Test Strategy
EIKEN to IELTS: the width is on the IELTS side
EIKEN and IELTS from official sources: why a pass fixes your CEFR level, why the official table shows two ticks per grade, and where the width really opens up.
11 min read
IELTS Drills Blog
Category: Test Strategy
Band Descriptor breakdowns, 5-minute study habits, and module-specific tactics — written by the IELTS Drills team.
Test Strategy
IELTS Listening map labelling: no paraphrase, two layouts
IELTS plan/map/diagram labelling: why the recording uses the exact printed names instead of synonyms, the two official layouts, and what is a tendency rather than a rule.
10 min read
Test Strategy
IELTS Enquiry on Results: what a remark can and cannot do
IELTS Enquiry on Results: the 6-week deadline, why no official success rate exists, why your result is unusable in Japan while the review runs, and the arithmetic to run before you pay.
10 min read
Test Strategy
IELTS Matching Information: the paragraph-first method
IELTS Matching Information: the technique in Cambridge's own teacher's notes, why passage order and elimination give you nothing here, and the near-miss that costs the marks.
8 min read
Test Strategy
IELTS Matching Headings: gist, distractors, and elimination
IELTS Matching Headings: why Cambridge tells you to read the paragraph before the headings, how the extra headings catch you, and an elimination workflow that works.
8 min read
Test Strategy
IELTS True False Not Given: how to tell False from Not Given
The IELTS True/False/Not Given question type: a three-step decision procedure, the False vs Not Given line, qualifier traps, and how it differs from Yes/No/Not Given.
8 min read
Test Strategy
IELTS on computer: what the end of paper actually changes
IELTS is retiring the paper test market by market. What IELTS actually said, the Writing on Paper option, and what changes in each of the four skills.
7 min read
Test Strategy
IELTS One Skill Retake: which skill should you retake?
IELTS One Skill Retake gives you one skill, once, within 60 days. The rounding math that decides whether a retake moves your overall band, and how to pick the right skill.
9 min read
Test Strategy
IELTS to CEFR: what band is B2, C1, and what they mean
IELTS to CEFR levels: band 5.5-6.5 is B2 and 7-8 is C1 per IELTS itself. What B2 and C1 actually mean, the borderline bands, and why A2 has no official band.
8 min read
Test Strategy
TOEIC to IELTS conversion: the honest, sourced range
What TOEIC 800 or 900 means in IELTS: what ETS and IELTS actually publish, why no exact conversion exists, and the half of IELTS that TOEIC never measures.
11 min read
Test Strategy
IELTS vs TOEFL: which to take in 2026 (and how they differ)
IELTS vs TOEFL in 2026: the new 1–6 TOEFL scale, Speaking interview vs mic, difficulty, cost, and One Skill Retake vs MyBest, plus how to choose.
8 min read
Test Strategy
IELTS Reading question types: how to solve each one
IELTS Reading needs a different strategy per question type: True/False/Not Given, matching headings, multiple choice, completion, and the traps to avoid.
7 min read
Test Strategy
How to get IELTS Band 7: requirements for every section
IELTS Band 7 is CEFR C1. An overall 7.0 needs four sections averaging 6.75, Listening and Reading near 30/40, plus the right Writing and Speaking descriptors.
7 min read
Test Strategy
IELTS Academic vs General Training: which to take
IELTS Academic vs General Training: only Reading and Writing differ. Why GT Reading is scored stricter, how Task 1 differs, and which module to take.
8 min read
Test Strategy
IELTS, TOEFL, TOEIC & Eiken score conversion table 2026
Compare IELTS, TOEFL, TOEIC, Eiken and CEFR scores in one 2026 table, built from each test's own official CEFR alignment, plus why no single number is exact.
9 min read
Test Strategy
IELTS Listening tips: a strategy for every question type
IELTS Listening tips by question type: predict before the audio, beat map labelling and multiple choice, and recover fast when you miss an answer. The recording plays once.
8 min read
Test Strategy
IELTS Reading tips: a strategy for every question type
IELTS Reading tips by question type: how to beat True/False/Not Given and matching headings, plan your 60 minutes, and stop losing marks you already found.
9 min read
Test Strategy
IELTS Reading band score: correct answers table (2026)
IELTS Reading raw score to band for Academic and General Training: how many correct answers you need for band 6, 7, 8, and why one mark can shift your band by 0.5.
10 min read
Test Strategy
IELTS Listening band score: the raw-to-band table
The IELTS Listening band score table: raw score to band, why one answer can swing your result by 0.5, and the spelling and word-limit traps that quietly cost marks.
7 min read
Test Strategy
IELTS speaking part 3: questions and the 45-second answer
IELTS speaking part 3 is a 4-5 minute abstract discussion built on your part 2 topic. Question types, a 45-second answer shape, and what examiners listen for.
11 min read
Test Strategy
IELTS speaking part 1: questions and the 25-second answer
IELTS speaking part 1 is a 4-5 minute interview on familiar topics. Common questions, a 25-second answer formula, and what examiners are listening for.
10 min read
Test Strategy
IELTS speaking part 2 cue card: structure a 2-minute answer
IELTS speaking part 2 gives you 1 minute to prepare and 2 to talk. A reusable structure for the cue card long turn, a prep-note template, and what examiners score.
10 min read
Test Strategy
How IELTS band scores are calculated (and the 0.5 rule)
Your IELTS overall band is the average of four sections, rounded to the nearest half. The exact rounding rule (6.25 becomes 6.5), worked examples, and which section to push for your next 0.5.
8 min read