Hi! I am about to take my IELTS academic exam for the first time in a month. I work as a full time nurse so im kind of having a hard time squeezing in time for review. Aside from that, I am only doing self study because I cant afford to pay for a review center/personal tutor.

Do you think it is possible for me to get at leat a band 7 across all subtests? I am a non-native speaker that can speak- how ever not that confidently- in english.

Also, do you guys have tips/ recommendations on what to focus on (my cirrent weak points are speaking and writing) and what study materials should i use? I really want to pass this on my first try because the test is so expensive and I cant afford to waste the money I spent on this exam.

Thank you so much!! 🥹

In the era of digitalization, it is often argued that cinemas and theatres are losing their importance as people have now shifted their focus on the online streaming platforms for entertainment. However, others believe that cinemas and theatres are a vital part of the cultural society and moreover it is also regarded as the economic backbone for entertainment industry. Through this essay I shall discuss my opion on both views.

In modern times, with introduction to various online entertainment platforms, people are leaning to choose the entertainment available at the comfort of their home ,as these platforms provide viewers with many different genres, they have options to select from wide range of categories. Moreover, due to rising prices ,affordability is also a question as it not no longer economically feasible for everyone to. Another reason to this is ,in this fast moving world people are not having ample amount of time to specifically spend it on entertainment therefore they opt for such entertainment that shall be easily available whenever and wherever they meant to watch.

On the other hand, cinemas economically create a wide range of employment opportunities, when people buy snacks and movies tickets it in turn serves benefits to the whole employment ecosystem. Furthermore, there are certains movies and plays which are meant to be enjoyed on the big screen, such example is the movie Avengers :The Endgame,the movie was so phenomenal and the CGI effect and the action brought to the viewers by Russo brother was exceptional, it was a must watch on a big screen.Another example is the Broadway Theather present in the New York that hosts variouslive shows and plays where artisits pour their heart and soul to perform , this is a lifetime experience moment to witness. Moverover, watching shows in theather and cinemas will also economically benefit the upcoming artists.

In conclusion, I believe that in this hustling we might have forgotten to watch shows incinemas and theaters but the importance is not yet faded. Though ,watching entertainment online may be the easier source but it may not provide the thrill , joy ,and experience which cinemas and theatres have.

Anyone noticed the level of difficulty for listening increased? I previously got 8.5 last month, then I only got 6.5 yesterday. 🥲

One advice I would give anyone would be.. don't panic. Don't be in a hurry to get it over with. I was so done with all the practicing that I wanted to get this over with.

For speaking, same as above. I stopped in part 2 because I talked so fast and there wasn't left much for me to say.. I think that's what affected my score.

I think if I remained less anxious, the score would have been a bit more. But I am happy overall.

I had my speaking exam today and as I stammer, I applied for special accommodation, which were approved. However, while i was giving my test, I was constantly interrupted by the examiner and was unable to fully develop my answer. As far as I can remember, I was only able to fully develop one or two answers in my part three and for the part 2 i got stuck on a word because I could not take it out of my mouth,i dont know like what will happen is normal for someone who have also applied for stammering accommodation and still felt like you were being cut off

I just find it difficult to talk for almost two minutes. And i also get very nervous during speaking. I will appreciate every tips.

Hey everyone!
I’m planning to take the IELTS exam in the next two weeks, and I could really use some advice and guidance from people who have already taken the test.
I need to submit my IELTS scores by the first week of November to secure my university admission, and the minimum requirement is an overall band score of 6.5.
I’m feeling a bit stressed because I have very limited time to prepare, but I’m ready to put in the effort over the next 14 days.

I would really appreciate your advice on a few things:
-What is the best way to prepare for IELTS in just 2 weeks?
-Which free resources, YouTube channels, websites, or mock tests helped you the most?
-How should I divide my time between Listening, Reading, Writing, and Speaking?
-Are there any tips or tricks to improve my Writing and Speaking scores?
-What common mistakes should I avoid during the exam?
-Is it realistic to achieve an overall 6.5 with two weeks of focused preparation?
-If you achieved a 6.5 or higher, please share your preparation strategy, daily routine, or any resources that worked for you.

