A COMPREHENSIVE GUIDE FOR IELTS PREPARATION

Make sure you understand the format of the Speaking test. There are three parts: in the first part, the examiner will ask you three sets of questions about everyday topics; in the second part you must talk for 1–2 minutes about a topic given to you by the examiner; in the third part you will engage in a discussion with the examiner based on the topic you spoke about in part 2.

Make sure you understand the assessment criteria for the Speaking test.

• Fluency and Coherence
• Lexical Resource
• Grammatical Range and Accuracy
• Pronunciation

Get to know the requirements for the band score that you are aiming for by looking at the IELTS Speaking band descriptors.

You will receive a band score for each criterion mentioned above. Your final band score is an average of all four scores.

In the days leading up to your IELTS Speaking test, practice speaking English with friends and colleagues. Record yourself and listen back to your responses to identify areas that need more practice.

Make sure that you have something to say about a range of different topics. One way to do this is to keep up to date with a range of news and current developments by browsing reputable news and video websites. Remember that you will never need to have specialised knowledge about topics that appear in the IELTS Speaking test.

For Part 1 of the Speaking test, practice giving answers of an appropriate length. Try to answer the question in one sentence and then add one or two additional pieces of information.

In Part 2 of the Speaking test, you need to speak for around 2 minutes, so practice talking at length about a range of common topics. Topics that frequently appear in Part 2 include memories, buildings, music, history, travel, entertainment, food, sport and exercise, people you know, and gifts and presents.

To prepare for Part 3 of the Speaking test, practice your discussion skills with a friend or family member. Choose a Part 2 topic and practice discussing specific aspects of the topic in more depth and detail.

Familiarise yourself with the natural rhythm of spoken English by listening to a range of native speakers. Practice using stress and intonation to achieve a natural spoken rhythm. Record yourself and identify areas of pronunciation to work on to ensure that you are easy to understand. Many people speak more quickly when they are feeling nervous; if this is a problem for you, focus on controlling the speed of your speech so that it is clear and easy to understand.

The examiner needs to hear you speak as much as possible so don’t give short, one- or two-word answers to the questions in part 1. If the examiner asks ‘why?’ or ‘why not?’ this indicates that you have not said enough in response to the initial question and that you should say more.

Never use memorized answers. Firstly, it’s a waste of time as it is impossible to predict which questions you will be asked. Secondly, you are likely to sound less fluent if you are reciting a memorized answer; and if the examiner thinks that the answer is memorized you will certainly lose marks.

Make sure that you answer the question. For example, if the examiner asks you, ‘How much time do you spend using a smart phone every day?’, and you respond with ‘I don’t think people should spend too much time using smart phones. It’s not good for the eyes and it can make you anti-social,’ you will lose marks.

If you didn’t hear the question properly, you may ask the examiner to repeat it. Don’t ask the examiner to explain or simplify the question though, as he or she is not permitted to deviate from the IELTS script.

There is no point in asking the examiner to change the topic in part 2 as the answer will be ‘no’. Provided you are able to talk about the topic that is presented in the booklet, it doesn’t matter if you cover the items listed in the bullet points or not. You are not assessed on whether you rigidly stick to bullet points, but rather your ability to keep going, speak coherently and clearly, and use a range of appropriate vocabulary and grammar. The bullet points are there as a guide, but you can talk about other things as well. The most important thing is to remain focused on the topic.

Remember that your answer does not need to be based on facts. For example, if you are asked to talk about a novel you have read recently, and you have not read a novel for years, invent something! You are not assessed on the veracity of your spoken content.

Although you may refer to your notes while you are speaking, you should not read from your notes. This will make you sound unnatural; reading aloud is quite different from speaking spontaneously. If you read from your notes you are likely to lose marks for both fluency and pronunciation.

The questions in Part 3 will generally be about abstract ideas and concepts rather than about you and your life. For example, in Part 1 of the speaking test you may be asked, ‘Would you like to be rich one day?’, whereas in Part 3, the question would be, ‘Do you think money can buy happiness?’. Try to speak about more global, general ideas in Part 3 rather than the things connect to your everyday life and experience.

Expect some of the questions in Part 3 to be quite challenging. The examiner will try to push you to the limit of your English language ability to get an accurate picture of your level.

If you don’t understand a question that the examiner asks you in Part 3, you can request that it be reworded or explained. You can ask the examiner to rephrase the question or you can ask the examiner to explain a specific word in the question. Part 3 is the only part of the speaking test where the examiner is permitted to say things which are not on the script.

In Part 3, the examiner will ask questions to test your ability to use specific grammatical structures and language functions. For example, the question, ‘How have smart phones changed our social relationships?’ is designed to test your ability to use present and past tenses, and to use the functional language of expressing an opinion.

If you try to recite an answer from memory, it is highly likely that the examiner will notice. The assessment criteria include penalties for memorized answers in both the Speaking and the Writing tests.

Try to avoid using the exact words that the examiner used in the question when you give your answer. For example, if the examiner asks you ‘What is your favourite type of foreign food?’, don’t say, ‘My favourite type of foreign food is Lebanese.’ Don’t forget that you are assessed on your ability to paraphrase and use a wide range of different vocabulary. A better answer to the question above would be, ‘I’m really into Lebanese dishes. Especially spicy ones.’

Many test-takers lose marks for Fluency and Coherence and Lexical Resource by answering the wrong question. Make sure that you have fully understood the question before beginning to answer. If you are not sure, ask the examiner to repeat the question (Part 1) or rephrase the question (Part 3).

Try to avoid saying either too much or too little in response to Speaking test questions. Although the examiner will stop you if you are saying too much and try to encourage you to add more if you are saying too little, it is best to practice getting the length of your response right.

Even if you pronounce words correctly, an unnatural rhythm or flat intonation will make it difficult for the examiner to understand you. English is a stress-timed language, which means that we use pace, intonation, pitch, and stress to maintain the listener’s interest and to put emphasis on key words and ideas.

Never try to engage in general conversation with the examiner or ask for their thoughts or opinions. Remember that it is your role to answer questions in the Speaking test, not ask them.