1. Familiarize Yourself with the Test Format
The speaking section remains consistent across both IELTS Academic and IELTS General Training. You’ll start with the listening test, followed by reading and writing tests, with no breaks in between. Your Speaking test might occur on the same day, a week earlier, or two days later, depending on local scheduling.
In the Speaking test, you’ll have a conversation with a certified IELTS examiner in a quiet room, which will be recorded digitally or on audiotape. Upon entering the room, the examiner will introduce themselves and verify your identity by asking questions like: “What’s your name?” “How should I address you?” and “Where are you from?” You’ll also need to show your ID.
The test is divided into three sections:
Part 1: Personal Questions (4-5 minutes)
The examiner will ask you general questions about familiar subjects such as your home, family, work, studies, or hobbies. This section serves as a warm-up, helping you get accustomed to the format and the examiner. It also allows the examiner to gauge your conversational ability and decide how the test will proceed.
To succeed in Part 1, stick to your personal experiences and avoid providing excessive or fabricated details.
Part 2: Speaking on a Specific Topic (up to 2 minutes)
You will receive a task card with a specific topic and points to cover in your speech. You’ll have one minute to prepare, during which you can use the provided pencil and paper to jot down notes. Structure your speech around the points given, but feel free to omit those you’re uncomfortable with or add more relevant ideas. The examiner will prompt you to begin speaking and will stop you after two minutes. They may follow up with one or two related questions.
To do well, make notes under these headings: Introduction, Past, Description, Opinion, Future. Aim to use varied vocabulary and correct grammar.
Part 3: In-depth discussion (4-5 minutes)
This section involves discussing broader and more abstract issues related to the topic from Part 2. The examiners will assess your ability to develop, analyze, and justify your point of view. As there is no time to prepare, you will need to think quickly and not repeat answers from Part 2.
To succeed, take the following approach:
• First, give a straightforward answer;
• Next, explain your reasoning;
• Give an example that supports your answer:
• Suggest an alternative or result.
2. Practice Common Topics and Questions
To effectively prepare for the IELTS Speaking test, practice with typical topics such as:
• Preferences and dislikes
• Education
• Employment
• Transportation
• Weather conditions
• Nature
• Cuisine
• Family life
• Living arrangements
• Travel and tourism
• Sports and leisure
• Literature and films
• Technology
• Crime and justice
• Internet
• Marketing and shopping
Sample Questions:
Part 1 – Introduction and Interview
Discuss your hometown or village.
1. What is your hometown or village like?
2. What is the most notable feature of your town/village?
3. What kinds of jobs do people in your area typically have?
4. Would you consider it a good place to live? Why or why not?
5. Describe the type of housing you live in.
6. How long have you resided there?
7. What do you appreciate about your current home?
8. What type of housing would be your ideal choice?
Part 2 – Individual Long Turn Task card for the candidate
Topic: Talk about an item you own that holds significant value to you.
You should cover:
• Where you acquired it
• How long you have had it
• Its purpose
You’ll need to speak on this topic for one to two minutes. You have one minute to prepare and may take notes if desired. Follow-up questions:
1. Is it worth a lot of money?
2. Can it be easily replaced?
Part 3 – Two-way Discussion
Let’s first explore how people’s values have evolved:
1. What kinds of things confer status in your country?
2. Have these values shifted since your parents’ generation? Now, let’s discuss the impact of advertising.
3. Do you believe advertising affects consumer choices?
Types of Questions in Part 3 of the IELTS Speaking Test:
• Opinion: What are your thoughts on ‘this’?
• Evaluation: How do you feel about others’ views?
• Future: What do you predict will happen?
• Cause and Effect: What led to ‘this’ and/or what were the outcomes?
• Hypothetical: Consider imaginary or unlikely situations.
• Compare and Contrast: Discuss the differences and similarities between two items.
• Past: How have things changed from the past to now?
3. Enhance Your Pronunciation
Watch English-language movies, TV shows, and news channels regularly to get familiar with natural pronunciation and intonation. Pay attention to how native speakers pronounce words and phrases.
Engage in conversations with people in various public places, such as in stores or on public transportation.
Listening to and singing along with English songs can also enhance your natural speech patterns.
Focus on Individual Sounds: Practice difficult sounds or phonemes by breaking down words into smaller parts. For example, if you struggle with the “th” sound, practice words like “think” and “thought” slowly.
Use Phonetic Transcription: Learn the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA) to understand how words are pronounced. This can be especially helpful when learning new vocabulary.
Consider visualizing your pronunciation by observing how your mouth forms certain sounds. Stand in front of a mirror and pay attention to the muscles you use when speaking English.
Practice with experienced eTalk tutors. They can provide tailored guidance, simulate real IELTS speaking scenarios, and offer personalized feedback to help you improve your pronunciation and overall speaking skills for the test.
4. Use Contractions and Abbreviations
To sound more natural and confident in the IELTS Speaking test, use common English contractions and abbreviations. For example, instead of saying “I am,” say “I’m.” Similarly, use “I’d” for “I would” and “I’ve” for “I have.” These contractions make your speech flow more smoothly and reflect how native speakers often communicate.
Here are some additional ways to use abbreviations effectively:
• Use “can’t” instead of “cannot” to sound more conversational.
• Replace “I will” with “I’ll” to show that you’re comfortable with natural speech patterns.
• Try saying “won’t” instead of “will not” to express negation more casually.
• Use “shouldn’t” instead of “should not” when offering advice or opinions.
• Replace “you are” with “you’re” to make your sentences shorter and clearer.
Incorporating these abbreviations will help you sound more fluent and self-assured, which can positively impact your overall speaking score.
