Simone Braverman's Blog: IELTS-Blog.com, page 12

How This Busy Medical Student Scored Band 7.5 in Just 7 Days

When Hasin, a busy medical student from Bangladesh, had just one week of holidays before classes resumed, he decided to take a bold step: apply for a scholarship in Canada. But first, he needed a strong IELTS score – fast.

With only 7 days to prepare, no tutor, and a packed academic schedule, Hasin did what many students in his position struggle to do: he committed to a plan and followed it with precision.

The Turning Point: One Recommendation, One Book

A relative living in Canada recommended my book, Target Band 7 (Fourth Edition). Hasin opened the PDF version and, seeing 90 pages, felt a little overwhelmed. But he didn’t let that stop him.

“From the first day I just started reading your instructions on each module and kept implementing them as I went.”

He focused on all four modules, following the book’s techniques step by step – especially the tips for Listening and sample answers for Writing. During breaks, he reviewed Speaking questions and listened to Band 8 and 9 audio samples. For Reading (his weakest skill), he practised daily and applied the strategies exactly as outlined.

The Results: Band 7.5 in Just One Week

After a week of focused study using the book alone, Hasin achieved the following scores:

Listening: 8.0Reading: 7.0Writing: 7.0Speaking: 8.0

Overall Band Score: 7.5

That’s a remarkable achievement – especially for a student juggling medical studies and a tight deadline.

“The great thing about your book is that all the instructions and advice are given so precisely and perfectly. If someone wants a piece of advice from me, it would be to just keep practising each module following the relevant instructions.”

Hasin proved that even with very limited time, a focused approach using the right materials can lead to excellent results. His story is a reminder that success doesn’t always depend on long hours – it depends on doing the right things with the time you have.

Hasin’s Full Story

“At first, a little description about myself – I am currently pursuing MBBS in Bangladesh. A month ago, while the classes were off and I wasn’t getting that spark in my regular studies, I decided to apply for a scholarship in one of my favourite countries: Canada.

Obviously, my first priority was a good score in IELTS, but I was short on time since my classes were about to resume in a week.

One of my relatives living in Canada recommended your book, Target Band 7. He advised me to just follow the instructions in the book and practise accordingly.

I still remember the first day I began preparing for the IELTS exam. I opened the PDF on my laptop and saw it had around 90 pages – I became a bit depressed because I had only 7 days before the exam. But from that first day, I started reading your instructions for each module and implemented them as I progressed.

For Listening and Writing, your tips, tricks, and sample responses saved a lot of my time and helped me greatly. I struggled the most with Reading, especially the final section, but I kept practising based on your advice.

During my free moments, I reviewed Speaking module questions and listened to Band 8 and 9 speaking samples. The great thing about your book is that all the instructions and advice are given so precisely and perfectly.

By the grace of Almighty, I secured an overall Band 7.5:
Listening 8.0, Reading 7.0, Writing 7.0, and Speaking 8.0.

If someone wants a piece of advice from me, it would be to just keep practising each module following the relevant instructions.

Thank you for giving me the chance to write about my short yet insightful journey.”

Want to Follow Hasin’s Path?

If you’re short on time, or preparing without a tutor, Hasin’s story is proof that the right approach makes all the difference.

Here’s how to get started: Get the book Target Band 7 (Fourth Edition)

Whether you’re aiming for Band 7, 7.5, or higher – you don’t need to do it alone.

You can do this. Let’s get you there.

The post How This Busy Medical Student Scored Band 7.5 in Just 7 Days first appeared on IELTS-Blog.

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IELTS essay, topic: Some believe that education is a better solution to crime than prison (agree/disagree)

Most countries are sending criminals to prison. Some people believe that education would be a better solution to crime. To what extent do you agree or disagree?

In most parts of the world, prison is the main tool used to punish criminals. However, some believe that education is a better way to prevent crime. I fully agree with this view, as I believe education targets the root causes of criminal behaviour more effectively than punishment does.

Sending people to prison may protect society in the short term, but it often fails to prevent reoffending. Many prisoners leave jail with no better skills, knowledge, or support than when they entered. In fact, prisons can expose inmates to further violence, mental health problems, and criminal networks. Without access to education or job training, ex-offenders may struggle to find work and return to crime simply to survive. In this sense, prison becomes a revolving door, rather than a solution.

In contrast, education gives people a chance to change their path. For those at risk of committing crime, especially young people from disadvantaged backgrounds, access to quality education can provide hope, purpose, and opportunity. Even within the prison system, educational programs have been shown to lower reoffending rates. People who study while incarcerated often develop new skills and gain confidence, which helps them reintegrate into society. This is particularly evident in countries like Norway, which focus more on rehabilitation and education than punishment, as they consistently have low crime and reoffending rates.

