ielts speaking - tips and tricks

All about Speaking Test - IELTs General Training blog All about Speaking test All about Speaking Test - IELTs General Training blog Introduction Many people agree that the secret of success in the Speaking test is being confident and creative person Does it mean that others will fail? Not at all! This test is PREDICTABLE This is a reason why we collect many tips and tricks from a variety of resources Use the following tips to prepare yourself to what’s coming and the confidence will come Many candidates like to read model answers when they are preparing for the IELTS speaking modules The model answers are intended as a guide and candidates should modify the answers to suit their own circumstances and add to them wherever appropriate In other words, candidates should consider using tips and tricks in these guidelines to help them to create their own answers That is also our purpose when we edit this eBook Hope you find this eBook useful! We will try our best to give you more useful tips and tricks all about IELTs The best way to keep up to date with us is to like us on our Face book page at IELTS General Training By Admin All about Speaking Test - IELTs General Training blog Content Band Descriptors for Ielts Speaking Grammatical range and accuracy Lexical resource - Vocabularies Fluency and Coherence Pronunciation General Mistakes in Ielts Speaking Problems with Lexical Resource Problem with Grammatical Range and Accuracy Problem with Fluency and Coherence Pronunciation Ielts Speaking: tips and tricks General tip and trick Use redundant words and Linking words Part 1: Formula for Speaking Part Like/Dislike Yes/No Questions Wh-H Questions Types Questions Conditional Questions Basic Describe Part 2: Formula for Speaking Part How to use Card to improve Fluency How to use to prepare for Speaking Part General mistakes in Speaking Part Part 3: Formula for Speaking Part Linking Phrases Practice 50 topics you could meet in Ielts Speaking Part Vocabularies for Ielts Speaking in topics All about Speaking Test - IELTs General Training blog Band Descriptors for Ielts Speaking In the IELTS speaking test, candidates receive a band score from to in the following four criteria: 1) Fluency and cohesion 2) Lexical resource (i.e vocabulary) 3) Grammatical range and accuracy 4) Pronunciations Scores are assigned in each criteria based on “band descriptors” The final band score will be the average score across the four criteria rounded down to the nearest half band score Examiners are rigorously trained, certified and monitored to accurately assign band scores They apply a similar, yet more detailed, set of descriptors to the ones in the public version The quickest and most reliable way to improve your IELTS speaking test performance is to practice with a professional IELTS teacher who can identify your strengths and weaknesses according to the band descriptors, and then help you improve on them For example: Speaking test scoring method Band 5 Descriptors Fluency and cohesion Lexical resource (i.e vocabulary) Grammatical range and accuracy Pronunciation Total: 7+ 6+ 5+ = 23/4 = 5.75 (=6.0) All about Speaking Test - IELTs General Training blog All about Speaking Test - IELTs General Training blog General Mistakes in Ielts Speaking Problems with Lexical Resource The main problem of most candidates is using too many general words such as: “Sydney is a big city” “big” is a general word You should use these words instead “sprawling, cosmopolitan, politically important, fast developing, colossal” Problem with Grammatical Range and Accuracy The first error is that the candidate thought that we use the simple sentence in spoken English for communicating However, it is not just simple like that in IELTs Speaking Looking back into the band descriptors, if you want to have a higher mark in grammatical range and Accuracy, you should have ability to use a range of complex structures with some flexibility (band 7) Another mistake is that candidate repeats too many simple sentences For example: “I come from Hanoi Hanoi is the capital of Vietnam ” Instead of this, you should say: “I come from Hanoi which is the capital of Vietnam ” It will give you a higher mark Problems with Fluency and Coherence What you like about your hometown? Look at these answers: My hometown is Hanoi Hanoi is very modern so I like the buildings All over the city there are lots of new interesting buildings being built When I was younger most of the buildings looked the same so it wasn’t as attractive as it is nowadays” Well you know, my hometown is Hanoi and you might not know this but Hanoi is very modern, so I suppose I would have to say I like the buildings Actually, all over the city there are lots of new interesting buildings being built In fact, it’s quite All about Speaking Test - IELTs General Training blog interesting to consider that when I was younger, most of the buildings looked the same, so you know it wasn’t as attractive as it is nowadays The second answer would get a higher mark in the fluency and coherence because the candidate can use more linking words and redundant words to make his answer become more natural as the native does in their speak Don’t focus on what you say, but focus on how you say! Pronunciation  You