IELTS questions, answered

Your overall band is the average of your four section scores, rounded to the nearest half band. If the average ends in .25 it rounds up to the next half band, and if it ends in .75 it rounds up to the next whole band. For example, 6, 6, 6.5 and 6.5 average 6.25, which becomes an overall 6.5.

No. IELTS has no pass or fail - you receive a band from 0 to 9. The score you need depends entirely on the university, employer or visa route you're applying to, so always check their exact requirement, including any minimum for each section.

Listening and Speaking are the same in both. Reading and Writing are different: Academic is for university study and some professional registration, while General Training is mostly for work and migration. Check which version your organisation asks for before you book.

Most universities, employers and immigration authorities accept IELTS results for two years from the test date. Some set their own rules, so it's worth confirming with the organisation you're applying to.

If you take IELTS on computer, results usually arrive within a few days - officially within 1 to 5 days, and often sooner. Paper-based results take around 13 days.

Yes, with IELTS One Skill Retake - if you took the test on computer at a centre that offers it. You must sit the retake within 60 days of your original test, you can only do it once per test, and results arrive in 3 to 5 days. Check first that your university or visa authority accepts One Skill Retake results.

No - the content, difficulty and scoring are the same. Choose the format you're most comfortable with. Computer gives you faster results and makes One Skill Retake possible; paper suits people who write faster by hand than they type.

Listening, Reading and Writing take about 2 hours 45 minutes in total, with no breaks between them. The Speaking test is 11 to 14 minutes and is sometimes on a different day.

It depends on your starting level, which skill is holding you back, and how much you practise. In my experience, half a band in a few weeks of focused work is realistic for many students, while a full band usually takes a few months. The higher the band, the longer each step tends to take.

Writing is the most common sticking point. Many candidates lose marks not because of their English, but because they don't fully answer the question or organise their ideas clearly - which is very fixable with targeted feedback.

Yes, especially for Listening and Reading - there are excellent free practice tests, and my Resources page lists the best ones. Writing and Speaking are much harder to improve alone, because it's difficult to see your own mistakes. That's where expert feedback makes the biggest difference.

Sessions are 50 minutes, online by video call, and built around your target band, your deadline and the skills holding you back. You get detailed feedback after every session, not just a score.

£129 per 50-minute session, or less per session with a package: £120 each for 5, £110 each for 10, and £95 each for 20 sessions. The price is per session, not per person.

Yes, at no extra cost - you're booking my time, not a seat. Just bear in mind that the more people in a session, the less individual attention each person gets.

Yes. Organisations pay the same per-session rate, with invoicing and progress reporting available for HR, procurement or diplomatic requirements. For larger teams, we can plan how to split sessions so everyone gets enough attention.

You can reschedule with 24 hours' notice at no charge. Packages are valid for 6 months from purchase.

Request a free consultation through the contact page. We'll talk about your target band, your timeline and where you are now, and I'll suggest the best way forward.