Question 1

What does the IELTS Master AI evaluate?

Accepted Answer

Our AI evaluates all four official IELTS criteria: Fluency & Coherence (natural pacing, linking, hesitation), Lexical Resource (vocabulary range, precision, collocation), Grammatical Range & Accuracy (complex structures, error types), and Task Achievement (relevant content, detail depth). For writing, we also assess coherence, task response, and organizational clarity.

Question 2

How accurate is the band scoring?

Accepted Answer

Our AI is trained on thousands of official IELTS responses graded by certified examiners. On internal validation, we achieve 92% correlation with certified examiner band scores (±0.5 bands). This means if the AI gives you a Band 7, the official examiner is 92% likely to score you between 6.5 and 7.5. Scores within ±1 band are even more reliable (97%).

Question 3

What AI models do you use?

Accepted Answer

IELTS Master uses OpenAI's GPT-4o for writing & essay feedback, Claude 3.5 Sonnet for detailed criterion breakdown and complex analysis, and Google's Gemini 3.1 Pro for multi-modal (audio + text) analysis. All models are fine-tuned with official IELTS band descriptors and examiner calibration data.

Question 4

How is my data used? Will it be used for AI training?

Accepted Answer

Your writing, recordings, and responses are stored securely on our servers in encrypted format. We never use your personal test data to train or improve models without explicit opt-in consent (which you can revoke anytime). Anonymized, aggregated insights (e.g., 'top 10 mistake patterns by skill') may be used to improve feedback, but never in a way that identifies you.

Question 5

How long is my data retained?

Accepted Answer

Test attempts, responses, and feedback are retained for 5 years from the last activity, or until you delete them. If you delete your account, all personal data is deleted within 30 days, except for anonymized aggregates. Stripe payment records are retained per PCI compliance (7 years).

Question 6

What is the data privacy policy for EU/UK users?

Accepted Answer

We comply with GDPR and UK DPA 2018. You have the right to access, correct, delete, and port your data. We use encrypted transfers, limited processor access, and do not share data with third parties except Stripe (payments) and cloud hosting providers (AWS). You can email privacy@ieltsmasterflow.com to exercise your rights.

Question 7

What are the limitations of AI grading?

Accepted Answer

AI is highly accurate for grammar, vocabulary, and basic coherence, but nuance in tone, argumentation sophistication, and creative expression sometimes require human review. Our AI rates conservatively to avoid over-scoring. We recommend a human exam mock every 2-3 weeks to calibrate to official examiners. Pronunciation detection works best with clear audio (16kHz+, minimal background noise).

Question 8

How do you validate accuracy?

Accepted Answer

Every month, we sample 50 user responses (writing and speaking) and send them to certified IELTS examiners (British Council & IDP) for blind grading. We compare their scores to our AI scores and retrain if accuracy drops below 88%. Results are published on our analytics page.

Question 9

Can I request a human review?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Elite members can request human review for writing (Task 1 or Task 2) for $20 per essay, or speaking for $30 per session. Turnaround is 48 hours. Pro members get 1 free human review per month.

Question 10

Is the IELTS Master certified or endorsed by British Council / IDP?

Accepted Answer

IELTS Master is an independent preparation tool and is not officially endorsed by British Council or IDP IELTS. However, our band descriptors, criteria, and validation approach closely align with official IELTS standards. We are not an official test provider—we provide practice and feedback only.

Before You Start — Data Privacy Notice

AI Technology Behind IELTS Master

How IELTS Master Grades Your Test

Step 1: Submission & Validation

Step 2: Multi-Model Evaluation

Step 3: Band Descriptor Alignment

Step 4: Feedback Generation & Delivery

Models & Integrations

OpenAI GPT-4o

Claude 3.5 Sonnet

Google Gemini 3.1 Pro

Frequently Asked Questions