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Are the Official Cambridge Tests as hard as the real tests?

by Bilguun
(Mongolia)

About week ago I got 6.5 in reading and 7.5 in listening from Official IELTS practice test.

But today I got 7.5 and 8 in reading and 8.5 in listening from Cambridge IELTS 8's two tests.

Such significant change brings mistrust to me.

Are Cambridge's tests easier than real one?

If so Where can I find harder materials, since I don't want to be misinformed.

Comments for Are the Official Cambridge Tests as hard as the real tests?

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Feb 09, 2016
 Cambridge Tests
by: IELTS buddy

Hi Bilguun,

The tests from the Official Cambridge IELTS books ARE real tests. They are tests that are taken from old exams.

So they are the best ones to practice with if you want the real thing.

I can't account for why you may have got different scores each time. Did you give yourself exactly the same amount of time each time you practiced?

Obviously the tests do vary each time a bit as its impossible to make them identical but they should be around the same standard. It may just be that one test was easier for you than the other because you just happened to have some readings and listenings that were more suitable for you.
Feb 11, 2016
 Practice makes perfect!
by: Anonymous

Maybe your results just prove that if you practice, you can get a better score ;-) Once you know how much time you have and you are familiar with the types of questions that are asked, you can focus more on the content.

Surely, scoring less in the exam than in the practice test would be more worrying!
Sep 05, 2017
 Cambridge 1-12
by: Anonymous

If Cambridge practice tests are taken from real tests then the books show that test standards changed through out the period.

Cambridge book 1 is really easy compared to 8,9,10,11,12.
Oct 13, 2017
 Very difficult
by: Anonymous

I hated ielts test
Sep 05, 2018
 Some are difficult
by: Anonymous

Some of the tests in books are very difficult and some are very easy. For example: In Cambridge IELTS 8 book, test 3 academic reading is very tough as compared to the other tests.
Sep 08, 2018
 Some are difficult
by: IELTS buddy

They try to make them at a similar level but there are bound to be some differences.
Jan 13, 2019
 Official Cambridge
by: Anonymous

Hello

Is it better to practice official Cambridge tests more than once?
Jun 03, 2021
 Same here
by: Anonymous

I too find Cambridge IELTS tests much easier than British Council ones.
Jul 22, 2021
 reading query
by: Anonymous

Hi,

Can anyone help me to upgrade my reading score?
Apr 02, 2022
 Levels of Cambridge books
by: Anonymous

Let's start with easy one's

Book - 11 easy
Book 12 easy
Book 14 easy
Book 15 easy
Book 13 moderate
Book 10 moderate
Book 9 moderate
Book 8 difficult
Book 7 difficult
Book 6 difficult
Book 5 difficult
Book 4 difficult
Book 3 difficult
Book 2 hardest
Book 1 hardest
Jun 14, 2022
 Some Ielts practice materials
by: Anonymous

Some Ielts practice materials are extremely difficult.
For instance IELTSFever general reading practice 3.
May 05, 2024
 listening test
by: Anonymous

what are the most difficult
Cambridge books for listening test?
Thank you
Sep 25, 2024
 The Hardest on Listening Section
by: Yourluna

I found that the hardest one should be the IELTS Cambridge 1. I have compared the listening test to the latest book such as Cambridge 17, 1 is harder, or even the hardest. I think it is because of the clarity of the audio as well as the type of the questions which has been really old. There is a total difference to another latest book. I only get 4 on the listening using Cambridge 1, in contrast with Cambridge 17, my score is 8.5. Quite different.

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