IELTS myths

• IELTS is no harder than similar tests such as or any other high-stakes test.

The questions are straightforward and designed to assess how well you can use English

• You can’t take IELTS more than once

There is no limit to how many times you can take IELTS

• IELTS marks you harder on your first test, so you have to re-take the test

There is no truth in this, you will be marked fairly and against the same criteria on all IELTS tests

• You should write more than the specified word limit

In the writing section there is a word limit that must be reached, and it is important to note this as you will lose marks if you write less than the limit.

• I will lose marks if I don’t speak with a British, American, or Australian accent

You are not expected to change your accent for your IELTS test. examiners are trained to understand a range of accents.

• Certain IELTS test centres grade easier than others

All IELTS tests are marked by official IELTS examiners that are trained to be fair and unbiased in their approach.

• Computer-based tests are more difficult than written tests

The content and questions used in IELTS on computer and IELTS on paper are the same