Study plans: Band 5 Study Plan · Band 6 Study Plan · Band 7 Study Plan · Band 8 Study Plan (this plan) · All target scores
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Who this plan is for
This plan is for you if you're scoring around 7 to 7.5 and need 8 in each skill, for example for a competitive course, professional registration, or Superior English for Australian visas, which needs at least 8 in each of the four skills. You already know the test well; this plan is about consistency, precision under time pressure and removing your own repeated mistakes.
How the plan works
- Start with the quick check. About 35 minutes: one listening part, one reading passage, one Task 2 essay and a speaking task. At band 7 to 7.5, the gap to 8 is often in one or two skills, so the check tells you where to spend your time.
- Five sessions a week, about 25–30 minutes each. Each session has one job. Tick it off when you finish; the plan remembers your place on this device.
- One lesson a week. Each lesson goes beyond the band 7 basics to the features of band 8 in one skill, with examples. Read it on the first day of the week.
- An error log from day one. Band 8 is about removing your repeated mistakes, so you'll record every lost mark by type and check it each week.
- A weekly check. A full section test at the end of each week, so you can see whether your scores are moving.
- A full mock test in week 6, with an estimated overall band, compared with your week 1 results.
What band 8 needs
- Listening: about 35 correct out of 40. That leaves room for only four or five mistakes, so precision and Part 4 lectures matter as much as understanding.
- Academic Reading: about 35 out of 40 in 60 minutes, including the hardest question types: matching information, matching features and summary completion with no word list.
- Writing: the prompt "appropriately and sufficiently addressed", a "clear and well-developed position", cohesion that is "well managed", uncommon vocabulary used skilfully, and "the majority of sentences are error-free".
- Speaking: fluent, with hesitation that is usually about ideas rather than language; a wide vocabulary used flexibly and precisely; a wide range of structures, mostly error-free; and abstract Part 3 discussion that goes beyond a personal opinion.
An honest note
The bands here are practice estimates, not official results. At band 8, small differences matter, so treat Writing and Speaking estimates as a guide only. Compare your answers closely with the model answers and with the band 8 features in each lesson, and use the full tests for your most reliable Listening and Reading picture.
The 6 weeks
- 1Week 1: Quick check and Part 4 lectures5 sessions · focus: Listening · Weekly check: Listening full test 3
- 2Week 2: Task 2 with depth and nuance5 sessions · focus: Writing · Weekly check: Writing practice 3
- 3Week 3: Matching and summary completion5 sessions · focus: Reading · Weekly check: Academic Reading full test 2
- 4Week 4: Part 3, abstract and natural5 sessions · focus: Speaking · Weekly check: Speaking mock test
- 5Week 5: Precise vocabulary and accuracy5 sessions · focus: Writing · Weekly check: Writing practice 2
- 6Week 6: Full mock test and the last half band5 sessions · focus: Mixed · Weekly check: Complete IELTS mock test
Before you start
Read our strategy guide, how to get ielts 8, for what this score needs in each skill. Then take the quick check so the plan knows your starting point.
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to go from band 7 to band 8?
Often longer than from 6 to 7, because band 8 is about consistency: fewer errors across the whole test rather than new skills. This plan gives you a focused six weeks. If Writing or Speaking is your lowest skill, expect to repeat those weeks.
Do I need 8 in each skill or 8 overall?
It depends on the organisation, so check the exact requirement. Superior English for Australian visas needs at least 8 in each of the four skills. The overall band is the average of the four, rounded to the nearest half band, so 8.5, 8, 8 and 7.5 gives 8 overall but still falls short of an 8-in-each requirement.
Which skill is hardest to move to band 8?
For many people it's Writing, because the majority of sentences need to be error-free and the position needs to be well developed. In Listening and Reading, the challenge is different: you can only afford about four or five mistakes, so small precision errors decide the band.
Should I do the band 7 plan first?
Only if your quick check shows a skill below 7. In that case, do the band 7 week for that skill first, then come back to this plan.
Is my progress saved?
Yes, in your browser on this device. There's no sign-up, and nothing is sent to us. If you change devices, start the plan again there.
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