Written byFizza Butool ZaidiIELTS teacher for 10+ years, PTE for 5Updated 30 October 2026
What IDP says
From IDP's Speaking FAQ: 'IELTS is an international test, and we accept your accent wherever in the world you're from... you will not lose marks for speaking with an accent.' It also says 'Everyone speaks with an accent and you are not expected to change your accent for the IELTS test', and that accent is a problem only if it stops people understanding you.
IDP's myths article adds that your accent is not part of the evaluation criteria and the examiner is not there to check you sound like them (IDP). IDP India says your pronunciation should be easy to understand 'regardless of your accent' (IDP India).
Accent in the Pronunciation descriptors
From the Speaking band descriptors.
| Band | Pronunciation wording |
|---|---|
| 9 | Can be effortlessly understood throughout. Accent has no effect on intelligibility. |
| 8 | Can be easily understood throughout. Accent has minimal effect on intelligibility. |
| 6 | Individual words or phonemes may be mispronounced but this causes only occasional lack of clarity. Can generally be understood throughout without much effort. |
| 4 | Individual words or phonemes are frequently mispronounced, causing lack of clarity. Understanding requires some effort. |
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What to work on instead
The Speaking key assessment criteria list what Pronunciation covers: chunking speech into meaningful units, rhythm and stress timing, linking sounds, stress and intonation to add meaning, and clear word stress, vowels and consonants. IDP advises speaking clearly at a natural pace and reading aloud to practise.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a British or American accent?+
No. IDP says you are not expected to change your accent; the descriptors judge how easily you are understood.
Does the examiner know which country I am from?+
IDP says yes, from your passport, and that it will not affect your score.
Will the examiner understand my accent?+
IDP says human examiners are able to understand your accent, and that every examiner is trained and monitored closely to be fair.
Does slang hurt my score?+
IDP says slang is not itself part of the criteria, but Lexical Resource does assess whether vocabulary suits the style of the conversation.
Keep reading
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