IELTS Speaking: how to feel more confident

Here are some tips to help you feel more confident when you go for your IELTS speaking test:

·    Be prepared: you should know exactly what to expect in the 3 parts of the speaking test, and you should have read the suggestions on this website about how to answer.

·    Lots of practice: a student who has practised answering all of the questions in all eight Cambridge books, as well as the questions on this site, will feel much more confident than a student who hasn't.

·    Write it down: when studying at home, you have time to prepare 'perfect' answers to practice questions; write your answers down, and ask someone to help you check and improve them.

·    Speak aloud: start by reading the answers you wrote down (like an actor uses a script), then gradually stop using the script.

·    Record yourself: this allows you to analyse the quality of your answers, as well as your pronunciation, vocabulary and grammar.

IELTS Speaking: Basic Information

The IELTS Speaking Test is the final part of the exam. You can take only your ID document into the exam room.

The test lasts between 11 and 14 minutes. You will be interviewed by an examiner who will record your conversation. Timing is strictly controlled by the examiner, so don't be surprised if he or she interrupts you during an answer.

There are 3 parts to the Speaking Test:

1. Introduction/ interview: around 10 questions in 4 to 5 minutes.

2. Short presentation: talk for 2 minutes with 1 minute to prepare.

3. Discussion: around 5 questions in 4 to 5 minutes.

Preparation is the key to a good score in IELTS Speaking. Different skills are tested in each part, so you need to know exactly what to do. 

We can predict the kinds of questions that the examiner will ask. We'll prepare ideas, possible answers and good vocabulary for each part of the test.

IELTS Advice: storytelling

The key to a high speaking score isn't  your use of 'complex' grammar structures, big words or idiomatic phrases. The key is to speak as naturally as possible and real examples or stories help you to do this.

 IELTS Speaking Part 2: three tips

Here are three quick tips for IELTS speaking part 2 (the short speech):

1. Use the 1 minute preparation time well
Think about how you would answer the question in your own language, then write down as many ideas as possible in English.

2. Give real examples
Say what you really think, talk about your real life, and give real examples. Examples are really important; whenever you don't know what to say, give an example from your own experience.

3. Don't worry about grammar
You haven't got time to think about passives or conditionals. Focus on answering the question - ideas and vocabulary.

IELTS Advice: speaking strategies

Here are some of the strategies in part two:

1. Try to develop each bullet point in detail. If you don't say enough for the first two or three points, you'll find yourself with too much time for the last point.

2. Tell a story! My second point tells the story of how I was given the chair by a friend, and I could probably speak for 2 minutes about this point alone. When you tell a story about something real that happened, you'll find it easy to keep talking. Stories are also interesting for the listener (the examiner).

3. Add examples. In point 3, you can see that I added an example at the end ("last night I fell asleep in my armchair while I was watching a film"). I could easily take this example and develop it into another short story.

4. When describing an object, don't forget the simple things like size, colour (I forgot that one!), shape, material, position ("just under my living room window").

6. Try to use a topic you have already prepared.

7. Forget about grammar. Focus on answering the question.

8. Finally, fast preparation is a skill that you can practise. Why not train yourself by making notes for a few different questions every day?

IELTS Speaking Part 2: 1-minute preparation

This week I've been thinking about different ways to use the 1-minute preparation time. Here's what I've learnt:

1. One minute is a very short amount of time! I found it just as difficult as my students did.

2. A simple list is probably faster and easier than a diagram or mind map.

3. You need to decide on your topic as quickly as possible. Then spend most of your time making notes.

4. Try to write at least one key idea for each part of the question.

5. Don't write sentences, and don't waste time erasing "mistakes".

6. Try to use a topic you have already prepared.

7. Forget about grammar. Focus on answering the question.

8. Finally, fast preparation is a skill that you can practise. Why not train yourself by making notes for a few different questions every day?

IELTS Speaking Part 2: choose your topic quickly!

One of the most important things to practise for IELTS speaking part 2 is choosing your topic quickly. Take this question for example:

Describe a situation in which you were very polite. You should explain

·    where the situation took place

·    how you showed that you were polite

·    and why you needed to be so polite.

