IELTS Exam Success: How to Score High on the Test

There is a very simple answer to the question "How do I get a high IELTS score?" You need good English. Good English is the key to a good score. So if your general English is not yet strong, the first step is to join a good General English course. Ideally, if you have time, reaching B2 level before you start an IELTS course is the best way to get a high score.

If your English is already at B2 level or above, a good IELTS course can be very beneficial. Think of it like building a house: good general English is the foundation, and the IELTS course is the construction. Here are the most important things a good IELTS course should include:

• Practising the four skills tested in the exam: listening, reading, writing and speaking.
• Developing your understanding of common topics such as education, technology, science, the environment and globalisation.
• Building general, topic-related and academic vocabulary.
• Developing the range of grammatical structures expected from skilled users of English.
• Understanding the requirements of the exam and doing exam practice.

A really good IELTS course will not put too much emphasis on exam practice alone. Exam practice is important, but first you need to develop topic-related and academic language. You need to practise IELTS-style reading passages and listening tasks, and develop the skills to understand both the general and detailed meaning of what you read and hear. You need the skills to interpret data for Writing Task 1, and to write an argument with a clear position for Task 2. For the speaking test, you need the vocabulary and ideas to discuss everyday life and topical issues. And you need to practise a lot.

If your level is below B1 and you need a good IELTS score, start with a good General English course. You can begin to prepare for IELTS at this stage, but your main focus should be building the foundation, so that when you join an IELTS course you are ready to benefit from it.

Find your level with our free English level test, then explore our General English and IELTS Preparation courses.