{"id":101,"date":"2021-07-27T12:55:34","date_gmt":"2021-07-27T19:55:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/magoosh.com\/ielts\/?p=101"},"modified":"2021-07-27T19:39:51","modified_gmt":"2021-07-28T02:39:51","slug":"how-hard-is-the-ielts","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/magoosh.com\/ielts\/how-hard-is-the-ielts\/","title":{"rendered":"How Hard is the IELTS?"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Two<\/p>\n

One of the most common questions we hear boils down to something like this: How hard is the IELTS?<\/em> This question is connected to another frequently asked question: Is the IELTS easy<\/em>? These questions are different sides of the same coin, and both questions attempt to gauge the relative difficulty of the IELTS.<\/p>\n

\nThe direct and honest answer to those questions is this: It depends<\/strong>. How strong is the test-taker\u2019s command over English? How easy is it for them to learn new languages? How do they do under stressful, three-hour long test conditions? How do they deal with talking with strangers under pressure? In short, it depends because we\u2019re all different and go into the test with all of our uniqueness. So, to rephrase the question to be more precise, we might put it this way: \u201cHow difficult is the IELTS<\/strong> for you<\/span><\/em><\/strong>?\u201d\n<\/p>\n

How Hard is the IELTS for You? Self Assess!<\/h2>\n

\nSo, how hard is the IELTS? To begin with, the IELTS comes in one of two types: Academic and General Training<\/a>. The Academic test tends to be harder for more people because, to do well on it, a test-taker will need to have greater mastery of English and a broader working vocabulary compared to the General Training version.\n<\/p>\n

\nWe also need to assess the test-taker: ourselves. Each of the four IELTS components \u2013 listening, speaking, reading and writing \u2013 can be difficult in their own way. To get an indication of how hard you might find each segment, I\u2019d recommend taking a practice test<\/a> for each of the categories.\n<\/p>\n

\nClick to see instructions for your self-assessment<\/span><\/summary>\n

\nAt the end of each practice test, check your performance against the relevant assessment checklist below, which are based on how the IELTS is marked<\/a>. Circle the number 1-9 (where 9 is the highest). Be realistic about your assessment and include notes on how you felt with regard to each criterion so that you can help identify your strengths and weaknesses.\n<\/p>\n

\nIf most of your circles are 1s to 5s, that would indicate that you will find the IELTS exam challenging. I\u2019d recommend a lot more practice before attempting the examination. If most of your scores are 8s and 9s, that indicates that you\u2019ll likely find the IELTS exam relatively easy. Aim for the most of your circles to be 7s or higher if you want a good IELTS score<\/a> on examination day.\n<\/p>\n<\/details>\n

 <\/p>\n

\nTo check your progress, each time you do a practice exam or an exercise, rate your performance against the relevant checklist below. Date and keep a copy of each checklist to track how you improve.\n<\/p>\n

Listening Difficulty<\/h3>\n

\nMost students find the listening section the hardest part of the IELTS<\/strong>. In this section, test-takers have to listen, remember, and then draw on a lot of information to answer the questions. This requires a lot of concentration, which can be exhausting if you aren\u2019t used to listening to a lot British English and, possibly, unfamiliar English dialects.\n<\/p>\n

\nHere\u2019s a checklist of questions to consider for the Listening section:\n<\/p>\n

\"IELTS<\/p>\n

To get an even better sense of how well you’re doing on that checklist, you can go through Magoosh’s free online IELTS Listening Diagnostic test<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Speaking Difficulty<\/h3>\n

\nMost test-takers will find this section the most comfortable<\/strong>. So, test-takers tend to perceive it as the least hard section of the IELTS. But that self-perception can be deceptive. Students often struggle to stay on topic and give complete answers.\n<\/p>\n

\nUse this checklist below to assess your skill level. For this assessment, it\u2019s best to have a native English speaker help assess your skills, although you can also use Magoosh’s IELTS Speaking diagnostic quiz<\/a>.\n<\/p>\n

\"IELTS<\/p>\n

Reading Difficulty<\/h3>\n

\nThe sheer amount of reading within the time limits make the Reading section of the IELTS quite hard<\/strong>. If you\u2019re good at skimming and scanning, you\u2019ll find this section less hard. If you have an expansive vocabulary, you\u2019ll likely find this section relatively easy (especially for Academic). But if your vocabulary isn\u2019t strong, you\u2019ll likely find this part of the IELTS quite difficult. <\/p>\n

If you want to check and see where your skills are right now, we have a post for that: a full IELTS Reading passage and question set you can complete<\/a>!<\/p>\n

And you can also self-assess by checking your skills against this IELTS Reading skills checklist:\n<\/p>\n

\"IELTS
\n <\/p>\n

Writing Difficulty<\/h3>\n

\nMany test-takers find the writing tasks quite hard<\/strong>. It\u2019s difficult to come up with good examples to illustrate a narrow and clear response that fully addresses the prompt within the 60-minute time limit.\n<\/p>\n

\nAssess your skills using this checklist:\n<\/p>\n

\"IELTS<\/p>\n

\nIt\u2019s a good idea to regularly practice writing questions. As you do so, keep the checklist above handy! This will help you identify the specific areas you need to improve and make it easier for you to improve. Plus, it\u2019ll help you know when to seek outside help to improve your overall Writing score. To get started with practice for this section, try our one or more of Magoosh’s free IELTS Writing tests<\/a>. <\/p>\n

And check out the best IELTS Writing resources<\/a> or get a free trial of Magoosh IELTS prep<\/a> to help get you ready.\n<\/p>\n

What factors might make the IELTS easier?<\/h2>\n