Vietnamese man, 25, achieves perfect IELTS by learning a new word every day

A 25-year-old man from northern Vietnam has achieved a perfect IELTS 9.0 after seven years of self-study, highlighting the importance of daily vocabulary practice, reflex-building techniques, and consistent speaking and writing exercises.

Phung Tien Thanh, from Vinh Phuc Province, attributes his success to his habit of self-talking in English and learning one to two new words daily since his 12th grade. This consistent effort helped him build a solid foundation in English, which ultimately enabled him to achieve the remarkable IELTS score.

Thành emphasized that expanding vocabulary was key to improving all skills, especially Reading. He adopted a habit of learning new words upon encountering them for the second time. "Learning just one more word might seem insignificant, but when you've mastered 100–200 words, you'll notice your reading skills improve, and the texts become easier. That motivated me to keep learning," he said. This consistent practice ensured no Reading test overwhelmed him with unfamiliar words.

For Listening, Thành focused on improving his reflexes—processing spoken English quickly. Years of consuming diverse English content across fields like science, history, and daily life strengthened his foundation. This preparation allowed him to refine test strategies instead of learning new content. To overcome challenges like True/False/Not Given questions, Thành documented tricky scenarios in Excel, noting strategies to identify the correct answer.

Thành began practicing English speaking by talking to himself during his 12th-grade walks to school. Later, in university, he befriended a foreign student, which helped him develop conversational skills. For IELTS, he focused on improving pronunciation, verb conjugation, and fluency. He also prepared for examiners’ follow-up questions, designed to test responsiveness.

Writing required the most effort during Thành’s 10-month preparation period. He prioritized brainstorming to avoid weak ideas or running out of time. Instead of practicing isolated topics, he explored broader themes. For instance, while preparing for transportation-related essays, he researched global traffic congestion issues and successful policies, enriching his arguments with real-world examples. This method not only prepared him for the test but also expanded his knowledge. Thành, who once had a vague understanding of climate change, gained deeper insights into its causes and solutions through his studies. "Learning and discovering new things make me happy," he said, adding that environmental topics remain his favorite.

Thành’s journey reflects the importance of consistent practice, strategic planning, and curiosity. From vocabulary-building to reflex mastery, his systematic approach turned years of self-study into a perfect IELTS score, placing him among Vietnam’s top achievers.