IELTS speaking task tips and strategies

Introduction to IELTS Exam

This article is about the IELTS Exam which is important for most of the people who wish to be a part of different countries. So here are few tips as to how to conquer good results and accomplish your dream. We will cover the IELTS speaking tasks tips and strategies for 2020.

IELTS is an English language-based exam which is required to be taken by international candidates for their migration or academic purposes. It is required for English speaking countries like Australia, UK, USA, New Zealand, Canada. It is the only test approved by UK visas and immigration.

The examinee’s ability to communicate in four basic English language skills- listening, writing, speaking and reading. It is also taken by those who want to gain work experience or to enrol in training programs (secondary education). As per the rules, there is no age limit to appear in the test. The examination fee decided by the British Council and the average fee is $120. The marking is based on a scale from 1 to 9 in which 1(lowest) and 9(highest). If a candidate cancels the test the refund amount is issued by deducting 25% as an administrative fee.

IELTS Speaking Module

This is 11-14 minutes of IELTS Speaking Module, comprises of the three sections. Before giving the detailed view of these three sections, let’s have a proposition about them first.

• Section 1: This starting (4-5 minutes) is all about ‘you’. To make you comfortable the evaluator will ask you some casual questions regarding your family, hobbies etc.
• Section 2: This section sometimes called as “long turn”. You will be given a card on which a topic has been written. You will get one minute to think and another two minutes to speak.
• Section 3: This section is more conceptual where you will get an opportunity to make a good answer for the issues brought up by the evaluator.

The first part deals with topics related to the interest of the candidate such as hobbies, work, studies. A total of 8-9 questions are to be answered. The second part is about speech.  A minute for planning is given to the candidate. The topic is given as cue-card and the participant speaks for a limited time period. The third part is a bit tricky. The candidate needs to be attentive in this part. The questions are based on the motive of part two topic. The discussion is based on general themes.

The basis of evaluation of the IELTS Speaking Module

You are going to be evaluated on four grounds.

1.Fluency and Coherence

2.Lexical Resource

3. Grammatical Range and Accuracy

4. Pronunciation

IELTS speaking tasks tips and strategies

A lot of participants get nervous about this part of the exam. As it involves patience, organisation of thoughts, steady pace and spontaneity. The test is mainly based to check the ability of fluency, speaking without hesitation, proper usage of vocabulary, pronounce words well and avoid grammatical errors.

The main objective is to be well- versed and maintain a healthy balance between speaking quickly and long pauses. As said “practice makes a man perfect”, solving questions before the exam will help to have a good score. The only plan is to have good control over words and understand the reason for the given answer. During the exam, any number of questions can be asked to the examiner. If any clarifications are required, those can be verified without loss of marks. Emotions play a very important role during a conversation. The voice modulation of the speaker is necessary to persuade and invade the examiner’s emotions. The person must express views as they do with their native language.

Ways to improve IELTS Speaking Module and proven IELTS Speaking strategies

Don’t try to finish quickly

By speaking for around 15 minutes in non native language may exhaust you. But that’s the only chance to hit the goal and win the match. It will be better if you will answer full rather to cut it in short to end it hastily.

Don’t be afraid to ask questions

There will be words in some questions that you might not understand at that very instant. The rule is that you can ask the meaning of one word, but be aware you are not allowed to ask them to explain what a whole sentence means.

You might ask them to repeat the question if it didn’t click your mind. So make it a good advantage of this opportunity and try to use it rather sticking between your inner turmoil of May I or May I Not.

Best strategies to answer IELTS Speaking questions

The answer must not end in a sentence, instead of a few other sentences can be added to make it more refined. The flow must be smooth but in a way which has a logic. It should also have instances which can be linked. Literary devices can make the answer interesting. “Think before you speak”, is a popular quote which is applicable prominently in this exam. If the candidate is unsure of the answer, few sentences can be included which mentally gives time to think. Mistakes are common in every field but being nervous, mumbling is not a solution. Instead of getting into a state of panic remain calm and composed. The completion of the answer will not cost the loss of marks and would create a good impact on them. “The first impression is the best and last impression”. It is very necessary to look, smell and feel good during the exam. Be confident enough though it seems to be a difficult point in life. It’s a matter of a few minutes which would lead you to success. The most prominent part of the test is not to by heart the answers word by word. It would be useful if the collocations and vocabulary are used in the speech which can increase the quality and quantity of the answer. The examiners can guess the mindset of an individual by the way they start up the conversation.

