Kim Tuyến's Journey to a 7.5 IELTS Score with Prep

Finding Alignment with Prep

Tuyến first heard about Prep in 2021 through YouTuber An is Here, when the platform was launching its first IELTS courses. However, at that time, Tuyến wasn't immediately impressed by Prep. After some time, in late 2023, she found that Prep resonated with her study goals, and after receiving recommendations and building trust through the community, she decided to enroll in Prep’s IELTS course.

The flexibility of Prep's courses, which allowed her to study at her preferred time and location, combined with the well-structured study plan, helped Tuyến save time deciding what to study each day. The high quality of teaching and affordable course fees also stood out to her, making Prep the ideal choice for her.

As a result, Kim Tuyến developed an effective learning method and, after months of effort, was able to confidently conquer the 7.5 IELTS score.

Before starting with Prep, Tuyến's IELTS level was 5.5. With a goal of achieving a 7.5 IELTS score, she dedicated 6 months to build up her knowledge and 2 months focused solely on practice and tackling test questions. “On any given day, I couldn’t cover all four skills, so I would focus on two skills per day. For example, on Day 1, I’d study Reading and Listening, and the next day, I’d focus on Speaking and Writing. In the beginning, I followed Prep’s study plan, but by the final months, I adjusted to create my own schedule,” Tuyến shared.

For Reading, before diving into test practice, she addressed any weak areas by reviewing foundational grammar concepts. The Reading lessons in Prep’s Intermediate course proved to be a lifesaver, helping her regain confidence in grammar.

“Through my study, I realized two key things that were crucial for improving my Reading: logical thinking and a strong vocabulary. Good logic helps to handle complex grammar in the questions. In the beginning, I practiced a lot to identify where I was making mistakes, then I checked the errors and focused on question types I wasn’t good at, like True/False/Not Given and Matching.”

To improve her vocabulary, Tuyến used material from the Cambridge books she had previously studied. She spent almost 99% of her time practicing Reading with Cambridge tests, noting down new words to expand her vocabulary.

For Listening, Tuyến prioritized practicing on her computer and used the Dictation method to improve her skills. She also often listened to familiar content like talk shows and popular TV series. This regular exposure helped her get used to native speakers' intonations and speaking speeds, leading to significant improvement in her Listening skills.

While Listening and Reading were not difficult for Kim Tuyến, she had to put in significant effort to refine her Writing and Speaking skills. Tuyến diligently worked through every lesson in her course, using feedback from test corrections and Prep’s virtual practice rooms to confidently tackle these more challenging skills.

“I learned from the lessons, sample answers, and feedback from my teachers, which provided useful insights into grammar and vocabulary that I could apply in my own Speaking and Writing tasks. The teachers not only pointed out my mistakes but also gave clear guidance on how to improve.”

For Speaking, Tuyến used a strategy of memorizing sample answers, but with a twist—she didn’t simply memorize the scripts, but critically analyzed the ideas to see if they aligned with her own thoughts. This allowed her to personalize her responses, making them more authentic.

One feature of Prep that Tuyến particularly appreciated was the Speaking and Writing virtual rooms, which provided a daily practice environment. After using Prep’s VSR (Virtual Speaking Room), Tuyến noticed significant improvement in her Fluency and Vocabulary. “The feedback on my pronunciation from VSR was incredibly detailed, and I was impressed by how accurate the AI was—it felt like the real exam. After each Speaking practice, VSR suggested vocabulary improvements and sample answers. I give VSR a 10/10!”

Staying Calm and Focused

Tuyến shared that throughout her IELTS preparation journey, she focused on maintaining a relaxed mindset and diverting her attention to other activities to avoid overwhelming herself with pressure. “Now I feel very happy and satisfied with my results. I believe the effort I put in was worth it!”

Although Tuyến plans to further improve her Speaking and Writing skills in the future, she intends to use her newly achieved IELTS score to explore job opportunities first. Prep hopes her journey will inspire other students who are preparing for the IELTS exam and give them confidence in their own abilities.

If you're interested in learning more about Prep’s IELTS courses or virtual practice rooms, don’t hesitate to contact their fanpage or call the hotline at 0931 42 8899 for more information and a free consultation.