I’m not looking for shortcuts or anything unrealistic — I just want to use these two weeks as effectively as possible.
Any advice, personal experiences, or study plans would mean a lot to me. Thank you so much in advance! 🙏

https://ieltsonlinetests.com/sot/result/speaking-practice-test-2-1523199

I just got my ielts result and I really need your help. I want to go from 5.5 to 7.0 by January

To be honest, I went unprepared. I only studied for a week and was super confident because I have a humangous amount of vocabulary, but once I sat for the test, I froze. like i didn't have time to comprehend question and while worrying about time

Listening

It was easy at first, but I had a hard time adapting to the different question types across sections. and i don't want to make excuses but ,In Section 3, a girl next to me started crying out loud because she was in severe pain of period cramps. As a medical student, I got super distracted and worried about what to do until the teacher helped her out. By Section 4, my focused was completely ruined I lost track after the thirdd question
and missed several answers.

Reading

Reading was really tough. tbh I kept switching strategies reading the full passage first, then questions, then back again which gave me a headache wallahe. I actually understood the text and complex words through context, but time management killed me. By Section 3, i was so fascinating by the article and didn't have time and had to guess most answers

Writing & Speaking

The funny part is, in Writing, I intentionally replaced basic words with complex ones just to flex my vocabulary, yet I only got a 5.5 Meanwhile, in Speaking, where I kept my vocabulary simple and expected a 3 at best, I ended up getting a 6.0

Where am I like i got 5.5 cuz of technique issue or language or both confuseeeed

My experience was terrible, and I’m sooo frustrated because I know I can do much better. I checked Oxford vocabulary lists b2 was easy, and for c1, I recognized a lot of words, though I realized I had forgotten the exact meanings of many words like really a lot.

Now I’m lost on how to restart is my problem a language like vocabulary issue , or technique problem? How do I bridge this gap to reach a 7.0 by january?

Hello everyone! Can you share your IELTS speaking questions pleasee?

Can i copy the question in task 1 and put in the answer. Because usually I don’t have time to finish it, so i copy from the question for the introduction

Hello, I was practicing mocks on some websites and came across this audio in listening where whie saying their names they don't spell it out. I mean how should I know how Herbert Hewitt is spelled as 🙂

Do these kinds of questions appear in the exam nowadays? Last time I attended the ielts is 4 years ago and listening used to be so much easier. I can't believe I'm struggling with listening. Any tips would be helpful.

Also need some writing tips. I do follow structures and I feel like I pretty much write okay to get a 7 but I keep getting 6, 6.5. No amount of tips and practice has imporoved my score yet. What do I do 😭

Long-time lurker here, and I just wanted to share my results and thank this community for all the helpful posts and advice over the past few months.

so generally speaking, the only thing I can possibly do in my reading test is changing the aspect of the verb or maybe changing a word to a noun or adjective?

OR even that possibility is not an option and I must put the exact information or exact word?

like only locate the info, not write from the text.

Question 1:

Context:

I got two questions wrong in my mock, and I want to understand why I got it wrong since I have located the two option and it is more a wordy problem rather than understanding

In this question

text for question 10:

text for question 9:

So, for question 10 I forgot about the 'would' in the question, what would have given me the answer immediately. Now, regarding 9 I don't understand why my answer is not valid. I know that I made up that sentence and it not literally on the text, but I though both car rental and hotels shared the concept of not sharing info about discounts and upgrades. In addition, the question mentioned that no more than three words were required here.

in other words, my reasoning was this:

• hotels hide discounts
• hotels hide upgrades
• car hire companies hide upgrades

Therefore:

hotels and car hire companies may choose not to tell customers about discounts and upgrades

Logically, that sounds plausible.

Any thoughts?

Hi everyone!

I'm trying to decide between British Council and IDP for my computer-delivered IELTS Academic test in Islamabad, Pakistan, and I'd really appreciate some advice from people who have taken IELTS recently.

I have an important university scholarship application deadline on October 23, 2026, and ideally, I need my official IELTS result before then.

Here is my situation:

- IDP: Test available on October 17.

- British Council: Test available on October 18.

- Application deadline: October 23.

