General tips for IELTS speaking

General tips for speaking

1.       Spend time before the test, speaking and listening or reading in English rather than in your own language so you are ‘thinking in English’ when you go into the examination room.

2.       Smile and relax – the more you smile the more relaxed you will feel. Don’t let the fact that the test is recorded make you nervous – try and concentrate on what you are asked about.

3.       Always speak clearly so that the examiner can hear you.

4.       It’s important not to sound flat, so use stress and intonation to make what you say sound interesting.

5.       Don’t speak too fast because it can be difficult to follow. Don’t speak too slowly as you won’t have the chance to say very much.

6.       Use fillers like ‘Well’, ‘So’ and “Let me think” to give yourself time to prepare what you will say without leaving a long pause.

7.       Don’t worry if you make a grammatical mistake – you are being assessed on various things, not just your grammar.

8.       Try to use a wide range of grammar and vocabulary during the test. The examiner can only award you marks for the language you produce.

9.       Don’t worry if the examiner stops you before you have finished. The test is carefully timed and the timings for each part must be observed by the examiner.

[Top Tips for IELTS]