1o Proven IELTS Speaking test tips and tricks
Taking the IELTS Speaking test is the biggest fear for many non-native speakers. But, the following tips will help you to get a high band score.
IELTS Speaking is a face-to-face, informal discussion with an IELTS examiner. It is the same for both Academic and General Training and is designed to test your pronunciation, fluency, grammar, and vocabulary.
IELTS Speaking Test Marking Criteria
Evaluation of a student’s performance is based on four elements:
Pronunciation – (25%)
Lexical Resource- (25%)
Grammatical Range and Accuracy-(25%)
Fluency and coherence-(25%)
IELTS speaking test evaluation criteria are the same for general and academic training, and all the sections are given equal weightage.
Pronunciation:
Pronunciation is essential to achieve a high band score in the IELTS Speaking test.
Without clear pronunciation, it will be difficult for you to express your ideas. If the examiner doesn’t understand what you are saying, it will have an adverse impact on your score.
Lexical Resource:
Lexical Resource is called vocabulary. There is a general misconception that you will get a high band score with advanced vocabulary words and idioms. But, by using complex vocabulary and idioms, your score will be decreased if you use it in the wrong context. You should use vocabulary only to express yourself clearly, but not to pretend.
Fluency and Coherence:
Fluency is related to grammar, vocabulary, and confidence level. And coherence stands for clarity and logical connection in your speech. This part can be improved with a lot of practice. The more clearly you express yourself to the examiner, the higher are your chances to get a good band score.
Grammar:
Grammar is not considered essential to many students. But, IELTS examiners pay close attention to grammar. It is imperative to learn grammar if you are weak in this area. Correct grammar will help you to improve your band score.
IELTS Speaking Test has three parts in both paper-based and computer-delivered exam. So, it is essential to understand how this exam is conducted and how you can prepare to achieve a high band score.
IELTS speaking test lasts for 15 to 20 minutes
Before the exam begins, the examiner will introduce himself and herself first and ask you about your full name, and simultaneously see your identity card, which is your passport. And then your exam will begin.
The main questions before the exam:
What’s your full name?
My name is Siddharth Rai.
How may I address you?
You can call me Siddharth.
Can I see your identity card?
Yes, please.
Part- 1:
Part 1 takes approximately 4 to 5 minutes to finish. In this part, the examiner will ask you general questions related to your life. General topics include Studies, Family, Hometown, Home and Weekends, etc.
IELTS speaking test part 1 tips: Focus on practicing common questions that frequently come in the exam.
Part-2:
Part 2 takes approximately 3 minutes to finish. In this section, the examiner will give you a cue card and provide your paper and a pencil to write down the notes. You will get only 1 minute to write down the answer. As you are not allowed to wear a wristwatch during the exam, the examiner will tell you when it is over. So, don’t try to write down complete sentences as you have hardly 60 seconds to prepare the answer. Write only the keywords or main points that you want to mention in your speaking test. You will then start speaking for 2 minutes.
Part 2 is the most critical part of the entire test. You should practice this part of the exam very seriously. It will help you to score high bands in the exam.
IELTS speaking test part 2 tips: Focus on developing the ideas related to the topic.
Part- 3:
In Part 3, you will have a detailed discussion on the topic given in section 2, and it also includes various advanced questions unrelated to the cue card. This section takes around 5 minutes to finish.
IELTS speaking test part 3 tips: Focus on elaborating the answers in detail.
10 Proven IELTS Speaking test tips and tricks to achieve a high band score:
1. Practice for 15 to 20 minutes every day:
If you want to achieve a high band score, it is essential to practice IELTS cue cards and sample questions for 15 to 20 minutes every day. Speaking 15 to 20 minutes daily can help you to improve your fluency and your confidence. If you don’t practice for that long, you will never feel confident during exam time. The more you will practice, the more chance to achieve a high band score.
2. Don’t limit your answers to just one word or a sentence:
Don’t limit your answers to ‘yes’ or ‘no,’ nor restrict your answers to only one sentence. Try to explain your answers in detail. You should at least speak 3 to 4 sentences for 1 question. If you do not elaborate your answers, your examiner will find out that you can’t express yourself adequately. It is essential to explain your answers to achieve a high band score.
3. Practice developing ideas:
You need to practice part 2 of the speaking test, most importantly. While speaking the cue card, students generally don’t know how to develop ideas. So, they can’t speak for 2 minutes, and it affects their band score. If you face the same kind of problem, you require more practice to crack this section. Practice how to generate ideas in 1 minute.
4. Don’t try to mug up the answers:
Don’t try to mug up full scripts, particularly in Part 1. IELTS examiners can easily find out that you have memorized complete answers, which will adversely affect your score. Choose certain vocabulary words and use them in different sentences.
5. Use correct grammar:
Many students believe that grammar is not essential in the IELTS Speaking Test. But, poor grammar can decrease your band score. IELTS examiners pay close attention to grammar and evaluate your test accordingly. So, focus on the correct usage of grammar. Focus on specific topics, including Tenses, Modals, and Conjunctions. Make sure you use various sentences, mainly compound and complex sentences, if you need a high band score. It will help to improve your score drastically.
6. Pay attention to fluency:
Examiner assesses the candidates on the criteria of fluency. So, make sure you should not speak too fast and too slow. Don’t overload your answers with fillers like ahh, eh, like, you know, well, umm. These fillers are the biggest hindrance to your fluency. Your responses should be spontaneous, so avoid using fillers.
7.Short Pauses are helpful
If you get stuck in a situation where you don’t know what to say, and you need a few seconds to frame your answers, you can use specific phrases:
• That’s a difficult question to answer
• That’s an interesting question
• Let me think for a second
But, make sure you don’t use the above phrases in every answer.
8. Freely request examiner to repeat the question
If you didn’t understand the question, you could freely ask the examiner to repeat the question. But, you can’t ask the examiner to repeat every question. IELTS speaking test is like a personal interview between two people, which is a little informal. If you don’t understand a word, you can request the examiner to explain what it means. But, you can’t ask the examiner to explain the whole sentence.
9. Don’t use an advanced vocabulary:
Many students believe that vocabulary is essential in the IELTS speaking exam. But, the more important thing is to use that vocabulary in the right context. If you are not sure how to use a particular vocabulary word in a sentence, replace it with an easy word in a sentence. You should use words in the right context; otherwise, it will decrease your score. You can use difficult vocabulary only if you are confident that you will use it appropriately in your speech.
10. Don’t panic if you made a mistake:
While speaking, if you identify, you made a mistake – don’t panic. Just try to correct yourself without any hesitation. Correcting yourself will help the examiner to understand that your grammar is good. If you made a small mistake during the speaking test, say sorry and repeat the sentence correctly. If you couldn’t correct yourself, then keep speaking and forget that you made any mistake. A few errors won’t affect your score adversely.
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