Interesting Facts and Myths About IELTS
IELTS (the International English Language Testing System) is one of the most widely recognised English tests in the world. It’s accepted by more than 12,500 organisations across around 140 countries, including universities, employers, and immigration authorities, for study, work, and visas. Many people who want to study or work abroad prepare for IELTS simply because so many institutions ask for it.
Our online IELTS preparation course covers everything you need to pass your exam. Today we’ll share some of the most interesting facts about IELTS and clear up a few common myths.
What’s on the IELTS test
IELTS comes in two versions, Academic and General Training, and both test the same four skills. Scores run from 0 to 9 in half-band steps, and your overall band is the average of the four sections.
| Section | What it involves | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Listening | Four recordings with a range of native English accents (British, Australian, North American and more); 40 questions. | ~30 min |
| Reading | 40 questions. Academic passages (Academic) or everyday texts like notices and ads (General Training). | 60 min |
| Writing | Two tasks. Task 2 counts twice as much as Task 1 toward your Writing score. | 60 min |
| Speaking | A one-on-one interview with an examiner, in three parts: questions about you, a long turn on a topic card, and a discussion. | 11–14 min |
Myth: you must be a native speaker to reach Band 9
Many students and even teachers believe that only native English speakers can achieve Band 9, the highest score in IELTS. That’s simply a myth. In some cases native speakers score lower than non-native speakers. It comes down to your effort and how much preparation you put into reaching a high score.
Myth: you can cheat on IELTS
There’s really no way to cheat on IELTS. The questions you’ll see on test day aren’t published anywhere, and bringing copies of past papers wouldn’t help. Even if you somehow could, it would only touch the written part, leaving the other three skills untouched.
People often fail by assuming IELTS works like other English tests, forgetting that writing, speaking, and listening are all critically important. How could you copy an entire essay when you don’t even know the topic until the last minute? Good luck with that.
Myth: asking the examiner to repeat a question hurts your Speaking score
Many people think asking the examiner to repeat something will reduce their score. It won’t, for one simple reason: the Speaking test assesses your speaking, not your listening. Of course you need to understand the question to answer well, but asking for it to be repeated because you didn’t catch it the first time has no effect on your Speaking score.
In the Listening section it’s a different story: the recordings deliberately use a range of native English accents (British, Australian, North American, and more), so it’s well worth practising with different accents before test day.
Myth: complex words guarantee a higher Writing score
Writing well and showing a strong vocabulary both matter for a great Writing score. But if you cram in lots of “complex” words you’ve learned only for the exam, it tends to sound unnatural to the examiner.
Some words fit only very specific situations, and using them in the wrong context, even when the meaning is close, can read as unnatural or incorrect. That hurts your cohesion and coherence, and your final score with it.
To pass IELTS, work on broad English skills rather than exam tricks alone. If you’re used to writing error-free reports, essays, or articles, and to answering questions in real conversations with English speakers, you’re likely to do well. It still helps, though, to get familiar with the specific exercises you’ll face.
Frequently Asked Questions
What sections are in the IELTS test?
How is IELTS scored?
Do you need to be a native speaker to get Band 9?
What’s the difference between IELTS Academic and General Training?
Can I ask the examiner to repeat a question in the Speaking test?
Want to walk into IELTS aiming for a strong band? Our online IELTS preparation with experienced native teachers covers every section and the exam techniques that make the difference, with one-on-one lessons tailored to your target score. You can also explore our full range of English exam preparation. Live English has coached over 10,000 professionals since 2007, and you can start with a free trial lesson, no credit card needed 👇
