1. Introduction 1.1. Part 1: Introduction and Interview This first section of the IELTS Speaking exam lasts about 4-5 minutes and gives the examiner the chance to find out a little about you through some simple ‘getting-to-know-you’ questions. These will be questions that you’ll have something to talk about such as your family, where you come from and what your interests are. This is also YOUR chance to get off to a good start! Example Questions: Q: Tell me a little about where you come from? Q: Do you enjoy studying English? Q: Why are you taking the IELTS exam? Q: Have you got any interests or hobbies? Part 1: Top Tips! Impress the examiner with your ability to give full answers to his or her questions. a) Avoid short, ‘yes’, ‘no’ answers. Q: Tell me a little about where you come from? A: I’m from Coimbra. It’s a city in the central part of Portugal. It’s a very historical city and we have one of the oldest universities in Europe. Use examples to back up statements. Q: Do you enjoy studying English? A: Oh yes! I went to England last year and loved being able to communicate with local people. And knowing a second language means you have access to a whole new culture … new authors, English films. b) Give the examiner a picture of you. Q: Why are you taking the IELTS exam? A: I’m taking an IELTS course in India in order to go to university in the UK. I’ve been accepted on a Business course in London but need to get the right IELTS score so I’ve been doing lots of IELTS Speaking practice.
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1. Introduction
1.1. Part 1: Introduction and Interview
This first section of the IELTS Speaking exam lasts about 4-5 minutes and gives the examiner
the chance to find out a little about you through some simple ‘getting-to-know-you’ questions. These
will be questions that you’ll have something to talk about such as your family, where you come from
and what your interests are. This is also YOUR chance to get off to a good start!
Example Questions:
Q: Tell me a little about where you come from?
Q: Do you enjoy studying English?
Q: Why are you taking the IELTS exam?
Q: Have you got any interests or hobbies?
Part 1: Top Tips!
Impress the examiner with your ability to give full answers to his or her questions.
a) Avoid short, ‘yes’, ‘no’ answers.
Q: Tell me a little about where you come from?
A: I’m from Coimbra. It’s a city in the central part of Portugal. It’s a very historical city and we have
one of the oldest universities in Europe.
Use examples to back up statements.
Q: Do you enjoy studying English?
A: Oh yes! I went to England last year and loved being able to communicate with local people. And
knowing a second language means you have access to a whole new culture … new authors, English
films.
b) Give the examiner a picture of you.
Q: Why are you taking the IELTS exam?
A: I’m taking an IELTS course in India in order to go to university in the UK. I’ve been accepted on a
Business course in London but need to get the right IELTS score so I’ve been doing lots of IELTS
Speaking practice.
Q: Have you got any interests or hobbies?
A: Not really. I like watching football and read books quite often, but I don’t have any hobbies really.
Hopefully one day I’ll discover a hidden interest!
1.2. Part 2: The Long Turn
In Part 2 of the IELTS Speaking exam you have to speak for between 1 and 2 minutes on a set
topic based on information on a card the examiner will give you. You’ll be a given a minute to
prepare what you want to say – just enough time to jot down some ideas to help give your talk
structure and interest.
Example Topics:
Example 1: Describe a teacher you have fond memories of.
You should say:
when this was
where you were studying when you met
which subject they taught you
and what it was about the person that makes them so memorable.
Example 2: Describe an item of technology you use that you couldn’t do without.
You should say:
what this technology is
when you first started using it
how you use it
and why it’s so essential for you.
Part 2: Top Tips!
a) Make the most of your preparation time and make notes.
b) Structure your talk with an introduction, main body and conclusion. Signpost your talks at
the end with words or expressions like:
“So …”
“As you can see …”
”To sum up …”
c) Add personal details such as short anecdotes to help make your talk interesting.
d) Don’t speak too fast. Pause between sentences and try to relax.
Part 2: Troubleshooting
Many people preparing for the IELTS long turn worry how they can finish what they want to
say in the time available. The best way to get the timing right is to practise making short talks on
various topics on your own. (Or in front of a friend if you’re feeling brave) Try building in a short
introduction and conclusion to give your talk structure. You’ll almost certainly overrun or finish too
quickly at first but the more you practise the sooner you’ll get a feel for the time available. And
remember, we often feel nervous when presenting and this can often lead to us speaking too quickly.
Try not to rush. Regular pauses between sentences will help you control the pace of your talk and the
examiner will find it easier to follow what you’re saying.
