IELTS Speaking: 10 Ways to Help Students Speak More Fluently

Steps to the IELTS Speaking Exam

Before starting with the tips, let's understand the 3 parts in which the IELTS speaking section is conducted-

Part 1

The first part is the introductory section, and the interview section is four to five minutes long. In this part, the examiner will ask questions about your life, including details about your family, occupation, home environment, interests, studies, and hobbies. When seeking further details, the examiner will ask "why?" or "why not?" queries.

Part 2

The second part of the IELTS speaking is the long turn, during which the students will get a topic to discuss. This section is mostly three to four minutes long, and it includes prep time as well. You will receive a task card from the examiner requesting you to talk about a certain subject. You will have one minute to organise your ideas (you may also take notes) before you talk for up to two minutes. When you're finished, the examiner will ask you one or two follow-up questions. The questions are generic and frequently urge you to share a personal narrative or moment from your life.

Part 3

Lastly, the third section is the discussion bit, where the examiner asks questions related to part 2. The examiner will delve further into the subject matter covered in Part 2. This is your time to elaborate on your ideas, voice your opinions, and bring up more esoteric concepts.

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10 Tips for IELTS Speaking

Owing to the interview-style format, the IELTS Speaking test may cause stress. Thankfully, there are a few simple actions you may do to lower your stress level and get a good grade. You may ace the IELTS Speaking test if you adhere to the ten suggestions below.

Pick a Partner for Practising

It's possible that the person testing you on the IELTS Speaking exam will speak English more fluently than you do. Therefore, it's a wonderful idea to rehearse for the test with a higher-level English speaker. This will motivate you to practise speaking more.

However, be careful not to partner with someone whose level of English ability is significantly greater than your own. That may cause you to lose hope and start doubting your skills.

Practice Regularly

Students need to practise to improve their speaking skills. Communicating with English-speaking friends, instructors, and classmates is the best way to improve your English language skills. It's critical to comprehend how speaking preparation for the IELTS varies from other speaking courses. To improve their speaking fluency, students should practice answering IELTS questions in an interview-like setting. They can also attempt to answer the same questions more than once and seek assistance from a coach who can identify their errors.

Do Not Memorise Answers

Answers should not be memorised, especially for Part 1. Rehearsed language does not provide an accurate assessment of your proficiency in the English language to the examiner. If you have memorised your answers, the examiner will be able to tell if you are speaking spontaneously or by memorising the answers, which might affect your final band score.

Give Answers Like a Story

Imagine if one of the speaking questions on the IELTS is, "What sport do you like to play?" You don't participate in sports, though. So how can you discuss something you don't like or about which you have no experience?

Making things into a story is among the best IELTS speaking strategies. There is no requirement that you provide the truth in your response, even if it is helpful to draw on personal experience. All that is required of you is a narrative. The first is to invent something. Alternatively, discuss your reasons for not participating in sports; you might have a fascinating story. Topics for general speaking on the IELTS might be anything. Make the most of this by crafting an entertaining narrative.

Use Familiar Words

Use large, complex vocabulary to impress the examiner during your speaking exam. But stay away from using unfamiliar terms just to be safe. The likelihood of making errors is increased when words are mispronounced or used incorrectly in context. Mistakes can have an impact on your final band score. Make use of terminology that you are familiar with and that is pertinent to the subject at hand.

Confidence is the Key

You probably will feel nervous before and during the IELTS speaking exam. This is a very usual scenario. Nevertheless, it's important to project confidence toward the examiner despite any anxiety you may be experiencing.

Make sure you present yourself professionally, arrive on time, and give your examiner a firm handshake and smile to establish a good first impression. Don't worry if you unintentionally say "Good afternoon" when you meant to say "Good morning." Because they are nervous, IELTS examiners frequently overlook little errors.

Speak at a Steady Pace

When it comes to language skills, we often equate speed with ability. You can talk more quickly, the more proficient you are, right? There is some validity to this, but when taking the IELTS Speaking test, it's essential to avoid getting caught in the speed trap. Speaking too quickly might make you sound rambling. Conversely, if you talk too slowly, your teacher can get disinterested in what you have to say. Maintaining a constant and steady pace is the most fantastic strategy.

Pronunciation is Important

A key component of speaking English fluently is pronunciation. It boosts students' confidence in their speaking abilities by helping them pronounce and enunciate English words more clearly. Idiomatic phrases and phrasal verbs often employed in English-speaking nations are essential lessons that knowledgeable instructors at Prepare IELTS Exam impart to students taking the IELTS English course. Aside from this, students should record themselves while speaking and using straightforward English. Repeating challenging words aloud will help them improve their pronunciation. 

Focus & Prioritise Intonation

Speaking with intonation- the rising and falling of the voice- is crucial to speaking correctly in English. To improve how they communicate with language, students should practice speaking with the proper tone. By concentrating on tone, students may reduce the likelihood of overdoing things and more effectively convey their opinions throughout the IELTS speaking exam and interview. Students need to keep in mind that the IELTS is a language test, and the examiner is evaluating their proficiency in the language rather than their level of knowledge. 

Thinking in English

To enhance one's fluency, consider the answer in English before responding. Whether utilising different writing prompts or expressing their thoughts in class discussions, students should concentrate on thinking in English. Students will feel more at ease presenting their ideas, and it's a terrific method to improve speaking scores on the IELTS exam. Fluency will increase when students think in English, and they may learn how to better organise their responses by using connecting words. They will talk more naturally if they utilise terms like because, so, but, etc. They can also pause and move on to the following sentence.

Additional Tips

We have already mentioned the top ten tips to inculcate for improving your English, but here are some of the additional tips that might boost your practice-

1. Avoid the use of fillers such as, like, umm, ahh, ahh, well, yeah, etc.

2. Don’t have a monotonous voice.

3. Pause and think before answering.

4. Don’t try to maintain an accent.

5. Use the proper range of grammatical structures.

6. Keep in mind that this is not a test of what one knows.

7. Also, focus on listening skills, as listening and speaking go hand in hand.

These were additional tips to help you improve your speaking and ace the IELTS Speaking test. 

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Conclusion

To conclude, the IELTS speaking section can be tricky for a few students, but with the help of these tips, you can easily ace your exam. The blog has some simple steps, tips and tricks with which you can very quickly score well in the IELTS exam. The key to all the tips is to practice and be consistent with all the preparations; that is the only thing that will lead to good and improved scores. 

If you want to know more about the IELTS exam or want to prepare for IELTS,  we recommend you sign up for our IELTS courses designed by our experts. Please contact Prepare IELTS Exam (PI) expert counsellors for further guidance. Our team of education experts is dedicated to assisting you in the best possible way for the IELTS exam. You can also get a one-on-one counselling session online via our platform. Contact us at info@prepareieltsexam.com or call us at +91 9773398388.