Hi M10vir,
After scoring an 8, I can say that it is difficult but not impossible. This forum is a big help to all IELTS takers. Just reading others' experiences with the exam will help.
Which part of the test do you find the hardest?
Some tips which might be helpful -
Reading & Listening -
1. Read each question carefully. During practice, I wrote the wrong answer despite knowing the right one because I misread the question.
2. I read the passages from IDP, British Council and Cambridge books to get an idea about the type of passages which figure in the test
3. For Listening, the CDs which came with the books helped
4. If you are taking the IELTS through British Council, their online training course is helpful
Writing
1. Practice your writing (write on the topic in the given time - 20 or 40 minutes)
2. Pay attention to grammar and try to use a wide range of phrases and complex sentences
3. The topics shared on this forum will help you get the practice
4. During the test, spend the first five minutes jotting down points
5. Attempt the Task 2 first - (about 35 mins.)
6. For Task 2, jot down your points (the format below helped me)
View | Counter View
_____________________________________
| Points for | Points for |
|______________________________________
| Points against | Points against |
|______________________________________
7. My essay (Task 2) was structured as follows -
a. Topic introduction (about 40 words)
b. View with Points for and against - added examples to elaborate the point (about 100 words)
c. Counter view with points for and against - added examples to elaborate the point (about 80 words)
d. Conclusion - state your opinion and the reasons (about 40 words)
8. For getting practice on quickly deciphering any topic, you can follow point 6 above.
If you have any specific queries, my mail id is
rahul.im3@gmail.com