should notice on intonation in words that you want to express your idea For example: I suppose that I occasionally read magazines but rarely pick a newspaper In this case, you will press into adverbs which you want to express how often you read a magazines and newspaper  The speed is also important For example: I used to be quite into Yoga but more recently I’ve been getting into ballet dancing  Speak slowly and press into the comparative adverb between the past and present Divide your ideas into “chunks” It makes your idea is clearer and the examiner will be easy to follow and understand what you want to say For example: I recently went to holiday to Sapa / which is a remote area in the North of Vietnam / I guess it’s one of the most popular tourist destinations in Vietnam All about Speaking Test - IELTs General Training blog Ielts Speaking: tips and tricks General tip and trick – There is only one tip that you should keep in mind That is TRY TO ANSWER LONG RESPONSE This is the only way the examiner can be determine what your level is Use redundant words and Linking words In spoken English, the native people use many redundant words, it makes their speaking sound more natural, and they also use linking words to connect their ideas Therefore, when you know how to use the redundant words and linking words in your answer, you will get a high mark in Coherence and Fluency For examples: Do you like animals? Yes, I really like animals I guess I’m quite fond of animals For the most part, I would probably say that I quite like animals To some extent I would say I like animals Well, I suppose you could probably say that I’m fond of animals Well it’s hard to say Could you tell me something about your home town? “Well you know, my hometown is Hanoi and you might not know this but Hanoi is very modern, so I suppose I would have to say I like the buildings Actually, all over the city there are lots of new interesting buildings being built In fact, it’s quite interesting to consider that when I was younger, most of the buildings looked the same, so you know it wasn’t as attractive as it is nowadays.” All about Speaking Test - IELTs General Training blog Starting phrases or Lead in: - Well, in general I would say that Actually, I suppose that For the most part I’d probably say that Well, to be honest I should really say that Of course I think I’d have to say that Certainly I would definitely say that Well, I guess that generally speaking I would certainly say that Well first of all Well you know what Speaking of Well to be honest, Generally speaking Well actually Well, guess what Indeed More specific: but in particular particularly especially specially .to be more precise to be more specific to be more exact to be more accurate Linking terms for first idea: And I guess this is probably because This could be because This is due to the fact that I suppose the reason has something to with the fact that Another linking terms for another idea: As well as this In addition to this To add to this All about Speaking Test - IELTs General Training blog Part 1: 10 All about Speaking Test - IELTs General Training blog TOPIC 14: BIRDS How you feel about birds? (Why you feel that way?) How people in your country feel about birds? Are there many birds near your home? Have you seen many different kinds of birds? TOPIC 15: FLOWERS Do you love flowers? Why? Which/What is your favorite flower? Do you think flowers are important? Are flowers important in your culture? (Give examples) Do people in your country ever use flowers for special occasions? What are the occasions when people give or receive flowers? In your country, people (ever) give flowers as a gift? When was the last time you gave flowers to someone? TOPIC 16: PHOTOGRAPHY Do you like to take photographs? Why? Do you prefer to take photos yourself or to have other people take your photos? Why? How long have you liked taking photographs? In what situations you take photographs? What kind of photos you like to take? Why? How did you become interested in photography? How often you take photographs? Do you prefer to take pictures of people or of scenery? Who you take photos of? 10 How you keep your photos? 11 Do you keep your photographs on your computer? 12 Are there any photos on the walls of your house? 13 Do you frame (or have you framed) any of your photos? 14 Do you prefer to send postcards to people or to send photos that you took yourself? (Why?) TOPIC 17: NAMES Does your name have any particular meaning? What’s the origin of your name? (or your surname) Do you like your name? What your friends call you? Did your family have a certain (nick) name that they called you when you were a child? What names are popular to give to babies in your country? 30 All about Speaking Test - IELTs General Training blog TOPIC 18: CELEBRITIES 1.Who is your favorite celebrity in your country? Do you like any foreign celebrities? Would you like to be a celebrity? Why? Do you think we should protect famous people’s privacy? How celebrities influence their fans in your country? TOPIC 19: ADVERTISEMENT 1.Are there many advertisements in your country? Why you think there are so many advertisements now? What are the various places where we see advertisements? How you feel about advertisements? TOPIC 20: FOOD - COOKING Is food important to you? (Why?) What kinds of food you particularly like? Is there any food you don’t like? (Why?) What kinds of food are most popular in your country ? Do you like cooking? (Why?