To improve the level of speaking in English adapt to an environment in which you maximize the usage of the language. It is also beneficial to talk to people who are good at English vocabulary and also learn the way words are been pronounced. One of the flaws which every candidate’s face is the idea of showing off their skills to the examiners. The point that is to be understood is to keep ideas as simple as possible and to portray them in a systematic manner. The behind is short and sweet which is appreciated by the invigilators.

As said be passionate about the type of questions that are asked to you. They are about yourself. It deals mostly with your day-to-day activities. Therefore, to a certain level, the questions can be expected. It includes expressing your views, contradiction of opinions, acceptance of ideas. The overview of all these leads to be dominant in the discussion which might result in gaining good scores. Smile is the beautiful ornament a person can wear. It boosts up your confidence and creates a sense of relaxation in the body. This would give scope for better flow of thoughts which can be included in your answers. The raw material is your preparation, the machinery is the examination, the product or answers depends on the way it proceeds. To get the best output, the inputs and the procedure must be to the best level.

Time Management is crucial

Time plays a prominent role in the exam. It would be good to practice using a stop- clock and mould yourself with the timings of the exam. Practice by making an eye-contact with yourself. This would also be helpful to make eye-contact with the examiner. Remember, do not try to judge your opinions and prove them right in front of the examiner. Just put forth your view a take a stand for it. Being accurate also proves to be beneficial to the candidate. A pre-preparation mode before the exam known as the warm-up session is also advisable.

In this technological world where things are done in a fraction of seconds, there are YouTube channels where you can see the old participants doing IELTS speaking exams. There are online tests, questions, papers which can be solved and increase the proficiency in the upcoming examination. Make notes of those points and they can be used as cue-cards for preparation just before the test. There are few vocabulary topics which are also listed. The themes are simple and understandable by a layman.

Best proven IELTS speaking strategies

1. Be Aware of the Timing and Scoring – This part generally lasts between 4-5 minutes. The examiner will ask you some general questions based on your life, hobbies and more so be straightforward with the answers. For example, the examiner might ask “Do you think reading a magazine can help you learn a language?”. “Yes! It helps develop one’s communication skills and also their vocabulary.”
2. Fluency vs Vocabulary – IELTS aspirants always get confused to maintain consistency between fluency and vocabulary. Both of these skills carry the same weightage in the scorecard. Still, it is advisable to be fluent than spending your time thinking about the best word. If you are speaking fluently, it will create a good impression on the examiner. Hunt only for 2-3 unique words while you speak.
3. Don’t Speak Prepared Answers – Many IELTS aspirants try to memorize the answers as you do in your school/college exams. But it will not help you. Well, because there are many possibilities of having a random and unaware topic in the cue card.
4. Avoid Speaking in Monotone – Be natural when you speak to keep the listener engaged. Vary your pitch at specific points to sound more fluent and interesting. Monotonous speech can sound less fluent.
5. Don’t Panic When You Make Mistakes – Yes, it is completely fine even when you make a mistake while speaking. Mistakes tend to happen if you are talking too quickly or you utter a wrong word accidentally. So, don’t panic if such situations occur.

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Focus on the all the sections – everything is important

The only thing to remember is to concentrate on all the four sections which are listening, writing, reading and speaking. Each section is equally important to clear the test and score well. A balanced diet is necessary to maintain proper nutrition and health, in a similar way it is essential to work hard on all the areas. Working hard along with smart work is needed in the competitive world.

This article entirely speaks about the tips and strategies required to prepare for the exam mainly in speaking section. Moving towards the end of this article, one of the ways to succeed is to have self-confidence and belief in oneself. Mistakes are stepping stones towards success, so never regret them instead start working on them and not repeat them again.

Finally, “All the Best” to all candidates going through this article.

“YOU CAN AND YOU WILL”