[IELTS High-Score Story]

School and program: National Taiwan University, Master's Program in Statistics

Scores: L6.5, R8, W6, S5.5, overall 6.5

Test date: 2024/11/5

[How I prepared for each section]

[Listening]

In class, the teacher carefully broke down the techniques for each question type, such as catching the cues in transition words and staying calm when place names and people's names come up quickly, so you can write down the key information right away. What stuck with me most was the "anticipation" technique the teacher stressed: skim the questions quickly before the audio plays and predict what kind of answer is likely. This greatly improved my listening speed and accuracy. Every class came with practice questions the teacher designed, covering all kinds of situations and accents. They helped me get familiar with the question types and also showed me my weak points more clearly, so I could train with a clear direction.

[Reading]

Reading was my best section this time (R8), mainly because the teacher didn't just teach techniques but also how to break down the logic of a passage. Tricks like "keyword locating" and "quickly scanning topic sentences" were the key to answering efficiently in the exam. The teacher went through the questions one by one, explaining the logic behind the wrong options and the right answer, which really helped me build confidence in reading. In class the teacher also shared common synonym substitutions and phrases that come up on the test, so I could pick up key information more sharply while reading.

[Writing]

I started with no idea how to approach writing and very little confidence. The teacher used a clear structure to teach the three core elements of writing in depth: "structure, sentence patterns and coherence," which gave me a solid foundation.

For Task 1, the teacher's templates for trend and comparison sentences were very practical. After practicing with them, I started being able to vary and apply them flexibly. Task 2 was where I got stuck most at first: I often didn't know how to start, and what I wrote lacked logic and coherence. Then the teacher taught us to write a "writing outline" first and build out each paragraph step by step, which gave me a clear direction for organizing my content.

The teacher's handouts also included many high-scoring model essays, which were very helpful for building ideas, using sentence patterns and choosing vocabulary. The teacher also tied this to the reading lessons and showed us how to prepare for both sections together, and set up a group chat that shared English words, phrases and collected arguments from time to time, so English became part of everyday life.

[Speaking]

Speaking was my weakest result this time (S5.5), but I still learned a lot of practical techniques and ideas in class. The teacher encouraged us to speak up and not be afraid of mistakes, and gave us plenty of chances to practice in class with instant feedback, helping us gradually improve how we express ourselves. I didn't have much speaking experience, but this kind of practice made me much less afraid of speaking English, and I'm more confident using English in daily life.

[Study plan]

I'm still a student, so I had to juggle coursework and test prep. I used my free time to do practice tests and kept making steady progress. Writing and speaking were my weaker areas, so I spent more time practicing them. For writing, I first got comfortable with Task 1 and then practiced only Task 2. For speaking, I listened to English songs and watched videos to get the intonation and rhythm, and practiced my fluency, which really helped me speak more naturally. For reading, I mostly practiced in computer-based test mode, and during my commute I'd pull out my phone to do questions or memorize vocabulary, making use of spare moments to stay in practice.

[Test day report]

I chose the computer-based test, mainly because typing is faster than handwriting and it's easier to fix mistakes. Another advantage is the flexible scheduling: there are slots almost every day, and results come out in about a day, which was very convenient for me with a tight application timeline. I recommend doing at least one or two full mock computer-based tests before the exam to get used to the flow and pace. The one thing I have to warn you about: be on time! That day I saw someone who was just one minute late get turned away at the door and not allowed in. It was a real shame.

[Words of encouragement for other test takers]

You can do it! Do a little more each day and it will add up. Believe in yourself and in the work you're putting in now; it will get you where you want to go!

[Score report]