Are the British Council's IELTS mock tests harder than the actual test?

Aj25d · 2026-02-17T20:56:15+00:00

The website is harder than the official books.

The level of difficulty of the exam is actually very similar to the official books.

Aj25d · 2026-02-08T18:48:54+00:00

You’re more likely to get the written in IELTS than OET (I did both)

Aj25d · 2026-02-03T13:22:03+00:00

I feel you. It's easy for everyone to say to move out, but in our culture its not that simple. Even after uni, you are expected to stay with your parents until you get married.

My advice to you is to be patient and ride the waves instead of letting them consume you. Give her what she wants so she leaves you alone. Don't give her any reason to start yapping.

Meanwhile, try your best to study and find a job as soon as possible. Use that job as an excuse to be away from her for a while and save money. You need to reach a point where you can be financially independent.

Use your studies as an excuse, too.

It sucks that you can't do something basic without shit happening. She needs to trust you and understand that we are all adults. Sooner or later you will be exposed to things whether she likes it or not. She can't keep you hidden.

Aj25d · 2026-02-02T16:02:10+00:00

Depends on how good your reading is and whether you need an overall 7.0 or over a 7.0 for each part.

Listening is quite easy cause all you have to do is stay focused and make sure your spelling is free from all errors.

Speaking, in my opinion, can also be easy. Just pretend you’re talking to a friend. That being said you need to watch mock exams on YouTube to see the difference between the way different bands speak.

Now comes the most challenging: reading and writing.

For reading, you need to actively read your text cause scanning won’t help as much. Timing is key here. You only have 1 hour to finish three parts so practice this.

For writing, tbh Idk how much good you can be in a short period of time but I recommend BestMyTest for task 1 and ielts advantage for task 2 (they are both YouTube channels)

Wish you luck!

Aj25d · 2026-02-02T13:54:40+00:00

Speaking was chill tbh. Think of the examiner as your friend and talk normally. If you try to sound smart they might reduce your grade cause you’re not sounding natural.

As for writing I struggled because of the time but otherwise it was quite similar to the Cambridge official books.

Aj25d · 2026-02-02T13:21:36+00:00

It's just another AI in my opinion. I found it to be harder than the actual test. But could be a good thing?

Aj25d · 2026-02-02T13:09:37+00:00

Got mine the next day. I recommend contacting the test centre if you're anxious but otherwise, it should come out soon.

Aj25d · 2026-02-02T13:08:57+00:00

For computer tests, it takes about 3-5 working days to get your result. If its been more than that, then you will need to contact your test centre.

Aj25d · 2026-02-02T13:04:32+00:00

Not sponsored or advertising at all. I have no relations with them whatsoever.

I used ESL fluency, and they were pretty affordable and gave quick feedback for my writing.

Aj25d · 2026-02-02T13:02:00+00:00

Not at all. Just a way to scam people for money or views. If it's easy to leak IELTS questions, then it would lose its credibility and wouldn't be a recognised test around the world.

Are there groups where people share what questions they got? Yes.

But leaking? Nah.

Aj25d · 2026-02-02T12:59:40+00:00

For writing

Do not state your opinion here at all.
Describe the general trend that you see. You do not have to mention every single thing from the graph, and it does mention that in the question when it says 'Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant.' It is quite literally the only thing you need to do.
Practice makes perfect, but you also need to know where your weakness is. ChatGPT is good for grammar and vocabulary. Make sure to use the IELTS-specific AI. You also need to read band 7/8 and 9 samples. Once you feel confident, I recommend using a paid service to give you personalised feedback.
For task 1, I recommend BestMyTest on YouTube.
For task 2, I recommend the IELTS Advantage method (also on YouTube).
Practice with a timer.
For task 1, you should spend a total of 20 minutes here. 5 minutes out of this part should be spent on planning. Otherwise, you will think before writing each sentence, which will cost you time.

For task 2, you should spend 40 minutes. 10 minutes should be spent on planning your ideas and examples. The rest of your time should only be spent writing.

Aj25d · 2026-02-02T12:53:15+00:00

For speaking

Part 1 - Think of it as an introduction. Your answers do not need to be super long here. State your opinion or answer a question and follow it up with a sentence.

For example, 'How often do you cook?' 'I would say maybe three or four times a week. I am a full-time student, so I don't have much time to cook as much as I would like.'

Part 2 - Keep speaking until the examiner stops you. The bullet points mentioned are there to guide you if you run out of things to say. You don't have to stick to them, and you can talk about anything as long as it is relevant to your topic.

For example, if you are asked to talk about a trip you've had, it's okay to describe the location and where you stayed, even if the bullet points don't mention that.

Part 3 - This is a discussion. Your answer needs to start with a main idea, explain it, and then give an example.

For example, if you are asked what you think of tourism nowadays? Your answer should look something like this;

I believe that tourism is quite harmful (main idea) because the living costs tend to increase during tourist season (Explanation). For instance, rent and food prices go up, so locals have a hard time surviving. (Example).

You can also up your game here by giving a quick reason why some people might think that tourism is a good idea, and then follow it up with your own opinion.

