Ace the IELTS exam: Speaking Tips!!
All that you need to know for your IELTS journey: Speaking Edition.
SPEAKING TEST:
The Speaking Skills test will take 11 to 14 minutes (the speaking test is the same for both IELTS Academic and IELTS General Training).
IELTS Speaking test is a face-to-face interview, which will take about 11 to 14 minutes. The Speaking test is designed to assess your use of spoken English. Every test is recorded. The Speaking test consists of three parts:
Task 1: You will be asked to answer general questions about yourself and a range of familiar topics, such as your home, family, work, studies and interests. This part lasts between 4 and 5 minutes.
Task 2: You will be given a card and you will be asked to talk about a particular topic. You will have one minute to prepare before speaking for up to two minutes. The examiner then asks you one or two questions on the same topic to finish this part of the test.
Task 3: You will be asked further questions connected to the topic in Part 2. These questions allow you to discuss more abstract issues and ideas. This part lasts between four and five minutes. This article will cover all the parts of the speaking exam: The speaking exam has three parts:
- Introduction
2. CUE Card
3. Follow up
Introduction:
The examiner will ask you general questions about yourself and a range of familiar topics, such as home, family, work, studies and interests. This part lasts between 4 and 5 minutes. The introduction has parts where a candidate is asked basic questions to lay the foundation of a conversation. The questions usually pertain to the candidate information, demographics, and likes/dislikes.
Name: What is your full name? Can I see your ID? What should I call you?
Place: Where do you come from? Is it a famous place? How long have you been living there?
Profession: Are you a student or a professional? Why did you choose it? Do you enjoy working/studying? What part of it do you enjoy? What/where do you want to be in the future? Strength and Weakness?
Season/Weather: Do you like/dislike a season or weather? Why is it so?
Hobbies: Do you practice any hobbies in your leisure time? Why do you do it? What other hobbies do people of your age group practice? Did you practice the same hobby when you were a child?
Clothes: What type of clothes do you wear? Where do you buy from? Why people prefer certain types of clothes?
Perfumes: Do you wear perfume? What perfume do you like? Do people prefer different perfumes for different occasions?
Celebrity: Do you like a celebrity? Who and Why?
CUE CARD:
In the IELTS Speaking test, you will be given exactly 1 minute to prepare yourself to talk about a particular topic and this topic is called the IELTS Cue card or Candidate Task Card. The instructions to guide your talk are written on a card given to you by the examiner. Your talk should last for approximately 2 minutes until the examiner asks you to stop. The examiner will ask one or two questions at the end. The cue card/ candidate task card issue lasts for 3–4 minutes — including a preparation time of 1 minute.
For example. Describe a time when you received an unexpected gift. You should say:
What it was
Who gave it to you
When did you receive it
and explain why it was an unexpected gift.
[You will have to talk about the topic for one to two minutes. You have one minute to think about what you are going to say. You can make some notes to help you if you wish.]
Follow up:
Who, What, Why, When, Where and How. These are the basic questions asked in the follow-up segment. All the questions aim at the candidate’s ability to respond to the given question by answering with a suitable answer. The examiner will try to develop a single idea and ask the candidate questions that will share a similar theme as that of the CUE Card. For example:
Do you think people often give unexpected gifts? Why? Where gifting expensive gifts has become a norm? Do you prefer to buy gifts or gift cards? Do you think that giving gifts has evolved from a gesture to a practice? How? Do people of one culture give more gifts than others?
IELTS Speaking Tips — Examiner Approved
- Tip 1
In the lead-up to the Speaking test, make sure you take the time to practise speaking English. For example, you can practise with friends, at work and on the phone. You could also consider recording yourself, so you can listen back to your responses to help you improve.
- Tip 2
There are no right or wrong answers in the Speaking test. The examiner will assess how well you can express your ideas and opinions.
- Tip 3
It will help you to feel relaxed if you imagine you are talking to a friend. Remember that you are not being assessed on your opinions, rather on your use of English. At IELTS, we’ll tell you exactly how we assess you.
- Tip 4
Try to avoid repeating the words used in the examiner’s question. Use your own words, to show the examiner your full ability. So, when the examiner asks: “Tell me something about the city you live in,” it’s probably best that you don’t start your answer with “Ok, let me tell you something about the city that I live in.” That makes sense, right?
- Tip 5
Speak clearly and at a natural pace. If you speak too quickly, you may make mistakes or pronounce words incorrectly. Remember, an IELTS examiner won’t penalize you for Speaking with an accent, as long as you pronounce your words clearly and correctly.
The examiner interrupts you during the Speaking test? Don’t worry.
Sometimes the examiner may have to stop you mid-sentence to ensure the test is fair for all candidates. It just means that you have spoken long enough! That doesn’t mean the examiner isn’t interested or isn’t listening to what you have to say. Remember, the Speaking examiner is there to support you to get the best demonstration of your language skills.
- Tip 6
Answer in as much detail as you can. Don’t just answer ‘yes’ or ‘no’. Try to develop your response to each question. For example, draw on your own experience and give examples. The examiner wants to hear whether you can talk at length on a range of topics.
- Tip 7
Use the correct verb tense when answering questions in the Speaking test. So, listen carefully to the question and notice which verb tense is used. For example, if the question is ‘What kind of music do you like?’ (in the present tense) your answer should also be in the present tense (e.g. ‘I like pop music best’). You can go on to use other tenses as you extend your response, e.g. ‘I haven’t always enjoyed that kind of music…’.
- Tip 8
Practise the pronunciation of numbers to be sure that your meaning is clear. For example, many numbers can sound very similar when spoken, so be sure to say them clearly, e.g. ‘Thirty’ and ‘Thirteen’, ‘Forty’ and ‘Fourteen’, ‘Fifty’ and ‘Fifteen’ etc. There are lots of other words that sound the same, but mean something different. We call them homophones.
- Tip 9
It is better to use simple, commonly used vocabulary and to use it correctly than to use advanced vocabulary that you are unsure about. However, to get a high score, you must show you know how to use more advanced vocabulary. We have articles that help you expand your vocabulary.
- Tip 10
In Part 2, the examiner will give you a task card and some paper. You then have one minute to prepare your answer. First, think about the topic and then decide which is the most appropriate tense to use in your response. You should use the same tense(s) as the questions on the card.
In the speaking exam presentation of learnt knowledge matters, the exam assesses the way you present your learning and not what you have learnt. When it’s exam time, stress levels rise and it’s easy to be anxious and feel you’ve forgotten everything! Lightly review any content you’re still struggling with on the night before the exam. Prepare for the exam day and arrange everything you’ll need for the test and know where the test is and how to get there. Skip the all-nighter and get a good night’s sleep, also don’t forget to set an alarm (or two or three). On the day of the exam, stay positive and calm. Finally, relax it is an exam and You are more powerful than you think, channelize your inner self and you will achieve what your heart desires!!
Never let the ‘What If’ get in the way of what you do. Best of Luck!!