5. Vary Your Grammatical Structures
When preparing for the IELTS Speaking exam, it’s crucial to use a variety of grammatical structures. This includes mixing simple and complex sentences to effectively communicate your thoughts.
To demonstrate your grammar skills, practice talking about events in the past, present, and future. Use the correct tenses to describe past experiences, current situations, and future plans. For instance, you can say, “When I was a child, I used to play soccer every day,” to practice the past tense. Then switch to the present with a sentence like, “I enjoy reading books in my free time,” and move to the future by saying, “Next year, I plan to travel abroad.”
In addition to tenses, try incorporating different sentence structures:
• Conditionals: “If I had more time, I would study more languages.”
• Relative Clauses: “The book that I read last week was fascinating.”
• Passive Voice: “The project was completed by the team on time.”
By varying your grammar and using these structures accurately, you’ll showcase a strong command of the English language, which can positively influence your IELTS Speaking score.
6. Leverage Digital Tools for Practice
Speech Recognition Tools:
Forvo: Provides pronunciation guides from native speakers, helping you master difficult words and sounds.
Google Speech Recognition and Siri: These tools offer real-time transcription of your speech, allowing you to identify pronunciation errors.
Dragon NaturallySpeaking and Dragon Dictation: Advanced speech-to-text software that helps improve fluency and clarity through constant feedback.
Howjsay and Sounds of Speech: Offers detailed phonetic parses and pronunciation examples for specific words.
Language tools with artificial intelligence:
Grammarly: Improves spoken and written grammar by offering more accurate sentence structures, which can improve your speech.
FluentWorlds: A VR app that immerses you in real-life scenarios, allowing you to practice speaking in a simulated environment.
Writefull: Analyzes your spoken or written text, offering grammar and style tips to help improve your IELTS answers.
Replika and Mitsuku: AI chatbots that engage in dialog with you, helping you practice natural and fluent speech.
Elsa Speak and Speechling: These apps provide AI feedback on your pronunciation and accent, helping you sound more natural.
IELTS language learning apps:
Duolingo and Memrise: Offers vocabulary and grammar exercises to help you build a solid foundation for learning IELTS topics.
Cambridge Dictionary +Plus: Provides extensive definitions, examples and pronunciation guides to help you prepare for IELTS.
EWA and Busuu: These apps focus on practical language use, offering interactive exercises and conversational practice for real-life situations.
Shadowing: Specially designed to improve fluency and pronunciation: you have to repeat phrases after native speakers.
Online forums, platforms and discussion groups:
Reddit and Quora: Participate in discussions on a variety of topics that will help you practice forming and clearly expressing your opinions.
Tandem and HelloTalk: Connect with native speakers and language learners and practice real-time communication, improving your fluency and confidence.
Individualized Online Courses: Courses designed for IELTS preparation often include speaking simulations and exercises that mimic the exam environment. At eTalk School, we provide tailored IELTS preparation courses that focus on improving your speaking skills. Our tutors offer personalized feedback, guide you through practice tests, and help you build confidence for the exam. With customized lessons and real-time feedback, you’ll be well-prepared for all parts of the IELTS Speaking test.
Digital tools for time management:
Focus Booster and Forest: Help you stay disciplined and manage study time effectively by providing constant practice.
Trello and Asana: Organize your study plan, track your progress, and break down your preparation into doable tasks.
MindMeister and SimpleMind: Mind mapping tools to help you structure your answers to questions, ensuring clarity and consistency during the exam.
7. Avoid Memorized Responses
IELTS examiners recognize rehearsed answers, and relying on them can negatively affect your score. Pre-prepared answers do not accurately reflect your true English communication skills, which can lead to a lower score. Instead, focus on using your existing knowledge and try to engage in conversation during the test in a natural, conversational manner.
8. Don’t Fear Making Mistakes or Pausing
It’s completely normal to experience moments of hesitation during the test. Instead of staying silent or overusing filler words, take a pause and use time-buying phrases like:
• “This is a tricky question, but I’ll give it a shot.”
• “Let me think for a moment…”
• “I hadn’t considered that before.”
• “Sorry, I’m just a bit stuck.”
• “I’m not entirely sure, but if I had to guess…”
These simple expressions show your adaptability and effective use of language skills. If you notice a mistake, don’t hesitate to correct yourself. If you don’t understand a word, you can ask the examiner to clarify, but try to limit this.
9. Don’t Stress About Your Native Accent
Every non-native English speaker has an accent. Focus instead on clear pronunciation, accurate grammar, and smooth fluency. If the examiner struggles to comprehend you due to incorrect pronunciation or misplaced sentence stress, it could result in a lower score, as it can obstruct communication and lead to misunderstandings.
10. Don’t Stress Over the Examiner’s Opinion
Examiners are solely focused on assessing your language use and speaking skills. It’s common for them to interrupt mid-response to ask further questions and continue the discussion. Don’t stress about how the examiner views you. Instead, concentrate on your own performance and presentation.
Conclusion
Mastering the IELTS Speaking test requires a combination of practice, familiarity with the test format, and the ability to showcase your true language skills. By focusing on pronunciation, using varied grammatical structures, and engaging in natural conversation, you can enhance your performance. Remember, effective preparation involves more than just practicing answers—it’s about developing genuine communication skills and adapting to the test’s demands. With these ten tips in hand, you’re well on your way to acing the IELTS Speaking test and demonstrating your proficiency with confidence.
At eTalk, we offer comprehensive preparation courses for the IELTS exam. Our experienced teachers provide personalized feedback and practical tips to help you succeed. Join our classes to practice with skilled instructors and receive expert guidance tailored to your needs. With consistent effort and the right support, you can achieve a high score on your IELTS Speaking Test.
