While IELTS writing assesses lexical resources and coherence, those aspects are challenges to Chinese learners because they lack training in a rigid writing style and proper English usage. ChatGPT might help students improve their performance by providing advanced linguistic resources, such as complex sentence structures and sophisticated vocabulary in IELTS writing. This study investigates how ChatGPT can transform ESL students’ preparation for the IELTS writing test by offering immediate feedback and thus promoting learning efficiency.

To examine this, the study adopted a qualitative design, using focus group interviews to capture students’ experiences and perceptions. The participants were 30 Chinese-speaking undergraduates from The Education University of Hong Kong, all of whom were required to pass IELTS for graduation. These students first attended a series of AI-assisted IELTS preparation workshops, which introduced ChatGPT-based writing strategies, including structured templates and authentic English expressions designed to support IELTS Writing Task 2. Following the workshops, participants took part in a one-hour focus group interview. The semi-structured discussion invited students to reflect on learning outcomes, the effectiveness and relevance of ChatGPT practices, comparisons with human tutors, and suggestions for improving workshop design. All responses were recorded and thematically analysed, allowing key themes to emerge inductively from the data.

As a result, students report that ChatGPT aids them in overcoming challenges such as limited vocabulary, syntactic complexity, and negative language transfer. However, findings reveal that while ChatGPT enhances students’ linguistic expressions, whether those expressions are natural language use remains questionable. Students suggest that it would be helpful to have comments from peers and teachers on how the AI solutions are used to get even better results. ChatGPT aids in overcoming limited vocabulary, syntactic complexity, and negative language transfer. Yet AI-generated expressions may not always reflect natural usage, underscoring both the benefits and the challenges of relying on ChatGPT. To ensure that learners internalize and critically process the knowledge rather than become overly dependent on it, the future development of AI in language education should combine AI and human teaching by positioning educators as curators. Recommendations include integrating ChatGPT with comprehensive pedagogical strategies, peer-to-peer feedback, and teacher-led workshops to enhance task achievement, coherence, lexical range, and grammatical accuracy. This study highlights the potential of combining AI tools with human intervention to prepare students effectively for IELTS writing.

Keywords: Educational Technology, AI and English Learning, ESL Learning.