How difficult is IELTS General?

[_Harry_]

I have been working in an MNC for the past 10 years - reading, listening, writing and occasionally speaking most of the time in English. I was just wondering is it really necessary to opt for the IELTS coaching?

I tried to do some online mock IELTS exams sort of things and did fairly acceptable.

Anyone here working professional who has cleared IELTS without any coaching..can guide best?
Any good online resources that helps in preparing for IELTS without coaching could be also a great help.

I just want to make sure I don't take this test lightly. Because right now I am confidant that I can do this exam without any coaching. Not really sure if the test is this easy.
Guidance in this will be a great help. Thank you.

 

[kryt0n]

It depends on your level of English.

Youtube has some great videos with tips and help on the structure. You cannot predict the questions, however knowing the format is the best way of doing well.

 

[nidakh]

I'm a professional but I have been very good at English all my life and I'm not trying to praise myself.

What I'm saying is even people whose Native Language is English sometimes score badly....The exam is very easy if your English is good but it can go really bad if you don't practice. So yes you will not require coaching but you will require online practice, specifically in Reading and Listening, in order to get used to the type of questions asked, time available and to learn the silly mistakes you can make....

I attended a IELTS 911 course worth 25 dollars one day before the exam (it was available in Toronto) and it helped me to learn simple things like your spelling mistakes will deduct your marks, don't put plural if singular is required, you can write 7 instead of "Seven" or km instead of "Kilometer" to avoid spelling mistakes, you need to read the question carefully because if they expect two words and you have written three it will be considered incorrect, gaps are ok like Sunlight / Sun light both will be given marks, etc.

I practiced 4 days before Exam from numerous tests available online but make sure you practice General IELTS and not Academic for Reading.
Listening is same as academic.
Writing you get a letter and an essay which I did not practice. Just wrote on a notebook to check how many Paragraphs make 150/250 words as I had not written in ages on a paper.
Speaking I did not practice.

My Score:
Listening: 9.0 (CLB 10)
Reading: 8.5 (CLB 10)
Writing: 8.0 (CLB 10)
Speaking: 7.5 (CLB 10) (My interviewer was very disinterested.....I could have done better, I guess spoke more than required)

I hope this information helps!

 

[Fabby12]

It's just a trick + tacts to attempt paper.
I attempted it twice but my writing score is not good.

 

[economicalindian]

Just to add on, It also depends where you are appearing for the exam. In India, over a period of time, it has been observed that, they will never give you a 7 across all sections if somehow they got to know that you will use it for immigration.

Just a tip - do not select checkbox " use for immigration' if you are appearing from India. I had many friends who selected that checkbox and they could not score despite repeated attempts. However when few of them tried here in US, they passed in the first attempt.

 

[IMTS]

A friend of min recently took the teste for academic purposes. She did not hire a coach but spent several days practicing. She got L8, R7.5, W9 S9. She told me the 7.5 was due to not being very familiar with the different questions format, which is mentioned very much in different practice pages.

I guess that if you have a good English level and are confident on your skills, then you can practice on your own and have a friend assess your writing. I'm practicing all areas of the exam every day.

 

[Br33zer]

Just to add on, It also depends where you are appearing for the exam. In India, over a period of time, it has been observed that, they will never give you a 7 across all sections if somehow they got to know that you will use it for immigration.

Just a tip - do not select checkbox " use for immigration' if you are appearing from India. I had many friends who selected that checkbox and they could not score despite repeated attempts. However when few of them tried here in US, they passed in the first attempt.

I think this is just a myth. Nobody is going to mark you looking at the contents of your IELTS registration.

My friend (who worked with me in the same IT company) already landed in Canada and got CLB 10 without any preparation. Even I could score 7.5 in writing without any preparation whatsover and CLB 10 over all. And both of us mentioned that we were sitting for IELTS for Canada Immigration.

I think applicants should just prepare if they are on the other side of the confidence, rest leave everything else for rumour mongers.

 

[thestunner316]

practise helps certainly, particularly with listening... reading is a piece of cake if you know how to do the reading tests, and speaking is welll... speaking.

writing needs practise also, purely coz the last time i wrote that long with a pencil was 25 years ago, maybe longer...

i would suggest practise, i did take coaching the first time, it was useful in getting some tips, if you can afford it well and good... if not it shouldnt be that much of a problem.

Good luck