IELTS Preparation
The IELTS speaking test is a real conversation with a real examiner. Holding that conversation in confident, natural English is what PS English has been teaching since 2001. One-to-one lessons with native British teachers, online wherever you are or face-to-face in London.
Bring your target band and your test date, and your teacher will tell you plainly what the time allows.
The speaking test is a conversation
Nothing is marked by machine, and there are no phrases to memorise and recite. You sit with a trained examiner for eleven to fourteen minutes and have a conversation: a little about yourself, a short talk on a topic, then a proper back-and-forth discussion. It is recorded, and a real person marks it.
You cannot rehearse a fixed set of answers and expect to do well. But we can rehearse with you, so that you build the confidence and the habit of listening, thinking and replying in the moment. That is what fluency and coherence actually mean on the mark scheme.
The format rarely changes, and that is a real benefit: once you know the shape of it, there are no surprises, even if you come back to the exam after a long gap. Three parts, always in the same order.
Part 1: Introduction and interview, 4 to 5 minutes
The examiner confirms who you are and eases you in with familiar questions about your home, your work or studies, and your interests. It feels gentle, and it is, but an impression of your fluency starts forming here. We use it to get you speaking naturally from the first sentence.
Part 2: The long turn, 3 to 4 minutes
You are handed a card with a topic and given one minute to make notes, then you speak alone for up to two minutes while the examiner listens. This is the part that unsettles people: two minutes is longer than it sounds when you are on your own. We practise assembling a short talk quickly and keeping it moving without drying up.
Part 3: Two-way discussion, 4 to 5 minutes
The examiner widens the Part 2 topic into broader, more abstract questions and genuinely discusses them with you. Higher bands are typically decided here, because this part rewards reasoning aloud, weighing two sides and speculating, in English, at conversational speed. It is also, not by coincidence, the part that most resembles a good lesson.
Across all three parts you are marked on four things, each worth a quarter: fluency and coherence, vocabulary, grammar, and pronunciation. No single trick will lift your band; steady, real spoken English lifts all four together.
Should I take IELTS Academic or General Training?
Before anything else, make sure you are booking the right test. IELTS comes in two versions. Academic is the one universities and most professional bodies ask for. General Training is used for work, migration and study below degree level. Listening and speaking are identical in both. Only reading and writing differ, with General Training drawing on everyday, workplace-style material and Academic on denser, more scholarly texts.
The other three sections
IELTS has four sections and we prepare you for every one. A good band comes from consistency across the test, not brilliance in one part of it.
Listening, 30 minutes
Four recordings, from an everyday conversation to an academic talk, with forty questions. On computer you get only a brief window to review your answers, so we work on catching detail the first time rather than relying on a second look.
Reading, 60 minutes
Forty questions across several passages. Academic and General Training part ways here: academic texts are longer and drawn from journals and books, General Training texts are shorter and more practical. We drill the question types that eat the most time.
Writing, 60 minutes
Two tasks, with the essay counting for more than the first task. We concentrate on organising an argument clearly and finishing inside the time limit, which are the two things that most often separate a 6 from a 7.
How does the IELTS band score work?
IELTS does not pass or fail you. Each section is scored from 0 to 9, and your overall band is the average of the four, rounded to the nearest half. A university might ask for an overall 6.5 with nothing below 6.0, so one weak skill can hold back an otherwise strong result. That is why your lessons will spend time on whichever part of your English is furthest behind, rather than on the parts you already enjoy.
How long does IELTS preparation take?
Climbing the IELTS scale is not a straight line. Lifting an overall band from, say, 5.5 to 6.5 usually takes several months of steady work, and the closer you already are to your target, the quicker the final stretch tends to be. As a rough guide, moving one to two bands typically takes nine to twelve months of regular preparation with practice between lessons. Much depends on where you start and how much English you use day to day.
We are careful not to promise a band by a date. Anyone who guarantees a 7 in a fixed number of weeks is guessing. What we will tell you honestly is that the students who use English regularly between lessons, not only in the run-up to the exam, improve fastest, and nowhere more than on the speaking test, where there is no substitute for time spent actually talking.
The dependable answer comes out of the consultation, where your teacher weighs your current band, your target and your timeline and tells you whether it can be done. If it cannot, you will hear that too.
How we prepare you for IELTS
1. The lesson is the practice
Most of our lessons are built around conversations you actually want to have. The IELTS Speaking test is trying to recreate that kind of real communication, but of course it is still an exam, and it helps to understand what the examiner is looking for. So we keep the conversation natural, while gently shaping and nudging it towards the kind of answers, language and topics that will help you in the test.
