Are you wondering whether IELTS One Skill Retake works?
Can you really achieve your target score, or a higher score the second time?
Research tells us yes!
In this article, you’ll learn more about the outcomes of One Skill Retake and how it benefits test takers.
What is IELTS One Skill Retake?
IELTS One Skill Retake lets you retake just one IELTS skill instead of the full test. You can retake Listening, Reading, Writing or Speaking.
You must take your One Skill Retake within 60 days of your original IELTS test.
Why does One Skill Retake exist?
Imagine taking your IELTS test for the first time.
And then, unexpectedly, you feel nervous and distracted. You start missing questions in Listening. Or you lose your train of thought in Speaking.
After the test, you think, “I wish I could try that part again.”
Not because you think your English skills are poor. You simply feel that maybe you were not prepared enough, or maybe stress, tiredness, illness or lack of focus affected how you did that day.
IELTS One Skill Retake gives you that second chance. If one skill did not go as planned, you can take just that skill again instead of repeating the whole IELTS test.
Does IELTS One Skill Retake work?
Yes. One Skill Retake can help you reach the IELTS score you need. Test takers have recorded higher scores after retaking Listening, Reading, Writing and Speaking.
This is based on the research, Outcomes of One-Skill Retakes in a Four-Skills Proficiency Test.
It studied more than 20,000 OSR test takers from almost 100 countries. It also surveyed 578 test takers about their experience.
Here are some of the biggest findings:
57.1% of surveyed test takers reached the score they wanted.
The typical score increase was 0.5 bands in every skill.
Listening improved the most, with an average increase of 0.78 bands.
Overall scores increased by 0.15 bands on average for both OSR and full-test repeaters.
So, what could these results mean for you? Let's look at them more closely.
Can you get a higher score with IELTS One Skill Retake?
Yes. Analysis of scores from more than 20,000 test takers shows that more than half of the scores increased. Test takers scored higher on average after One Skill Retake across all four IELTS skills. This included Listening, Reading, Writing and Speaking. But remember that a higher score is not guaranteed, and your scores may still be different.
How much can your IELTS score improve with One Skill Retake?
The typical score increase was 0.5 bands across all four skills.
For example, if you scored 6.0 the first time, a 0.5-band increase would take you to 6.5.
Scores increased on average across every skill:
Skill | Average score increase |
|---|---|
Listening | +0.78 bands |
Reading | +0.63 bands |
Speaking | +0.46 bands |
Writing | +0.34 bands |
Listening had the biggest average increase. But the important point is that higher average scores were seen across all four skills.
How many test takers reached the score they wanted?
57.1% of surveyed test takers reported reaching their desired score with One Skill Retake.
More than half reported reaching their desired score in every skill.
Why might you get a different score the second time?
How you do on test day can change from one test to another. You may feel more prepared and focused the second time. You may also feel less stressed or tired.
Test takers said several things affected them the first time:
not preparing enough
stress or anxiety
tiredness or lack of focus
time management
not knowing the test well enough
other things that happened on test day
Many test takers who gave these reasons later reached the score they wanted with One Skill Retake.
What they felt affected their first test | Reached their target with OSR |
|---|---|
Tiredness or lack of focus | 92.9% |
Stress or anxiety | 76.7% |
Not preparing enough | 73.3 % |
How soon should you take One Skill Retake?
You can take One Skill Retake within 60 days of your original IELTS test. But you do not have to wait the full 60 days.
Most test takers in the study took their retake much sooner:
26.7 days - average time before OSR
21 days - half of test takers retook within this time
14 days - most common time to retake
Good to know: Waiting longer does not necessarily mean a bigger score increase. The time between tests had little effect on score changes in the study. This suggests that OSR can give you another chance to show what you can already do, rather than simply giving you more time to improve your English.
How do One Skill Retake results compare with a full IELTS retake?
Overall scores changed in a similar way for both options. The average increase was 0.15 bands for both One Skill Retake and a full IELTS retake.
Retake option | Average overall score change |
|---|---|
One Skill Retake | +0.15 bands |
Full IELTS retake within 60 days | +0.15 bands |
The research compared people who took One Skill Retake with people who retook the full IELTS test within 60 days. Both had the same average overall score increase of 0.15 bands.
This means overall scores changed in a similar way with OSR and a full IELTS retake.
For organisations that accept IELTS, this gives more evidence to support confidence in OSR results. For test takers, it means you can focus on the one skill you need without having to retake all four.
Is IELTS One Skill Retake right for you?
One Skill Retake may be a good choice if one IELTS score is holding you back. Instead of taking the full test again, you can focus on the one skill you need.
OSR may be right for you if:
you already have the scores you need in three skills
you only need a higher score in one skill
the organisation you are applying to accepts OSR
you are eligible for OSR
you can take it within 60 days of your original test
If that sounds like you, your next steps are simple:
Check OSR acceptance → Prepare for your skill → Book your One Skill Retake