How to Improve Your IELTS Band Score
Looking to increase your IELTS score? Moving up even half a band requires targeted effort and understanding your weaknesses.
This page provides general strategies and links to specific resources on this site to help you focus your preparation for score improvement, particularly aiming for common targets like moving from Band 6 to 7, or Band 7 to 8.
General Strategies for Improvement
- Understand the Band Descriptors: Know exactly what skills are expected at your target band level for each section (Writing and Speaking especially). Identify the gap between your current level and the target level. Writing Bands | Speaking Bands.
- Identify Your Weaknesses: Be honest about which skills (L, R, W, S) or which specific areas within those skills (e.g., grammar, specific question types, fluency) need the most work. Use practice test results to pinpoint problem areas.
- Focused Practice: Don't just do endless full tests. Dedicate time to practicing specific skills or question types you find difficult. For example, if Writing Task 1 graphs are hard, practice only those for a while.
- Expand Vocabulary (Lexical Resource): Actively learn and practice using a wider range of vocabulary relevant to common IELTS topics. Focus on collocations (words that go together) and synonyms. See Vocabulary Lists.
- Improve Grammar Range & Accuracy: Work on using a variety of sentence structures correctly. Review common grammatical errors and practice correcting them. See Grammar Guide.
- Get Feedback: If possible, get feedback on your Writing and Speaking from an experienced teacher or tutor who understands the IELTS criteria. For self-study, record your speaking and compare it to samples; carefully analyze writing samples.
- Simulate Exam Conditions: Do full practice tests under timed conditions occasionally to build stamina and practice time management. Listening Tests | Reading Tests.
Moving Between Bands (e.g., 6 to 7)
Moving up a full band, especially from 6 to 7 or 7 to 8, often requires significant improvement in specific areas:
- Writing/Speaking: Improving grammatical accuracy (reducing errors in complex sentences), using a wider and more precise range of vocabulary (less common items), improving coherence (clearer paragraphing, more flexible linking devices), fully developing main ideas with support.
- Reading: Better handling of complex question types (T/F/NG, Matching Headings), improved understanding of opinion/attitude, faster reading speed with good comprehension.
- Listening: Increased accuracy with details (spelling, numbers), better understanding of paraphrasing, improved ability to follow longer academic discussions (Sections 3 & 4).
- See specific guides: Listening 7+ | Writing Bands | Speaking Bands
- Writing/Speaking: High level of accuracy in grammar with very few errors, skillful use of less common and idiomatic vocabulary with awareness of style/collocation, very natural and flexible use of cohesive devices, well-developed and coherent arguments/descriptions. Speaking requires high fluency with minimal hesitation and clear, effective pronunciation features.
- Reading/Listening: Consistently high accuracy across all question types, deep understanding of complex texts/audio, ability to infer meaning and understand subtle nuances of attitude and opinion.
- See specific guides: Listening 7+ | Writing Bands | Speaking Bands
Need a Structured Plan?
Our study plans can help you organize your preparation time effectively.
View Study Plans