The university has confirmed that I can submit my application with proof of IELTS registration while waiting for my result, but I'd really prefer to receive my score before the deadline if possible.

I've read that computer-delivered IELTS results can arrive within 1–3 days, but I've also seen reports of delays. I'm unsure whether taking the test a day earlier with IDP or choosing British Council would give me a better chance of receiving my result in time.

I'd especially appreciate responses from people who recently took computer-delivered IELTS Academic in Islamabad.

1. Did you take IELTS through IDP or British Council?

2. What date did you take the test, and when did you receive your results?

3. Has anyone recently received their results within 24–48 hours or 2–3 days?

4. Based on your experience, which provider would you choose in my situation?

I understand that neither provider can guarantee an early result. I'm just trying to make the most informed decision possible given my deadline.

Thank you so much for your help!

as dictated by IELTS ✨

I took the Speaking test online. The examiner asked me where I lived, what my hobbies were, and some other general questions. In Part 2, I got a question about technology, and in Part 3, the examiner asked me some follow-up questions related to the same topic.

To be honest, the examiner kept interrupting me, which really brought my mood down. As a result, I got quite nervous and made a few simple grammar mistakes.

After that, I had my Listening test. Since I couldn’t shake off the stress from the Speaking test, I think I missed around four or five questions in Part 1.

Reading was usually the section I struggled with the most, but this time, I actually found it easier than the Cambridge practice tests.

For Writing, I got a pie chart for Task 1. For Task 2, the question was about the decline in the number of animal and plant species, and I had to discuss the causes and possible solutions.

I went into the exam aiming for a band score of 7, but honestly, I feel like I might get a maximum of 6. I’m a little disappointed because I had higher expectations for myself, but I guess I’ll just have to wait and see!

Non-native speaker, but have used English professionally for close to 15 years. Needed the general training score for migration purposes, but wasn’t able to dedicate a lot of time for studying, due to work and personal commitments. Prepared for a couple of weeks (15-30 mins daily on average)mostly via ChatGPT giving me focused tips for writing structure, how to spot speakers correcting themselves for the listening section, how to handle true/false/not given etc. The lower score in speaking was mostly because of a few pauses I took when I was correcting my own chain of thoughts, I realized that during the test itself. But overall I’ll say that the experience was good, and good enough for my requirements.

Some people argue that the most important environmental problem of current era is the loss of certain flora and fauna. Though it is a valid concern, I believe that there are other various significant environmental issues that need to be addressed.

Some people worry about the extinction of certain animal and plant species that could be extremely valuable to the environment. For instance, the loss of a specific insect or plant may disrupt the natural ecosystem or food-chain of the environment. Many wild plants have also been linked to the cure of potential human diseases, so the extinction of such flora is a concerning issue that many worry about. Apart from this, forests and plants play an integral role in the overall stability of the environment by producing oxygen, the loss of which may threaten the survival of many animals.

Conversely, some individuals have concerns about other major environmental issues such as noise pollution and climate change. These changes have proved to be quite harmful and disruptive to environment and its people. Air pollution often caused by toxic chemicals released from the vehicles into the air is one of the leading causes of many life-harming diseases such as Asthma and Lung Cancer. It also reduces the overall quality of life and can negatively affect the mood of people. For instance, many schools and offices are closed in winters due to the high levels of Smog which can be dangerous if exposed to. Apart from this, climate change has also been a notorious issue that has been disturbing the natural ecosystem of life. Harsh weather conditions such as extremely hot weather in summers and insane level of cold in winters can cause the normal functions of society to cease. Such as, many elderly people are advised not to go out in such weather as it can adversely affect their fragile health.

So, even though the disappearance of certain flora and fauna is badly impacting the environment, in my opinion, other disastrous environmental problems such as air pollution and climate change can have more harmful effects on the environment and needs to be properly checked.