/Why not?) Who usually does the cooking in your home? TOPIC 21: HOLIDAYS What you in your holidays? Do you think holidays are becoming more and more important? What kind of places you want to travel to? Do you prefer travelling alone or in a group? Who you usually spend holiday with? Why are holidays and important to you? If you could take a holiday anywhere in the world, where would you go? Why? TOPIC 22: LEISURE TIME When you have free time? Do you think it’s important to have leisure time? Do your friends ever come to your home in their free time? Compare the way people in your country relax today and the way they used to relax years ago TOPIC 23: WEEKENDS What you in your spare time/weekend? When you spend time with your family? What did you last weekend? What other people in your hometown usually on weekend? What are you going to next weekend? Do you think is important to make the most of your weekend? Do you feel that weekends now are more important to you than when you were a child 31 All about Speaking Test - IELTs General Training blog TOPIC 24: INDOOR GAMES Do you play any indoor games? Do you prefer to play indoor games or outdoor games? What indoor games did you play when you were a child? Is there any particular indoor game that you liked (when you were a child)? What sorts of indoor games children play now? TOPIC 25: GOING OUT Do you like going out with your friends? Do you often go out with friends? What you when you go out? Where you go when you go out? Do you prefer to go out with a large group of friends or just a few friends? TOPIC 26: OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES Do you like outdoor activities? 2.What outdoor activities you most like to do? 3.How often you that? 4.What outdoor sports you like? Why? 5.How much time you spend outdoors every week? 6.How often you outdoor activities? 7.What types of outdoor activities are popular in your country? TOPIC 27: ACTIVITIES NEAR WATER What activities would you if you were spending some leisure time at a beach or near the water? Why people like water sports? Do you think the Government should invest money in develop facilities for water sports? Do you think that human activity is posing a threat to the oceans of the world? What you think are the advantages and disadvantages of travelling on the ocean? Do you think it is important for children to learn how to swim? Do you think it is best for a child to be taught to swim by a parent or by someone else? TOPIC 28: SPORT - EXERCISE What sports you like? (Why?) What sports are most popular in your country? Are boys and girls good at the same sports? What sports children prefer? Do you like to daily exercise? (Why?/Why not?) What are the advantages of doing regular exercise? Where people in your country usually exercise? 32 All about Speaking Test - IELTs General Training blog TOPIC 29: WALKING Do you like to walk? Do you like to walk on your own or with others? Would you say that your city is a good place for walking? Do people in your country walk a lot? Do you think walking is important? Do you think walking in the countryside is better than walking in the city? What could be done to improve the experience of walking in cities? What could be done to improve the experience of walking in cities? TOPIC 30: SWIMMING Do you like swimming? How often you swim? Where you swim in your city? Is it difficult to learn how to swim? TOPIC 31: SHOPPING Are there many shops near your home? (What kind?) Do you like shopping? (Why? Why not?) Who usually does the shopping in your home? How often you buy something in a shop? TOPIC 32: SINGING Do you often like singing? When you like to sing? How much time you spend in singing every day? What kind of music you like to sing? Do you think is it difficult to sing well? Do you want to be a singer? TOPIC 33: MUSIC Do you often listen to music? How much time to spend listening to music every day? What kind of music you like to listen to? Have you ever been to a concert before? Have you ever been to a musical performance? Have you ever learned to play a musical instrument? Is music an important subject at school in your country? Did you often listen to music when you were a child? What kinds of music are most popular in your country? 33 All about Speaking Test - IELTs General Training blog TOPIC 34: WEATHER What’s the weather (usually) like in your hometown? What’s your favorite weather? (Why?) Do you like snow? (Why?) Do you watch the weather forecasts? Does the weather ever affect what you do? TOPIC 35: RAIN Does it rain much in your country? (Where? )When?) Is there any part of your country where it doesn’t rain much? (Where?) When (in what month/season) does it rain most in your hometown? Can you remember any time when it rained particularly heavily in your hometown? (When?) Does rain ever affect transportation in your hometown? (How?) TOPIC 36: SUNNY DAY Do you like sunny day? What you like to when it’s a sunny day? Would you like to stay at home or go outside when the weather is great? Are there many sunny days in your hometown? TOPIC 