Acing the IELTS Speaking Exam: Talk the talk, Ace the test!

Hey fellow IELTS warriors! Hope you guys doing well and following your dreams. So, you've got the IELTS Speaking Exam on your radar, huh? Don't swat it! I'm here to walk you through it like a seasoned pro. Let's jump right in!

What's the buzz with the IELTS Speaking Exam?

Alright, let's get the basics down. The speaking test is all about assessing how well you can communicate in English. It's like having a friendly chat with an examiner who's genuinely interested in hearing what you have to say. So the test is about 15 minutes and it has three parts in it. I struggled in my first attempt but the second time I was able to get my required score of 7 for speaking. So I will not only share what to do to get a better band score but also share what not to do in the exam so you guys can get it done in one go.

What's on the menu?

Now let's break it down into three juice parts;

1. Part 1: The Introduction

It's like an icebreaker at a party. You'll be asked about familiar topics - Your hometown, hobbies, family, etc. It's as easy as chatting with a new friend.

2. Part 2: The Long Turn

This one is like a Monologue. You'll be given a card with a topic and you will have a minute to prepare and then talk about it for up to two minutes. It's like being the star of your mini-show!

3. Part 3: The Discussion

This is where things get a bit more in-depth. You'll have a discussion with the examiner about the topic from Part 2. It's like having a casual conversation with a colleague.

I'll be putting individual posts for each of these parts in the future with greater details so be in touch for that too.

Top Tips for Speaking Success:

Do not overthink about this that will cause more tension and pressure in your mind so please when you go to the exam just relax and be free. It's not a viva exam if you are not facing an interview or something. It's really important to get your mind set up. So if you talk like in an academic session because I know you all try to do that because of the academic background we have, you will not get a good score. So relax and enjoy the time of the discussion. think of it as a friendly discussion. You necessarily don't need to have knowledge about the given topic you just need to speak if you have no idea about it just say " I'm not really familiar with the given topic but I'll give my best" or " I'm not entirely sure, but I would think that...". It's not a test to check your IQ or something it's just a test to find out how well you can handle the English language. So "Set your Mind Right".

Don't try to memorize a lot of fancy vocabulary or scripts. Just be natural and speak from the heart. The important thing is to use the words and phrases that you already know to the best. Because if you try to add big words deliberately it will sound unnatural and the examiner will notice that. 

Some say it's really important to use a lot of idioms, slang, and jargon to get a higher band. In a way that is correct, you should use them if you can but only if you can. Don't try to add them use them all the time you will end up losing marks rather than getting them. Find some common idioms and expressions that you can use in various situations and practice with them so they may come to you naturally.

Maintaining a good posture and body language is crucial. Sit in a relaxed position that you feel comfortable. The examiner will notice these things you need to show him that you are comfortable while talking in English so he might think that you are natural to this.

Listen to the question: It might sound obvious, but sometimes nerves can make us miss the point. Take a breath listen, and then respond. If you feel like you didn't clearly get the point ask the examiner politely to repeat the question then he will repeat it for you. Don't worry you will not lose the points for that.

Expand your answers: Don't just give one-word answers. Develop your idea by giving examples and your own personal experiences too.

Practice is paramount: Find a study buddy a friend or another colleague who is doing the IELTS exam as well. Start practice with him right away and find topics to discuss with each other. This will improve your fluency and also you will get comfortable with the language. If you don't have a buddy just go in front of your mirror and speak to yourself and record it. so you can listen to it find errors and learn. This is a very effective way to practice.

Study the speaking marking criteria thoroughly: it's really important so that you can find out what to do and what not to do to get your desired band score.

That's it for this post guys I will give you more information on each part of the exam separately in the next posts so be sure to check it out. I will also attach some links to some YouTube channels and videos you might wanna check out they will help you with your speaking.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WSvoxPMOUy4

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y_-PwD72WM8

check out the given links and their YouTube Channels for more information that will definitely help you with your exam.

Cheers,

Hasitha Senarathna