Friends with everybody and a delight to teach – our hearts broke when ultra-hardworking* Virginie Zengota finished her Intensive IELTS course and left Leeds English Language School last week.

So Elisabete was chuffed* to get a phone call from Virginie this dull and rainy morning at Victoria Road school. Even more so when Virginie gave her the fantastic news – our dear Virginie just got herself an IELTS 7.5!

*bags = succeeds in getting
*Ultra + adjective = very + adjective

*Chuffed = pleased/ happy about something

Virginie on trips

From left to right: Virginie goes to Hogwarts, Virginie works with school friend Abdulelah and finally, Virginie goes to the moon.

A real Leeds English success story

What is it like to get an IELTS 7.5? What can you do with a 7.5?

We interviewed Virginie to get the lowdown*!
*To get the lowdown – to get useful information

Congratulations Virginie, you superstar! Did you expect to get an IELTS 7.5 when you took the test?

I expected to have a 7 because it was/is the result that I needed. However, when I took the test I was so stressed and I wasn’t expecting that I would achieve such high scores even when everybody was telling me that I should believe in myself!

And what were the individual scores?

8.5 in listening

7.5 in reading

7 in writing

6.5 in speaking

8.5 in Listening! Amazing. What advice would you give to Leeds English students studying Intensive IELTS who are going to take their tests soon?

My advice for other students is obviously to work hard and believe in yourself. I know that it seems a bit simple and I guess that everyone knows it, but it is as simple as that! And also practice makes perfect.

Well sometimes the simplest way is the best way. What’s next, Virginie? What are you going to do with your IELTS 7.5?

Next I’m going to try to get into a university (with a preference for Leeds), and study Linguistics. And with the IELTS 7.5, I finally have the proof that my use of English is good enough to do so.

Will you miss us? We’ll miss you!

Of course, I’ll miss you very much! In a way you changed my life, and I’m very thankful for that! I met amazing people and staff, so again, thank you!!

From left to right: Virginie gets her 100% attendance award from Santa (school director Bob Charlton), Virginie with classmates at Walid’s graduation

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