IELTS TIPS - SPEAKING

IELTS TIPS SPEAKING:

I appeared for IELTS more than 2 yrs back.

The methods mentioned below are what my various teachers and gurus taught me and that I used to appear for this IELTS and various other Tests.

This is the smallest section.

Download those 32 audio mp3 mentioned in my Set 3 of the blog IELTS Audio & eBooks Download Links

These are real speaking tests, you will come to know and understand how people respond to questions.

Listening is a one to one interview – only the examiner and you will be in the room. This complete interview is recorded on a cassette.

Believe this – the examiner doesn’t know you and is seeing you for the 1st time so he/she is not asking you questions and his/her intention is not to harm you – so you need to speak out and don’t be afraid.

Speaking is very simple but you need to use varied words like for example I can say Romeo loves Juliet or I can say Juliet is loved by Romeo.
Or I love cricket and then again during my speech I can say cricket is my favorite sport. All these various ways of telling a thing actually means the same.

Another important thing when they ask you questions please don’t keep your answer short. For example – which is your favorite sport? And you may say Cricket and stop.

This is absolutely wrong – your answer should keep on going like this – My favorite sport is Cricket because I come from India and we Indians play cricket from childhood and my father used to play and he taught me how to play cricket. Then I was also in my school cricket team and blah blah blah --------- keep on saying something or other about the topic until the Examiner changes the question.

Or your reply for this question can also be – Actually I am not a sports person - I like to watch cricket and football in outdoor games but I like indoor sports like billiards, chess and others………

It’s a good idea to make it up if you don’t know the topic – that means tell lies. If you don’t like cricket – just take it as your favorite sport and speak about it as if you like the game. The examiner looks for your vocabulary and grammar and not your knowledge/ common sense about the subject. Just keep on talking.

Sometimes the Examiner by his facial expressions or hand movements will tell you to speak more about the subject. And also he/she may draw you attention to speak more loudly because the interview is recorded.

There are in total 3 parts in the Listening Section.

Part 1 – 1 min - this is a normal introduction – you will be asked your name, background, why are you appearing for IELTS? Your favorite sport / hobby? How do you spend your leisure time? And others.
The intention of this section is to remove your fear of the examiner, which is to become friendlier.

Part 2 – this section is for you to speak for 2 mins – like telling a story.
Normally a topic will be given to you – or may be related to the above asked subjects.
The examiner will provide you with a piece of paper which mentions the topic and what all points need to be covered in your speech.
For example: Describe your room/office and furniture?
Name the different furniture in your room?
Mention its various locations in the room?
Materials used to make it? The color / the texture?
Which is your favorite furniture?

When the examiner hands over the paper to you – you are given half a minute to think over the topic and during this time take your pencil and write down the points and details that you will cover while talking about this topic - like write down - how many tables/chairs and a bed and coat, the color and material used – the shape of the table – whether round/square-
Looking at these written points you have to keep on speaking when the examiner tells you to start – he/she will be looking at his/her watch to check the total speaking time. He/she will encourage you to speak more and help you.

Keep on speaking but slowly – word by word so the recordings will go on well and the examiner can understand what you speak.

You have to speak for 2 mins. It’s really a long time – try to explain your bedroom in front of your mirror and you will see that you are only able to talk for 1 min and the actual 2 min is a long time.

Its better to practice this at home - practice to talk about your kitchen, bedroom, living room, your garden - they can also ask about your travel to school/college or work or even explain your travel to this exam center. In this tell them how you travel – the mode of transport/ the people that you meet and see, the surroundings like the tall buildings/lake/hills and others. You can add your imagination too in this talk.

Again Speak word by word - loud and clear because speaking test is recorded for giving marks or revaluation.
If you need to think in between - talk word by word and at the same time - build your answer in your mind and then continue

For example - to explain your kitchen tell where is the window, what color - how is the kitchen arranged, your gas stove color and material, utensils used, your favorite utensil, you can add your favorite section in the kitchen.

Topics can be like sports, furniture, fashion, dress and others common everyday subjects.

Part 3 - checks your sense and your ideas – contains 12-15 questions

For example – whether Internet is good or bad? pc games good for kids?
You can go on the bad side but you need to support your views or can go on the good side but support is needed.
Around 12 -15 questions will be in it – you need to give solid explanations with examples.

Or can even can say good as well as bad.

The main thing that the examiner looks here is your vocabulary,grammar and how well you understand the questions asked and the way you answer to the questions. Also the relevance of the answer with the question asked. Sometimes when we answer we may say things that don’t at all relate to the questions. This is bad and your mark will go down.

The examiner has a big book with all sets of questions, they can ask you anything.

If you don’t understand the questions asked, you can request the examiner to repeat the question – may be you can use this time to rethink your answers. You can even request the examiner to change the topic if you are not at all comfortable with the topic asked.

More will be added shortly – if any.

Keep smiling and practicing. Take some topic and Talk with your mirror for better practice.

May God Bless You.


Suju.the.Archer