IELTS Study Experience to Achieve 7.0 from Ngọc Diễm - Confidently Applying to Swinburne University

Secret to Diễm’s Significant Improvement in Writing and Speaking

Ngọc Diễm had previously studied IELTS at centers in Quảng Trị. However, after some time, she felt that her Writing and Speaking skills weren't improving much. The class she attended had too many students, which meant the teacher couldn't provide her with the close, personalized feedback she needed. Additionally, Diễm found that practicing Speaking with peers at the same level made it difficult to significantly raise her Speaking band score.

Upon discovering Prep through social media, Diễm was particularly impressed by the virtual Speaking room feature. She found it to closely resemble real test conditions, especially with its simulated test mode. Her Speaking practice was consistently detailed, with feedback addressing everything from pronunciation to grammar mistakes, allowing her to make precise improvements.

The virtual Speaking room also offered sample responses that Diễm could learn from. After one month of practice, she received a score of approximately 6.5 for Speaking from the AI assessment. Having used Prep's interface for some time, Diễm felt more confident when registering for the actual IELTS test. On exam day, she wasn’t caught off guard and managed to complete all three sections within the allotted time, ultimately achieving a 7.0 in Speaking—well beyond her expectations.

As for Writing, Diễm admitted that she grew a lot from the detailed corrections provided by Prep’s instructors. Before submitting her first Writing task, she thought her essay was fairly good, but when she received the marked-up version with numerous corrections, she was surprised. However, the comprehensive feedback helped her recognize her weaknesses, allowing her to choose vocabulary more appropriately for the context.

“The teachers graded according to the four IELTS criteria, which helped me understand where I was lacking. For example, if I scored a 5 in grammar, I would review where I went wrong and make the necessary improvements. I took the exam in the second quarter and had time to review the predictions for that round, which included a possible process diagram. Although I was a bit nervous because I wasn’t sure how to approach this type of question, after listening to Prep's lessons and reviewing many sample answers, I knew how to handle it and felt much more confident.”

Ngọc Diễm’s Method for Improving Listening and Reading Skills

To improve her Listening skills, Ngọc Diễm often follows this method: she first takes a test to identify her weak areas, then selects corresponding lecture videos to study. Diễm found that she struggled with the "form filling" part of the Listening test, so she focused on the lessons for that section and practiced with exercises consisting of 4 to 5 sentences. This approach not only saved her time but also helped her quickly absorb and retain the knowledge. She also noted that the Listening tips and exercises provided by Prep were very similar to those in the actual TOEIC exam.

Another important tip for Listening that Diễm follows is practicing many test papers to avoid feeling nervous during the exam. While practicing, if she identifies a mistake, she reviews the transcript to analyze why she made that error.

Similarly, for Reading, Diễm also practices many tests using the same method. She shared: “I know many people recommend the skimming & scanning technique (quick reading and scanning), but I actually think we should focus more on comprehension. When you truly understand the text, it helps you approach the questions with clearer insight.”

Ngọc Diễm’s IELTS Journey and Reflections

Achieving the IELTS certificate was truly a long journey for Ngọc Diễm. She began studying IELTS in 11th grade but had to pause due to scheduling conflicts and eventually decided to stop attending extra classes. In 12th grade, Diễm realized the importance of IELTS and decided to focus her time and energy on the exam. There were moments when she felt discouraged and stuck, but she would turn on Listening podcasts to help refocus, then return to practicing test papers.

After one month of studying with Prep, Diễm’s IELTS exam arrived. During the final days of preparation, she felt disheartened and even considered postponing her test. However, with the support and encouragement of her parents and friends, she overcame her mental barriers and took the test. The result, IELTS 7.0, was a reward for her challenging journey of preparation.

Diễm shared: “I feel that the effort I put in was absolutely worth it, and Prep was the best decision I made. After studying with Prep, I realized that learning with the teachers is just one part of it; the bigger part is my own diligence and understanding where I stand, so I can focus on practice and self-improvement.”

Now, with an IELTS score of 7.0, Ngọc Diễm feels proud and confident that she will be accepted into Swinburne University Vietnam, the university she has always dreamed of. Prep wishes Ngọc Diễm and all other IELTS candidates the best of luck in their future endeavors!