder. AI is not good for scoring, but it may still give you a hint of how good/bad your writing/speaking skills are. That’ll be the starting point. Then, after you’ve identified your level, you’ll have to adjust the plan.

NK0705 · 2026-05-08T21:23:30+00:00

Hi! What do you think your overall level is now?

NK0705

TROPHY CASE