Lesson in Speaking

Purpose of IELTS Speaking test

The Speaking test is an oral interview between you and the examiner. The purpose
of the Speaking test is to determine how effectively you can communicate in
English.

Structure of the test

IELTS Speaking test is divided into 3 parts. Each part is different in terms of the
given tasks and how you and the examiner will communicate.

Part Interaction Task and language

part 1 Introduction The examiner greets you and
& Interview then introduces himself (herself)
4-5 to you. The
minutes examiner checks your ID.

The examiner asks you some

questions about topics that are
familiar to you.
part 2 Individual The examiner gives you a card
long turn with a topic written on it and
3-4 some prompts to help you with
minutes your answer. You are also given a
pencil and a piece of paper to
make notes if you wish. You have
one minute to think about the
topic and prepare your answer.

Then, you must speak about the

topic for one to two minutes. The
examiner may stop you if you
speak longer than this. After you
finish talking, the examiner may
ask you one or two follow-up
questions.
part 3 Two-way The examiner asks you some
discussion questions to involve you in a
4-5 discussion. The questions the
minutes examiner asks have the same
theme as Part 2. The language
required in the discussion is
generally more abstract than in
the other sections.
Procedures on the test day

The Speaking test takes place on other day and in other place than other parts of
IELTS.

1. After you have registered for IELTS, the test administrator will inform you
about your interview time and place.

2. When you come to the test center for your Speaking test, the test
administrator will tell you the room number when your test will take place.
Close to the time of your test, you will be shown to a waiting area.

3. The examiner will call you into the test room and ask you to sit at a table
facing him/her.

4. When you come to the room, the examiner will turn on a recorder and start
your Speaking test. Don't worry about that - all interviews are recorded to
make sure the Speaking test is fair.

Answering IELTS Speaking part 1 questions

Introduction

At the start of the Speaking test you will be greeted by the examiner and invited to
sit down. At this point, the examiner will begin recording the interview. Don't worry
- this is to ensure that the interview is conducted fairly for all candidates.

Then, you will be asked to show some identification and the examiner will
also ask you your name and what you prefer to be called (i.e. your first name or
nick name).
Examiner: Good morning. How are you today?
Candidate: I'm fine, thanks.
Examiner: My name's Brenda. What's your full name, please?
Candidate: My name's Regina Elma.
Examiner: What do you prefer to be called?
Candidate: Regina's fine.
Examiner: Ok, Regina. Good. Where do you come from?
Candidate: I come from Hamburg, Germany.
Examiner: Ok. Could you show me your identification, please? ... That's fine.
Thank you. Now I'd like to ask you some questions about yourself, is that
okay? ...
Tips:

1. Introduce yourself in a relaxed and friendly way.

2. Make a good impression by smiling and being confident.
3. Be aware of your body language – sit up straight and always look at the
examiner (eye contact is considered in Western cultures).
4. Do not tell the examiner that you feel nervous – the examiner already knows
this :)

Interview

During this part of the Speaking test you will be asked some general questions
about yourself. These questions relate to your personal background. To answer
these questions well, see the recommended strategies below.

Here some very common topic areas that you might be asked questions about:

 job & studies

 home
 country
 family, friends and relationships
 interests or hobbies
 music
 the Internet
 advertising
 media
 reading
 daily routine
 food and cooking

Strategies:

a. Learn some topic vocabulary and practice IELTS Speaking sample

questions to be more familiar with IELTS Speaking part 1
b. Don't give too short answers - answer with 2-4 sentences
c. Be natural and spontaneous, don't learn whole answers by heart
d. If you feel you got stuck, you may ask yourself a "leading question"
(like why? or how?) to help yourself to continue. Example:

Examiner: Do you like fruit?

