Practising a lot helps you much. The single big problem with the foreign applicants to USS institutions is language skill. Even for those with high TOEFL and TSE scores often have trouble. So, schools in the US are sceptical. The reason for the difficulty of IELTS is simple; it is functioning at the highest level. You are not just a tourist trying to buy something abroad. You are looking for a reason to stay or study abroad.

Even though you are reasonably proficient in English, it is suggested that you should take up a practice mock IELTS papers for the receptive skills to improve. Also, to develop strategies and understand the IELTS test format. 

You should read the questions very carefully as reading the question is just as important as understanding the texts. It is advised not to add one's ideas and also to use the context of the passages as a guide. Always read the question first and then proceed to read the passage. 

Typically the question’s order is based on the paragraph, so for instance, if you want to answer the question 1–7 (or to anything) look at the first paragraph of the passage and the other questions follow that order. By doing that you are saving a lot more time. Another trick is by looking for a keyword on the question and then match it with the word (or similar word) on the passage.

Good luck with your test.

It is not easy to get a band of 8 in all the four sections in the IELTS test. It needs utmost dedication and a perfect practice regimen.

You need to make a time table about your study schedule and follow it at least for five weeks straight. However, the duration might vary from one person to another, depending on their grasping power and speed of learning. To perform well in all the four sections, you'll have to practice all the parts every day. Or you can even follow a schedule of practising two sections per day so that you can give your full concentration on those two sections for the day.

If you're already good at speaking English, then you don't have to spend a lot of time preparing for that module. Having said that, if you want to score 8, then you'll have to be extra careful and answer to the point. Make sure you answer the question in the first line itself and elaborate it in a very focused manner in the remaining lines.

Taking about the writing module, it is pretty challenging to score a band of 8. However, it's not impossible either. This means that there's absolutely no room for errors. Read the dictionary and learn new words. Make sure your grammar and language are to the point. Improve your overall vocabulary to make a positive impact on the examiner.

There are some common mistakes that a student makes while he/she is studying. Some of them include:

- Staring to prepare for the exam a day before the test. Whichever exam your giving, without having ample preparation, it is next to impossible to get the score you want to get. You'll have to start studying for your exams beforehand and also go well revised for the exam. 

In that case, you will not forget anything and also will be able to attend the exam with the confidence of knowing everything. Also, never skip your sleep to study for exams. That will never work; instead, it will mess up with your memory power.

- Don't try to study everything. Study what is important. This you can figure out when you are well prepared and by going through the previous year question papers. This will help in knowing the pattern of the paper, will help you prepare mentally about the way and style of answering for such questions.

- Do not revise whatever you have studied on the day of the exam. Close your book and relax and take a deep breath. If you have your review in the morning, then plan your schedule accordingly so that all the revision stuff is done by the previous night and will not have anything left for the morning.

IELTS is a kind of test where the more you practice, the better you score. Since there are four sections to it, each section requires ample practice so that you can nail all the four parts, without any hurdles. Coming back to your question, there are many practice materials for this English language proficiency test. 

For this, there are mock tests conducted. These mock tests have the same difficulty levels and time limit as the actual IELTS exam. Hence, candidates appearing for it will find it very helpful, and certified IELTS trainer or educators also evaluate these mock tests.

Apart from online mock tests, there are also a few practice/reference books such as the Cambridge IELTS practice book. iPhone and Android users can download this book for reference. There is also a book called "Road to IELTS"; this book helps candidates to prepare themselves for their IELTS exams. They have a practice section for all the modules, be it Reading, writing, listening and speaking.

There are also applications on your iCloud or google play store, where you can have a quick practice session on the module that you want to learn or practice. Besides all these, You can easily find several mock tests videos on YouTube as well. You can practice those whenever you get time. You'll also receive a reference book when you book your exam slot, be it from IDP or British council.

CELPIP is the abbreviation of the Canadian English Language Proficiency Index Program, and IELTS stands for International English Language Testing System. Both of these tests are conducted to evaluate the proficiency of the English language. It consists of four sections Reading, Writing, Speaking and Listening sections. 

If you're applying for a Canada Immigration, then both of these tests are valid. However, the CELPIP is conducted to test the ability of candidates who are willing to immigrate to Canada. Also, to become a permanent resident there.

IELTS has two parts to it: academic and General. Academic IELTS is conducted for studying purposes, and General IELTS is conducted for immigration purposes.

1. The score breakup is 1 to 12 for CELPIP, whereas for IELTS it is 1 to 9 for each section.

2. The listening section duration is 47-55 minutes for CELPIP, with components and 46 questions each, whereas for IELTS, it is for 30 minutes which includes three parts and 40 questions.

3. The reading section of CELPIP is for 55-60 minutes, four parts with 38-45 questions. Whereas for IELTS, it is 60 min with four parts which include 40 questions.

4. The writing section of CELPIP involves email writing, and IELTS involves letter writing.

5. The speaking module in CELPIP is almost 20 minutes, and it includes eight components, whereas, in IELTS, it is about 15 minutes and has three parts.