The secret to achieving an IELTS score of 8.5 from a male ride-hailing motorbike driver.

(Dan Tri Newspaper) - Two ride-hailing drivers have attracted attention for possessing IELTS scores of 8.0 and 8.5. Few people know that behind these impressive scores lies a journey of self-reliance and persistent effort.

The truth behind that "amazing" IELTS score.

Recently, a post by a ride-hailing motorbike driver, accompanied by an IELTS certificate (English proficiency test) with a score of 8.0, appeared on social media, surprising netizens. In the comments section, another ride-hailing motorbike driver also boasted about achieving an 8.5 IELTS score.

The IELTS score of this male ride-hailing motorbike driver has surprised many people (Photo: Provided by the subject).

Speaking with a reporter from Dan Tri newspaper, Bui Viet Hung (born in 2003, residing in Hanoi ), the author of the article and the male driver who achieved an 8.0 IELTS score, said that this was the result he achieved in mid-May, after more than half a year of studying. It was also his first time taking the IELTS exam.

Hung recently graduated with a law degree from Hanoi Open University. He plans to apply to police academies to continue his education. Therefore, Hung aims to obtain an IELTS certificate to meet the admission criteria. Currently, Hung continues his work as a ride-hailing driver.

Viet Hung as a ride-hailing motorbike driver (Photo: Provided by the subject).

Hung said that ever since he started university, he didn't want to rely on his family, so he became independent early on. He covered his own tuition fees and worked various jobs.

From his second year of university, Hung started working as a ride-hailing driver as a way to earn extra income and gain practical experience outside of the classroom.

These rides gave Hung the opportunity to meet many people and witness many different stories and situations. Occasionally, he even picked up foreign passengers and chatted with them in English throughout the journey.

"Such natural conversations help me improve my foreign language skills and become more confident when introducing Hanoi and Vietnamese culture to tourists," Hung shared.

On days when he doesn't have classes, Hung drives his motorbike almost all day. When he has classes, he takes advantage of the time to work a few extra hours in the evening. Many nights, Hung has to study English until midnight, but he still tries to stay healthy and maintain a regular schedule.

Tran Trong Bach (born in 2001, residing in Da Nang ) is the owner of the IELTS 8.5 certificate mentioned in the comments section of Viet Hung's article. He shared that he achieved this score in early November. Bach also previously scored 7.5 on his first IELTS attempt during his first year of university.

The young man said he is a graduate in English Language from the University of Foreign Languages ​​- Da Nang University. Bach has dreamed of becoming an English teacher since he was a student. Therefore, he set a goal to study hard to achieve a higher score in the IELTS exam.

After graduating, during his studies, he worked various jobs such as serving in restaurants, hotels, and bars, and as a gym trainer to support himself.

However, Bach realized that administrative work was exhausting him and left him with no time to focus on his studies, so he decided to switch to driving for a ride-hailing service to have more control over his time.

"It doesn't matter what profession you're in, because every profession is worthy of respect. What's important is knowing what you want and having clear goals," Bach shared.

While working as a ride-hailing driver, he often took advantage of off-peak hours from 8 PM to 10 PM to stop at a coffee shop to study. During the rest of the time, he would take on rides to cover his expenses.

After a period of balancing driving and studying, Bach achieved his dream of becoming an English teacher and opened his own classes.

Don't "idolize" English proficiency.

Viet Hung stated that to achieve high scores in the IELTS exam, the most important thing is for learners to first have an interest in English.

Besides his classes at the center, Hung regularly watches English movies and listens to English music to stay motivated. This is how he both entertains himself and learns the language naturally without feeling pressured.

Viet Hung achieved a high IELTS score on his first attempt (Photo: Provided by the subject).

One of the techniques Hung seriously applied was "shadowing"—listening to and immediately repeating the dialogue of native speakers to grasp the correct pronunciation, intonation, and rhythm.

This method helped him improve his reflexes and become more confident in communication. In addition, Hung also read many academic articles to expand his vocabulary and accumulate knowledge in many fields.

Meanwhile, Tran Thanh Bach's love for English began very early. He officially started learning English in the third grade, and just two years later he joined the school's team, participating in the IOE (Internet English Olympiad) competition.

The turning point came when Bach was in 5th grade. Recognizing his talent, his mother decided to install internet and television so he could access English programs and practice imitating the characters' voices.

Thanks to continuous exposure to the environment, by the 7th grade, Bach won first prize in the district-level English competition, and in the 9th grade, he continued to win first prize at the provincial level.

Bach achieved an IELTS score of 8.5, earning admiration from many (Photo: Provided by the subject).

In his first year of university, Bach achieved an IELTS score of 7.5 after a year of preparation. This achievement sometimes made him complacent, forgetting that his speaking skills were only at 6.0. When working remotely for a foreign company, Bach was constantly criticized for his lack of fluency in communication.

"That's when I realized that scores don't fully reflect actual abilities. Therefore, certificates shouldn't be overemphasized; instead, skills should be continuously honed. With interest and a good foundation, studying will be more effective," Bach said.

According to Bach, for the reading and listening skills in the IELTS exam, learners should start with easy practice tests that match their ability level, and then gradually increase the difficulty to avoid feeling discouraged.

For writing and speaking skills in particular, candidates need to understand the scoring criteria in order to practice effectively and improve their performance.

Source: https://dantri.com.vn/giao-duc/bi-quyet-dat-ielts-85-cua-nam-tai-xe-xe-om-cong-nghe-20251211165323923.htm