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IELTS Speaking Tips

IELTS speaking tips (1)
A Complete Guide To

IELTS Speaking Tips

Chapter 1

Overview

The IELTS Speaking Section comprises 3 parts. In all these parts, the interviewer analyzes your speaking proficiency in English. You will be evaluated based on your fluency, vocabulary, grammar, and coherence. 

Are you finding the IELTS Speaking section difficult? Well, fret not, this article can help you out. Read on to learn all the necessary details regarding IELTS Speaking such as format, topics, and tips to get a score over 8. Read completely for in-depth IELTS Speaking tips to help your preparations 

IELTS Speaking Section

In the Speaking exam, you will speak with a qualified examiner. The test is dynamic and as near to a real-life scenario as one can obtain in a test. The exam will be recorded and a range of accents may be utilized.

Both the Academic and General Training exams contain identical content for the Speaking test. The Speaking test is used to evaluate a variety of abilities. The examiner will be looking to assess how well you can communicate.

  • To do so, you’ll need to answer a series of questions about ordinary themes and common experiences.
  • Discuss a topic in-depth using proper language, organize your thoughts, and explain and justify your viewpoints.
  • Issues are examined, debated, and hypothesized about.
  • Make sure you’re relaxed and speaking clearly. It will be necessary for you to speak naturally.

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IELTS Speaking Test Format

Phase 1:

The examiner will introduce himself or herself, and you will be asked to do the same to prove your identification. The examiner will ask you basic questions about your home, family, work, education, and interests, among other things. This part should assist you in unwinding and speaking naturally.

Phase 2:

The examiner will offer you a task card on which you will be asked to speak about a certain topic and will be given points to include in your speech. One minute will be provided to you to prepare and take notes. After that, you’ll be invited to speak for 1 to 2 minutes about the issue. Because you will not be stopped during this period, it is critical that you continue speaking. After that, the evaluator will question you on one or two problems about the same subject.

Phase 3:

Additional questions related to the content of Part 2 will be asked by the examiner. These questions are meant to allow you to talk about more abstract topics and concepts.

IELTS Speaking Test Duration

11 to 14 minutes

IELTS Speaking Scoring

Professional IELTS examiners will evaluate your skills throughout the test. Fluency and coherence, grammatical range, lexical resource and correctness, and pronunciation will all be evaluated. Whole and half bands are recorded as evaluations.

IELTS Speaking Topics List

  • Books & Reading
  • Business
  • Charities
  • Clothes & Fashion
  • Communication
  • Crime
  • Daily routine
  • Education
  • Environment
  • Family
  • Film & TV
  • Food
  • Friends
  • Gender
  • Global Issues
  • Government & Politics
  • Health
  • Hobbies & Leisure
  • Holidays
  • Language Learning
  • Media
  • Money
  • Music
  • People
  • Plants
  • Relationships
  • Role models
  • Shopping
  • Sport
  • Technology
  • Tourism
  • Towns & Cities
  • Transportation
  • Travel & Journeys
  • Water
  • Weather & Seasons
  • Work

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Chapter 2

Important IELTS Speaking Tips

Tip 1: Speak English Every Day

The good thing is that you don’t need a speech partner to rehearse speaking English, and you will not need anybody else.

The method of practice we propose will teach you to think in English. This is one of the most important abilities you may get. It’s a pretty basic approach that you can easily include in your daily routine.

Learning to think in English will enable you to communicate more quickly, accurately, and fluently. Your speaking abilities will increase dramatically, and your language will sound much more natural. Start putting it to use right away.

Tip 2: Practise Answering IELTS Questions

Make a weekly schedule with a specified number of mock speaking examinations. You might do one every other week or three times a week, for example. You are the only one who knows how much time you have to devote to the speaking portion of the test and how much additional practice you require.

The more you practice, the more prepared you will be for the test. If you’re pressed for time, make it a point to accomplish one a week. It will take just under 15 minutes if you stick to the test’s schedule.

Allow yourself extra time to ponder as you discover how to construct answers for the various sections of the test.

