Mastering IELTS Writing: How a Vietnamese scored the elusive 9.0

Hieu's IELTS journey Vu Quang Hieu, 23, began in 2019 when he was in grade 11, initially scoring 7.0 overall, including a 7.0 in Writing. Determined to improve, he retook the test twice during university, securing 8.0 overall including 8.0 for Writing in both attempts.

He finally hit perfection in Writing during a test on March 6, when he scored 8.0 overall.

To earn this elusive 9.0, Hieu dedicated roughly a year to intensive writing practice, focusing heavily on IELTS Writing's two tasks. Task 1 typically involves analyzing charts, processes or maps, requiring skills in summarization, comparison, and precise data selection.

"A common mistake in Task 1 is attempting to list every piece of data," Hieu explained. Instead, test-takers must effectively summarize by grouping related data and omitting insignificant details.

In one example Hieu provided, the task asked candidates to analyze spending habits of young people aged 18–20 across different categories like food, clothing and books. He structured his response by first providing a clear introduction and overview, describing and ranking overall trends. For instance, he highlighted increased spending on food, decreased spending on books, and stable spending on clothing.

"I emphasized consistency by using precise vocabulary to add depth," said Hieu. He then carefully separated the essay's body into sections based on spending trends, using comparative phrases like "in contrast" and "on the other hand."

Vu Quang Hieu scored a perfect 9.0 IELTS Writing. Photo courtesy of Vu Quang Hieu

For Task 2, candidates were asked to discuss the advantages and disadvantages of international scientific collaboration. Hieu outlined clear positives, such as global cooperation speeding up significant breakthroughs like the development of Covid-19 vaccines.

However, he acknowledged that collaborations might not equally benefit all nations. Developed countries, he explained, might prioritize issues like climate change, whereas developing nations may focus more urgently on education and healthcare.

"Ultimately, I concluded that international cooperation has both benefits and challenges, thus requiring careful evaluation before decisions," Hieu said.

He credits his impressive IELTS Writing achievement to strategic summarization, detailed analysis, and providing relevant, concrete examples in both tasks.