This is an IELTS Energy Podcast, Episode 1538.
Have your IELTS results been withheld?
Welcome to the IELTS Energy Podcast from All Ears English downloaded more than 35 million times with examiner-trained IELTS whiz Aubrey Carter and Lindsay McMahon, the English adventurer.
If you are stuck with a low score, our insider method will help you get the score you need to unlock your dreams.
Get your estimated band score now with our two-minute quiz at allearsenglish.com slash myscore.
What should you do if you get the dreaded email saying that your IELTS results have been withheld?
Today, learn three things you must know and what you can do about it.
Score holiday gifts everyone wants for way less at your Nordstrom Rack store.
Save on UGG, Nike, Rag & Bone, Vince, Frame, Kurt Geiger London, and more.
Because there's always something new.
I'm giving all the gifts this year with that extra 5% off when I use my Nordstrom credit card.
Santa who?
Join the Nordy Club at Nordstrom Rack to unlock our best deals.
It's easy.
Big gifts, big perks.
That's why you rack.
Hey there, Aubrey.
How's everything today?
I'm great.
How are you, Lindsay?
Good, good.
I have a question for you, though.
Okay, let's hear it.
So today we're talking about waiting on results, right?
So have you ever been waiting on results for something and actually had to wait longer than you expected or than you wanted to?
Yes, I was in the hospital once when I was pregnant with the twins.
They're now 11 years old.
I was bleeding profusely and I went to the hospital.
They did an ultrasound and then it felt like forever before the doctor came in and gave me the ultrasound results.
And it probably just felt especially long because I thought I was miscarrying.
Because that was my understanding of this is what if you're bleeding like that, it's a miscarriage.
And it just felt like forever waiting on the results of the tests they had done the ultrasound because you know the ultrasound tech won't say a word.
They don't give you anything.
They're like, the doctor will discuss the results with you.
Oh, my gosh, that must have been stressful.
Yeah, it's these high stakes moments where you know whatever the result is does determine our future.
And there's a lot invested in a lot of emotion there.
So some of you listening you may have had a very similar experience, where you're waiting on medical results.
You know lab results.
So stressful.
But also once you take the IELTS exam.
When you're waiting for your IELTS results, it's a similar feeling, right?
And today we're answering a listener question from someone whose IELTS results were withheld.
Yes.
We'll explain why this might happen in case it happens to you.
Yes.
So yeah, this would be stressful.
Right.
It's really good to be aware of everything that could happen.
The more we know, the better.
The more information we have, the better.
So that's why we're going through this today.
But first, we want to share poll results, Aubrey.
We always leave a poll for you guys for every episode.
And we love when you come over to Spotify and participate to make your voice known.
Yes, exactly.
This was episode 1524, which is more important for IELTS writing, grammar, or supporting ideas.
And the poll question we asked was what grammar score would you get if you took the IELTS writing exam today?
Yes.
The results were interesting, right, Lindsay?
Yes, very interesting.
So 33% of you said five.
Whoa, we have some work to do, right?
Right.
And 33 percent said six and then 33 percent said eight.
No one responded.
Seven.
So it's interesting.
So, well, we all know what we can expect and we can always change our score.
We can always improve.
Right.
That's why we're here listening today.
Exactly.
And it is tricky for grammar, right?
It's the most common grammar score is a six.
You can make quite a few errors and still get a six.
It is difficult to get that seven, for whoever answered the poll and is confident they're getting an eight.
That is amazing.
You have worked hard to perfect your grammar because you can make a very few errors and get an eight.
Yeah, congratulations in advance, right?
Stay focused on before test day.
Okay, so let's go ahead and read the question.
I'll read the beginning and then maybe you can take over, Aubrey.
We can kind of back and forth here.
This comes from our YouTube channel.
Guys, don't forget we have a YouTube channel called IELTS Energy.
Go over and find it and hit subscribe on the channel.
All right.
And this is from Roman Cowher123.
All right.
Here's the question.
A day before my test results, I got this email.
What could be the reason for this?
Can you please explain this?
And here was the letter.
IELTS test results are routinely analyzed before they are issued in order to ensure fairness to all test takers and to protect the integrity and security of the test.
These analyses have identified the test result of Saturday September 13th 2025 as needing further review.
