IELTS Speaking test: Most commonly garble words

Overview

Are you studying for the IELTS speaking exam but need help pronouncing English words correctly? The IELTS speaking test is a common challenge for IELTS test takers since it allows the examiner to assess a candidate's English language proficiency.

In this context, this blog discusses IELTS pronunciation, the importance of IELTS pronunciation practice, IELTS speaking words that are frequently mispronounced, and other important aspects. Let us begin the blog to gain a more in-depth understanding of this.

Table of Contents

Overview
What are the Most Mispronounced Words?
How can IELTS pronunciation be improved?
Conclusion
FAQs

What are the Most Mispronounced Words?

Below are some of the most mispronounced words in the IELTS speaking test, along with the correct pronunciation so you can understand the difference between proper and incorrect pronunciation.

Word	Incorrect Pronunciation	Correct Pronunciation
Abalone	ah-boh-lohn	ab-uh-loh-nee
Anemone	uh-nee-mohn	uh-nem-uh-nee
Antarctica	ant-ark-tik-uh	ant-ahrk-ti-kuh
Gesture	jes-chur	jes-cher
Leisure	lee-sure	leh-shur
Mischievous	mis-chee-vee-us	mis-chuh-vuhs
Niche	neesh	nich
Prejudice	pre-joo-diss	pre-juh-dis
Squirrel	skwuh-rel	skwur-uhl
Entrepreneur	en-tuh-pruh-noor	ahn-truh-pruh-nur
Library	lie-berry	lie-brer-ee
Schedule	sked-yool	sheh-jool
February	feb-roo-air-ee	feb-roo-er-ee
Nuclear	noo-kyuh-ler	noo-klee-er
Synonym	sin-uh-nym	sin-nuh-m
Vehicle	vee-hick-uhl	vee-i-kuhl
Genre	jen-ner	zhahn-ruh
Vegetable	veg-tay-buhl	vej-tuh-buhl
Refrigerator	ree-fri-juh-rey-ter	ri-frij-uh-rey-ter
Recognise	rek-uhg-nise	rek-uhg-nahys
Miscellaneous	miss-uh-ley-nee-uhs	mis-uh-lay-nee-uhs
Dialogue	dyuh-log	dahy-uhg
Vegetarian	vej-uh-tair-ee-uhn	vej-i-tair-ee-uhn
Pronunciation	pruh-nun-see-ey-shun	pruh-nuhn-see-ey-shun
Vocabulary	voh-kab-yuh-ler-ee	voh-kab-yuh-luh-ree
Envelope	en-vuh-lohp	en-vuh-lohp
Government	guhv-ern-ment	guhv-er-muhnt
Pronunciation	pruh-noun-see-ay-shun	pruh-nuhn-see-ay-shun
Archive	ar-kive	ar-kahyv
Organisation	or-gan-i-say-shun	awr-guh-nuh-sey-shun
Medicine	med-i-seen	med-i-sin
Persuade	per-swayd	per-swade
February	feb-yoo-air-ee	feb-roo-er-ee
Miniature	min-uh-cher	min-ee-uh-cher

Oftenly Mispronounced City and Country Names

Here are some mispronounced city and country names with their correct pronunciation so you can understand the difference. Moreover, some of these names can have slight variations in pronunciation depending on regional accents, but the given pronunciation is generally accepted and widely used.

NOTE: If you want to know more about the IELTS exam, consult our expert at the prepare IELTS exam.

Countries:

Country	Mispronounced	Correct Pronunciation
Argentina	Ar-gen-tee-nah	Ar-gen-tee-nuh
Chile	Chill	Chee-lay
Thailand	Thai-land	Tai-land
Nigeria	Nigh-ger-ee-ah	Nai-jeer-ee-ah
Qatar	Kwa-tar	Kuh-tar
Greece	Gree-se	Grees
Pakistan	Pack-i-stan	Pah-ki-stahn
Colombia	Co-lum-bi-a	Kuh-lum-bee-uh
Nicaragua	Nye-ka-ra-gwah	Nik-uh-ra-gwah
Mauritius	Ma-ri-shus	Maw-Ri-Shus

Cities:

City	Mispronounced	Correct Pronunciation
Beijing	Bai-jing	Bay-jing
Moscow	Moss-cow	Mah-skow
Bangkok	Bang-kok	Bang-gawk
Melbourne	Mel-born	Mel-burn
Dubai	Doo-bye	Doo-BYE
Munich	Mew-nich	Myoo-nik
Budapest	Bud-a-pest	Boo-da-pesht
Reykjavik	Reyk-ja-vik	Rake-ya-vik
Lahore	Luh-hor	Lah-hor
Buenos Aires	Bwen-os Airs	Bway-nos Eye-rehs

How can IELTS pronunciation be improved?

To avoid mispronunciation of words in the IELTS Speaking test, you should follow these steps:

Listen to audio resources carefully - Podcasts, news channels, audiobooks, movies, and videos can help you learn proper pronunciation.
Access complex words - Pay attention to lengthy words by breaking them down so they are easy to pronounce.
Understand word stress - learn when and how to stress certain words and sounds, as it plays a vital role in pronunciation.
Use Dictionaries - use dictionaries to check the correct pronunciation of unfamiliar words.
Repetition is key - listen and try to repeat the problematic words multiple times to know their correct pronunciation.
Engage in Conversations - practice regularly speaking English with friends and family to improve pronunciation and fluency.
Tongue Twisters - challenge yourself with tongue twisters to improve your dictation of words and pronunciation skills.
Practice aloud and Self-record - read a passage aloud and record yourself speaking, as this will help you identify areas for improvement.

If you want to know more about the IELTS exam, consult our expert at prepare IELTS exam.

Conclusion

To sum up, the IELTS speaking test requires careful attention to pronunciation because mispronounced words can significantly impact your overall score. You must practice regularly and familiarise yourself with the correct pronunciation skills to improve this. This will also help you boost your chances of achieving a high band score.

We hope you liked reading the blog. If you want to know more about the IELTS Speaking test - the most commonly garble words, 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.

FAQs

One of the easiest ways to increase vocabulary for the IELTS speaking test is to learn about various vocabulary subjects, employ various memory strategies, acquire new terms in context, practice new language, and concentrate on collocations.

The primary purpose of the IELTS speaking test is to assess a candidate's proficiency in spoken English. Candidates are judged based on their ability to articulate and present their thoughts fluently.

You can use idioms informally and in IELTS speaking as they help make the English language sound more natural and fluent. Intermediate English and native English speaker language learners will be differentiated by their natural use of idiomatic language.

Students preparing for the IELTS speaking test should avoid memorising any answers, utilising uncommon or significant words, cliched phrases, fillers like “yes”, “uh”, “ you know”, and speaking in a monotone.

You must learn and develop a robust vocabulary to work or study in an English-speaking nation. A strong vocabulary makes it easier to carry on a decent conversation or produce quality work.

Here are various ways to improve your pronunciation: listen to audio resources carefully, understand word stress, practice aloud and self-record, engage in conversations, access complex words, and do various other things.

The speaking portion of the IELTS lasts between 11 and 14 minutes. This exercise consists of an interview, a cue card, and a thorough discussion.