Tip 3: Grow Your Vocabulary

For the Speaking and Writing sections of the IELTS exam, vocabulary accounts for 25% of your score. It’s also important to know a wide range of vocabulary to do well on the Listening and Reading examinations.

One of the most important aspects of boosting your word strength is learning subject vocabulary.

Because any topic might appear in a Speaking, Writing, Reading, or Listening question, the words and phrases are useful for all four sections of the IELTS exam.

Tip 4: Know The Exam

It’s critical that you comprehend the Speaking test’s structure. You’ll be one step closer to getting the result you desire if you know what is coming. You’ll be well-prepared and won’t be caught off guard on the big day, preventing you from giving it your all.

Tip 5: Understand Where You Will Be Evaluated

This is among the most crucial IELTS Speaking pointers. How can you be sure you’re providing the examiner what they want if you don’t know what they’re looking for?

Don’t risk getting a bad mark because you don’t know what the exam is all about.

The purpose of the IELTS Speaking test is to determine your ability to:

  • Share your thoughts and facts on a variety of topics and experiences.
  • Use proper words to speak at length about a certain topic.
  • Logically organize your thoughts.
  • Your opinions should be expressed and justified.
  • Examine, debate, and hypothesize about problems.

Tip 6: Know Your Strengths & Weaknesses

One of the difficulties of learning a language is that you don’t always recognize your errors. You will, therefore, be aware of your strengths and areas in which you need to improve your language abilities. This is the topic of our IELTS Speaking tip number six.

Determine where you need to develop the most and schedule your time appropriately. You’re wasting important preparation time if you put equal weight on the things you’ve previously mastered and those you’re not so great at.

We previously advised that you videotape yourself speaking English. When you do this, you’ll see things that need to be improved that you would not have noticed otherwise.

Here are a few examples of what you could notice:

  • Rather than expanding your vocabulary, you regularly use the same words and idioms.
  • You take a lot of pauses and hesitations.
  • Your voice is monotonous, with little in the way of intonation variety.
  • You place an excessive amount of emphasis on grammatical accuracy at the price of fluidity.

Tip 7: Practise Identifying Grammatical Errors

Using the right tense is a crucial element of grammatical correctness. Even though it is a very fundamental mistake, applicants frequently use the incorrect tense while answering questions.

As a result, they don’t truly respond to the question. This type of error is all too common on the Speaking test, and it’s one of the primary reasons why individuals get bad grammar scores. As a result, Tip 7 is one of the most crucial IELTS Speaking guidelines. There is an easy solution to this issue. Determine the tense used by the examiner in their query and utilize it in your response.

Tip 8: Focus on Fluency

Fear of making mistakes is a common reason for poor fluency. As a result, the speaker will pause and hesitate far too much, or talk far too slowly, in an attempt to polish their grammar and vocabulary.

Because fluency accounted for 25% of your grade, you’ll need to strike a solid balance between accurate language and fluent speaking. Only by practicing will you be able to achieve this.

The approach we’ll recommend is one you can perform on your own so you don’t have to worry about making errors. There are many ways you could do it but here are two.

Tip 9: Work on Your Pronunciation

Pronunciation should have been at the top of our IELTS Speaking tips. Why? Because the examiner won’t be able to assess your English language abilities if you have bad pronunciation and the assessor can’t comprehend what you’re saying.

You will not be required to speak English as a native speaker. Many different ethnicities speak English, each with their unique accent and somewhat distinct intonation patterns.

What you’ll be judged on is how effectively you pronounce the essential sounds of the English language and how readily the examiner can comprehend you.

Because pronunciation is usually the final ability learned by English students, the requirements for a high band score, such as a Band 7, are fairly modest. However, any minor changes you can make can enhance your grades.

Use one of the following four methods:

1) Listen to Spoken English Daily

Podcasts and radio broadcasts are preferable to TV and movies because they allow you to focus just on the language rather than getting distracted by images. On nearly every topic you can think of, you’ll find spoken content.

2) Focus 

You may study and imitate the emphasis and intonation by recording brief excerpts from these sources and replaying them over and over.

3) New Vocabulary

When you’re learning new terms, be sure to pay attention to how they’re spoken.

