Is Passing IELTS Difficult?
Before diving in, it’s important to identify which IELTS you need to pass: Academic or General. You need the Academic IELTS if you’re planning to apply for a professional institution or a university, and the General test for entry into secondary education, a college, or an educational training center, or to migrate to an English-speaking country.
So, is it difficult?
Listening
The Listening section is the same for both Academic and General formats, consisting of four parts:
1. Part 1:You’ll hear an everyday conversation between two speakers. The good news is the speakers talk slowly and make pauses, and key information is often repeated.
2. Part 2: A monologue about daily life situations with fewer pauses.
Examples: Information for potential buyers about newly built flats, a radio interview about a lake resort, an advertisement about the benefits of a new toothbrush, etc.
3. Part 3: A conversation between two to four speakers about educational or training situations. The vocabulary is more advanced, and the speakers talk faster than in the previous sections.
Examples: Students discussing a class assignment, people talking about a professor’s lecture, etc.
4. Part 4: A monologue on an academic subject. This is the most challenging section. There is no break in the middle, the speaker talks quickly, and uses a wide range of vocabulary.
Examples: A lecture about endangered species, a talk on child-rearing, a speech about global warming and its effects, a lecture on forest conservation, etc.
The key to mastering the Listening section is daily practice, which will help you improve over time.
Reading
The Reading section differs for Academic and General tests.
Academic Module: It takes 60 minutes and has three sections. Each section contains 10 to 17 questions, totaling 40 questions. The questions become more difficult as the test progresses.
General Module: This also takes 60 minutes and has three sections. Each section is divided into several subsections and contains 10 to 17 questions, making a total of 40 questions.
Speaking
The IELTS Speaking test is the fourth section of the IELTS test. It is the same for both Academic and General IELTS. The test is a face-to-face interview between the test taker and the examiner, lasting 10 to 15 minutes, and consists of three sections:
1. Section 1: Introduction and interview (4–5 minutes). The examiner will first ask for your name and passport. After you introduce yourself, you will be asked some general questions about topics such as work, studies, home, family, and interests.
2. Section 2: Long turn (3–4 minutes). You will be given a task card with a particular topic. You will have one minute to prepare a monologue on the topic. Afterward, you will talk about the topic for two minutes. The examiner may ask a few follow-up questions.
3. Section 3: Discussion (4–5 minutes). This section involves a discussion between you and the examiner on questions related to the theme from Section 2.
Writing
The IELTS Writing test lasts one hour and consists of two parts: Task 1 and Task 2. Writing Task 1 differs for Academic and General IELTS, but Writing Task 2 is the same for both.
– Academic Writing Task 1: You’re asked to describe a graph, chart, or diagram.
– General Writing Task 1: You need to write a letter to someone.
– Writing Task 2: You have to write an essay on a given topic.
The Academic Writing module lasts 60 minutes and includes two tasks. It’s recommended to spend around 20 minutes on Task 1 and 40 minutes on Task 2, but you can divide your time as you prefer.
That’s pretty much it. The next step is to learn all the tips and tricks.
Here are some excellent resources to help you get started or to gain a better understanding of this exam:
– [IELTS Online Tests](https://ieltsonlinetests.com/): This website has an excellent free exam library.
– IELTS with Liz (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2TAhwbB8GKM): Liz offers clear explanations and valuable advice on all parts of the IELTS.
– Adam’s English Lessons (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SHhJ1RqWl-k&t=969s): Adam provides clear explanations and valuable insights about the exams that you would typically pay to get from a course.
– Examples of speaking tests: [Example 1](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mr2f4MxGmA8), [Example 2](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k4715CJ0Ii8)
You can do it!