IELTS · Stage 5
IELTS 7.5 → 8.0: a 60-session course
12 weeks × 5 sessions, each about 85–90 minutes. All four skills; Writing Task 1 has two options: Academic and General Training. Includes a mid-course mock test (sessions 28–30) and an end-of-course mock test (sessions 57–60).
Listening
Reading
Writing 1
Speaking
Writing 2
How is this stage different from 6.5 → 7.5?
- Who it is for: learners who have finished stage 6.5 → 7.5 or are already at about band 7.5. If you are not sure, start with session 1 – the placement test.
- Why it is shorter: according to ielts.org (checked 26/10/2026), band 7.5 is at C1 and band 8.0 sits at the C1–C2 boundary; the gap to close is only half a band. At this level, what holds you back is usually not missing knowledge but small repeated errors, words that are almost right and arguments that are not sharp enough. So the course is short and built around your own errors.
- New focus: consistent accuracy under time pressure, shades of meaning, “invisible” cohesion (the reader follows you without seeing linking words), critical argument, and intonation that conveys attitude when speaking.
- A “rewrite / re-speak” task every week: you correct your own earlier work using your personal error log, then compare the two versions.
- Review and mock tests: 2 spaced review sessions (15, 45); a mid-course mock test in sessions 28–30; full timed practice in week 11; sessions 57–60 are an end-of-course mock test and a retake of the session 1 test. The mock tests are written by the course and are not converted into a band score.
- Time: about 85–90 guided learning hours, plus at least 4–5 hours a week of reading and listening to authentic material. The number of sessions is the course’s suggestion, not a commitment. 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: Ethics and responsibility Language: Personal error log: find the five errors you repeat
💼 Use it now: Raising a sensitive issue at work without assigning blame
Week 2: Money and inequality Language: Shades of meaning: near-synonyms with different connotations (frugal / stingy)
💼 Use it now: Negotiating a price or salary professionally
Week 3: Architecture and public space Language: “Invisible” cohesion: given information → new information
💼 Use it now: Giving feedback on the layout of a workspace
Week 4: Artificial intelligence and creativity Language: Noun clauses and what-clauses used naturally
💼 Use it now: Guiding colleagues to use AI tools responsibly
Week 5: Happiness and wellbeing Language: Intonation and sentence stress to show attitude
💼 Use it now: Checking in on and supporting a stressed colleague
Week 6: History and collective memory (mid-course mocks) Language: Mid-course review
💼 Use it now: Mid-course self-assessment
Week 7: Altruism and volunteering Language: Controlling register: academic, neutral, informal
💼 Use it now: Inviting colleagues to join a community activity
Week 8: Risk and uncertainty Language: Subtle degrees of certainty – hedging just enough
💼 Use it now: Explaining a risk to non-specialists
Week 9: Time and the pace of life Language: Precise fixed expressions – avoiding overused idioms
💼 Use it now: Declining politely and prioritising your work
Week 10: International cooperation Language: Critical argument: anticipating and rebutting counter-arguments
💼 Use it now: Chairing an online meeting across several countries
Week 11: Full timed practice Language: Correcting your own errors under time pressure
💼 Use it now: A plan to maintain your level after the course
Week 12: Final mock test Language: Correcting your own errors
💼 Use it now: Self-assessment; deciding when to take the real test