It would be easy to waste your one-minute preparation time worrying about what situation to choose. If you still haven't decided what to talk about when the examiner asks you to start speaking, you'll be in real trouble!

Task:
Give yourself just 10 seconds to choose your polite situation. It doesn't really matter what situation you choose; the key is to give yourself enough time to prepare some ideas.

IELTS Speaking Part 2: main topics

For part 2 of IELTS speaking, I encourage my students to prepare ideas for 6 main topic areas:

1. Describe an object (a gift, something you use etc.)

2. Describe a person (someone you admire, a family member etc.)

3. Describe an event (a festival, celebration etc.)

4. Describe an activity (e.g. a hobby)

5. Describe a place (somewhere you visited, a holiday etc.)

6. Describe your favourite (book/film/advertisement/website)

Most questions fit into one of these topics. For example, "Describe a river, lake or sea which you like" is number 5 - you could describe a holiday by the sea, or a city with a river.

Don't take the test without preparing some ideas for these topics first!

IELTS Speaking Part 1: strange questions

In part 1 of the speaking test, the examiner will ask around 10 easy questions. However, students have reported some strange questions, such as:

1. Do you like parks?

2. Do you think different colours can change our moods?

3. When do people give flowers in your country?

Don't be shocked by these questions. Just give a simple answer with a reason. Don't worry about using fantastic grammar or vocabulary; just try to answer without hesitating. For example:

1. Yes, I like parks because they are great places to relax. I think all cities need green areas.

2. Yes, I think bright colours, like red, can make you feel energetic. Some greens and blues can be more relaxing.

3. People give flowers on special occasions like birthdays or on Valentine's Day. In my country, giving flowers is seen as romantic.

IELTS Writing Task 2: rules for introductions

Many people decide on a career path early in their lives and keep to it. This, they argue, leads to a more satisfying working life.
To what extent do you agree with this view?
What other things can people do in order to have a satisfying working life?

In today's lesson I just want to look at how to write an introduction for this type of question. My simple rules for task 2 introductions are:

1.    Write 2 sentences: introduce the topic, then give a general answer.

2.    Mention everything that the question mentions.

3.    Don't save any surprises for the conclusion; give your opinion in the introduction if the question asks for it.

Here's an example introduction:

It is true that some people know from an early age what career they want to pursue, and they are happy to spend the rest of their lives in the same profession. While I accept that this may suit many people, I believe that others enjoy changing careers or seeking job satisfaction in different ways.

IELTS Writing Task 2: introduction technique

Task 2 introductions should be short and direct. You only need to write two sentences as follows:

1. Introduce the topic.

2. Respond to the question, making your position clear.

Take this question for example:

More houses are needed in many countries to cope with increasing populations. Would it be better to build houses in existing towns and cities, or to develop new towns in rural areas?

This my 2-sentence introduction:

It is true that the populations of many countries are growing, and that new housing is therefore needed. In my opinion, it would be better to increase the provision of housing by creating new towns, rather than by further developing existing towns and cities.

IELTS Writing Task 2: the confidence to be 'simple'

For many of my students I've taught, a breakthrough came when they found the confidence to write in a more 'simple' way.

When you stop worrying about whether you need to include passives, conditionals or 'difficult academic words' in your essays, you are free to focus on answering the question and explaining your ideas coherently. It takes confidence to change your approach and to believe that the 'simple' way will work.

Note: Remember that 'simple' is not the same thing as 'easy'!

IELTS Writing Task 2: longer introductions?

People sometimes ask me whether writing a longer introduction could be the way to improve their task 2 scores. My answer is no! A longer introduction is more likely to harm your score, not help it. The more time you spend on your introduction, the less time you have to write good main body paragraphs. The main body is the key to a high score!

So, how can we improve our main body paragraphs? I think there are 3 easy steps you can take:

1.  Spend more time planning the main paragraphs.

2.  Spend less time on the introduction and conclusion.

3.  Prepare ideas for common topics before you take the exam.