Even as the number of people flocking abroad for academic purposes or professional endeavours is increasing, the IELTS test remains an enigma. Let’s face it, the IELTS is important and vital to accomplishing your dream of moving abroad. The best way to get started with your preparation is to get some common myths out of the way so you can begin your preparation in all its glory.

Myth #1: You can only take the test once.

The IELTS is not your board exam! You can take the test as many times as you want because there is no set limit for the number of times you can attempt the IELTS. However, as with everything — there is a catch! You will have to make separate payments without any concession for every fresh attempt. My advice? Ace it the first time! If that fails, attempt to ace it in the least number of attempts!

Myth #2: You need to have a Western accent to ace the speaking test.

This myth is simply ridiculous! With a thousand different nationalities existing in the world along with a thousand different accents, there is no way someone’s English speaking ability can be assessed based on an accent. The speaking test is designed to assess your ability to speak English and voice your thoughts, opinions, or ideas in the language. The Speaking test has nothing to do with your accent and everything to do with how well you can articulate your thoughts into words. And No, you don’t necessarily need to use words like ‘articulate’. Saying ‘put’ works just fine.

Myth #3: You can ‘fail’ the IELTS.

The IELTS is not a ‘Pass/Fail’ test. It is designed to test your English proficiency which means it a test that examines your knowledge and usage of the English language. More specifically, the IELTS determines how well you can use English in your everyday life and for academic/professional purposes. Believe it or not, you can’t fail the IELTS. Your goal should be scoring a good band score and not “passing” a certain band score which you think is the qualifying criteria.

Myth #4: You can ‘skip’ preparing for one part of the test.

DANGER!

Abort Mission! This is a fatal mistake. Most applicants believe that the individual score of every part is secondary to the overall score. This is not true! Many organizations, if not all, require you to score a minimum of 6.5 or 7 band scores in each part of the test. You must prepare well for all the parts!

Myth #5: You don’t need a preparation course to prepare for the IELTS.

Do you know who’s the best person to resolve all your doubts, answer your queries and help you prepare for the test? An IELTS Trainer! In your journey towards excelling at this test, you need a dependable hand guiding you through the process and supporting you throughout. Not only will your mentor help you identify your strengths and maximize your potential but they will also support you mentally and emotionally!

If that sounds like something you would like, get in touch with me today!

Find me here and let’s start your journey towards a great IELTS score: Click here