Vietnamese 10 year old earns IELTS 8.5 with no coaching

How a 10 year old reached an IELTS 8.5 without formal coaching

A 10 year old student in Ho Chi Minh City has drawn wide attention after earning an overall 8.5 on the International English Language Testing System on her first attempt. Nguyen Bao An, a student at Bui Van Ba Primary School in Nha Be District, scored 9.0 in Listening, 9.0 in Reading, 8.5 in Speaking, and 8.0 in Writing. She did it without private tutoring or enrollment in an English center, an approach that challenges the common belief that intensive coaching is the only path to top scores. In Vietnam, most test takers are older teens or young adults, and only a small fraction reach 8.5 or higher, which places her performance in a rare tier.

IELTS is used worldwide for university admissions, work visas, and professional licensing. Scores are reported on a 9 band scale. From 8.0 upward, candidates are considered very proficient. An 8.5 indicates command of nuanced vocabulary, precise comprehension, and the ability to handle complex arguments in both spoken and written contexts. For a primary school student to reach that level, the path usually begins with early exposure, consistent practice, and a learning environment that puts real communication ahead of rote drills. Bao An’s story fits that profile, but with a twist, because she did not follow a tutoring track at all.

Early life and a natural bilingual environment

Bao An was born in the United States. Her family spoke Vietnamese at home to preserve the mother tongue, but she absorbed English from books, cartoons, and television. When she was about two and a half, her parents noticed she could read short passages aloud. The family moved back to Vietnam when she was three. To keep her English active, her father began speaking to her in English at home, and her parents often chose English language books as gifts for special occasions. Over time she became equally comfortable reading and speaking in both Vietnamese and English.

At school she takes regular English lessons and has two extra sessions each week with native teachers. She calls these sessions crazy time, because they are set up for free conversation with classmates and the teacher. The school based exposure gave her a natural space to speak, while home life kept her reading and listening in English without pressure.

What an IELTS 8.5 means

IELTS measures four skills, Listening, Reading, Writing, and Speaking, and averages them to produce an overall band from 0 to 9. An overall 8.5 is generally associated with very high proficiency, close to native like fluency in familiar and academic contexts. Many universities accept 6.5 or 7.0 for admission to English medium programs, so an 8.5 usually exceeds requirements. In Vietnam, most test takers are between 16 and 22. Only about 1 percent reach 8.5 or above, which explains why a result at age 10 attracts attention.

How IELTS is scored

Listening and Reading are machine scored against answer keys. Writing and Speaking are rated by trained examiners against criteria that include coherence, grammar accuracy, range of vocabulary, pronunciation, and task achievement. The test uses a 9 band scale for each skill. Reliability studies published by the test provider show high internal consistency for Listening and Reading, and strong inter rater agreement for Writing and Speaking. This means a result like 8.5 is not only high, it is also measured by a system designed to be stable across different test versions and locations.

Why the age profile matters

Younger candidates often have less exposure to complex topics, fewer opportunities to discuss academic issues in English, and limited practice structuring longer essays under time limits. An 8.5 suggests strong comprehension, a wide passive vocabulary, and the ability to express ideas clearly on unfamiliar prompts. When that score comes from a child, it usually reflects many hours of meaningful contact with the language and an environment that rewards curiosity and reading.

Six weeks of targeted practice, guided by dad

After her parents decided to try IELTS rather than a children’s exam, Bao An had about six weeks to get used to the test. Under her father’s guidance, she completed three to four practice sets per day to learn the format and timing. She felt most confident in Listening and Speaking. In Reading, she used a two step approach. She cleared easier questions first, then returned to the harder ones and used elimination to narrow options. The strategy conserved time for passages with denser facts. It also reduced second guessing, a common reason scores dip for strong readers.

Her Speaking test covered an eclectic mix of topics. She described a favorite foreign dish and the decor of a sushi restaurant that made her feel as if she were in Japan. She also discussed import and export and commented on urban life. On Ho Chi Minh City, she painted a lively picture of skyscrapers, modern conveniences, and many universities, but she did not skip the frustrations of commuting.

Asked how she approached the exam, Bao An described a mindset built on comfort with the language rather than tactics. Before the test, she did not set a target or plot out strategies beyond learning the format.

She explained her approach in simple terms:

English just feels natural to me. I did not have any strategy or target score. I only wanted to see where my abilities stand.

Her sense of humor came through as well when she talked about traffic in the city.

The traffic is really good if you enjoy sitting in a car for an hour during rush hour.

In Writing, she argued against the idea of a single global language. She reasoned that languages take centuries to form and spread, and replacing them would erase large parts of human culture. She pointed to the risk faced by many minority languages. As she put it in her essay, the loss of languages is a cultural loss as well.

Erasing languages would mean losing entire cultures.

Voices around Bao An

Her mother, Thanh Nhan, described a home that values both languages and books. The family spoke Vietnamese day to day, her father kept English conversation alive after they returned to Vietnam, and books were a frequent reward. The goal was not to build a prodigy, it was to keep curiosity and reading at the center of daily life.

Thanh Nhan said her daughter grew into a balanced bilingual reader and speaker.

She reads and speaks English as comfortably as Vietnamese.

Nguyen Anh Hong Phuc, her homeroom teacher, said the result matches what she sees in class. Bao An participates actively with native teachers, helps classmates, and stands out across subjects, not only in English.

The result reflects her ability. Her English is outstanding.

