Photo courtesy of VN Express

 

A 10-year-old girl from Ho Chi Minh City, Nguyen Bao An, has achieved a remarkable 8.5 in the IELTS exam on her first try, with no formal tutoring. She scored a perfect 9.0 in Listening and Reading, 8.5 in Speaking, and 8.0 in Writing. This notable feat places her among the top 1% of all test takers in Vietnam, who typically range from 16 to 22 years of age.

 

Bao An, a student at Bui Van Ba Primary School, attributes her English proficiency to natural exposure rather than structured learning. Her family returned to Vietnam when she was three, and her father began speaking English with her to maintain her language skills. She frequently engaged with English through books, cartoons, and TV shows, leading to an intuitive command of the language without traditional study methods.

 

Her mother, Thanh Nhan, shared that Bao An started reading English at an early age and has always been comfortable in both English and Vietnamese. Her language skills are self-taught, lacking the analytical focus on grammar and tenses, which are common in formal learning. Initially, her parents considered the Cambridge Flyers test before opting for IELTS, expecting a score around 7.5 or 8.0, making her score of 8.5 a pleasant surprise.

 

In preparation for the IELTS, Bao An spent about six weeks familiarizing herself with the test format by practicing under her father’s guidance. She felt most confident in Listening and Speaking, where she effortlessly discussed personal topics and even made humorous observations about city life. Her Writing tackled complex issues, like the cultural loss associated with a single global language, demonstrating her depth of understanding.

 

Nguyen Anh Hong Phuc, Bao An’s teacher, has praised her exceptional language skills, noting her frequent interactions in English with teachers and peers. Beyond English, Bao An is now learning German and French and has joined online science courses. Her next goal is to enter Tran Dai Nghia Secondary and High School for the Gifted, drawn by the opportunity to learn among talented students and use English extensively.

 

Key Takeaways

• A 10-year-old girl scored 8.5 in IELTS on her first attempt with natural learning.
• Her proficiency is self-developed through exposure to English at home.
• Her future plans include attending a prestigious secondary and high school.

 

Click here for more Vietnam stories

 

  Adapted by ASEAN Now from VN Express 2025-11-10

 

 

Fantastic. Congratulations to the young lady.