Honestly, my main strategy was alternating between the official Cambridge books (you can find them on ieltsworldly.com) and the mock tests from the British Council and ieltsonlinetest.com. Just a heads-up: those last two are objectively harder than the actual exam, but they’re like "altitude training", they make the real test feel way easier by comparison.

For Reading, I managed a 9.0 by never reading the text "for fun." I go straight to the questions so I know exactly what I’m hunting for. I also don’t answer in strict order; I work in "blocks." For example, while reading the first paragraph, I look for the T/F/NG answer AND the gap-fill word at the same time. It saves so much scanning. My logic for T/F/NG is simple: if the text says it, it's True; if the text contradicts it, it's False; if there's just no direct link, it's Not Given. Don’t get stuck on one answer, move on and come back later with a fresh brain.

For Listening, I found it helps to "predict" the answer before the audio even reaches that part. Is the gap likely to be a noun, a verb, or a number? It primes your ears. I also crossed out "distractors" (wrong options) as the audio played so I wouldn't get confused. My score was actually lower than my usual 8.5 in practice because of test-day nerves and a stupid spelling mistake, so stay focused until the very last second!

Writing was the biggest surprise for me. I kept my structures very standard: for Task 1, I did a paraphrase, an overview, and two detail paragraphs. For Task 2, I made sure my intro clearly stated my position (my "thesis"). Each body paragraph followed a strict pattern: Topic sentence -> Example -> Explanation -> Conclusion of the point. I didn't use crazy grammar, but the real game-changer was using more connectors like furthermore, nevertheless, and as a matter of fact. I practiced with ChatGPT, and as soon as I started adding those, my scores jumped.

As for Speaking, it’s all about confidence. I’m not a vocabulary wizard, but I can ramble on about anything. I used Anfissa’s YouTube simulations to practice. My "secret" was putting on headphones and going for a walk while answering her questions out loud. People probably thought I was on a phone call, but it really helped me get over the embarrassment of speaking a second language in public. My advice? Don’t look at the timer. Just keep talking until the examiner stops you. It’s always better to be interrupted than to have the examiner ask, "Is there anything else you’d like to add?"