The Mental Journey of IELTS Success Why do so many students struggle to ace the IELTS on their first or even second attempt? They feel like they underperform, and their scores are so much lower when they do the simulation tests at home. The answer might lie in Cognitive Load Theory, a well-researched concept in psychology and education, introduced by Dr. John Sweller from the University of New South Wales. According to Sweller, our brains can only process a limited amount of information at once, especially in high-pressure situations. When you're new to IELTS, your brain faces intrinsic load. Intrinsic load refers to the inherent difficulty of the material or task itself—how complex the test is and how much mental effort it requires to understand the questions and provide your answers. In Sweller’s study, he found that when learners are presented with too much new information at once, they often struggle to process it effectively, leading to mistakes and confusion. The more complex a task is, the harder it is to manage all the information without feeling overwhelmed. For IELTS test-takers, this could mean trying to memorize new vocabulary, understand unfamiliar question types, and apply strategies—all in one go—creating an overload that affects performance. So, it’s not about intelligence or the knowledge you have—it’s about how much your brain can handle at once, and this requires practice and experience. That’s why the first IELTS attempt often feels overwhelming. Your brain is juggling too much—like decoding instructions, learning strategies, and managing stress. In fact, there’s another study by Paas and Sweller’s 2012 that suggests the first time someone attempts a challenging task, they are often bombarded with intrinsic load, which increases the likelihood of underperforming. The results? You might freeze or make careless mistakes, even if you’ve studied everything in advance.