The result has been withheld while the review is being conducted.
Test takers agree to this procedure in the test terms.
And then in the email that they were provided these test terms 4.2 and 4.3.
We won't read those, because this is part of that fine print that you are signing when you agree, when you sign up for the exam.
And this isn't really the important part here.
This is just kind of sharing that, like you have agreed that your results can be withheld if IELTS feels there is a need for this right.
So all of that sort of legalese in that might freak you out even more if you feel like you're reading that and not really clear what it means.
That's what that agreement is.
It's just that you agree that your result could be withheld.
And they just ended by just saying, we'll provide another update on your IELTS test result, right?
So a few things here.
I think the complicated language in this email could be what's sort of throwing you off if you're not positive?
You understand what they're saying here.
So we're going to share sort of the three main things you should know if your IELTS results are withheld.
This could happen to you.
And we're going to go through kind of share some of this more complicated verbiage what it means, so that you can understand if you get this email.
Yeah.
So the first thing to know.
So there are three things you need to know here.
The first thing to know is that this is most likely unrelated to your test performance, your individual test performance.
Exactly.
Right.
So what is said in this email is IELTS test results are routinely analyzed before they are issued in order to ensure fairness to all test takers and to protect the integrity and security of the test.
So what this is saying is?
This is about making sure IELTS examiners are grading fairly and consistently.
Their work must be checked and analyzed routinely before students receive their scores.
What does routinely mean, Lindsay?
So on a regular basis, as a part of a regular procedure, it's not just a special random thing.
It's regular.
Exactly.
It was, it didn't happen because of a special reason.
It happens routinely, right?
This happens.
IELTS examiners know that their work will be checked.
Because it's vital that the test is fair, that your test is graded as strictly as the next person's.
Exactly, exactly.
And so again, the examiners.
Yeah, I mean again, it's about the integrity of the test, because IELTS has an interest in making sure that it continues right.
Yeah.
Exactly.
Right.
Their goal is to make sure examiners are providing correct scores.
So it's fair for all students.
When they say the integrity of the test, that means you can trust that your test was fair, that your scores are accurate.
And then security of the test means that questions and answers aren't being leaked, that there's no unfair access to questions in advance by any students.
Interesting.
Yeah.
So do you think this was just kind of a regular thing, or do you think maybe something was tipped off or So?
We're going to get into it, because there are a lot of different reasons this could happen.
Yeah.
That something triggered... the results being withheld on this specific day.
So the next thing the email said is these analyses have identified the test result of Saturday September 13th 2025 as needing further review.
So your results were not the only ones withheld.
Everyone who took the exam that day their scores would be withheld as well.
They're not going to send those to students until they're sure that they are accurate.
Okay, okay.
So yeah, so it could be that one or more exams were graded incorrectly.
They were too strict.
The examiner was too lenient.
Maybe the examiner wasn't following protocols.
What would be a protocol, Aubrey?
Yeah, for example, if they were having a brief conversation with students before the speaking exam began, that could give students a chance to warm up and be less nervous, which would be unfair to other candidates.
That that didn't happen with.
Wow, which could cause the whole everyone's results to be thrown out.
Oh my gosh.
Exactly.
Right.
So, or at least, yeah, who knows?
I'm not sure exactly what the process is as far as do they throw out results?
Do they listen to them again and adjust as necessary?
You know, interesting.
Okay.
And then what would be the number two thing we should know here?
Yeah, this is interesting.
Number two is that this need for further review could be for the writing exam or the speaking exam, or both right.
So it may have been that the speaking exams needed further review if there was inconsistent or incorrect scoring.
Because it is quite subjective.
The examiners have very clear guidelines.
But if it's, for example, you know students are using adequate idiomatic language.
What is adequate right?
Is you know, one examiner might have to have at least five or six, And another would define that differently.
So if this periodic review, this routine review, determines that the scores were incorrect for one student, they would withhold all of those scores to make sure that they're all accurate.
Yes.
OK, good.
And this could also come back to the protocol of the examiner.
Maybe the examiner is asking follow up questions, prompting students more than they should or not speaking clearly, being difficult to understand.
So that makes it hard for a student to give their best answer.
Exactly.
Right.
Or it may have been the writing exams that needed further review.
