There are a lot of myths surrounding the International English
Language Test System (IELTS), many of which are not really true. Others are
even harmful to the test takers. In this blog post, we shall look into these
misconceptions and we shall try and correct them.
In other words, ladies and gentlemen, it is mythbusting time.
1. There is a
pass or fail in the IELTS. The IELTS is
actually a test of ranking. It quantifies your English communication abilities
through four (4) examinations and from there gauges your ability by band score.
The band scores represent certain descriptions of one’s English prowess. At the
end of the day, the IELTS is all about determining your level of English
competency. The only reason people say they “passed” or they “failed” in the
test is when they are able to achieve their required band score or not.
2. Taking the
examination in IDP means a higher probability of passing the exam. This is a common
misconception propagated by shady individuals and has been circling the
community of IELTS test takers. The
truth? You get the same test in IDP in British Council. The examiners that give
you your grade are trained by the same institution – Cambridge University.
The truth (and let me quote a good friend): It either you got what
it takes to get that band score you need, or you do not.
The goal is to have it.
3. What you write
and what you say does not matter. It is all about the Grammar and the
vocabulary. This completely false misconception has test takers ignoring the
content of their essays and their speech to focus on Grammar and word usage. I
am not saying syntax and vocabulary are not important – of course they are;
they constitute 50% of the final score. Then again, a fourth of your Writing
score is Task Achievement and Task Response. What is that about? Your ideas.
The content of your essay. Twenty-five
percent of your total score is enough to pull your band score down. Also if
your answers are tangential, the examiners may misinterpret it as the test
taker misunderstanding the question.
4. Your Filipino
accent will not get you a Band 7. Nope. Actually, the IELTS does not care about
your accent. Being an examination of international caliber, the exam recognizes
that people from different regions and countries have different accents.
Examiners will not hold that against you. More important than accent is
pronunciation, which accounts for twenty-five percent of your total score in
speaking.
In
taking any examination, remember that you must be knowledgeable not just with
the content of the test but also with the test itself. Good luck!
Get more IELTS tips here: http://www.ieltsexamstips.com/
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