In conclusion, while imprisonment may be necessary for dangerous offenders, education is a far more effective long-term solution to crime. It not only prevents people from committing crimes in the first place, but also helps them rebuild their lives after conviction. Therefore, I strongly believe that governments should invest more in education as a key part of their crime prevention strategies.

Teacher’s feedback:

This is a clear, well-developed essay that would likely achieve a Band 8 or higher.

Task Response: Band 8
You’ve answered the question directly and maintained a consistent position throughout — that education is a better long-term solution to crime. Your ideas are relevant and well-supported, especially the comparison between prison systems and educational outcomes. To strengthen your response even more, you might briefly acknowledge when imprisonment is necessary (as you do), then explore that point just a little more for balance.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 8
The essay is logically organised with clear paragraphing. Your ideas progress smoothly from one to the next, and you’ve used cohesive devices naturally, without overdoing them. One small improvement could be a slightly stronger opening sentence in Body Paragraph 1 to better introduce the idea of prison’s limitations – here is an example: “While imprisonment is a widely used method of punishment, it has significant limitations in reducing long-term criminal behaviour.”

Lexical Resource: Band 8
Your word choice is precise and appropriate for an academic task. Phrases like “revolving door,” “social marginalisation,” and “crime prevention strategies” show a wide vocabulary. To reach Band 9, try incorporating a few more uncommon or idiomatic expressions to further demonstrate lexical sophistication.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 9
You’ve shown excellent control of grammar, with a range of sentence types and accurate complex structures. There are no noticeable errors, and your grammar supports clear, fluent communication throughout.

Submit your essay for correction and find out how to improve your Writing score.

Click here to see more IELTS essays of Band 8

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Latest IELTS Speaking questions from Japan – June 2025

One of our kind subscribers, TY, recently sat the IELTS test in Japan and recalled the following Speaking questions:

Speaking test

Part 1 (Interview)

– Do you work or are you a student?
– What do you do every day at work or school?
– Do you enjoy what you do?
– Do you like flowers?
– What is your favourite flower and why?
– Where can you usually see flowers in your area?
– On what occasions do people in your country give flowers?
– Have you ever grown any flowers yourself?

Part 2 (Cue Card)

Describe a person you know who dresses in an unusual way. You should say:

– who the person is
– what kind of clothes they wear
– how you know them

and explain why you think their style is unusual.

Part 3 (Discussion)

– What kinds of clothes do people commonly wear in your country?
– How has fashion changed in your country over the years?
– Do you think people feel pressure to follow fashion trends? Why or why not?
– Why do some people prefer to wear traditional clothes?
– Do people’s clothing choices reflect their personality?
– How important is appearance in professional settings in your country?

The post Latest IELTS Speaking questions from Japan – June 2025 first appeared on IELTS-Blog.

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New IELTS questions from the UAE – June 2025 (Academic Module)

Thanks to our generous student AF, here is what we know about the writing questions from the recent IELTS exam in the UAE:

Writing test

Writing task 1 (a report)

The pie charts below show the consumption of different types of energy in a particular country in two different years.

Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant.

* Note: these are not the original charts given in the test, they were recreated for the purpose of demonstration.

Writing task 2 (an essay)

Nowadays, people are exposed to a large number of advertisements.

Do the positive effects of advertising outweigh its negative effects?

The post New IELTS questions from the UAE – June 2025 (Academic Module) first appeared on IELTS-Blog.

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Latest IELTS Speaking questions from Saudi Arabia – June 2025

Our generous subscriber HA recently took the IELTS test in Saudi Arabia. She remembered the following Speaking questions:

Speaking test

Part 1 (Interview)

– Do you work or are you a student?
– Would you like to change your job in the future? Why or why not?
– Do you often interact with teenagers?
– What do you think are the benefits of being a teenager?
– What do most teenagers in your country like to do in their free time?
– Do you follow fashion trends that are popular among teenagers? Why or why not?
– Did you enjoy history classes at school?
– Do you think learning history is important? Why?

Part 2 (Cue Card)

Describe a place you would like to visit because of its historical significance. You should say:

– what the place is
– where it is located
– what you know about its history

and explain why you would like to visit this place.

Part 3 (Discussion)

– How do people learn about a country before visiting it?
– In what ways has the internet made it easier to explore a country?
– Do you think technology can replace real-life travel experiences? Why or why not?
– Why is national identity important for a country?
– What are some ways a country can promote and develop national identity?
– How do the arts help people express their cultural identity in your country?
– Are some forms of art more important than others when it comes to national heritage? Why?

The post Latest IELTS Speaking questions from Saudi Arabia – June 2025 first appeared on IELTS-Blog.