Beyond English, the 10 year old has begun learning German and French and has joined online science courses. Her immediate academic goal is to win admission to Tran Dai Nghia Secondary and High School for the Gifted, a selective environment where she hopes to meet peers who share her enthusiasm and to use English in more classes.

More Vietnamese youths hitting elite IELTS scores

Stories like Bao An’s are appearing more often. Across the country, teenagers and even preteens have reached 8.0 and above, often on their first attempts. Many share common habits, early exposure to English at home, frequent reading and listening in areas they enjoy, and a calm approach to Speaking based on real conversation rather than memorized answers.

• In Hanoi, a 13 year old named Le Tuan Minh earned 8.5 with 8.5 in Listening, Reading, and Speaking, and 7.5 in Writing. He began English exposure at age three and reads extensively about programming and robotics in English. He practiced test formats for months and used outlines and topic knowledge to steady his Writing.
• Another 13 year old, Le Huy Gia Long, achieved 8.5 with perfect 9.0 scores in three skills and built confidence through daily English use in an international school and previous Cambridge English exams. He finished the Reading section in 45 minutes and described the Speaking experience as straightforward conversation.
• In Ho Chi Minh City, 12 year old Nguyen Nam Long scored 8.0 with perfect marks in Listening and Speaking. He relied on daily English media, from YouTube to music and films, and kept Writing practice light, which explains the gap between his strong oral skills and a lower Writing score.
• From a border district in Tay Ninh Province, university student Hoang Van Thai improved from limited resources through determined self study, sought out foreign visitors to practice, and reached 8.5 on his second attempt.
• For contrast, a 25 year old learner, Phung Tien Thanh, reached a perfect 9.0 after years of steady vocabulary study, daily listening across many subjects, and a long habit of speaking to himself in English to build fluency. His journey shows that adult candidates also thrive with deliberate practice.

These profiles show patterns. Early and enjoyable exposure strengthens Listening and Reading. Regular conversation with teachers or friends builds Speaking reflexes and pronunciation. Writing often lags for younger candidates, since it requires argument structure, task specific formats, and time management. When students address Writing directly through planning and feedback, their scores rise toward the level of their other skills.

Why Vietnam is producing strong young English users

Vietnam’s school system has raised literacy and numeracy to high levels among its peers. A UNESCO report in 2023 found that Vietnamese children ranked at the top among low and lower middle income countries in reading and mathematics at the end of primary school. Strong reading in the first language is a powerful foundation for reading in a second language. It makes text structure and logical argument easier to grasp, even when vocabulary is unfamiliar.

Urban families increasingly seek programs with native speaking teachers, bilingual tracks, or international curricula. At the same time, affordable internet and smartphones have opened a vast library of English media. Children can watch science channels, listen to podcasts, and take free online courses. Many of the young high scorers say they read about topics they love, whether programming, robotics, or global issues. That builds vocabulary in meaningful contexts and prepares them for IELTS topics, which often draw on science, technology, society, and culture.

Vietnam also has a strong culture of education. Parents often support reading at home, encourage competitions, and create chances to practice with tourists or language clubs. The result is a generation that sees English as a tool for knowledge, not just a school subject. When support and curiosity meet consistent practice, scores follow.

Practical lessons for learners and parents

Each student’s path is unique, but several themes stand out from the experiences of young Vietnamese high scorers. These ideas can help learners plan honest, sustainable routines that build real skill, not just test tricks.

• Build a reading habit in any language, then add English reading on topics you genuinely enjoy. Comprehension and vocabulary grow faster when you care about the content.
• Keep Listening varied. Mix accents and topics. Short daily listening sessions build reflexes that cannot be crammed in a few weeks.
• Turn Speaking into real conversation. Practice with teachers, friends, or even by recording yourself. Focus on clarity and organization, not fancy words.
• Make Writing a weekly routine. Learn the common structures for Task 1 and Task 2, plan before writing, and seek feedback to correct recurring errors.
• Use practice tests to learn the format and timing. In Reading, clear easy questions first and return to harder items with elimination. In Listening, anticipate answers based on the question type.
• Study vocabulary actively. Note words you see more than once, review them in context, and recycle them in speaking and writing.
• Create a light, regular schedule. Short daily sessions beat long sessions once a week. Consistency keeps skills fresh.
• Protect enjoyment. Connect English to your interests, from science videos to novels or games. Motivation sustains the routine.
• For young learners, make it a family project. Read together, set device time for English shows, and celebrate progress with new books.

What to Know

• Ho Chi Minh City student Nguyen Bao An, age 10, scored an overall 8.5 in IELTS on her first attempt, with 9.0 in Listening and Reading, 8.5 in Speaking, and 8.0 in Writing.
• She did not attend an English center or hire a tutor, instead learning through natural exposure at home and conversation sessions at school.
• She prepared for six weeks by practicing three to four IELTS sets per day under her father’s guidance.
• Her Speaking topics ranged from sushi and restaurant decor to trade and city life. In Writing, she argued against the idea of one global language.
• Her mother says she reads and speaks English as comfortably as Vietnamese, and her teacher describes her English as outstanding.
• Only a small share of Vietnamese candidates reach 8.5 or higher, and most test takers are ages 16 to 22.
• Across Vietnam, several preteens and teens have recently achieved 8.0 to 8.5, often crediting early exposure, reading, and steady practice.
• Vietnam’s strong primary education results in reading and mathematics support language learning, while internet access broadens daily contact with English.
• Common success habits include daily listening, meaningful reading, real conversation, and structured writing practice.
• Bao An is now learning German and French and aims to enter a selective secondary school where she can keep using English actively.