Here’s what you need to know
Many students assume that if you want to score well on IELTS listening, you need to study British English. Well, that’s only part of the story. Remember that IELTS stands for International English Language Testing System. IELTS is so popular around the word because it tests your ability to use and understand English as an international language. So, in short, there isn’t one form of English or one accent that you should study. Be prepared for anything!
You might be wondering: how is it possible to study every kind of English? First of all, it’s important to remember that even native speakers sometimes have difficulty understanding the wide variety of accents. There’s a big difference in the way English sounds in Scotland from the way it sounds in California. However, this doesn’t mean that should you go out and search for YouTube clips of every possible accent. It simply means that you shouldn’t focus on one type of English when studying for the IELTS.
You can expect to hear a range of accents in the IELTS listening sections—North American, British, Australian, and more. The best way to get used to them is to practice listening to authentic materials with English speakers from around the world. This isn’t always easy, so you might need an experienced teacher to guide you to the best sources. If you find this process frustrating, just remind yourself that English doesn’t belong to one country. That’s why it’s such a valuable language to study.
What about the speaking and writing sections? Our next posts will deal with how to approach pronunciation and spelling on the IELTS exam, so check back soon!