Every excellent online dictionary has an audio option for hearing the word said out, as well as a phonetic representation of how each word is spoken. The Cambridge Online Dictionary comes highly recommended.

4) Detect Common L1 Errors

It may be quite beneficial to identify frequent pronunciation problems in your L1 language so that you can concentrate on them, or at the very least be aware of where major pronunciation issues may exist.

Simply Google the term “common English pronunciation errors for speakers.” Fill in the blanks with your chosen language. You should be able to locate several websites that identify frequent grammatical mistakes in your native tongue.

Essential Advice From Our End

Take an IELTS Speaking test

Examine many types of media, such as radio, television, internet debates, and social interactions, to expand your speaking talents.

As a means of improving your spoken English, share your stories with others by chatting about topics you find intriguing.

Stretch Your Abilities

Speaking practice with a friend or colleague who speaks English at a greater level than you helps you to improve by listening and reacting to improve your abilities.

Make sure the gap between your English skill and theirs isn’t too wide, or you’ll lose motivation.

Repetition with Understanding

Watching extremely brief talks, lectures, or discussions and then repeating them after you are confident you understand what was said is a wonderful method to gain confidence.

Start with short, straightforward excerpts and gradually increase the length and complexity, paying close attention to pronunciation characteristics such as emphasis, rhythm, and intonation. This will also help you enhance your English skills.

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Danger of Learning Speeches

While it is a good idea to practice brief speech excerpts as mentioned above, you should never attempt to memorize monologues for the Speaking test.

An assessor can always determine if a speech has been memorized and prepared for the interview before the exam.

It is far preferable to speak spontaneously and to acquire as much practice as possible doing so with friends.

Don’t Be Nervous

Allowing your nervousness to hinder you from performing to your full potential is not a good idea.

Remember that the Speaking test allows you to communicate about your personal experiences, views, and expectations most truthfully and engagingly possible. It is mostly about you, so there is no need to feel self-conscious.

Dos and Don'ts in Speaking Test

IELTS Speaking Test Dos

Do Practise

The ancient saying that “practice makes perfect” is not incorrect. Practice for the IELTS speaking assessment 24 hours ahead of time and continue to work on your communication faults.

It would be beneficial if you could practice with family or friends. However, you may practice in front of the mirror. On exam day, arrive early and try to talk in English with the teachers or others in the area. This will increase your self-assurance.

You must maintain consistency and communicate frequently, whether at home or elsewhere. There are a plethora of applications available to assist people in improving their speaking abilities; just give it a shot.

Do Speak in a Natural Way

The majority of examiners like pupils to talk in a genuine tone. Don’t make the mistake of speaking too loudly or too softly, as this should not be your primary emphasis. The attempt may just make you more apprehensive.

When thinking about how to enhance IELTS speaking abilities, keep in mind that you don’t have to act anything; instead, be as normal as possible. Make an opinion, offer examples, discuss cause and effect, and discuss hypothetical scenarios – all in a natural and to-the-point manner. Keep your intonation and body language genuine and comfortable.

Do Ask The Examiner

Any question that you don’t understand, you must ask the assessor about. You may also ask them to define a term that you are unfamiliar with. Assessors would like it if you ask them pertinent questions. But don’t go overboard – don’t bombard an examiner with questions or demand that they clarify every word.

If you don’t understand a question, your replies may be inappropriate, which may result in bad marks. So make sure to ask the assessor any questions you have regarding anything you don’t grasp.

Do Stretch The Talk

What steps can you take to enhance your IELTS speaking abilities? ‘Keep talking,’ is the short response. Examiners for the IELTS anticipate students to provide lengthy responses. It’s best not to restrict your responses; instead, try speaking for a longer period of time, covering the whys, hows, and whats, as well as providing a few instances.

Do Check Your Grammar

Even if you talk confidently and fluently, an ungrammatical response will be incomprehensible. You don’t have to give entirely grammatical replies, but keep in mind that grammar is an important component of the language. Many candidates complain about being anxious during the speaking test, and the majority of them struggle to provide grammatically accurate responses. You shouldn’t focus entirely on your grammar since it will cause you to slow down and get afraid to talk. Recording yourself and listening to how your speaking sounds is the greatest, and probably only, method to get rid of the worry of speaking bad English during IELTS. If you believe there are errors, try speaking and recording again until you are satisfied.