1.3. Part 3: Two-Way Discussion
In Part 3 of the IELTS interview, which lasts between 4-5 minutes, you will participate in a
discussion with the examiner based on the topic in Part 2. The examiner is likely to ask you questions
based on your experience or opinion of the subject.
Example Questions:
Topic = Sport you watch or participate in
Q: How important is it for young people to be involved in sport?
Q: Which sports are particularly popular in your country?
Q: What would you recommend to someone thinking about taking up a new sporting interest?
Topic = Somebody who has been an important friend to you
Q: Why are friends so important to us?
Q: Which qualities do you most value in a friend?
Q: Is it common to have a ‘best friend’ as we get older?
Part 3: Top Tips!
a) Again, avoid short, ‘yes’, ‘no’ answers.
b) Use personal anecdotes to help yourself make a point or express an opinion.
c) Use expressions to allow you time to think. For example:
“That’s a good question …”
“‘Well, let me think …”
d) Refer to stories in the news to help make a point.
Part 3: Troubleshooting
Many non-native speakers about to attend an IELTS interview are understandably worried
about making mistakes in their use of English. How important is it to be accurate and should you try
to self-correct any mistakes you make? The fact that you have a good level of English will certainly
be an asset and the interviewer will be reassured if you can speak clearly and reasonably accurately.
Self-correction is a good way of showing the interviewer that you’re aware of having made a mistake.
However, don’t go mad trying to correct each and every error! Remember, you should also be
demonstrating your fluency skills as well. Monitoring your speech Too closely and self-correcting
every mistake will slow you down and make you sound rather hesitant.
Remember this: the interviewer will be interested in WHAT you have to say as well as how
you say it so try to concentrate on this fact and worry less about speaking ‘perfect’ English!
2. Rhythmic IELTS
I’m very pleased to be able to publish this latest post, written by Dominic Cole of dceielts.com.
Dominic is a very experienced teacher with a practical eye to teaching and learning. This guest post
offers a clear explanation of how to view each part of the Speaking exam.
How does the IELTS Speaking exam relate to real-life situations?
The IELTS Speaking test has its own special rhythm and it helps to respect that rhythm. What
this means is that the test gets harder as it goes along and that each part of the test asks you to speak in
a different way. One way to think about this is to see how each part of the test reflects a different
social occasion. The general idea is that you can use the everyday speaking skills you have in your
own language to help you in the exam – it’s not really the case that you need lots of “exam” skills.
1.4. Part 1 – small talk – who are you?
This is the easy part. Small talk is what we do at social occasions to be polite. You meet
someone new and you chat to them. The idea is that they want to know a little bit about you to see if
you are their sort of person. Say too little (“I come from a small family – full stop”) and that’s rude,
say too much (“Wuhan is located at 30 degrees latitude..etc...”) and that’s just boring. It may help to
think of the examiner as someone you want to start a relationship with!
Exam tip: Don’t try and do too much. The examiner has lots of questions to ask you here
(around 12), and the questions are meant to be simple. The hard questions come later, save your
energy for them in part 3.
Preparation tip: Learn to make some eye contact. This is difficult for some candidates. Very
nearly 100% of the most confident speakers I know make eye contact and this is one part of the test
where you should be confident.
1.5. Part 2 – the get together – do you remember the time…?
This looks like the one strange part of the test. You get 1 minute’s thinking time and need to
speak for 2 minutes and that seems like a very unnatural task. Perhaps Though here is my way of
thinking about it. You are now out with a friend, someone you know quite well, and you are talking
together about stuff – things from your life. If you were in the UK, this would happen in a pub. You
sit together and because you know each other quite well, you don’t need to talk all the time, you sit
silently for a bit and then you start telling stories. This cue card is really just asking you to tell a story
from your life:
Describe a meal you remember. You should say:
what the different dishes were
where the meal was
who you shared the meal with
and say why you remember that meal.
Exam tip: How do you tell a good story? Some people find this harder than others. Detail is the
answer. What detail do you need? As ever with IELTS, the clue is in the question: the cue card tells
you what details to use with who/when/where/what questions. Be smart and use the cue card to help
you.
Preparation tip: By all means find some practice cue cards and see what sort of topics you may
need to talk about. My best suggestion though is to look through the pictures on your camera roll.
What you will see there are the ideas you need to use – people, things and events in your life – you
are always talking personally in this part of the test.
