Preparing for the IELTS exam is a challenging yet rewarding journey. With the rise of AI tools like ChatGPT, learners now have a powerful resource to enhance their writing and speaking skills through personalised, on-demand practice and feedback. Let’s find out how ChatGPT and other AI tools can help you make solid preparations for the writing and speaking sections of the IELTS exam.

How to Get Desired IELTS Score in Writing & Speaking Utilising ChatGPT or Other AI Apps  

Generate Writing Topics On-Demand

One of the most effective ways to improve your IELTS writing skills is by consistently practising with new topics. ChatGPT can instantly generate IELTS Writing Task 1 and Task 2 prompts. 

You simply need to give a command such as, “Give me a Task 2 essay topic on education,” and within seconds, you will have a practice prompt that mirrors the structure of real IELTS questions. This makes it easy to maintain variety in your writing and ensures you are exposed to a wide range of question types, from opinion to problem-solution essays.

Analyze and Rewrite Your Essays

After completing a task response, you can request ChatGPT or any kind of similar AI app to review it. For example, using a prompt such as “Can you give feedback on this IELTS Task 2 essay?” along with your essay allows the chatbot to assess your grammar, vocabulary, coherence, and overall structure.

It will then break down your writing into the four IELTS scoring criteria—Task Response, Coherence and Cohesion, Lexical Resource, and Grammatical Range and Accuracy—and even give you a band estimate. You can also ask ChatGPT to rewrite your essay in a more academic or formal tone, helping you learn how to polish your writing.

Practice Academic Writing Style

Many test takers struggle with maintaining the required formal tone in Writing Task 2. ChatGPT can help you rewrite informal sentences into a more suitable academic style. For example, you might paste a paragraph and say, “Make this more formal and academic,” and it will return a refined version. This repeated exposure to academic phrasing trains your brain to automatically choose more formal constructions when writing under pressure.

Simulate IELTS Speaking Part Practice 

ChatGPT is capable of simulating IELTS Speaking Parts 1, 2, and 3 by providing realistic prompts that resemble those used by actual examiners. Ask something like, “Pretend you are an IELTS examiner. Ask me Part 1 speaking questions,” and it will provide one question at a time, just like the real test. 

For Part 2, it can generate cue cards and even give you feedback on your response if you choose to type it out afterward. Practising in this format can help reduce anxiety, improve your fluency, and train you to think on your feet.

Improve Fluency Through Interactive Conversations

To sound more fluent and natural during the Speaking test, you need regular practice in forming complex ideas and expressing them clearly. ChatGPT can hold extended conversations with you on various IELTS-friendly topics like environment, education, technology, and culture. 

This back-and-forth dialogue sharpens your ability to expand answers, use linking devices, and apply topic-specific vocabulary. While ChatGPT can not listen to your pronunciation, typing your answers and receiving written feedback still helps you develop rhythm and cohesion in speech.

Get Grammar and Vocabulary Feedback

One of the most frustrating aspects of self-studying IELTS is identifying your grammar and vocabulary weaknesses. With ChatGPT, you can paste any piece of writing or a sample speaking response and ask, “Please highlight grammar mistakes and suggest better word choices.” 

It will analyse your work line by line, correcting errors and suggesting more advanced or suitable alternatives. You can even request vocabulary lists for specific topics or ask how to paraphrase certain phrases more effectively, helping you master the lexical resource band criteria.

Train ChatGPT to Evaluate Writing with Model Answers

You can use a more advanced method by “training” ChatGPT to assess writing against model answers. Provide five sample essays rated from Band 5 to Band 9, then include your own essay. 

Instruct ChatGPT to compare your answer to the model responses and provide a full-band score evaluation based on IELTS criteria. This method is particularly helpful because it aligns ChatGPT’s feedback with the actual scoring system used by IELTS examiners, making the evaluation much more reliable.

Limitations of Using ChatGPT and Other AI Tools for IELTS Preparation

Not a Certified IELTS Examiner

While ChatGPT can provide helpful evaluations and corrections, it is not a certified IELTS examiner. This means the feedback it gives—especially band score predictions—may not always be accurate. Its understanding of IELTS criteria is broad but not specific to the training that human examiners undergo. Therefore, its scoring should be viewed as approximate, not official.

Lacks Clear Opinion and Argumentation

A major limitation of ChatGPT in essay writing is its tendency to maintain a neutral tone. It is designed to present balanced viewpoints without taking a firm stand. However, in many IELTS Writing Task 2 essays, particularly those that ask for an opinion, test-takers are expected to take a clear position and support it with arguments. Overly vague or generic answers can lower your score for Task Response and reduce clarity. 

No Personal Experience in Speaking Responses

Another major drawback is ChatGPT’s inability to reference personal experience. In the IELTS Speaking section, drawing from your real-life stories and opinions helps make your responses more engaging and authentic. Since ChatGPT and similar kinds of AI apps can only provide general or hypothetical examples, its answers often lack the depth and individuality that examiners look for.

Does Not Evaluate Pronunciation

Although ChatGPT can assess grammar and vocabulary through written responses, it cannot listen to your speech. This means it cannot evaluate crucial aspects like pronunciation, stress, or intonation—key components of the IELTS Speaking score.

Information May Be Inaccurate or Generic

Lastly, ChatGPT is not affiliated with IELTS, and its suggestions should be cross-checked with official resources. Always verify content accuracy and avoid using it as your only source of preparation. AI serves as a supplementary tool—not a substitute for official materials or expert advice.

In a Nutshell

ChatGPT and other AI tools can be a powerful ally in your IELTS Writing and Speaking preparation, offering flexible, instant practice and helpful insights. From generating topics to refining grammar and vocabulary, it adds great value to self-study. However, it is essential to balance AI support with official IELTS materials, expert feedback, and personal effort. While ChatGPT enhances learning, it should complement—not replace—structured preparation from certified sources and real-world language practice.