Do Know The Topic

Following sample exam materials or prior papers is a good idea. The examiner may occasionally invite you to talk about any issue that interests you. As a result, you must be prepared to discuss your field of interest. Read up on it and learn enough about it to be able to talk effectively and accurately.

If you’re interested in books, you can discuss the many genres you’ve explored. If you’re interested in sports, you might talk about your favorite athlete and include some historical background about the sport.

Do Correct Yourself

It’s usual to speak one or two grammatically wrong phrases when conversing for an extended period. Do not be alarmed. When you realize you’ve made a mistake, make sure to fix yourself and go on with confidence.

Although other students may disagree, this practice may assist the examiner to think that you understand the fundamentals of grammar.

IELTS Speaking Test Don'ts

Don’t Learn Answers

Some students assume that memorizing answers would help them dazzle the examiner and ace the test while considering how to enhance IELTS speaking abilities. Keep in mind that the examiners are well-prepared and will be able to spot rehearsed responses. This could result in the examiner giving you low marks or asking you more challenging questions.

Don't Agree If You Don’t Want to

Students are understandably concerned that if they disagree with the examiner’s assessment, they may lose marks. Examiners, on the other hand, solely test your ability to talk. They are unconcerned with your viewpoint.

Don't Use Big Words

Many students believe that having a large vocabulary would help them advance, yet this is a widespread fallacy. You must utilize terms that you are familiar with while also using additional words to demonstrate that you have a diverse vocabulary. Look for terms that will offer you an advantage, but don’t go overboard.

The manner you pronounce phrases will also be used by the examiner to assess you. So, when learning new terms, make sure you pay equal attention to pronunciation.

Don’t Be a Grammar Nerd

Don’t obsessively fix every grammatical mistake in your phrase. It’s necessary to concentrate on speaking correctly, but being overly conscientious won’t help. Examiners can readily tell if you are feigning it if you want to show off your linguistic abilities or just use too many big words.

Grammar is frequently given precedence above fluency by pupils. When speaking with the examiner, concentrating too much on your accent might be detrimental. Examiners are interested in what you say and how well you say it. They won’t mind if you speak with an accent or use jargon.

Don't Stay Quiet

You’ve probably heard it before: you shouldn’t be silent during the IELTS speaking test. If you don’t know what to say, stop for a while and say anything that will link your words, such as “I’m afraid, I don’t have much information on this”. It’s always preferable to respond than to remain mute.

Don’t Get Diverted

You should not stray from the issue on which you have been invited to talk. When asked about your name and hometown, use fewer words to respond to the inquiry. If the examiner inquires about your interests, you must respond in the fewest possible terms, without detailing any relevant background or occurrences.

Don’t Say Yes/No

This is a crucial aspect to keep in mind while considering how to enhance your IELTS speaking abilities. Don’t restrict yourself to monosyllabic responses. The examiner will want you to speak to objectively assess your English language abilities. Even if you decide to answer yes or no, take a moment to think about why you decided to say yes or no.

Don’t Rely on Your Examiner

You shouldn’t listen to your examiner for clues. They will not ask you for the answers or assist you if you get stuck. Take some deep breaths, remember the mistakes to avoid before taking the test, and get started.

Solved Cue Card Topics for IELTS Speaking Practice

Topic 1: Describe your favorite dress

What should you speak on?

  • What type of dress is it?
  • When do you wear it?
  • Explain why do you it is your favorite dress

Sample Answer

When it comes to dresses, I am more of a casual type. Of course, people have different perspectives on what it means to be casual. But, as far as I’m concerned, being casual means wearing blue jeans and a white t-shirt with a collar, which also seems to be my favorite outfit. So, today I’d like to talk about my favorite dress, which I dress pretty much most of the time.