If essays were scored incorrectly, either too strict or too lenient, even if that's for one score, maybe the cohesion, coherence score.
Yeah.
Someone was a little too lenient on it.
That could affect everyone's scores.
Wow.
How very dramatic.
Right.
All right.
We'll take a quick break and then we'll be back to talk about the third thing we should know here.
Can you afford to take IELTS multiple times?
Even if you can, you don't have to.
On this podcast, we want you to get the scores you need on test day and be on to your future dreams.
That's why we created our free IELTS band score quiz at allearsenglish.com slash my score.
Find out for free what you'd likely get on the IELTS exam and get our free resources to increase your score. allearsenglish.com slash my score.
Okay, Aubrey, number three, what's the third thing to know?
All right, so there is a chance that student actions were the cause of this further review being needed, right?
Evidence could be found that a task one or a task two question, for example, had been leaked, giving those who knew about it a chance to prepare in advance, which would be unfair to other students.
So, as much as IELTS tries to make those tests as secure as possible, they are still trusting certain individuals who would have access to this exam ahead of time.
So there is a chance something like this could happen.
Yeah.
I mean, interesting.
So very important.
In that case, they're going to have to review that.
They're going to hold the results for that.
What else could happen, Aubrey?
Yeah.
Evidence could be found that speaking questions had been leaked.
So with the same results, right?
If anyone has access to any of the questions ahead of time, that is unfair for everyone else who took the exam.
Okay, so writing questions could be leaked, speaking questions could be leaked.
Other possibilities.
There could have been noise during the listening exam and that would have interfered with your ability to hear the audio right.
So something like that might be reported, And so everyone took the exam, and then it's not realized until later that there was something that affected a small group or everyone.
Technical difficulties with the computer exam possibly, or the audio.
If there were technical difficulties and the audio started lagging late or was cut off, something like that might not be remedied right away.
And everyone would take the exam.
And then when it's discovered, results could be withheld.
Got it.
Yeah.
The computer exam, things can go wrong when you use technology.
I mean, a lot of things can happen, Aubrey.
Yeah, so there's no way to know exactly why these results were withheld.
You know, we've shared there's lots of different possibilities.
One good thing to know is that you should not be stressed out, right?
You are going to hear from IELTS again.
Most likely, the result will be that they will just send you your scores and it'll say figured everything out.
Here's your scores.
There is a possibility that they would determine that something caused retakes needed and you may have to retake the exam, but this wouldn't be at your own cost, at least.
Yeah, and I'm sure they do everything to avoid that in a sense.
Definitely.
Yeah, that's going to be expensive for them too, right?
It's not what they want to do.
So keep that in mind.
Aubrey, we have a key poll for today.
We want to make sure our listeners participate in.
What is our poll question?
Yeah, we want to know, have your IELTS results ever been withheld?
Very curious.
Clearly, everyone in that testing center on that day, their results would be withheld.
So this is interesting.
We'd love to know how often this is happening.
If you could come to Spotify and answer this poll.
Yes.
And, as our final takeaway, if this happened to you or if it does happen to you in the future, don't panic.
Know that it's not about you.
It's about their system.
Right.
And it's kind of their problem to figure out.
Right.
There are a myriad of reasons this could happen, right?
You'll likely be hearing from the testing center very soon.
And speaking of the word myriad, if you missed, earlier this week we did an amazing episode about that word and plethora, other band.
Nine ways to say a lot of myriad.
So if you missed it, scroll back and check it out.
Excellent.
Go check it out.
Again, that is episode 1537 is that number there.
All right.
Very good stuff, Aubrey.
And you have a good rest of your day.
Thanks for talking about this situation.
I don't think we've ever talked about this on the podcast before.
So it's a good one.
Yeah, really good.
Awesome.
Thanks, guys.
Hopefully your results aren't withheld.
But if so, don't stress about it.
You'll hear from IELTS soon.
All right.
Talk soon.
Take care.
Thanks.
Bye.
Bye.
Thanks for listening to IELTS Energy.
Hit subscribe now, and don't forget to find your estimated band score at allearsenglishcom.
Slash myscore.
So fast.
Or like a month.
With OfferWatch.
So, want to drive?
CarMax.
Pickup not available everywhere.
Restrictions and fee may apply.
