Top 6 tips for IELTS Speaking

For many, preparation for IELTS is similar to a vigorous workout – it’s hard, it’s tedious, and you’ve got to sweat to see the effect. Even though it doesn’t have to be like that for you personally, there’s one similarity that holds true: when you’ve done it right and put in a sufficient amount of effort, the results will last for a long time to come. Thus, when you are preparing for the Speaking module, you are contributing to the improvement of your speaking skills as a whole, and it’s worth something.

So, here’s another list of tips for you, this time for IELTS Speaking:

1. Listen to English speech as much as you can. We all know that babies learn to talk while listening to adults speak. So, when preparing for the IELTS Speaking module, you need to be exposed to native English speech set in various contexts and having different forms: conversations, monologues, lectures, interviews, discussions, etc. Observe and try to mimic the speech patterns, vocabulary and grammar, pronunciation and intonation.
2. Find someone to talk to, preferably someone with great English speaking skills. It’s entirely up to you how often to practise, but I do hope you realize an hour a week isn’t going to do much for you; however, it’s definitely better than nothing.
3. Learn to use various conversation fillers, some phrases that can buy you thinking time, like “Let me think”, “Now, how do I put it”, etc.
4. Add more variety and coherence to your speech with linking clauses. These include time clauses (using when, after, once, as soon as, etc.), reason clauses (using because, since, as, etc.), result clauses (using so, therefore, as a result, etc.), purpose clauses (using in order to, so as to, so that, etc.), and concession clauses (using although, even though, though, etc.)
5. Learn to listen to questions and read tasks carefully. Think about the following: how often do you start speaking without letting the person you communicate with finish what they say? How often do you start doing a task without reading the instructions? How often do you jump to assumptions about what your interlocutor is about to say and act on it, if only verbally? If you can honestly answer “never”, I’m happy for you and you can skip this tip. If your answer is at least “rarely”, or even more often, you need to understand that this habit of ignoring questions and instructions might get worse on the day of the exam due to anxiety. Therefore, you need to learn to really listen. Otherwise, you might not answer a question fully and get a lower mark, not because you weren’t up for the task, but because you didn’t pay attention.
6. Learn to give full answers to questions. When taking the Speaking module, give extended answers to the examiner’s questions rather than just answer with a couple of words. But, remember to stick to the topic, or else your follow-up statements will not give you any credit.

Finally, the most important word of advice for you: whatever you do when taking the Speaking module, don’t be silent. Remember, it’s all about showing the ability to communicate your ideas, opinions, and feelings. Hence, even if you’re too worried to say anything, a phrase like “I’m so worried I can’t think of a word to say” will make a great starter. And by the time you finish this sentence, you’ll have managed to create another one; all you need is to get the ball rolling.