37: TELEVISION and RADIO What kind of entertainment you prefer, TV or radio? (Why?) How are radio programs and television programs different? What programs you like to watch/listen to? When you watch TV/listen to the radio? Has television/radio changed much in recent years ? TOPIC 38: BOOKS How often you read? Do you have many books at home? Do people in your country like to read? What kind of people like reading? What kinds of people don’t like reading very much? 34 All about Speaking Test - IELTs General Training blog TOPIC 39: NEWSPAPER and MAGAZINE Do you often read newspapers? Do you prefer to read local news or international news? Which is more popular where you live: newspapers or magazines? Do many people today read newspapers? In the future, you think more people than today will read magazines or fewer people? TOPIC 40: HISTORY Do you like (to learn about) history? What historical event you find most interesting? Do you think history is important? Do you like to watch programs on TV about history? How (or from where) you get information about history? TOPIC 41: PATIENCE What you think “patience” is? Do you think patience is important? Do you think being patient is an important part of being polite? Would you say you are a patient person? Have you ever lost your patience? What you become impatient about? TOPIC 42: PLANS and GOALS When you plan to start that? How you intend to achieve that? When you go abroad, you plan to live in the countryside or a big city? (Why?) TOPIC 43: VISITORS Do you often invite friends to visit your home? Do you like visitors coming to your home? Do people often visit you at your home? How often visitors come to your home? Do you prefer to have friends visit you or relatives? What you usually together with your visitors? When visitors come to your home? When someone visits you, how you usual show hospitality or entertain them? 35 All about Speaking Test - IELTs General Training blog TOPIC 44: COMPUTER How often you use computer? What kinds of computers are popular in your country? What you usually use your computer for? Who taught you how to use a computer? Do you think computers have changed your life a lot? TOPIC 45: GIFTS How often you buy others gifts? Do you like to send expensive gifts? What kinds of gifts are popular in your country? Why people send gifts? TOPIC 46: HANDCRAFTS Do you like collect things made by hand? Did you ever take handcrafts lessons at school? Are handcrafts popular in your country? Do you think children should learn more about handcrafts? Do you think handcrafts are meaningful activities? TOPIC 47: COLORS What color you like? What is the most popular color in your country? Do you like to wear dark or bright colors? What is the different between men and women’s preference on colors? Do colors affect your mood? TOPIC 48: PAINTING Do you like painting or drawing? How often you visit art galleries? What kinds of things you like to draw? Is it easy to learn how to draw? TOPIC 49: BIRTHDAY How children celebrate birthdays in your country? How did you celebrate your last birthday? What kind of birthday gifts you like to receive? Is there a difference between the way you celebrate your birthday in the past and in the present? 36 All about Speaking Test - IELTs General Training blog TOPIC 50: COLLECT THINGS Have you ever collected anything? What things people collect in your country? Why you think people collect certain objects? Would you like to start collecting something new in the future? 37 All about Speaking Test - IELTs General Training blog Vocabularies for Ielts Speaking in topics JOB STUDY Nouns Verbs Adjectives Idioms Profession Line of business Occupation Line of work Be involved in Undemanding Exhausting Intricate Hectic (extremely tired) Work flat out = work very hard Sometimes I have to work flat out On the go = very busy I’m always on the go Get to the bottom of = solve I have to get to the bottom of problems related Pull out all the stops = make a special effort When it’s busy I have to pull out all the stops Take charge of = manage I often have to take charge of the whole department Pick up the pieces = take responsibility When there’s a problem I have to pick up the pieces Schoolwork Lecturer Branch of learning Theory Hands-on = practical Share responsibility for Work within a team Job-related Compulsory Theoretical Pass with flying colors = pass with a high score I passed my entrance exam with flying colors 38 All about Speaking Test - IELTs General Training blog Field of study Discipline Where You Live Winding street The locals=people Residential area Apartment complex Suburb Local cuisine Estate Capital Architecture Shopping Neighborhood District Optional Reputable Sail through = finish something easily and quickly I can usually sail through all my assessments To flunk = to fail/perform badly I always seem to flunk my compulsory maths test Cross that bridge when somebody come to it = deal with a problem when it arrives I am not worried about that now = I’ll cross that bridge when I come to it Run down = in bad condition some areas are run-down Sprawling Unique Industrial Up-market/fashionable Regionally important some neighborhoods are becoming Distinctive very up-market/chic Provincial Commercial Built-up Powerful 39 All about Speaking