1.6. Part 3 – the interview – are you good enough?
This is much the hardest part of the test. Unlike part 1, the questions are thinking questions and
that means you need to think and speak at the same time – tough. Unlike part 2, you get no thinking
time – tougher yet. That’s the bad news. The good news is that you’ve had 10 minutes to warm up. If
you have respected the rhythm of the test, you should get to part 3 already thinking and speaking
English.
The format is really just the standard interview. Here are some questions to see if you “ think on
your feet” in English. You should already be prepared because the questions follow the topic of part
2, but this is the one area of the test that you may need to use speaking strategies.
Exam tip: As someone who has done lots of oral examining (not IELTS), I can tell you the
ultimate strategy is to answer the question! It’s surprising how few people do this. I’d simply add that
“I don’t know” and “I’m not sure” can be the most intelligent answers provided you expand them
appropriately.
Preparation tip: You want to find a site that can help you with the right language and
strategies. If you are reading this, you are already here!!!
……………………………………………………………………..
Thanks to Dominic for some excellent advice. Get more tips on Speaking from Dominic at:
http://www.dcielts.com/speaking/
3. IELTS Holiday Vocabulary
You probably know the meaning of individual words like ‘flight’, ‘tour’ and ‘view’. However,
the key to showcasing your advanced English is to show you are able to use these individual words in
combination with other words to form set phrases and expressions.
1.7. Part 1-style questions
Examiner: What kind of holiday do you like?
Miguel: I try to avoid tourist traps … I like to get away from it all and prefer going somewhere
off the beaten track … last year I had the holiday of a lifetime … a two week wildlife safari in
Kenya.
Examiner: What do you like to do when you’re on holiday?
Anna: I enjoy visiting the local places of interest … I like to go sightseeing and always sign up
for guided tours as it’s a chance to be shown around and take photographs … one of my hobbies.
Examiner: Do you have many tourists in your country?
Amy: Yes … we have a lot of holiday resorts along the coast that are popular with tourists …
most people come on package holidays and stay in one of the many hotels and self-catering
apartments.
1.8. Part 2-style task
Describe a beautiful place you once visited. You should say:
when you went to this place
where it was
who you went with
and say why you liked it so much.
Sally: A few years ago I went on a long weekend to the Lake District in the UK … it’s a very
popular holiday destination in the north of England … I went on my own and had a wonderful time …
I stayed in a youth hostel and met some really nice people … but the most memorable thing about the
holiday were the breath taking views … and lovely picturesque villages … it can get very busy
with hordes of tourists so I decided to go out of season in the autumn … the weather was fantastic
and the shops were full of local crafts … a really great holiday … it’s certainly not the kind of short
break for someone looking for a busy nightlife but if you want to relax in the middle of stunning
landscape I would certainly recommend a holiday to the Lake District.
1.9. Part 3-style questions
Examiner: What do you think has led to the growth in the tourist industry?
Miguel: It’s much easier and affordable to travel now … nowadays you can get cheap charter-
flights or all-in packages … to somewhere near or to a far-off destination.
Examiner: How do people tend to choose a destination?
Anna: The Internet is a great source of information and high street travel agents are still very
popular … that’s where I like to go to get holiday brochures for the place I’m interested in.
Examiner: People sometimes say flying is the most glamorous form of travel. Do you agree?
Amy: I’m not so sure really … flying can be quite boring … queuing up at the check-in desk …
going through passport control … sitting for ages in the departure lounge … then the flight itself can
be quite uncomfortable … no … I’m not sure I agree.
Definitions
all-in package/package holiday: a holiday where you purchase the travel and
accommodation together
breathtaking view: an extremely beautiful view
charter-flight: a cheaper form of flying than a scheduled flight
check-in desk: the place at the airport where you register for your flight and deposit
your luggage
departure lounge: where you wait for your flight to be called
far-off destination: somewhere a long way away
to get away from it all: to take a holiday to escape a busy or stressful lifestyle
guided tour: an organised group shown around a place of interest by an expert
holiday brochure: a glossy publication with details of holiday packages
holiday destination: where you go for a holiday
holiday of a lifetime: a special holiday that you are unlikely to repeat
holiday resort: a place where lots of people go for a holiday
hordes of tourists: crowds of tourists
local crafts: objects produced locally
long weekend: an extended weekend holiday including Friday or Monday
out of season: outside of the main holiday period
picturesque village: very pretty village
passport control: the place where your passport is checked
places of interest: sites of interest to tourists
wildlife safari: a holiday, often in Africa, to observe wild animals
self-catering: a holiday where you supply your own food
short break: a short holiday
to go sightseeing: to look around the tourist sites