IELTS speaking introduction for Preparatory students

1. IELTS
Speaking

6. •In Part 1, you will have a 4 to 5 minutes
conversation with an IELTS examiner about
yourself. Topics might include:
•Work
•Family
•Home life
•Personal interests

12. • In Part 2 of the Speaking test, (long turn) you will be given a task
card with a topic.
• You will be given one minute to prepare on the topic
• You will be given a pencil and paper to make notes
• You will then speak on the topic for two minutes.
• You can look at the task card and the note when speaking

13. Speaking part 2: Long turn
•Assesses the ability to speak at length on a given
topic using appropriate language an organizing
ideas coherently

16. More examples of Part 2 Cue card

21. Speaking Part 3 : Discussion (4 – 5 minutes)
•Assesses the ability to express and justify
opinions and to analyze, discuss and
speculate about issues.

22. •In Part 3, you will have a discussion
with the IELTS examiner around the
topic given in part 2, discussing it in
more detail.
•Part 3 should take approximately 4
to 5 minutes to complete.

23. Speaking part 3: Discussion
•The examinaer asks further questions which are
connected to the topic in part 2
•Candidates can discuss more abstract ideas and
issues
•This is not a test of knowledge or intellect
•The important thing is to give an opinion and
support it.

29. Fluency and Coherence
•Is the candidate able to speak at length on a
topic, giving a well organized answer with
reasons and/or examples ?
•Is the candidate able to use connecting words
and discourse markers correctly and flexibly ?
•Is the candidate able to speak without repeating
him/herself or correcting him/herself?

30. Lexical Resource (Vocabulary)
•Can the candidate discuss both familiar and
unfamiliar topics?
•Is the candidate using an adequate, sufficient or
wide range of vocabulary?
•Is the candidate using some less common lexical
items such as idioms or collocations?

31. Pronunciation
•Is the candidate able to use a range of
pronunciation features ?
•Is the candidate generally able to be
understood?
•Does the candidate’s native language affect their
pronunciation?

32. Grammatical Range and accuracy
•Is the candidate using a range of grammatical
structures when he/she speaks, including a mix
of simple and complex sentences and relative
clauses?
•What percentage of their sentences are error-
free?

34. SAMPLE VIDEO (SPEAKING TEST)
• https://youtu.be/pBrFbXB7EAg
https://youtu.be/4bQeEulUycQ

35. •SOME TIPS
FOR
SPEAKING

36. Don’t Memorise Answers
• Don't memorise answers, especially in Part 1. Memorised
language doesn't give the examiner an accurate measure of
your English-language skills. The examiner will be able to tell
if you have memorised your answers and this may influence
your final band score.

37. Don't use big and unfamiliar words
• You may want to impress the examiner with big and complex
words in your Speaking test. But to be safe, avoid using words
you are not familiar with. There is a higher chance of making
mistakes by either mispronouncing words or using them in
the wrong context. Mistakes can affect your final band score.
• Use a range of vocabulary that you know which is relevant to
the topic being discussed.

38. Use a range of grammatical structures
• When IELTS examiners asses your speaking skills, they mark you against the following
assessment criteria:
• Fluency and coherence
• Lexical resource
• Grammatical range and accuracy
• Pronunciation
• Try and use a range of grammatical structures using complex and simple sentences to
express what you want to say. Know your own errors and practice speaking to friends in
English, or record yourself to see if you can spot errors. If you hear an error, make sure to
correct yourself. You are assessed on your ability to use different grammatical structures
accurately, so it's important to practise speaking about the past, the present and the future
using correct tenses.

39. Don't worry about your accent
• With a face-to-face Speaking test, the IELTS examiner
understands a wide range of accents so will be able to
understand what you say, unlike an AI machine. If you can
communicate well, then there is nothing to worry about. But do
be aware of sounds that you have difficulty with and make sure
to use stress and intonation as English is a stress-timed
language. Practice with friends and they will tell you if they can't
understand what you are saying.

40. Pause to think
• There is no harm in taking a brief pause to think about what to say. We all do it to
process questions. You can use phrases to give you time to think during the
Speaking test - phrases such as:
• That's an interesting question
• I have never thought about that, but...
• Let me see
• That's a good point
• That's a difficult question, but I'll try and answer it
• Well, some people say that is the case, however I think...
• Let me think about that for a minute

41. Avoid using fillers
• Speak confidently and avoid using filler words. We generally use fillers when we don't know
what to say, however, this shows the examiner that you can't access the appropriate
language or ideas so it's important to avoid them.
• Avoid the following fillers:
• Like
• You know
• Umm...
• Ahh...
• Ehh...
• Well
• Yeah...

42. Extend your answers
• Try and answer the examiner's questions in full. Extend your
answers and don't wait for the examiner to prompt you with a
question. When your answers are short, this shows the
examiner that you cannot talk in detail about a topic. If the
examiner says 'Why?', they are prompting you to give a reason
for your answer and to extend more fully.

43. Smiling helps pronunciation
• Smiling can help calm your nerves which in turn helps your
pronunciation. Make sure to enunciate clearly, opening your
mouth wide enough so that sounds come out clearly. When we
smile, our mouth is bigger and the tone of our voice is more
friendly. Using clear enunciation and tone will show the
examiner that you can use a range of pronunciation features.

44. Don't speak in a monotone
• Sometimes when we speak, we produce a flat sound, a monotone, with little
variation. This makes it more difficult to express what you say and makes it more
difficult for the listener to identify what parts of your message are important.
Putting emphasis on certain words and pausing at sections in your speech can
make your conversation with the IELTS examiner more engaging. When we
emphasise certain words, it makes it easier to compare and contrast ideas by
stressing key words. It also increases the flow of conversation, so remember:
• Don't speak in a monotone
• Vary the stress and intonation to add emphasis
• Use your hands to gesture and help the rhythm of the conversation

45. Practice common IELTS topics
• Part 2 of the IELTS Speaking test requires you to speak on a
given topic for about 2 minutes. Practice common IELTS topics
with friends, family or colleagues to improve and to learn
vocabulary associated with each topic.

46. Common topics you can practice for the Speaking test include:
• Tourism and travel
• Education
• Transport
• Environment
• Family life
• Sport and recreation
• Crime and punishment
• The internet