2. Just you and a teacher
Every lesson is one-to-one, so we can spend the time on what you actually need. If your speaking is already strong but your writing is keeping your overall band score down, we'll spend more time on writing. There's no fixed course that everyone has to follow.
3. British teachers, British English
Our teachers are native British English speakers, so the English you hear in lessons is the kind of natural British English we use every day. That means plenty of exposure to the pronunciation, vocabulary and style of English you're likely to come across in IELTS, without having to artificially teach you to "sound British".
4. A straight answer, always
At your consultation, we'll give you a realistic idea of what your target band requires and how much work may be involved. If your test is only a few weeks away and the gap is too big to close properly in that time, we'll tell you. We would rather be straight with you than sell you a block of lessons and make promises we can't keep.
How it works
-
Step 1: Book a free consultation
Tell us your test date, your target band, and which parts of IELTS worry you most. We will match you with a teacher who prepares students for this exam regularly.
-
Step 2: Meet your teacher
Your first trial lesson is a real lesson, at the discounted price of £20 for 60 minutes online. Your teacher will look at where your English sits across the four sections, talk through the test with you, and agree a realistic plan for the time you have. No commitment, no pressure.
-
Step 3: Start your preparation
When you are ready, book a block of lessons online or face-to-face in London. Each lesson is built around the test and around you, and your teacher adjusts the plan as your weaker areas come into focus.
What our IELTS students say
Before taking the 1-1 class, I was feeling very nervous about IELTS because I really needed a 6.5 score for my application. But thanks to my teacher, I finally got my target 6.5! The individual lessons helped me so much. Especially, getting familiar with the typical topics that always come up in the exam made a big difference. Before, I didn't know what to say, but in class we practised speaking a lot, so I was feeling much more confident to talk about a wide range of topics without stopping. Also my teacher corrected my small grammar mistakes and gave me very useful tips for the writing task. PS English helped me reach my goal, so I was very satisfied.
Frequently asked questions about IELTS preparation
What is a good IELTS band score?
It depends entirely on what you need it for. Many UK universities ask for an overall 6.5 with no section below 6.0, some competitive courses ask for 7.0 or higher, and visa and professional registration requirements vary widely. There is no universal pass mark, so the useful number is the one your university, employer or immigration route actually asks for. Bring that figure to your consultation and we will tell you what it will take to reach it.
How long does it take to prepare for IELTS?
Moving up one to two bands usually takes several months of regular preparation, with practice between lessons, and often nine to twelve months for a bigger jump. If you are already close to your target, the last stretch is quicker. The honest answer for your situation comes from your first lesson, where your teacher looks at your current level, your target and your test date together.
Should I take IELTS Academic or General Training?
Academic is the version universities and most professional bodies ask for. General Training is used for work, migration and study below degree level. Listening and speaking are the same in both; only reading and writing differ. Check what your institution requires before you book, because sitting the wrong version means sitting the test again.
Can I retake just one part of IELTS?
In some places, yes. IELTS One Skill Retake lets candidates who took the test on computer resit a single section, listening, reading, writing or speaking, within sixty days of the original test, rather than sitting all four again. Availability varies by country and test centre, and not every organisation accepts a One Skill Retake result, so check with your test centre and with whoever you are applying to before you rely on it.
How is the IELTS speaking test marked?
By a person, not a machine. The test is recorded and marked against four criteria, each worth a quarter of your speaking band: fluency and coherence, vocabulary, grammar, and pronunciation. Because all four carry equal weight, memorising impressive vocabulary while hesitating your way through the discussion does not work. Steady, natural spoken English lifts all four at once, which is why our lessons are built around conversation.
Can I prepare for IELTS online?
Yes, and most of our IELTS preparation is delivered online. Lessons are one-to-one over video, with materials on screen, writing marked together and speaking practice recorded where it helps. Online suits students who are working or living outside London, and it removes the travel time that makes weekly preparation hard to sustain. Face-to-face lessons in London are available if you would rather be in the room.
How long is an IELTS result valid?
IELTS results are generally treated as valid for about two years, though the organisation you are applying to sets its own rule and some accept older results in particular circumstances. If your test date is likely to fall well before your application, it is worth checking their policy first.
Ready to start your IELTS preparation?
Book a free consultation. Meet your teacher, talk through your target band and your test date, and get an honest view of what is achievable in the time you have.