Candidate: Umm, yes... [Why?] I like fruits because they are good for our
health and because I like their fresh taste.

e. If you feel you need some time to think about your answer, you can say the
following phrases: "Oh, that's an interesting question...", "I have actually
never thought about that... " or "It's a tricky question!". This way, you will
get extra 3-5 seconds to think of your answer.
f. Use linking words
 Examiner: Ah, Regina, let's talk about the Internet now. What do most people use
the Internet for in your country?
Candidate: Um, well I'm not sure what most people in my country would use the
Internet for, but I know I have a lot of friends who are students and I know that
they use the Internet a lot for research and to gain information they need to do
assignments. They also use it a lot to listen to songs and get information about
movies and things they can do in their free time.
Examiner: Is shopping on-line popular in your country?
Candidate: I think it's becoming more popular these days. A lot of people are still
worried about whether it's safe but I know that a lot of my friends shop online now.
Examiner: What are some of the advantages of shopping on-line?
Candidate: Well, I think, the advantages um... It's quick. I think you can view the
products very easily on the Internet. And you don't actually have to go out looking
for the product. You can sit there and choose it on the screen. So I think it's very
convenient in that way.
Examiner: Thank you.

Examiner: Let's talk about people. Do you enjoy being in large groups of people?
Candidate: Um, well actually, I don't. I prefer just being with a small group of close
friends.
Examiner: Why?
Candidate: I think it's nicer. You can talk about things a lot more, things that are
important to you. I just don't like crowds of people.
Examiner: What type of person do you get on with most?
Candidate: That's an interesting question. Um, I like people who are active, who go
out and do things. I don't like people who are inside all day, who do nothing with their
time. Yeah, I like people who like to get outside and do something each day.
Examiner: What kind of behavior do you dislike most in a person?
Candidate: I think I really dislike it when people are dishonest, either dishonest in
the way they behave or even with small things, if they tell lies about small things. I
don't like that.
Examiner: Ok, thank you.

Tips:

1. Show that you are interested in the questions the examiner asks you
2. Show that you are willing to communicate

Positive communication leaves a good impression on the examiner.

 Giving relevant answers in IELTS Speaking
The questions in IELTS Speaking test (parts 1 and 3) may ask you to do one or
more of the following:

 describe
 explain
 suggest
 express a preference
 give an opinion
 compare and contrast
 give a reason

Let's look at the examples below to get an idea what relevant answer means

Example 1

This question asks you to describe your home town.

Example of relevant answer:

My hometown is a little village located in the Western part of India... It is a very

pleasant place with a lot of trees and nice climate. I really like it.

This answer is relevant because you describe your hometown in it - exactly what
the question asked you to do.

Example of irrelevant answer:

Hmm... I like my hometown primarily because it is a very pleasant place with a

lot of trees and nice climate.

This answer is irrelevant because it explains why you like your hometown, rather
than describes your hometown.

Another example of irrelevant answer:

Currently I live in a big city, which is very different from my hometown... Unlike
the place where I live now, my hometown is a little village.

This answer is irrelevant because it compares and contrasts your current place of
living with your hometown, rather than describes your hometown.
Example 2

This question asks you to compare and contrast what your hometown is like now
to what it was like in the past.

Example of relevant answer:

Well... Nowadays my hometown is a little bit different from what it was in the
past. During the last decade a lot of facilities - like supermarkets and gyms -
were built... Moreover, I think it became more populated.

Example of irrelevant answer:

I prefer what my hometown was like in the past than what it is like now. I don't
like crowds and a lot of people, and nowadays my hometown is really over-
populated.

This answer is irrelevant because it expresses a preference rather than compares

and contrasts.

Example 3

This question asks you to suggest things that a tourist would like to do in your
hometown.

Example of relevant answer:

Hmm... Firstly, there are some historical places - like ancient temples - that
tourists would like to see in my hometown. They have been built in 10th century
and are surrounded by a large garden, so I believe it's an amazing place to visit.
Also, I think that tourists would find the local zoo very interesting too.

Example of irrelevant answer:

There are ancient temples, which are located in the Northern part of my
hometown; they have been built in 10th century! They are very old and reveal
many historical mysteries. They are surrounded by a large garden and are easily
accessible by subway.

This answer is irrelevant because it describes a tourist attraction rather than

suggests visiting it.
Example 4

This question asks you to give an opinion.

Example of relevant answer:

I believe my hometown to be the most beautiful city in my country. Probably, I

like it so much because I was born there and spent first 19 years of my life in
that city.

Example of irrelevant answer:

I like my hometown because I was born there and it is very near and dear to my
heart.

This answer is irrelevant because it explains why you like a certain city rather than
gives an opinion.