IELTS · Stage 2
IELTS 5.0 → 6.0: a 90-session course
18 weeks × 5 sessions, each about 85 minutes. All four skills; Writing Task 1 has two options: Academic and General Training. Includes a mid-course mock test (sessions 43–45) and an end-of-course mock test (sessions 88–90).
Listening
Reading
Writing 1
Speaking
Writing 2
How is this stage different from 4.0 → 5.0?
- Who it is for: learners who have finished stage 4.0 → 5.0 or are already at about band 5.0 (B1). If you are not sure, start with session 1 – the placement test.
- New focus: grammatical accuracy, developing ideas (explanation + example), vocabulary in chunks (collocations), longer Academic reading texts and more abstract Speaking Part 3.
- The two threads continue: every session has a Use it now part for work and daily life (including living and working abroad); topics follow common question types. Only topics that match recent lists reported by test takers are labelled “recent test”.
- Review and mock tests: spaced review in sessions 15, 30, 60 and 75; a four-skill mid-course mock test in sessions 43–45; an end-of-course mock test in sessions 88–90, compared with session 1. The mock tests are written by the course and are not converted into a band score.
- Time: about 130 guided learning hours for the whole stage, plus at least 3 hours a week of extra listening and reading. According to Cambridge English, each CEFR level needs about 200 guided learning hours. Results vary from person to person – the course does not promise a higher band.
- All listening scripts, reading texts, test questions and model answers are written by tienganhcanban.com. Official preparation materials: ielts.org.
The lessons themselves are written for Vietnamese learners: the English texts, audio scripts and examples are in English, but the instructions and explanations are in Vietnamese. An English version of the lessons is not available yet; you can use your browser’s translate feature.
Week 1: Learning and self-development Grammar: Tense review – accuracy
💼 Use it now: Setting SMART goals; preparing for a performance review
Week 2: Health and lifestyle Grammar: Zero, first and second conditionals – accurate use
💼 Use it now: Asking about insurance; explaining a health condition
Week 3: Cities and housing Grammar: Advanced comparison: far more, not nearly as, the… the…
💼 Use it now: Comparing rental homes; negotiating with a landlord
Week 4: Work and careers Grammar: Advanced passive; have something done
💼 Use it now: One-to-one meetings with your manager; giving feedback to a colleague
Week 5: Technology and society Grammar: Relative clauses and reduced relative clauses
💼 Use it now: Writing a procedure; reporting an incident
Week 6: Environment and consumption Grammar: Nominalisation in writing
💼 Use it now: Proposing a green initiative at work
Week 7: Education Grammar: Articles and uncountable nouns – error correction
💼 Use it now: Emailing a teacher; parent–teacher meetings
Week 8: Travel and tourism Grammar: Present perfect continuous; past perfect
💼 Use it now: Dealing with problems while travelling
Week 9: Science and discovery Grammar: Mid-course review
💼 Use it now: Mid-course self-assessment
Week 10: Media and advertising Grammar: Reported speech and reporting verbs
💼 Use it now: Writing an internal post or announcement
Week 11: Society and community Grammar: Modals of deduction: must/might/can’t have
💼 Use it now: Residents’ meetings; calling for volunteers
Week 12: Globalisation and culture Grammar: Linking words of contrast: whereas, despite, in spite of
💼 Use it now: Communicating with overseas partners
Week 13: Money and consumers Grammar: Third and mixed conditionals
💼 Use it now: Dealing with a bank; making a budget
Week 14: Transport and future cities Grammar: Future perfect and future continuous; predictions
💼 Use it now: A short proposal report
Week 15: Family and an ageing society Grammar: Advanced -ing / to-infinitive (remember, stop, try…)
💼 Use it now: Caring for relatives; family leave
Week 16: Sport and leisure Grammar: Common phrasal verbs
💼 Use it now: Organising a team-building activity
Week 17: Health technology and the future Grammar: Academic style and cautious language
💼 Use it now: Presenting project results
Week 18: Final mock test Grammar: Correcting your own errors
💼 Use it now: Self-assessment; planning for the 6.0 → 6.5 stage