The Speaking Test in IELTS can be quite challenging yet also very scoring. You must familiarize yourself with the core criteria - Fluency & Coherence, Lexical Resource, Grammatical Range and Accuracy and Pronunciation.

Many people often confuse fluency with fast-paced – speaking. That is not true. You need to speak at a natural pace and with clarity. If you speak fast, the chances are that the examiner will not be able to understand the flow of thought. This is where coherence also appears. A connection between ideas is necessary. People are often confused as to how to do this. I suggest that you use good linking phrases and conjunctions. There is no other way around grammar. You either get it right or wrong, so practice those tenses and parts of speech. Listen carefully to the questions and identify the tenses that have been covered. Answer accordingly. If you want to score a band 8 + in IELTS Speaking, then you must use a good range of vocabulary. Learn those idioms, expressions and phrases. Categorize them into different subjects. Include them in your daily speech to score better. The most important part of Speaking is Pronunciation so if you have a Mother Tongue Influence try practicing phonetic sounds, especially vowel sounds. While IELTS does not focus a lot on accents, using the wrong pronunciation will affect your overall scoring. Remember, that presentation is the key to cracking this test.

The Hurray Online IELTS training team has put together a series of suggestions to help you overcome difficulties in IELTS Speaking. To understand more about this read our blog on  IELTS Speaking Tips & How To Improve Fluency.

The following tips are given for IELTS Speaking Part 1.

What is the task?

Your IELTS Speaking Test will begin with a brief introduction and interview. Your examiner will ask you to introduce yourself and will then ask you a few questions related to something in your personal life. The purpose of the test is to evaluate your general speaking skills.

Tips to keep in mind

a. This part of the test takes the shape of a conversation and will generally not last longer than a few minutes. During this time the examiner will be able to gain a general impression of your English speaking skills. It is thus important to make a good first impression.

b. The language skills that you will be evaluated for include:

• Fluency – the ability to maintain a steady pace of speaking, without frequent or long pauses. This would reflect that you can structure your thoughts into sentences using your knowledge of English. We have posted a detailed article on our blog about this very topic – to learn how to up your fluency, go check it out! 

• Clarity and conciseness – the ability to convey your message, or what you want to say, using the appropriate amount of words. Your listener should understand what you are saying, and you shouldn’t be taking too long to say it, or else they may lose interest.

• Example - Did you enjoy your childhood?

       Bad response -  Yes I enjoyed my childhood. (Just mentioning this will not work , you need    

       to expand it; it also does not have any clarity)

Better response - I grew up in a small town where the environment was clean and comfortable. We had a huge garden filled with mango, guava and orange trees, besides seasonal flowers. It is here that I spent my vacations concocting games and reading stories with my friends. It was a blissful time. ( Proper connectors used and ideas are coherent)

• Vocabulary – the ability to choose the appropriate words to talk about the subject, including about yourself, and to use the words correctly. Developing your vocabulary is of top priority – check out our blog to learn how you can do it. However, at the same time, simplicity is the key – do not try to use words that you are not sure of. Your examiner is not testing how much you know, but rather, how well you can speak – they would appreciate you keeping it simple and having a meaningful interaction. You must use varied vocabulary. Here are a list of expressions and phrases

Opening phrases:

• The first thing I’d like say is…

• To begin with…

• Well honestly …

When adding points :

• In addition I should say …

• Additionally…

• Apart from this…

Linking phrases 

• Perhaps I should also mention that…

• To be more specific…

• I guess you I do like…

When expressing dislike:

• I’m not very happy about…

• I wouldn’t put too much importance on…

• I’m not really fond of…

• To be honest I don’t prefer…

• I really can’t stand…

What is asked during IELTS Speaking Part 1?

1. During this part of the test, the examiner will first ask you to introduce yourself. Introductions are an important part of any conversation with someone you are meeting for the first time – some of the information you should tell them include:

• Your name, your age, where you live

• What you are presently doing – including your educational qualifications and/or work experience

• What your goals are, with regard to your education or career – you could also talk about why you are taking the IELTS exam

2. The examiner will then ask you a few more questions about yourself. A few examples of such questions could include the following: 

• About your native place or culture

• About an interest or hobby 

• About your work or college

Finally, since this is a test in which you will be interacting with another person (rather than just a screen/paper), your presentation also matters. Be confident – sit straight, and keep your arms and legs relaxed and open. And smile! 

They say practice makes perfect – and practice under professional guidance makes a great difference! Here at Hurray, our Online IELTS Training team will train you to get your desired band scores. Reach out to us via email: info@hurrayedutech.com or phone: 8971357938, for more details.

* Production of this material without written permission from the company will result in legal and criminal action against all perpetrators.