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Latest IELTS Speaking questions from the USA – June 2025

Our student MA took the IELTS test in the USA recently. She was asked the following questions in the Speaking test:

Speaking test

Part 1 (Interview)

– Did you study history in school?
– Did you enjoy learning about history as a child?
– What kind of historical topics interested you most?
– Was there a library in your school?
– How often did you use the school library?
– What kinds of books did you borrow from the library?
– Do you visit libraries nowadays?

Part 2 (Cue Card)

Describe a building that you find interesting. You should say:

– what the building is
– where it is located
– what it is used for

and explain why you find it interesting.

Part 3 (Discussion)

– How do architectural buildings add beauty to a city?
– Should cities encourage more modern architecture?
– What are the benefits of preserving historical buildings?
– Do you think old buildings should be replaced with new ones? Why or why not?
– What role does architecture play in tourism?
– How can a balance be maintained between modern and traditional architecture in a city?

The post Latest IELTS Speaking questions from the USA – June 2025 first appeared on IELTS-Blog.

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New IELTS questions from Canada – June 2025 (Academic Module)

Thanks for the generous contribution by our student PS here are the writing questions from her recent IELTS exam in Canada:

Writing test

Writing task 1 (a report)

The two bar charts below show the percentage of male and female students enrolled in full-time and part-time university education in a certain country in 2006.

Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant.

* Note: these are not the original diagram given in the test, they were recreated for the purpose of demonstration.

Writing task 2 (an essay)

In many organisations, leadership roles are often held by older people. Some believe that younger people should be given more opportunities to become leaders.

To what extent do you agree or disagree?

The post New IELTS questions from Canada – June 2025 (Academic Module) first appeared on IELTS-Blog.

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New IELTS Speaking questions from the UK – June 2025

These questions have been shared by our subscriber who took IELTS in the UK. Here is what he remembered:

Speaking test

Part 1 (Interview)

– Where do you currently live?
– What do you like or dislike about your city?
– Is your city a good place for young people to live in?
– Did you study astronomy in school?
– Were you interested in planets and stars as a child?
– Would you like to travel to space one day? Why or why not?
– What do you think people could learn from space exploration?
– Do you enjoy watching the night sky?

Part 2 (Cue Card)

Describe a time when you were late for something important. You should say:

– what you were late for
– why you were late
– how you handled the situation

and explain how you felt about being late.

Part 3 (Discussion)

– Why do you think some people are often late, while others are always on time?
– Is punctuality important in your culture?
– What strategies can people use to be more punctual?
– How does being late affect work or study environments?
– Should children be taught punctuality from a young age?
– In what situations is being late more acceptable, and when is it not?

The post New IELTS Speaking questions from the UK – June 2025 first appeared on IELTS-Blog.

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Latest IELTS questions from Australia – May 2025 (General Training)

Our student NP kindly shared the writing questions from her recent IELTS exam in Australia, below:

IELTS Writing Test – General Training

Writing task 1 (a letter)

You have recently moved to a new apartment and would like to write a letter to your former neighbour who helped you with something. In your letter:

– Describe how your neighbour helped you
– Explain why you moved to a new place
– Invite your neighbour to visit you in your new home.

Write at least 150 words. You do NOT need to write any addresses.

Writing task 2 (an essay)

Some elderly workers look forward to retirement, but when they retire, they do not feel happy.

What are the reasons for this? What can be done to help them enjoy their retirement?

Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience.

The post Latest IELTS questions from Australia – May 2025 (General Training) first appeared on IELTS-Blog.

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Latest IELTS Speaking questions from Saudi Arabia – May 2025

Our kind student MA recently took the IELTS test in Saudi Arabia. Here are the Speaking questions he remembered:

Speaking test

Part 1 (Interview)

– Where do you live?
– What do you like about your neighbourhood?
– Are people in your neighbourhood generally friendly?
– Do you feel safe living there?
– Do you enjoy listening to music?
– How often do you listen to music?
– Do your friends enjoy the same kind of music as you?
– Has your taste in music changed over the years?

Part 2 (Cue Card)

Describe a gift you received that was special to you. You should say:

– who gave it to you
– what the gift was
– why you needed or wanted it

and explain how you felt when you received it.

Part 3 (Discussion)

– How often do people in your country give gifts to others?
– Have you ever given someone chocolate as a gift? Why?
– Why do people give gifts during special occasions?
– In your area, how important is it for people to own cars or houses?
– Do you think people today focus too much on owning fashionable items?
– Is it better to give practical gifts or ones that are more personal?

The post Latest IELTS Speaking questions from Saudi Arabia – May 2025 first appeared on IELTS-Blog.

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