IELTS Speaking section: 11-14 minutes
The IELTS Speaking section assesses your use of spoken English. It is recorded.
- Part 1: General questions about yourself and your family. Topics such as home, family, work, studies and hobbies. This lasts for 4-5 minutes.
- Part 2: Test taker will be given a card which consists about a particular topic. You will be given one minute to prepare and then speak about the topic for up to 2 minutes. The examiner will then ask one or two questions on the same topic.
- Part 3: You will have a longer discussion about the topic introduced in Part 2. This part lasts for 4-5 minutes.
Tips and Tricks for IELTS Speaking section preparation
There are 4 mandatory questions the examiner will ask you.
- Could you tell me your full name, please?
Answer: Good Afternoon. I am Vijay Kumar Pamu.
- What should I call you?
Answer: Please call me Vijay.
- Thank you. What country are you from?
Answer: I am from England.
- Please give me your identification.
Answer: Here you are. (Handover your passport to the examiner).
From here, there are 3 parts in your Speaking Test.
Part 1:
In this part, all the questions are about yourself. Generally, about the city you came from, about your work, about your education etc., These are very general questions and they are very easy to manage. Please use the below phrases and suggestions to get a higher score.
- Well, I come from a ……. It is situated in the south part of my country. It is famous for its …….. For example, ….attracts so many ….to it. So, because of this special nature ……is…..
- Well, I studied ……. It has career opportunities in ……..industries… For instance, in the next 5 years 1million jobs are expected to …….in this ….industry. I have learned……,……and …. Skills during my studies. So, I feel I have a very great chance of ………
- Well, I play …….I have been playing this game since 15 years. I have represented my university in the …….sport and have won first place in the annual inter-university competitions. I feel proud and sense of achievement because of my medals. So, that’s why I love playing this game.
Always, describe it using 4 sentences. This shows you are fluent and can use English language well to describe things in your daily usage.
Next you will have a follow up question.
- What is the most interesting part about your city?
- Tell me more about what you have done during your university studies?
- What are your plans with your sport? Etc..
The examiner tries to learn more about what you have said before. So use the below phrases to build your answers. Also, try answering the questions using 4 sentences to get a higher score.
- Well, (pause for a second) I would have to say that….is something I would…
- You see, the most interesting part of ……. Is ……
- Let me think for a second, I suppose……
- It is hard to say, I would guess…….is probably….
- There are mainly 3 reasons. Firstly,…..Secondly…. and Finally…
Once you start your answer, next develop an example by saying FOR INSTANCE or FOR EXAMPLE… Talk a sentence about it and conclude by saying SO, THUS, THEREFORE……..
Part 2:
You will be given a task card which has a topic on it, and this will include key points that you should talk about. You will be given 1 minute to prepare and talk about the topic on the card. A pencil and paper will be provided to make notes. You must then talk for 1-2 minutes about the topic. Part 2 takes 3-4 minutes.
Example: Describe about a person whom you met recently.
You should say:
- Where you met that person?
- What activities are you involved with this person?
- Explain why that person is important to you.
For speaking about such topics use the below template.
- There are so many ….whom/which I have ….. recently. But, one ….particularly stands out/ I feel….plays a good example here.
- I have met/visited a ….in London city few….ago. That person/place is interesting because ……….. So, I am easily connected to……
- It/he/she has been……..I am involved in/ we have done activities such as …….. It has given me ….. and I was able to develop…..
- That… is important/memorable for me because of 3 important reasons.
- Firstly, it was my first time visiting/meeting such interesting place/people. The qualities/facilities such as …….are something which I have experienced for the first time in my life.
- Secondly, I met many dynamic, creative and impressive people. I had many meaningful conversations. It inspired me to do ……….and made me think life from another angle.
- Finally,………..
- So, for all the above mentioned reasons,…..is memorable.
Part 3:
The examiner will ask further questions which are related to the topic discussed in part2. This is a two-way discussion with the examiner. It will last 4-5 minutes. Use the below sentences to score higher.
- Whatever the examiner asks just repeat this… Well, that is an interesting question. I have never really thought about that before, but if you are asking my honest opinion then I would have to say that…… (This sentence kills a lot of exam time and gives you valuable time to think about what the examiner said).
- I am not really a fan of…..but…
- What else can I say? OH!! I can think of an example where…… (Use this sentence when you are struck)
- I can’t think of anything else to add, honestly. …
By following the above template and phrases, you are very likely to score a 7+ score on IELTS Speaking section.