Demystifying the IELTS Exam: A Step-by-Step Guide

IELTS stands for International English Language Testing System. It is the world’s most popular English language proficiency test. Around four million people appear for the test globally in a year. The test is taken by those who want to study or stay in an English-speaking environment or want to migrate to an English-speaking country. Mostly, people take this exam to study in a university in an English-speaking country or work in any such country.

IELTS is developed and run by the British Council in partnership with IDP Education and Cambridge Assessment English. There are two types of IELTS- IELTS Academics and IELTS General Training.

Through IELTS Academics, you can get University acceptance, and a student visa and prove your proficiency to professional organisations. IELTS General Training tests your English language proficiency in the workspace and is often helpful in applying for a new position in a company of an English-speaking environment.

IELTS has four stages of examination. Listening, Reading, Writing and Speaking.

Now let us bust some common myths about IELTS

1. Having a native accent can help you score

This is a myth. The examiner is not going to evaluate on the basis of your accent or the slang you use. Rather the basis of the examination will be your pronunciation, grammar usage, speaking skills and fluency. So focus on being a good speaker rather than a native speaker.

2. You have to always agree with the examiner

No. If there are conflicting points of view, you can disagree. You just need to be polite and share your ideas. The evaluation is not about whether your viewpoints align with the examiners but about having a smooth conversation with the right usage of grammar, fluency and pronunciation.

3. Scoring in speaking tests is easy

Many have this misconception since in a speaking test the candidate just has to speak and not write. However, this is not true. Speaking test is not about having casual conversations. There must be an expression of ideas, the candidate must improvise and look natural while minding the grammar and pronunciation.

4. Don't know the answer? I will lose points

This is not true. Speaking tests are mainly about smooth conversation. You have to keep the conversation going. It is not possible to cover every topic and that’s why improvisation is evaluated in Speaking tests. So if you don’t know the answer, just share your personal experience or opinion on the question and keep the conversation going.

5. Using short and simple structures will avoid committing mistakes

While this might be true, it will not show you as a potential candidate. The examiner will evaluate your sentence structure, grammar, fluency and pronunciation. If you keep using simple sentences, you will not be able to showcase your skills with clauses, verbs and time clauses which might impress the examiner.

Conclusion

We hope busting these myths will help you get a clear idea about IELTS. Don’t fall for every advice on the internet. Connect with professionals for guidance. IELTS is a common yet challenging exam. You cannot go by sweeping statements about the examination and jeopardise your success rate.