[isenrich]

I understand that the formation of an ionic compound is thermodynamically explicable by the Born-Haber cycle in which individual atoms convert first to the gaseous phase, ionize and combine into a solid compound whereas covalent bond formation involves bonding between (usually) two nonmetals in an often unequal sharing of electrons. General chemistry teaches that ionic bond formation involves the complete transfer of one or more electrons to another element so that a cation and anion are formed and can bond in a way that balances the electrostatic forces of electron-nucleus attraction with repulsion (nucleus-nucleus and electron-electron repulsions). Is this a simplification of what actually happens? In other words, an electron isn't really transferred right? Instead, do the individual elements involved really undergo all the steps of the Born-Haber cycle and then combine to form an ionic solid or is an electron just simply transferred?