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IELTS Speaking – 5 things to do to get your Band 7 and 8
Practice speaking regularly
In my experience there are two camps of IELTS speaking students – those for whom the speaking presents no problems whatsoever and those for whom it is a worry and the difference generally between these two groups is practice. In fact speaking is all about speaking – if you do it regularly you will be able to manage the test well if you don’t then you won’t.
I realise this sounds a little abrupt but it is the reality.
Speaking a language is about using it and if you don’t use it then it can’t develop and grow – it is not something that you can quickly practise just before the exam.
Preparation and practice are important, however, and you need to plan ahead to make sure that you can achieve Band 7 or more in your IELTS speaking test. So here are 5 pieces of advice to help you do just that.
1. Make sure you have people to speak to
Speaking is an interactive activity. If you only practise in front of a mirror then you will find the IELTS speaking test very hard. There are some things that you can do by yourself to improve your skills but overall you MUST find people to speak to. It doesn’t have to be a teacher or a native English speaker – speaking with friends who have a good level will also be helpful. With today’s technology there are options to speak with people online. I offer this chance on my IELTS Step By Step Success programme.
A google search will also find other places where you can practise with other students.
It’s all about communication
Remember that the IELTS speaking test is above all a test of communication. This means that you need to be as fluent and spontaneous as you can be. The examiner will take note of good vocabulary, grammar, idiom use etc. but if the overall fluency and spontaneity are good then small lapses in accuracy will not be too serious. On the other hand, if your overall ability to communicate is impaired by stopping to think about every word and phrase before you speak, you may not get a good mark even if you are completely accurate.
Check out examples of good speaking test practice on YouTube – can you do this? If not, then make sure you find someone to practise with.
2. Improve your Vocabulary
Learn words for each topic
You can find lists of the typical speaking topics online. Make sure that you have some specific vocabulary for these along with some usable idioms – such as phrasal verbs (these can be used in various situations).
Make a list of the topics (you’ll find lists of these on various websites) and chose a handful of words for each topic. Try to learn the word as well as the context in which you can use it.
Remember that the best way of remembering these new words is to use them so try to practise different topics with your speaking partners and make sure that you try to use the words you have chosen.
Why not record your conversations then you can listen to them and evaluate your performance. Look out for ‘bad habits’ (like excessive repetition or too much hesitation) and language errors so that you can avoid these the next time that you practise.
3. Spend some time practising Part 2 – the task card
Part 2 of the IELTS speaking test is like a mini talk. If you were asked to say a few words at a wedding or
Practise Part 2
event then I am certain that you would practise your ‘speech’ before you did it. So here it’s just the same. I realise that you don’t know the topic before the exam but that doesn’t mean that you cannot be prepared. There is a beginning a middle and an end and if you have a structure that you can use (like in the writing) then it will help you to get started.
Always have an opening statement – “The ….. I want to tell you about/talk about is …..” This sets the scene. Have the story in your head – what happened – what is the sequence? Can you use words like then, next, after that etc. These help you organise and also give a little thinking time. With a strong picture in your head you can tell the story easily so pick something that you have experienced.
Now choose a topic and practise it and record it. Listen and be critical. How can you improve this? Better grammar, less hesitation, better vocabulary or a few idioms? Do it again, change the things you picked out and make it better. Listen and evaluate again and record again. Each time it should get better and better. Now choose another topic and do the same again. If you do this a few times a week you will find Part 2 much easier to do.
Make sure that you practise the 1 minute preparation time as well. Do it each time before you begin speaking. Write some notes – keep them to a minimum so that they will be useful when you start – make them clear so you can use them by just glancing at them and not reading.
It’s good to practise in the mirror too.
Try to get a rough idea about how much you can say in the 2 minutes – the more you practise the more of an idea you will have.
4. Don’t forget pronunciation!
Get Talking!
If there are any sounds in English that you struggle with it’s a good idea to practise these. Pronunciation is a key band descriptor in the IELTS speaking test and you should make sure that what you say can be easily understood. Examiners will take note of any accent and pronunciation issues and if it causes any problems with understanding then it will affect you band. Having an accent is not a problem if your speech is clear and everything can be understood but if there are marked issues with stress patterns or intonation and/or particular sounds then it is well worth spending some time practising these.
There are two websites that may be helpful.
Also check out pronunciation apps on your mobile phone – there are several around.
Finally a fun thing to do is to use speech to text to check if you are pronouncing things in the correct way – if not the text won’t be correct!!
5. Use the test as an opportunity to ‘showcase’ your ability
IELTS Speaking Test
With practice you should become more confident. The exam is (or should be) the end of your preparation so you will be ready to show the examiner what you can do. I have been an IELTS examiner myself and all the examiners that I knew only wanted the candidates to do their best and get good marks – so there is no need to be nervous. Yes they make the decision but it is only based on what you provide so really use the test to show the examiner what you can do. I know from my students that if you take this point of view rather than a fear-based one you will be more confident in the exam and do better.
Each time you practise think that your friend or colleague (if you are with a teacher they will do this anyway) is actually the examiner and prepare a delivery as if you were in the exam – in this way the exam itself will be just another similar session.
If you do all of these things then you will be in a better position to tackle the speaking test.
I wrote a post a few years ago about things that you can do to improve speaking if you really have no-one at all to practise with. It is far, far better to find someone but these tips maybe helpful too.
10 Goofy Ways to Practise Speaking
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