What are some of the best ways to improve my Speaking scores on the IELTS test?

Question

Write your answer below on ways that students can improve their Speaking IELTS scores. There are three parts to the IELTS speaking test. Part 1 is familiar topics, Part 2 is a short speech, and Part 3 is discussing Abstract topics.

Answer 1

One way to get a better speaking score is to relax and imagine that you are just chatting with a friend when answering questions. This will help you sound more natural when you speak. I've noticed from my students during our mock speaking test that when they are nervous, they tend to forget what they want say which leads to a lot of pauses and dead air so their fluency suffers. I know taking a test is nerve-wracking but with enough practice with someone who can guide and motivate you, this is achievable.

Another thing, when doing part 2, avoid repeating the task statement but instead paraphrase it. This gives you a chance to show your range of vocabulary and the level of grammatical structures that you know. One exercise that you can do is to mind map words related to the topic and that examiners expect to hear from you.

Hope this helps!

EFL/ESL Teacher for 13+ years,

Jennifer

Answer 2

One of the best ways to improve your speaking scores are to learn brainstorming techniques. For example, on Speaking Part 2 you are given a task card and only 1 minute to write notes and then 1-2 minutes to speak about it. That is not a lot of time! What most students do is they take quick notes and then they speak those quick notes as if they are reading them from their actual notes! That's not a positive reflection of what that student can do with their English speaking. So, instead of writing down quick notes...try using a mind map to help sort your thought and include transition and vocabulary that you can use in your 2 minute speech part.

Another great way to improve your speaking score on the IELTS is to learn various phrases that mean the same thing. This is especially important in Part 3 of the test where the examiner asks you abstract questions, often whether or not you agree/disagree with the statement. Instead of saying "I agree" or "I disagree" try using. "I agree/disagree to a certain extent" or "It depends on the situation." Learning new phrases for certain words will help you sound less repetitive on the test and increase your use of vocabulary in scoring.

As always, pronunciation as well. Get with a trained English teacher that can help you pinpoint the sounds you struggle with and practice using them to gain confidence in those sounds.

English Language Teacher, M.A.

Rebekkah G.