Enhancing IELTS Practice Using Grok Instructions | Generated by AI
Question: How can I use custom instructions in Grok to improve my IELTS preparation by making its answers harder to read and more challenging?
Answer:
You can use Grok’s custom instructions feature (available on grok.x.ai or the X app for logged-in users) to permanently shape how Grok responds to you across conversations. This is perfect for IELTS practice because you can instruct Grok to raise the difficulty level deliberately — forcing you to read more carefully, deal with advanced vocabulary, complex sentence structures, and subtle ideas — which directly trains reading comprehension, vocabulary range, and overall language processing speed.
Step-by-step guide to set it up
- Go to https://grok.x.ai (or open Grok in the X app)
- Click your profile picture/icon → look for “Custom instructions” or “Customize Grok” (usually in settings or under your name)
- There are two main text boxes:
- What would you like Grok to know about you to provide better responses?
→ Put personal context here (optional for IELTS). - How would you like Grok to respond?
→ This is the most important part — write your rules here.
- What would you like Grok to know about you to provide better responses?
- Paste or adapt one of the examples below into the second box, then save.
Recommended custom instruction texts (copy-paste ready)
Option A – Balanced high difficulty (recommended for most IELTS candidates aiming 7.0+)
Always respond to me in advanced, near-native academic English suitable for IELTS band 8–9 level. Use sophisticated vocabulary, complex sentence structures (including inversion, cleft sentences, participle clauses, conditionals mixed with passives), precise collocations, and subtle nuance. Make explanations dense and challenging to read — avoid simplification unless I explicitly say "simplify" or "explain like I'm band 6". Never use very short sentences in the main explanation. Force me to work hard to understand every paragraph. When answering IELTS practice questions (reading, writing, listening scripts, speaking), give model answers at band 8.5–9 level with rare idioms, academic phrases, and grammatical range. After each model, provide a short "challenge analysis" pointing out 3–5 advanced features I should imitate.
Option B – Extremely hard / IELTS 8.5–9 torture mode
From now on, treat every response as an IELTS reading passage at band 9 difficulty or higher. Employ highly academic register, dense nominalisation, abstract concepts, long embedded clauses, low-frequency vocabulary (C1–C2 level), rhetorical devices, and deliberately intricate syntax. Do not dumb down anything. Do not use bullet points or short paragraphs unless I request "format simply". Make me re-read sentences multiple times to fully grasp meaning. When I ask for IELTS practice, supply responses that would score 8.5–9.0, then criticise my attempts harshly with precise linguistic feedback (cohesion flaws, lexical precision, task response gaps). Only lower difficulty if I type "easy mode".
Option C – Focused on writing & speaking models (very targeted)
Whenever I ask for IELTS Writing Task 1 or Task 2 model answers, or Speaking Part 2/3 samples, always provide band 9-level responses only — use exceptionally advanced lexis, a wide range of complex structures, flawless cohesion, fully extended and well-supported ideas. After the model, give a detailed "band 9 breakdown" explaining why each paragraph achieves top marks. When I share my own writing or speaking answers, critique them ruthlessly at band 8–9 examiner standard: point out every instance of awkward phrasing, limited range, repetition, or under-developed ideas. Never praise mediocrity.
Tips for best results
- Start with Option A — it’s challenging but not overwhelming.
- After setting instructions, test it immediately by asking:
“Give me a band 9 Task 2 model essay on the topic: Some people believe that the best way to increase road safety is to increase the minimum legal age for driving cars or motorbikes.” - If it’s still too easy, add phrases like: “increase lexical and grammatical complexity even further” or “imitate The Economist / academic journals style”.
- To temporarily override: just say “ignore custom instructions for this question” or “use easy mode”.
- Revisit and tweak the instructions every few weeks as your level rises.
This setup turns Grok into a very demanding IELTS coach that pushes your receptive and productive skills harder than standard responses — exactly what many people need to break through from 6.5–7.0 to 7.5+.
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