IELTS candidates face "red envelope" again

(Dan Tri) - On March 22, social networks were abuzz with the news that all three sections of the IELTS exam, Listening - Reading - Writing, were changed to the red envelope questions (reserve questions).

After the IELTS exam ended on March 22, social media spread information that the entire exam was once again changed to red exam envelopes (reserve questions), just one month after the first time on February 22. The incident caused confusion for candidates who will take the exam in the following weeks.

Status lines posted on social networks about the IELTS exam on March 22 (Screenshot).

Sharing with Dan Tri reporter, Tran Ha Anh - student of class 11A10, Foreign Language High School - confirmed this incident.

"As soon as the invigilator opened the exam paper bag, the whole room sighed," Ha Anh said.

The red exam envelopes can easily cause anxiety among candidates because of rumors that the backup exam is more difficult than the regular exam. However, Ha Anh said that the exam on March 22 was not much different from the mock exams she had been practicing.

The female student said that changing the exam questions to red exam envelopes mainly affects those who buy "keys" to memorize before the exam, but it does not affect much those who actually study and take the exam.

MGH, an IELTS candidate on March 22, revealed that he saw some candidates studying "key" right in front of the exam room.

"The feeling of disappointment when seeing the red question is probably only for those who study this "key". Those who do not study "key" will only be a little surprised, even curious.

Compared to the exams my teacher usually gives me, yesterday's red exam was more difficult. However, because this is my first time taking the IELTS, I'm not sure if this backup exam is more difficult than the "green exam", MGH shared.

According to Dan Tri reporter's investigation, a series of groups buying and selling "keys" (a term used to refer to buying IELTS test papers) on social networks expressed regret at the above information. Some pages posted notices of refunds to those who had used the service.

An anonymous account claims to be the victim of changing the IELTS test paper from green to red (Screenshot).

The "key" seller posted a full refund to the buyer (Screenshot).

A month ago, on February 22, a similar incident occurred. Some people suspected that some candidates were cheating, leading to the exam questions being changed across the country right before the exam time.

Responding to the press at noon on February 25, a representative of the British Council in Vietnam said that in some cases, backup plans are applied to ensure safe and transparent exams for all candidates.

The application of these options is regulated by the Cambridge Assessment English Board and all exam organizers must comply.

According to the British Council, recently there have been a large number of violations of the reputation of the IELTS exam being advertised online and directly to candidates.

The British Council urges candidates to be vigilant when receiving this information. The IELTS test is strictly confidential through many stages before, during and after the test to ensure the accuracy and reliability of an international standard foreign language proficiency test.

Source: https://dantri.com.vn/giao-duc/thi-sinh-ky-thi-ielts-lai-doi-mat-voi-bao-de-do-20250323194246758.htm