Of course, just because I mentioned that I prefer to wear it all the time doesn’t imply that I actually do. Instead, I intended to add that I like wearing my favorite clothing as much as possible unless there is a prohibition or limitation on doing so. So, if you ask me when I prefer to wear them, I would reply when I’m seeing a friend, doing my grocery and shopping, heading to a stadium to watch a nice game, or picking up my young nephew from his primary school. Besides, I like to wear them even when I’m going to a party, whether it’s formal or casual, at a diner or a party center. So, I suppose it’s safe to say that I wear them once a week if I’m attending a scheduled meeting with my manager at work, in which case I always wear blue jeans and a light-colored t-shirt to work.

Anyway, this specific dress is very precious to me since it is simple to wear and keeps me calm and comfortable at any temperature, unless it is extremely cold outside, of course. I also like them because, no matter what I am doing or where I go, I don’t have to work too hard to keep them relatively clean and neat. Finally, I think they’re unique since I don’t have to worry about spending time pressing them when I go out.

Topic 2: Talk about a volunteer work experience

What should you speak on?

  • What kind of work was it?
  • Where did you do it?
  • Why did you do it?

Sample Answer

When I was in junior high, I had the opportunity to participate in a variety of volunteer activities, and now I’d like to share one of those experiences with you. It’s an excellent issue, and I appreciate you giving me the chance to speak about it.

However, the volunteer activity that I’d want to discuss here was targeted towards assisting underprivileged and needy children at a local children’s hospital. Before that, I had done some other volunteer work, such as giving our old books to our libraries and making soups for the poor and disabled in our community, but I had never truly known how to help kids until that moment. As a result, when our school administrator ordered us to go to the local market and buy some oranges, we had no clue what we were supposed to do with them.

Of course, some of us had planned to give those fruits to the hospital’s needy children, but while we were told that we needed to make juice from them, we didn’t waste any time guessing. Nevertheless, it became obvious to us very quickly that we would sell the orange juice and then use the proceeds to purchase some really beautiful gifts for the kids.

Well, I chose to volunteer for the work at the time since I was becoming a little bored with my academics and some difficult assignments and participating in the volunteer work presented me with the perfect distraction. Besides, I enjoy assisting others in need, and volunteering provided me with the wonderful chance to do so.

Anyway, I was ecstatic to have the opportunity to participate in that volunteer activity, mostly because it allowed me to witness some beautiful smiles on the cheeks of some innocent youngsters. Furthermore, it provided me with the chance to laugh and have fun with my friends while simultaneously attempting to perform a good deed for my community members, particularly youngsters my age. I was in a great spirit.

Topic 3: Talk about a popular public event

What should you speak on?

  • What event was it?
  • When was the event?
  • With whom did you go there?
  • Explain why you enjoyed the event

Sample Answer

Summer months used to be my best months of the year while I was a student for two main reasons: one, the wonderful summer weather, and the other, watching a major sporting event in my nation. Today, I’m going to discuss a popular sport that I used to participate in approximately 8 years ago.

The national football league competition, in which most of my country’s top-rated professional clubs used to compete, was a major sporting event. All of these football clubs have a sizable fan base throughout the country. I had my favorite team as a fanatical fan of this beautiful sport known as “football.” I supported the team even though it wasn’t one of the greatest in the competition, but I did so since it represented the region where I lived.

However, this football match used to be held in my country’s provincial capital, and since I was so little, my dad would not allow me to go to the capital city only to watch a game. So all I could do was sit in front of the television and watch the matches. But, when my side made it to the tournament’s semi-finals, I had no choice but to go to the stadium and watch the game. So I asked my parents to let me attend with a couple of my high school buddies who were also supporters of the same team. Well, my team lost in the semi-final, but it was the finest football game I had ever seen. The yelling, the stress, the intensity of the battle on the field – it was all part of what made the game so entertaining and memorable.

In any case, this is a well-attended event in my nation, with people from all walks of life flocking to the stadium to witness this specific competition. Aside from that, the massive prize money offered to the champion and runners-up of this event has propelled it to new heights of popularity.

Conclusion

Thousands of students have passed the IELTS exam with good scores, and you can too. With the right approach and preparation, you can score high in all 4 sections. Keep our tips and tricks in your mind while preparing for the sections. You can bookmark this page and come back later anytime with these essential IELTS Speaking tips. Best wishes!

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