12 IELTS Speaking Tips

Learn 12 important ways to get a higher score on the IELTS Speaking section. Find out what to do and what NOT to do from an experienced IELTS trainer and understand how to increase your IELTS Speaking score, easily and immediately. You're guaranteed to learn something new here -- and that can make all the difference!

TRANSCRIPT

Hi. I'm Rebecca from engVid. In today's lesson, I'll give you 10 important tips to do well and to get a higher score on the speaking section of your IELTS exam, or actually on any oral speaking test where you're sitting with a live examiner. Okay? So these tips don't apply actually to the TOEFL where your answers are recorded, but it's for any English exam where you're sitting with a real examiner. Okay?

Now, the IELTS, of course, the speaking section of the IELTS test is about 11 or 14 minutes long, has three different sections, and so on. And the IELTS is an exam which is a... It's an English proficiency exam. It's used for immigration purposes, for example, to Canada and Australia. It's used for admission to universities where English is the medium of instruction, and it's also used for professional certification purposes. So lots and lots of people, millions of people do the IELTS exam. And if you're one of them, these speaking tips will really help you. They're general tips; they're not about the specific sections. They apply to all sections of the speaking test. Okay? Let's get started.

So, the first point is: during your speaking test, be formal. By that, I mean treat it like a job interview. And just as in a job interview, you'll be on your best behaviour and so on, behave that way. Don't take it very casually. Okay? Take it seriously and be formal.

Next, give a full answer whenever possible. Now, remember and just think about it: you have about 11 to 15 minutes to use the best English that you know and that you've studied all your life. Okay? So, obviously, you want to try to show off during your English test. So, when I say give a full answer, I mean, in the first section when they ask you some questions about you, about your family, about your background, if they say, for example: "Where are you from?" Don't just say: "Tokyo", because that's just a one word answer. Try, as much as possible, to give sentences. Give full sentences. All right? Full answer. So that you can show when you use the full sentence that you know grammar, you know vocabulary, and all these other things. So, instead of just saying: "Tokyo." Say: "I'm from Tokyo, the capital of Japan." Or: "I'm from the capital of Japan, Tokyo." Now, you've given a lot more information. So, obviously, you get much more marks if you kept doing that throughout. Right? Give full answers, using sentences, not just words.

Next: be polite. What we mean by that, for example, if the examiner asks you something and you didn't understand, it's okay. Just ask for the explanation in a polite way. Don't just say: "What?" Or: "Sorry?" Say: "Excuse me? Could you please repeat that?" Because that's also using English, and that's what they want to know: can you use English? And by being polite, you're not just showing that you know the language, but also that you know the culture of the language, which is being polite. Okay? So remember to do that.

Next, maintain good posture. Why do I put that? Nobody's filming you. Right? So, why do you have to maintain good posture? Because your posture actually affects your... The way you speak. It affects your confidence, the confidence with which you speak, it affects the way your voice is projected. So you want to make sure that you don't, for example, lean on your hand when you're speaking or anything like that. Okay? Make sure that you sit straight and don't put your hand anywhere near your face, even if you're nervous, because that will affect the quality of your voice and the way it's projected. Okay?

Next. Number five: speak clearly. Now, what I mean by this is: don't worry too much about your accent. Everyone has an accent, and as long as you do your best to enunciate the words clearly, that's all you can do. If you need to improve your pronunciation, work on that before your exam. If there are some very specific pronunciation errors that you tend to make or that people from your country tend to make, then obviously, work on those beforehand. For example, if you are a Spanish speaker and you say: "Jess", instead of: "Yes", then that's a big mistake that you want to correct well before you come to the exam. So, work on those pronunciation issues before, and then afterwards, don't worry about your accent, just speak as clearly as you can. Okay?

[EasyENGLISHwithJames]

My 5 Tips for IELTS.
1.) Make sure your pronunciation is clear and easy for the examiner to understand because you can have great vocabulary and great grammar but it doesn't help at all if the examiner can't hear what you are saying!
2.) Use natural language, full of expressions and idioms!
3.) Don't try to speak too fast!
4.) Before the exam read newspapers or watch the news in English because you will prepare your brain for English!
5.) You should try to have a vocabulary of at least 4000 words if you want to achieve a good score on the reading part of the IELTS exam and understand most of what you read in English.

[sohailkamran]

thank you for this. I scored 8.0 on my first attempt and later a 7.5 . I'll appear again as I need 8 or 9 band. These tips would surely help !

[callmefrags]

1 hour and a half before exam, wish me luck !

[mariamadison]

Passing the IELTS Test is not when you study hard, if you can’t study or you don’t have time for your studies I’d advise you get yourself a help like Mr felix .

[kushgajjar]

I had seen this video before half n hour .
It helped me a lot and I got 7.5 bands in ILETS exam...
This video is caresmatic..
Once again thanks..

[ertalusig]

I watched this hours before my speaking test. Thank you so much! I got 7.5, I’m very happy 😃

[presidentkimnamjoon]

I think I got this 😉
I think for an oral exam, you just have to speak yourself, your thoughts, feelings, anything that you feel right and it should be relevant
Speak with confidence
Make good eye contact
Imagine you're getting those good marks 😉😉👆

[GeorgyAbraham]

40 mins to the exam and here I am in the metro listening to this. I'm doomed 🤣

[BalezinD]

Didn't realize that being casual and informal can be a disadvantage during this test. If I'd gone to take it yesterday I would'ev definitely used some of idioms and even words like "kind of" ect. Well, I won't make that mistake...thank you!

[ansahm]

Perfect way of explaining,  I wish i had studied in her class 

[rks]

Hi Rebecca, I'm a professor of physics from India. I am a subscriber of your channel and although I don't have to appear in any examination, still I enjoy watching your videos and I learn a lot from the way you teach and explain things. My command on English language is feeble but since I have to teach physics in english language, I somehow manage to make students understand the intricacies of physics without myself knowing the intricacies of English. Anyway, I appreciate your efforts to educate people and I would really love to hear more about you from your side only. Do reply if you get time and if you find this note worth replying.

[CleonaPattersoneFluentEnglish]

Thank you, my IELTS learners will find this helpful.

[Amn]

I just finished my speaking test yesterday, sometimes I think speaking doesn’t deserve so much preparation, u don’t have to waste all ur time on speaking, as long as ur English is just ok, and can understand and answer questions it’s alright u have nothing to worry, also one more thing the topic on part 2 plays huge role on your results, if u are asked a topic that u r familiar u can say more. Writing and reading both deserves more and more, am gonna do my ✍️, 📖and 👂 on 24/03 just wish me good luck, and I do the same to y’all...btw this tips helps me though. Thanks

[princessyona]

Ah the don't use slang part is so hard xD coz I swear lmao....=.=

[Iambram]

Who's watching the day of their exam

[saurubh]

I got band 7 in speaking.
Thanks for the tips :)

[indhiratrinidad]

Hi Rebecca! You're a great teacher! Thanks for this lesson! 

[bilalmurtaza]

To the point! One and only tutorial I'm watching as prep. Tomorrow's my speaking test ya know :p

[vibhutivaibhav]

12 things were perfect in my case it's just that i was bit on the repetative side but i think i used around 12-13 difficult vocabulary to perfection
How much you think i deserve in speaking?

[RockyAbduljabar]

This is sweet! I am but one minute into watching this video but I noticed the "I come from Hyderabad" ... I studied in Hyderabad and this brings memories of my college life back then <3