It’s no secret: IELTS can be a long and sometimes bizarre journey. Whether you’re practicing your speaking exam introduction in the mirror or writing an IELTS task 2 assignment about your pet goldfish, IELTS has a tendency to make students reflect.
Why IELTS? What am I taking my IELTS for? What will happen next? These are all valid questions however there are some areas of IELTS that many students can’t (or won’t!) think about or admit to.
Take a look at 4 Weird Things IELTS Students Never Admit…
1. IELTS Is Important, Really Important
Let’s face facts – IELTS matters.
People who are taking the IELTS exam often have so much riding on the result. The reason for taking the test is usually a huge life decision that will have an immediate impact. They might be planning to start a university course in a new country or moving to be with settled loved ones. Whatever the reason, IELTS is important.
“IELTS and my family means the world to me.”
For some, it can even be a matter of life and death. We recently spoke to Milad, a refugee from Afghanistan who said
“For me, IELTS was literally a matter of life and death. I needed it more than anything to help my family. We had been travelling and moving around for so long and my young children needed to be bought to safety. I am so glad to have finally passed my exam as it and my family mean the world to me.”
Luckily, Milad is now living in Australia after being granted a study visa gained by scoring 7.5 in his IELTS exam. Perhaps your reason for studying IELTS is different but the truth is that IELTS always matters.
2. IELTS Isn’t Always Easy
I live in and was born in the UK. For me, speaking English is very natural and something I do without thinking about. The same can’t always be said for my countrymen!
I recently spoke to a good friend Jack (who out of embarrassment has asked for his last name to not be revealed!) and asked him to take the IELTS speaking exam and writing exam. Jack scored a miserly 5.5 on his IELTS exam. Not bad for a non-English speaking student but terrible for a national. But why is this? Jack is an intelligent man who speaks very fluent Engish and and has a wide vocabulary.
The IELTS exam requires preparation, even if you’ve been speaking English your entire life.
This highlights an important point: the IELTS exam is difficult. The IELTS exam requires preparation. Even if you’ve been speaking English your entire life. It is important you know the way the test is formatted, what type of answer is required and how best to tackle the questions you are faced with. Knowing how to speak well in conversation is not enough.
Taking the IELTS exam lightly and not studying the fundamentals of the test is a sure way to be like Jack.
3. IELTS Can Be Funny, In The Least Expected Ways
In my experience, IELTS examiners tend to be weird people. Recent topics in the IELTS exam have included: a guide to installing IKEA furniture and an article on the mating habits of bonobos.
IELTS examiners are weird people.
Despite the slog of studying for an exam and the long hours taking practice exam after practice exam, IELTS can often throw up a moment of fun. Telling a story about your childhood and watching British comedies are a great part of the IELTS experience.
When did you last laugh during your IELTS studies? Let us know in the comments below.
BONUS: Grading an IELTS exam can also be fun too. Most recently, I had a student write that he was about to visit England for the ‘7nd time’!
Having fun is what studying (and life) is all about. While the reasons we take the IELTS exam may be of the upmost importance, it’s also vital the exam is approached with an eager amount of fun. Just be careful not to laugh during your actual IELTS exam!
New words in this article
Tendency
[ten-duh n-see]
Noun
An inclination to something.
A tendency to talk too much.
Miserly
[mi-zer-lee]
Adjective
Relating to the characteristic of being miserable.
The old man was mean and miserly.