13-year-old Vietnamese boy scores IELTS 8.5 on first try

Le Tuan Minh, an 8th grader at True North International School, scored 7.5 in Writing and 8.5 in each of the remaining skills—Listening, Speaking, and Reading—in the IELTS test he took on March 31.

"I was very surprised, especially with the Writing score. In practice tests, I usually scored around 6 to 7 in that section," Minh said. He explained that he decided to take the IELTS exam to challenge himself and strengthen his academic profile.

According to official IELTS statistics, most test-takers in Vietnam are between the ages of 16 and 22, with only about 1% achieving scores of 8.5 or higher in 2023-2024.

Minh began preparing specifically for the IELTS last year, familiarizing himself with the test structure and question types. He set a goal to reach an overall score of 8.0 by the end of 8th grade and enrolled in a preparation class twice a week. Additionally, Minh purchased an online account to practice daily, completing 1–3 tests in each skill.

"I usually practice at night, after finishing my homework from school," Minh said.

Le Tuan Minh at his school in Hanoi. Photo by VnExpress/Binh Minh

Before the exam, Minh felt least confident about Writing, particularly regarding Task 1, which often involves analyzing charts or data. Fortunately, his Task 1 prompt asked him to describe the steps of using a solar-powered pump to draw and purify water for drinking.

In Task 2, Minh had to identify problems and propose solutions related to middle-aged workers competing with younger workers in the job market. He identified the main issue as limited job availability relative to applicant numbers but argued that advancements in technologies such as AI could create new job opportunities, attracting younger workers and balancing workforce demands.

Minh admitted feeling initially nervous, but he carefully read the prompt and outlined his points. His prior exposure to technology and AI-related topics at school allowed him to quickly generate relevant ideas for his essay.

For the Reading section, Minh found the "Matching Headings" questions most challenging due to the similarity between headings. He tackled these by carefully examining paragraph structure, topic sentences, supporting details, and conclusions.

Minh felt confident in the Listening and Speaking sections, as he regularly uses English at his international school.

Minh attributes his success largely to early English exposure at home. His mother, Man Thi Minh Phuong, shared that Minh started watching cartoons in English from the age of three or four.

"I followed the principle that if you can hear it, you can speak it; if you can read it, you can write it," she explained. "So, I encouraged Minh to listen to and read things he enjoyed in English, allowing him to absorb the language naturally."

From grades 1 to 4, Minh attended a local public school while taking extra weekly English classes. At home, he mainly focused on improving listening skills. On weekends, his mother took him to Hoan Kiem Lake to practice speaking with foreign tourists. He also read extensively in English, especially on programming and robotics.

Occasionally, Minh attended short courses to improve specific skills and took Cambridge exams to measure his progress. By the end of primary school, Minh had secured scholarships from several international schools.

Minh plans to retake the IELTS next year, aiming to maintain his score of 8.5 to strengthen his university applications.