The difficulty level of this exam varies from person to person. Some say it is easy, while others disagree with the claim. It is extremely challenging for some people to get a band of even 6. To be honest! It depends on your English proficiency.

But to answer your questions, IELTS is not a very difficult exam to clear. People with even the slightest knowledge about grammar and pronunciation will be easily able to score a band of 6. We know not everybody's first language is English. So, it might be difficult for you to crack this exam. 

Before appearing for any language proficiency exams, you must learn the basics of the English language. You can find a lot of tutors who can teach you this language. You can take classes for spoken English and then start learning for IELTS.

Talking about the cost,  the coaching is a little bit of the expensive side. But the advantage is that you get to learn everything about a new language. If you're going to join an institute, then you must research thoroughly. 

IELTS exam is not something that you can by-heart to crack. In case to get band score above 7, you need guidance from a proficient language tutor. If you wish to seek experts' advice, then you'll have to pay. 

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.

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.

Improving score from 6 to 7 is important for candidates who are willing to find permanent residence abroad. Scoring band score 7 in IELTS is tricky as it takes a lot of hard work and dedication. Moreover, you need to understand where you're losing marks. It is, in fact, crucial to tackle this particular problem first before you re-appear for the ILETS. You need to check whether it is writing section or not first; it is because of the fact that many test-takers struggle to achieve their desired band score due to less scoring in the writing section. 

If you lack behind in the writing section, then here are some points that need to be considered. When you're given a topic to cover, then you'll have to answer or write about it in a very diplomatic manner. It is advisable not to take sides when you're writing for that particular topic. However, if you are asked to give your opinion on a specific topic, then it is advisable to write about your thoughts and views.

Before you start writing, make sure you take out first few seconds to jot down your points on what you're going to write about. This is going to give a proper direction to your thought process. The most important is your spellings and make sure you don't mess up the tenses and make any grammatical errors.

Make sure there is a flow in your wiring. Moreover, DO NOT deviate from the topic that is given to you.

The writing section is only for 45 minutes, and you have to cover 250 words in this duration. If you're smart in managing things, then you'll have time to give a beautiful introduction and a conclusion. A good introduction and conclusion will set the tone for the reader, and it will prevent you from deviating from the topic.

Hope this helps!

If you're a working professional who's looking to appear for the IELTS exam, then the first thing you need is patience, dedication and passion. If you have these things, then you can achieve anything in life. First of all, you'll have to start taking up mock tests for all the four sections. This will give you an idea about the examination pattern. It will also help you understand your strengths and weaknesses so that you can work on your weaker parts.

Since you have 4 hours a day to prepare for the exam, you can dedicate one hour for each module. For speaking, practice each day by recording your own voice and ask someone to correct your grammar and your accent. Keeping your mind calm in this round will work miracles. Make sure you process your thoughts correctly.

For listening, you should be calm and try to listen to the question carefully, sometimes the examiner stress on certain words. This indicates that the answer lies in those words.

For the reading section, learn to skim through the article and still manage to get the necessary points. Taking a couple of mock tests will help you achieve this very soon.

For the writing part, learn to understand that there are different types of letters and essays that you'll have to write. Practice writing every day so that it'll increase your pace. If you do this for 4 hours every day, then I'm sure you'll nail this test.