Hi everyone!
I’m taking my IELTS exam in the next 15 days, and I’d love to hear some opinions, tips, and advice from people who have already taken the test.
So far, I’ve completed around 35 Listening mock tests and 25 Reading mock tests. Honestly, it’s been a rollercoaster throughout my preparation. Sometimes I score really well and feel confident, but other times my scores drop, which makes me doubt my preparation.
For those who have taken the actual IELTS exam recently:
• How does the difficulty of the actual Listening and Reading tests compare with mock tests?
• Were your actual scores similar to your mock test scores?
• Do you have any last-minute tips for the final 15 days?
• Is there anything you wish you had done differently before your exam?
• If anyone has recently taken the test and remembers the types of Listening or Reading questions they got, could you please share any practice materials, recalled questions, or useful resources in the comments or chat? I’d like to compare the difficulty with my mock tests.
I’d really appreciate your honest experiences and advice. Thanks in advance!

I GOT MY SCORES!! Registered 40 days ago, studied not that much, fooled around a lot but practice increases ur score A LOT Reading: was easier than i thought (i read a lot, classic literature and romance books) Listening: harder than i thought, felt like i guessed at least half of it Speaking: the sweetest lady, i was relaxed, messed up my part 2. Was interrupted 2-3 times but thank godd i thought i was cooked Writing: practiced it the most, got the score i expected tbh my writing level is not that good

Review my essay and let me know how and which areas should i improve

Some people think that all university students should study whatever they like. Others believe that they should only be allowed to study subjects that will be useful in the future, such as those related to science and technology. Discuss both these views and give your own opinion.

A number of people believe in open choice to study whatever any student wants to but a lot of people suggest to restrict students to certain subjects. Although, limiting students to those subjects whose graduates get high pay can help them live a luxurious life but I think one should choose the field which they are passionate about. On the one hand, it is necessary to have a good source of income. Studying and being excellent in STEM fields increase chances of any person to get a good job with a decent pay because engineers are always needed for construction, people always get sick, so, doctors are required for their treatment, similarly, there is a high demand of IT graduates during this period of technology and AI. Therefore, People with these type of degrees face less trouble in finding jobs and get high pays. For example, some of the highest paid professions in US are doctors, engineers and computer science graduates. On the other hand, a person should always choose a field which they feel passionate about because there is no joy in working in a field with no interest in it.Passion drives people crazy and they are committed to do more than they can and become something extraordinary. No one has become great by working in a field that they were not passionate about. All the greats in every field were eager to learn about it. They found their true purpose and excelled in that field. For example, Hasan raheem chose to be a musician beside being a doctor and became a successful one because it was his passion to be. In conclusion, Although STEM fields can guarantee a secure future, I believe students should be free to choose subjects because eagerness and passion leads to greateness.

Some people say that the main environmental problem of our time is the lloss of particular specifes of plants and animals. Others say that there are more important environmental problems. discuss both views and give your own opinion.

Gobi bear, Snow leopard, and Takhi—these are examples of endangered animals in Mongolia. Tremendous conservation efforts were poured to protect their habitats. However, public opinion is divided on what environmental problem is the first to solve: some believe conservation should be the main focus; the others would like to focus on different goals.

Species and animals don't exist in a vacuum: every factor, whether natural or human, can put pressure on a habitat. A holistic approach to ecology suggests we should approach environmental problems with a focus on ecosystems; every plant and animal serves a function to regenerate earth with its food chain. Birds help propagate plants, coral reefs house fishes that help clean our oceans, and leopards protect the mountain habitats. Breaking the chain—loss of plants and animals—interrupts natural ecological systems of protection, regeneration, and growth, thus needing protection.

However, as humans populate the earth more and more, we are creating new environmental problems: deforestation and urban sprawls, mining and industrialization, pollution and floods. For example, air pollution is said to account for 30% of miscarriages annually. Growing urban sprawls and concentration of people in a city increase the demand for water and energy to provide for its citizens. So, people are worried about how we can help urbanization be sustainable and leave it for our next generations.

These environmental problems feel more visible and tangible to us as we coexist next to each other, compared to plants and animals, who seem far away and unrelatable to us. Challenging the idea, I believe that natural habitats are interconnected and protection of them would bring greater benefits in the long term. Humans, plants, and animals all serve their roles in our ecosystem—Earth. Thus, I believe protection of members is of utmost importance as we aren't alone in this world.

I keep trying to improve my writing but every time claude rates my eassy as 5.5 Does AI under rates? Any advices?