IELTS Speaking Test: 10 Tips from Experts - Part 1
The Speaking test is often one of the most nerve-racking parts of the IELTS test for candidates! This week and next week we will be looking at useful tips to help test-takers prepare for the Speaking test.
This article originally appeared on ielts.idp.com
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You might be nervous about taking your IELTS Speaking test, but with these 10 tips from our IELTS Experts, and plenty of practice, you will be well on your way to building your confidence and getting the IELTS band score you need!
For both IELTS on paper and IELTS on computer, the face-to-face Speaking test is made up of three parts. By understanding what happens in these three parts of the Speaking test, you will be better prepared.
Part 1
In Part 1, you will have a 4 to 5 minute conversation with an IELTS examiner about yourself. Topics might include:
Work
Family
Home life
Personal interests
Part 2
In Part 2 of the Speaking test, you will be given a card with a topic. You will be given one minute to take notes on the topic and will be given a pen and paper to prepare your response, you will then speak on the topic for two minutes.
Part 3
In Part 3, you will have a conversation with the IELTS examiner around the topic given in part 2, discussing it in more detail. Part 3 should take approximately 4 to 5 minutes to complete.
Tip 1: Don't memorise answers
Don't memorise answers, especially in Part 1. Memorised language doesn't give the examiner an accurate measure of your English-language skills. The examiner will be able to tell if you have memorised your answers and this may influence your final band score.
Tip 2: Don't use big and unfamiliar words
You may want to impress the examiner with big and complex words in your Speaking test. But to be safe, avoid using words you are not familiar with. There is a higher chance of making mistakes by either mispronouncing words or using them in the wrong context. Mistakes can affect your final band score.
Use a range of vocabulary that you know which is relevant to the topic being discussed. Look at the topics in Tip 10, making vocabulary lists or mind maps to help you learn more words and phrases connected to these topic areas.
Tip 3: Use a range of grammatical structures
When IELTS examiners assess your speaking skills, they mark you against the following assessment criteria:
Fluency and coherence
Lexical resource
Grammatical range and accuracy
Pronunciation
Try and use a range of grammatical structures using complex and simple sentences to express what you want to say. Know your own errors and practice speaking to friends in English, or record yourself to see if you can spot errors. If you hear an error, make sure to correct yourself. You are assessed on your ability to use different grammatical structures accurately, so it's important to practise speaking about the past, the present and the future using correct tenses.
Tip 4: Don't worry about your accent
With a face-to-face Speaking test, the IELTS examiner understands a wide range of accents so will be able to understand what you say, unlike an AI machine. If you can communicate well, then there is nothing to worry about. But do be aware of sounds that you have difficulty with and make sure to use stress and intonation as English is a stress-timed language. Practice with friends and they will tell you if they can't understand what you are saying.