To do well on the IELTS, you need to have accurate grammar, proper vocabulary, and good pronunciation, not translate directly from your native language, express your ideas clearly and organise your thoughts.
Some topics you might be asked to speak about on this portion of the IELTS exam are explained below.
- Introduction and interview (e.g. What’s the most interesting part of your town/village? How long have you lived there?)
- Two-way discussion (e.g. How have people’s values changed over time?)
- Individual long turn; in this task you will have to talk about a topic for 1 to 2 minutes. (e.g. Describe something you own which is very important to you. You should say where you got it from, how long you have had it, what you use it for and explain why it is important to you.)
Follow our quick advice on how to show confidence from your hard work and preparation:
- Try to relax while speaking in IELTS as the examiner focuses on your positive aspects, not mistakes. The speaking section is challenging, but think of it as a chat with a friend. You're not being assessed on your knowledge but on your ability to communicate.
- Elaborate on your answers to show fluency. If the examiner asks “why” or “how” questions, then it means you need to elaborate more. Fluency is one of the assessment criteria, and you need to maintain a good flow of speech.
- Make the most of your one minute in Part 2 of the speaking section to prepare for the topic given. Stay calm if you're unfamiliar with the topic, use your creativity and pretend you're someone else. Write down keywords to help you.
- Avoid memorising large chunks of speech and focus on topical vocabulary - study by grouping words into categories.
- Speak clearly and at a natural speed, and don't worry about your accent.
- Avoid long pauses, use creativity and try to answer the question.
Tip from one of our Italian students: In October 2022, Gaia joined our IELTS preparation programme intending to take the exam before the end of the year. With hard work and determination, she scored 5.5 on the IELTS and promptly enrolled on our International Foundation Programme, which prepares her for university education.
As a recent IELTS test-taker, here's her advice for those pursuing the exam:
"I know feeling nervous is normal, but overcoming it and managing it is already 50% of your success.
I focused on all four sections from Monday to Friday but considered the listening part the most challenging. I practised this section in the classroom with others, but also in my room by trying various exercises on YouTube. I opened the YouTube app and wrote the number of each unit in the search bar and practised this way.
My advice for the reading part is just read every detail carefully, check the time but keep calm. As for the speaking part, the most important thing is to speak a lot and be confident.
Good luck everyone! You can do it!"
