IELTS Preparation — Built on the Band Descriptors, Not Generic Practice
One-to-one IELTS coaching for Academic and General Training, with every Writing task and Speaking rehearsal marked against the four official criteria.
- Components
- Listening, Reading, Writing, Speaking
- Total time
- About 2 hours 45 minutes
- Scoring
- Band 0 – 9, in half bands
- Versions
- Academic and General Training
- Delivery
- Computer or paper based
- Validity
- Normally 2 years
IELTS Academic & General Training — the short version
IELTS is an English language test accepted for university admission, immigration and professional registration worldwide. It has four components — Listening (about 30 minutes), Reading (60 minutes), Writing (60 minutes) and Speaking (11 to 14 minutes) — taking around 2 hours 45 minutes in total, and results are reported as band scores from 0 to 9 in half-band increments. Two versions exist: Academic, for university entry and professional registration, and General Training, for migration and work. Writing and Speaking are marked against four published criteria each, which is why untargeted practice so often leaves candidates stuck at the same band. Tabish Tutors teaches IELTS one-to-one online with every task marked against those criteria.
What we cover
Full IELTS coverage — nothing quietly skipped
We teach to the specification, not to a summary of it. Here is exactly what is on the table.
Writing
60 minutes · two tasks
- Task 1 Academic — describing charts, graphs, processes and maps
- Task 1 General — letters in the correct register
- Task 2 — essay types and the arguments each demands
- Task Response, Coherence, Lexical Resource, Grammatical Range
- Every essay marked against all four criteria
Speaking
11 – 14 minutes · three parts
- Part 1 — familiar topics answered at the right length
- Part 2 — the long turn and how to use the preparation minute
- Part 3 — abstract discussion and developing an argument
- Fluency, Lexical Resource, Grammar, Pronunciation
Reading & Listening
- True / False / Not Given and Yes / No / Not Given technique
- Matching headings, features and sentence completion
- Skimming and scanning under real time pressure
- Listening for signposts, distractors and answer changes
- Transferring answers accurately and spelling penalties
Who this is for
Is IELTS tutoring right for your student?
- University applicants needing 6.5, 7.0 or higher
- Candidates stuck at the same band across attempts
- Migration applicants needing General Training bands
- Doctors, nurses and professionals needing 7.0+ per component
- Candidates who need a specific minimum in each component
What you get
Outcomes we commit to
- The specific criterion capping your band identified in week one
- Every Writing task marked against all four official criteria
- Speaking rehearsed, recorded and reviewed, not just discussed
- An honest readiness decision before you pay the test fee
Diagnosis first
IELTS marks slip for a small number of fixable reasons
We find which one it is in the first session, then teach against it. Vague effort does not move a score; a named cause does.
One criterion caps the whole band
Writing and Speaking are averaged across four criteria. A candidate with excellent ideas and weak coherence is held down by coherence alone, and no amount of extra practice essays will move it until that is addressed by name.
Not Given is being answered as False
It is the single most costly misunderstanding in IELTS Reading. Not Given means the passage does not say — not that the passage disagrees.
Task 2 answers the topic, not the question
Task Response is a whole criterion. An excellent essay on a slightly different question scores badly, and candidates rarely notice they have drifted.
Memorised phrases are penalised
Rehearsed "band 9 phrases" inserted regardless of context reduce the lexical score rather than raising it. Examiners recognise them instantly.
The plan
How the course actually runs
A written plan agreed before the first paid lesson, so you always know what stage the student is in.
Band Diagnosis
Week 1
- Full mock across all four components
- Writing and Speaking scored against each criterion
- Identify which criterion is capping the band
- Set a realistic target date and band
Criterion Work
Weeks 2–5
- Direct teaching on the weakest criterion first
- Essay structures for each Task 2 question type
- Vocabulary taught in topic families, not word lists
- Grammar range widened deliberately
Speed & Accuracy
Weeks 6–8
- Reading under strict timing with no overrun
- Listening accuracy and answer-transfer discipline
- Speaking rehearsed and recorded for review
- Timed writing to exam length every week
Full Mocks
Final phase
- Complete mock tests in one sitting
- Band-by-band tracking against target
- Test-day routine and centre booking guidance
- Decision on readiness — honestly given
How it works
From first message to first lesson
Four steps, no directory to sort through, no commitment before the demo.
Tell us about the student
Curriculum, board, current grade, target grade, and the topics actually causing trouble. Two minutes on WhatsApp is usually enough.
We match the tutor
We hand-pick one specialist for your exact specification. You are not sent a directory to sort through — the match is our job.
Free trial lesson
A real teaching session with the tutor who would teach the course. No payment, no card details, no commitment.
Lessons and weekly reports
The same tutor every week, a written plan, and a progress report to the parent so nobody is guessing whether it is working.
Who teaches it
Faculty for IELTS Academic & General Training
You are matched to one of these specialists — and you keep them.
Every enquiry reaches the academic team first. They read what the student is actually stuck on, identify the exact board and paper, and match a subject specialist who teaches that syllabus week in and week out — not the next tutor on a list. The team sets the study plan, reviews progress reports before they are sent, and steps in to reassign a tutor if the match is not right after the first lesson. They also answer the WhatsApp line during teaching hours.
Questions parents ask
IELTS — frequently asked questions
Academic is for university admission and most professional registration; General Training is for migration and many work visas. The requirement is set by the body you are applying to — confirm it with them, because sitting the wrong version means sitting again.
Typically eight to fourteen weeks, because the gap is usually a specific criterion rather than general English. Candidates who need to raise all four components take longer, and we tell you which situation you are in after the diagnostic.
Yes — every one, against Task Response, Coherence and Cohesion, Lexical Resource and Grammatical Range and Accuracy, with a band per criterion and written comments.
Neither is easier; the content and scoring are the same. Computer delivery gives faster results and easier editing in Writing, while paper suits candidates who annotate heavily. We prepare you for whichever you choose.
Two years is the standard validity accepted by most institutions, though some set their own shorter window. Always confirm with the receiving organisation.
Still deciding? Message our academic team on +92 300 4568992 or email info@tabishtutors.com. You will get a straight answer about whether IELTS tutoring will help — even if the answer is no.
Related
Students on this course also take
Free trial lesson
Talk to our IELTS team
Our academic team reviews every IELTS enquiry, matches a subject specialist to the exact board and paper, and arranges your free trial lesson — usually within one working day.
- The demo is a real teaching session, not a sales call
- You meet the tutor who would actually teach the course
- No payment details, no contract, no obligation
- If the fit is wrong, we rematch you at no extra cost