For many, the speaking part of IELTS is easy and they do not need to do a lot of practice. This is most likely because they use English every day in their work and are quite comfortable speaking English.
For others it can be quite worrying and they are afraid of this part of the test because it is so immediate and you are literally ‘put on the spot’. Whichever group you fall into, it is still worth spending some time practising for this exam because what is required is not just every day chitchat.
Indeed one of my students was once told by the examiner after her test that it wasn’t supposed to be ‘just a chat’ luckily she still got quite a high score but understood that might have got higher if she had been better prepared. Here are three things to consider and practise to ensure that your speaking test meets all the criteria for a high band.
1. Communication not accuracy
I have worked with many very able students who have not achieved a high band in the exam because they were too concerned with things like vocabulary and using great grammar and this preoccupation in the exam caused them to be hesitant and stilted in their performance.
The speaking is primarily about good communication and that means listening well in addition to giving good answers. In fact the first thing is to listen carefully so that you can respond appropriately. The examiner will be listening carefully to your answers and marking your vocabulary, grammar, use of idiom, pronunciation and overall ability in speaking but the most important things is how well you can communicate your answers. The odd mistake is not too important if you can speak fluently and give a good, appropriate answer to the question. On the other hand thinking about which words to use or what tense to employ is only likely to cause you to either not really listen to the questions or be very hesitant and this lack of fluency will lose more marks than a few small errors.
2. Be confident in Part 2 and organise it well
You have a minute to prepare your ‘talk’. I like to think of it as a ‘mini speech’ something like the speech you might make at an informal event. Preparation is essential but it only needs to be a few notes that will assist you as you speak. Make sure that the notes are clear and easy for you to look at as you do your talk. Follow the list on the card for your preparation – this is designed to give you a template and will take you through the information in a logical way. Remember these things are there to help you and the exam setters know what will assist you best.
Tell a story. We all love stories and examiners are no different. Try to have a picture of your story in your head. Who was there, when did it happen, what did you do. Include details like weather, scenery if appropriate. Have some emotion in the story – how did you feel, how did other people feel? Details make it more interesting as does emotion. You want the examiner to enjoy your story and if you can picture it then you’ll be able to tell it more fluently.
Have about 3 points to make for each of the things on the card and this should be around 2 minutes. Try to use up all the time if you can. The more you say, the more the examiner has to assess.
Part 2 in speaking is the easiest to practise. Choose a cue card – prepare it then record yourself saying it. Listen and be critical, how can you improve it. Do exactly the same topic again and try to improve it. Listen again – can you improve it even more? Do it again until you are happy with it. Then try a different topic and repeat the process.
3. Language that will help you to shine in the speaking
Although fluency is important and is a sign of good communication, really good use of language will clearly help you to achieve a higher score. Here are some things that you can practise which will help you to perform well in IELTS Speaking.
- Talking about the past – practise the sequence of tenses in English so that you can use them correctly in relating events
- Talking about the future – again tenses relating to the future and how to express this well
- Speculating and imagining– in Part 3 you are often asked to speculate about things using modal verbs such as would, could, should etc. can be useful as can be conditional sentences
- Use some idioms if you can but not too many and think about using phrasal verbs - these are great for speaking and easier than idioms as they can be used anywhere
- Check out vocabulary for specific topics – as you would for the writing
- Think about pronunciation – if you think yours is strong then practise this too – they will be listening for it
Like all parts of the IELTS Test don’t leave anything to chance. Practice makes perfect and if you are prepared to pay for the exam, then you should try and give it your best shot!