How To Get 8 Band In IELTS | Best Hacks – Past Questions and Answers

International English Language Testing System is one of the foremost English proficiency exams and requires candidates to score certain scores to be awarded a pass mark in the test. This we call 8 Band. While a lot of people do make this score, it’s not so easy for others and because we recognize this difficulty, we’d be looking at how to get 8band in IELTS.

But before we get on with it…

What is an IELTS Band 8?

First and foremost, if you’re going to get a Band 8 in IELTS, you need to know what Band 8 performance looks like.

In IELTS Reading and Listening, getting a Band 8 score means correctly answering at least 89% of the questions. Since IELTS Reading and Listening have 40 questions each, this means at least 36 of your answers in each section must be correct.

In IELTS Speaking and Writing, Band 8 performance isn’t calculated simply by looking at raw scores. Instead, your performance needs to match the official description of IELTS Band 8. The IELTS Band 8 descriptors for the Speaking Section can be found on the British Council website’s IELTS Speaking Band document. And the Writing Descriptors for Band 8 (and all of the other bands) can be found in the British Council’s IELTS Writing Band Descriptors.

How To Get 8 Band In IELTS | Best Hacks

Here are some of the skills that would help you get an 8 Band score in IELTS.

Build English Vocabulary Skills

Of course, scoring well in IELTS Reading isn’t just a numbers game either. To get that 89% or higher and reach Band 8, there are certain skills you should focus on.

One very important IELTS Reading skill is vocabulary. IELTS Reading passages have some fairly advanced vocabulary in them. And IELTS Listening contains some high intermediate vocabulary. Moreover, you need to use a wide range of vocabulary in order to get a Band 8 in IELTS Speaking and Writing.

If your English vocabulary is limited, you’ll be very uncomfortable with the IELTS Reading section. A poor range of vocabulary can slow you down, confuse you, and cause you to fall short of a Band 8. To build your IELTS vocabulary, you can look at free word lists on the Internet, such as the ones here on the Magoosh IELTS Blog, or on websites like IELTS Liz. You can also buy official vocabulary books — complete with tutorials and practice materials — from Cambridge, the official maker of the IELTS. When aiming for Band 8, use Cambridge’s Vocabulary for the IELTS Advanced book.

Build English Grammar Skills

IELTS Speaking and Writing don’t just require a good range of vocabulary — the band descriptors also indicate that you need to have a good range of grammar. This means, above all, using a variety of sentence structures. To get that Band 8 in IELTS, understand the many different ways to make a sentence in English. Practice writing the same thing in a variety of ways.

A strong understanding of English grammar will help you master IELTS Reading and Listening at the Band 8 level as well. If you know a lot of different English grammar structures, you’ll have an easier time following the sentences you read and hear on the exam. Without good grammar knowledge, it’s easier to get “lost” when you see or hear an especially complicated English sentence. (And again, for ambitious students, Cambridge provides an official book, Cambridge Grammar for the IELTS.)