Test - IELTs General Training blog FREETIME HOBBIES Leisure pursuit Spare time Pastime Amuse oneself by Unwind by Kill time by Fascinating Captivating Time-consuming Appealing Take up = start I’ve recently taken up swimming Take part in I frequently take part in group activities like Get into = enjoy Recently I’ve been getting into fishing Have a go at=try I’d really like to have a go at scuba diving Idle away the hours=spend time In my time off I often idle away the hours by playing guitar SPORT Team game Solo sport Spectator sport Physical activity Compete Stay healthy Challenge Get fit Lose weight Strenuous Physical Energizing Revitalizing Have a crack at = have a try at TELEVISION Telly – TV Documentary Episode Mainstream Series Sitcom Soap opera Turn on/off/over Repeat Tune in Produce Sit in front of the telly Televise Witty Televised Pre-record Enlightening Live-broadcast Mind-numbing = boring Get into shape Watch the box = watch TV Channel surf = change TV channels frequently 40 All about Speaking Test - IELTs General Training blog Audience COMPUTER worldwide web online shopping forum software online applications Broadcast Attention-grabbing = interesting surf/browse the web Digital/the digital sit in front of the age computer electronic virtual computer-literate Technophobe Call up (call up news updates) Conk out on Do by hand An one-off Here and there Once in a blue moon COLLECT THINGS Collection Postage stamp Autograph Album Hoard Accumulate = hoard Classify Have an obsession for something =obsess over something =have a fixation with DANCING Ballet Ballroom dancing Salsa Break-dancing Ethnic minority Boogie Twist Twirl Rhythmic Energizing ceremonial Two left feet All the range WEATHER Climate Average temperature Shower Spell (of…) Shift = change Drizzle Vary Heavy = torrential Sweltering= extremely hot chuck it down = rain really heavily Muggy= clammy chilly rain or sunshine = in all weather Balmy= pleasantly warm like a sauna = really hot 41 All about Speaking Test - IELTs General Training blog HAPPINESS Pleasure Satisfaction Depression Frame of mind Cheer up Brighten up Go through a bad time TOWN and CITY Sprawling City Get around Public transport system To walk across the City Up-market shops Chain stores Fashionable boutiques Tourist attraction Public spaces Pavement café Places of interest To relax To close down Essential Luxury Market stall Purchase Flog Haggle Pick out Score SHOPPING Contented Dejected Gloomy Overjoyed In high spirits The team looks really good because all the players appear to be in high spirits On cloud nine Her saying Yes to my proposal put me on cloud nine Down in the dumps = unhappy She’s a bit down in the dumps because she failed one of her exams On the outskirts Out of town shopping centre/retail park Traffic congestion Inexpensive=low priced=cheap Pricy= expensive Over-priced Fake Genuine Posh The real McCoy I could tell at once glance that her Gucci bag was the real McCoy Rip somebody off It is difficult not to get ripped off when you are in a foreign country …is a steal/ a real bargain I got this new rug for just $4 It was a steal 42 All about Speaking Test - IELTs General Training blog TECHNOLOGY A gadget A desktop PC Digital editing High-spec (laptop) Operating System To access website/email A computer buff To upgrade software To boot up To surf the web Send an attachment A techie Word processing To browse websites HEALTH Aches and pains A heavy cold A sore throat A blocked nose To go down with a cold LEARNING LANGUAGE Native tongue Dialect Verbal communication Be fluent in Converse chat Understandable Unintelligible meaningless Have a chinwag = have a conversation ENVIRONMENT Acid rain Awareness Biodiversity Carbon monoxide Carbon dioxide Climate Climate change Deforestation Desertification Disposable products Drought Earthquake Endangered species To become extinct To be under threat To die out To get back to nature Impact on Loss of habitat Poaching Contaminate Discharge Cutting down on Biodegradable Regrettable Contaminate aquatic Environmentally friendly Future generations Humanitarian aid The natural world Pollution levels Pressure group Wildlife conservation As fit as a fiddle To be under the weather To be on the mend To be at death’s door To be over the worst To feel poorly To catch a cold All Greek It’s all greek to me Energy conservation Life-threatening Sustainable development 43 All about Speaking Test - IELTs General Training blog Energy Environment Extinction Exhaust emissions Flood Fumes Global warming Greenhouse effect Green peace Man-made disaster Natural disaster Natural resources Ozone layer Pollution Recycle waste Renewable energy Tsunami 44 ... meet in Ielts Speaking Part Vocabularies for Ielts Speaking in topics All about Speaking Test - IELTs General Training blog Band Descriptors for Ielts Speaking In the IELTS speaking test, candidates... Grammatical Range and Accuracy Problem with Fluency and Coherence Pronunciation Ielts Speaking: tips and tricks General tip and trick Use redundant words and Linking words Part 1: Formula for Speaking. .. in Ielts Speaking Part There are 50 topics that you could meet for IELTS Speaking Part Using whatever you learn from tips and tricks for IELTS Speaking Part we mention above to practice your speaking