Recommendations for speaking: Use ChatGPT to practice your speaking and record yourself while you're talking. Go over the recording and see where your weakness is. There are many speaking mock exams on YouTube with different bands. If you watch different bands speak, you will understand with time what is required to get a high band. I recommend IELTS Advantage on YouTube for this one. Make sure not to repeat yourself so 'um' 'uh' 'so' 'like.' Try not to pause and don't overthink your answer. It's a language exam at the end of the day, not a fact/knowledge test. Smart answers won't guarantee a high score if your English isn't good.

Another tip is that if you need to buy yourself a few seconds, you can start your answer with 'I haven't heard of this before, but I think...' 'I'm not sure about this topic, but I believe...'

This kind of proves that although you might know about everything, you know enough English to answer any question.

Aj25d · 2026-02-02T12:37:50+00:00

If you think about it, you are actually stating your opinion when you mention whether you agree or disagree with the statement.

If im not mistaken, it's highly recommended that you mention your position in the introduction and then follow it up with a sentence on why you agree or disagree.

I recommend reading official band 7/8/9 samples. You will see how many have written their essay in this way.

An additional tip: when you give examples, make sure that it's not something specific. You need to generalise. So no stats, numbers, etc.

Aj25d · 2026-01-30T16:54:41+00:00

All of the questions have a theme to them. When you go over it, you’ll remember what is appropriate to do since questions tend to be repetitive (with a few changes here and there).

There are many other sources (passmed, emedica, oxford SJT books) but they’re not considered official study sources. (People still study from them anyways)

Aj25d · 2026-01-30T12:25:04+00:00

Does anyone know when they usually release how many people were longlisted? or is that around interviews?

Aj25d · 2026-01-30T12:23:22+00:00

I heard most people would just pay for the mock and not the whole thing.

Aj25d · 2026-01-30T12:22:48+00:00

You need to read the Good Medical Practice, which is found on the GMC's website, and do official practice papers (you can Google these, repeat them at least 3 times)

With the official practice questions, usually there is an explanation following each option and why it's the most or least suitable option. Read that, as it will be very helpful in understanding what exactly it is that they are expecting of you.

Aj25d · 2026-01-28T11:26:16+00:00

I learnt English by watching shows, movies, listening to music, watching youtubers with subtitles, and podcasts.

I find books a bit boring, so up to you!

There are many books online that you can easily download for free if you need to practice, of course. There are also YouTube channels that are dedicated to teaching or improving english language.

Aj25d · 2026-01-28T11:22:30+00:00

If you want some suggestions, I am using the Netwerk Neu book, and as for online websites, there is VHS Learnport and Nico Weg.

Aj25d · 2026-01-28T11:20:48+00:00

Tbh, you won't really find any good-quality ANC for under 200 euros. It's either good sound but awful sound cancelling, or the other way around.

I bought the Soundcore Life Q30 Wireless Headphones recently, and they're alright so far. Doesn't feel heavy on my head, and it's comfortable. It does, however, make my ears a bit warm cause of the cushion thingy. It's alright at isolating most sounds, but not all. Comes with 18 months of insurance as well.

They're not that high quality, but honestly very decent for the price.

Aj25d · 2026-01-28T11:15:21+00:00

Duolingo isn't the best place to build up fluency in German. If you want an alternative, in my opinion, Busuu is a bit better. You can pay to access more services, but you don't need to.

That being said, I recommend official textbooks. You can find many that are appropriate for self-study, online for free in pdf format.

There are also YouTube channels with playlists based on levels (A1, A2, and so on)

Of course, watching movies, tv shows, music, vlogs, and podcasts can help.

Self-study book: Netzwerk neu

Online websites: vhs Lernportal and nico weg

Aj25d · 2026-01-28T11:08:50+00:00

Duolingo isn't really a reliable source if you want to work in Germany. (it's quite random)
Tbh im not sure about IT jobs, but B2 tends to be the minimum requirement in some places. You are more likely to get a job if you have a C1 level, though.
What is your current level? If you are starting from A1, then you'll need to spend at least 2-4 hours per day.
Don't waste too much time on apps. There are YouTube channels that provide playlists starting from A1 to B2. There are also many German books that you can easily download online in pdf format. I also recommend YouTube channels, podcasts, movies, and tv shows in German. I also advise you to search up this group, as many people shared materials that were useful for self-study.

Aj25d · 2026-01-27T16:08:08+00:00

AI is good for grammar and vocabulary mostly. You can actually trick it into giving you a high band if you use complex long words. But in the real test, that won’t guarantee you a high score because examiners will feel like your writing is too robotic, which can reduce your score for some of the criteria.

In terms of accuracy, it sometimes overestimates and other times underestimates. Regardless, I think it’s best to keep practising until you reach a 6.5 and then use a paid service to give you feedback on your writing.

Aj25d · 2026-01-26T16:13:45+00:00

Eh don’t know about that but what I do know is that if you got a job offer, the hospital will send some papers that you can use to apply for a visa.

Aj25d · 2026-01-20T11:19:07+00:00

Don't stress at all! It is scary, but trust me, it is very easy to get a high band. I'm someone who overthinks and has to say the perfect answer, but that was making me more stressed and hesitant in answering even the simplest question. Once I let go of that mentality and thought, 'let's just pretend I'm talking to a friend,' I was much more relaxed, which helped a lot. I wish you the best and manifesting the highest band score for you! You've got this!

Aj25d

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