Hi everyone,
I've been combing through this thread ever since I submitted my EOR last 22 May 2018 and it has kept me sane while waiting. Seeing the common questions here, I'll attempt to provide relevant details.
Exam date: 17 May 2018; 2nd attempt. Previous attempt was LRWS 8.5, 8.5, 7.0, 8.0.
Type and provider: Academic-IDP Sydney, computer-based. I've taken TOEFL several years ago and I must say it's similar except the speaking part which is still a face-to-face interview.
Result available: 19 May 2018. Computer-based IELTS promises to release results in 7 days so I was quite surprised when it came out as quickly as it did. Provisional results came via SMS and fell on a weekend.
Initial results: LRWS: 8.5, 9.0, 7.5, 8.5. I need an 8.0 in writing so I applied for an EOR. I was initially hesitant because I felt like I had not done my best, but seeing that a 0.5 increase is common I decided to go ahead with it.
EOR submission: 22 May 2018.
EOR acknowledgment: 24 May 2018 from IDP Melbourne.
Email indicating that EOR is completed: 13 June 2018. No word on the result itself and that it can't be divulged through email or phone. I paid for express mail but as of today the actual TRF is not with me.
Are changes available online? YES, but this comes with a huge caveat; only if your EOR decision is within the 28-day period after the exam date, otherwise NO. Also, they take a while to update and periods are variable. I've previously seen on this thread that if results do change, they happen within 48 hours. On my part it took 5 days for changes to show up; in the meantime I was wallowing in despair and was already preparing for the next test lol. I reckon it's because the decision came mid-week and weekend intervened, hence the delay.
EOR result: Changed, writing went up to 8.0. Finally!
So to those who only need 0.5 in their band score, I say go for it. But please, before anything else, practice practice practice.
My advice to test takers: If you're having issues with writing, avail of tuition and essay checking services but if you can't, ieltsliz.com was the model I used. One of her followers achieved 9's for all of the bands. Still, having my essays checked was a great way of improving. Understand the question, plan the answer and completely address the question, use complex sentences. For higher bands, even if the grammar is on-point it wouldn't matter if the answer is completely made up of simple sentences.
For speaking, speak formally and slowly. Be talkative; if the interviewer asks for your opinion, offer the contrary opinion first, then yours. Be as descriptive as possible. Mind your grammar; they will catch the slightest errors. Again, I cannot emphasize it enough, USE FORMAL LANGUAGE.
Finally, I have taken IELTS thrice, first time four years ago and I also received 7.0 in writing, so more or less without practice, it is an accurate measure of language ability. English is not my first language but I must admit I'm perfectly bilingual. In my opinion is that it is not a perfect measure of your English ability and if you are already great with the language, it becomes a matter of test technique. Know the format, practice in test conditions!
For those waiting for their EOR, good luck and hang in there!