Achieving an 8.0 IELTS Score Isn’t Hard: FTU Student Shares High-Scoring Tips after Just One Month of Preparation

Ngoc, a student at the Foreign Trade University, achieved an impressive 8.0 IELTS score with all skills scoring above 7.0. Her journey involved consistent study and skill-building, so she felt confident going into her first IELTS test. Ngoc shared, “I spent a lot of time on English in general and IELTS prep specifically. With a solid foundation, I didn’t feel much pressure—Prep guided me well, and I just focused on giving it my best!” However, simply practicing wasn’t enough for high scores. Ngoc had a clear strategy for each skill: maintaining scores in her strengths and focusing on improving weaker areas.

Daily Practice Made Listening and Reading Easier

Ngoc felt confident in Listening and Reading, as her coursework is entirely in English. Additionally, her participation in international exchange programs greatly improved these skills. “For IELTS, I practiced with the Cambridge 16-18 series for about a month. I didn’t find it very challenging since I was already used to English listening and reading,” Ngoc explained.

Many find scoring 8.5 in Reading and 9.0 in Listening daunting, but Ngoc proved it achievable. Her success wasn’t only due to a month of preparation but rather the cumulative result of years of English exposure.

Ngoc had a clear strategy for each skill: maintaining scores in her strengths and focusing on improving weaker areas.

VSR and VWR: Making Difficult Skills More Manageable

With Speaking and Writing Skills, Ngoc's Initial Band Score Was Only 6.0 - 6.5. After More Than a Month of Practice with the VSR and VWR Virtual Rooms, Her Skills Improved. “With only one month left to prepare, I used the exam simulation mode. I liked this mode the most because it mirrors the real test environment, helping me get used to the actual exam pressure. The test is graded according to clear criteria, so I know where I'm doing well and where I'm making mistakes, allowing me to improve with each attempt. I’d rate it a 9 out of 10!”

Ngoc encountered some challenges with Writing, as she had never taken the test before and was unsure how to develop ideas coherently. With Prep’s training, she received feedback on areas needing improvement and suggestions for upgrading her ideas and vocabulary to a higher band level.

“I find Prep quite helpful. Honestly, I didn’t spend much time practicing Writing, but with each evaluation, I’ve seen improvement. The AI at Prep grades quite precisely, so I use that feedback to improve my weaker areas. For instance, my Grammatical Range and Accuracy score was initially low. Practicing with VWR taught me to be more cautious when writing and to review my work carefully to avoid errors,” Ngoc shared.

Ngoc also quickly “fell in love” with VSR from her first sessions. What she liked most was the diverse range of test topics, from Cambridge material to prediction sets. Starting with scores around 6.5, she steadily progressed to 7.0 - 7.5 by the end of her practice. Ngoc confided that seeing her noticeable improvement with each graded session motivated her and boosted her confidence for the actual Speaking test.

Additionally, practicing with VSR helped Ngoc improve her Fluency and Vocabulary. “After more than a month of practice, I noticed a clear improvement in my Fluency. At first, I would go over time or struggle with challenging topics. But on test day, even with a topic I hadn’t prepared for, I managed to handle it well and scored 7.0 in Speaking, thanks to the experience and knowledge I gained through VSR.”

Moreover, Ngoc’s vocabulary and idea bank for the Speaking test continued to grow, as each evaluation provided vocabulary enhancements and high-band model answers for students to reference. She successfully incorporated many of the words she learned in VSR into her actual test.

Her success wasn’t only due to a month of preparation but rather the cumulative result of years of English exposure

Advice for Those Preparing for the IELTS Exam

Sharing her tips for achieving an impressive 8.0 IELTS score, Hong Ngoc explains that she tries to maintain balance in her life. She practices diligently every day with Prep but still makes time to relax, meet friends, and keep her mind at ease. Having friends with the same goal of conquering the IELTS exam has also helped her stay motivated and driven.

Ngoc’s advice: “I think the most important thing is to stay calm, both during preparation and on exam day. Additionally, if you want a high score, you should maintain strong skills in your stronger areas to boost your overall score, and at the same time, work hard to improve weaker skills.”

After achieving an 8.0 IELTS, Ngoc plans to pursue a master’s degree in Germany through an English-taught program. This score gives her complete confidence in her application, as the school’s required IELTS score is only 7.0. Prep hopes that the knowledge and experience Ngoc gained from her training with Test Practice will help this Foreign Trade University student achieve further success on her academic journey ahead.

For more information about the Prep for IELTS course, contact the hotline at 0931 42 8899 for details and free consultation.

Master Tu Pham

Founder/CEO at Prep

Mr. Tú Phạm is the founder of PREP, a Smart Test Preparation Platform. With over 10 years of teaching and test preparation experience, he has assisted thousands of students in achieving high scores on the IELTS exam. Additionally, Mr. Tú Phạm serves as a consultant for British Council programs and as a speaker at numerous premier education events, programs, and seminars.