hi there it's asiya let's talk about your ielts speaking exam today one of the things
ielts examiners check is if you connect your ideas and make your answers easy to understand by using
linking words or discourse markers these are words and phrases we use to indicate
what we're about to say such as i think to give your opinion and also to add another point but
to say something that contrasts with what was said before there is nothing wrong with them
the only problem is we tend to use these four linkers in ielts speaking way too often another
common problem is inappropriate linking words it's a speaking exam so you should use spoken english
and some of the linkers that look fantastic in a formal writing essay will sound out of place here
examples of these are moreover nevertheless and furthermore in this video i'd like to give you
some alternatives that you could easily use in your speaking exam to sound natural and increase
your fluency and cohesion score okay let's get started do you often say i think when i don't
control myself i tend to repeat these words a bit too often there are a few expressions to
use instead i guess why do you think people often eat at home rather than go out every night i guess
the main reason is that cooking at home is much cheaper than going to a restaurant
you could say i reckon or i suppose i suppose eating out every night is pretty time consuming
time consuming means it takes a lot of time the next phrase is i'd say
i'd say means i would say but when you're speaking it's more natural to use a contraction
has your hometown changed much since you were a child
i'd say it's hard to recognize it these days there are so many new high-rise buildings
shops and restaurants everywhere that i don't think i would be able to guess which city i was in
if i didn't know when you're not really sure if you're right or if something is true say as far
as i know do any flowers have a special meaning in your country well as far as i know red roses mean
love while carnations are often the flowers of choice for funerals and commemorations the phrase
as far as i know emphasizes that you may be wrong and you're not insisting on your opinion
if you're sure about your answer say i'm sure do you think leisure time is important
i'm sure it's very important from my experience if i work long hours without having any rest i
get burned out before the week is over and also we use these linking words to add another point
it's very natural to use them in your speech but you should still know a few synonyms
how about these firstly secondly thirdly are these good linking words for ielts speaking
the answer is no they are too formal instead to give your first point say well first of all
here is a more serious question from part three why do you think children should read books for
entertainment well first of all books read for fun help children fall in love with reading
and people who are fond of reading are much more likely to read educational books than those who
don't like reading at all to add another point you could use besides what's more or on top of that
besides books read for fun can help children learn more about human nature and their
own emotions and desires here is one more linking phrase another thing is another thing
is children can learn new vocabulary when they are reading for fun what about these additionally
furthermore moreover nevertheless they are all very formal and i typically used in formal writing
such as ielts writing task 2. there are some situations when you could use them in speaking
part 3 when you are discussing more serious concepts but you should definitely avoid them
when answering simple questions about yourself in part one the next overused linking word is but in
ielts speaking you're often required to contrast two ideas or disagree with an idea and but
works in every situation but here are some more interesting alternatives you could use instead
on the other hand do you think parents should allow their children to use social media
well there are definitely some dangers associated with social media such as cyber bullying or
violent content on the other hand forbidding children from using instagram and tick tock when
everyone else uses them would be unreasonable too i suppose parents should rather control how their
children use social media to make sure they are safe another linker you could use instead
of bot is that said that said we cannot simply forbid children to use instagram and tick tock
here the intonation is key if you simply say that said we cannot simply forbid
children and so on the examiner may not even understand you your voice must go up and then down
that said that said we cannot simply forbid children to use instagram
you could also say yet or however what is the best time to get up in the morning
i think it's best to get up with the sun around six or seven am yet i rarely do it myself
actually as a matter of fact that's how you can correct somebody in a polite way what subject
did you start at university as a matter of fact i didn't go to university i went to work straight
after school and learned accounting by studying for a professional qualification you can also use
actually and as a matter of fact to contrast between what is true and what somebody believes
for example did you enjoy a holiday i thought spending two weeks on the beach would be
relaxing and rejuvenating actually it was pretty boring if you ask me i'd rather have gone hiking
in the mountains have a look at the last sentence i'd rather have gone hiking i would rather have
done something else this means that today i think what i did in the past was not the best decision
and i think i should have done something else i hated the concert i'd rather have stayed at home
there are a number of other situations in ielts speaking that may require appropriate linking
words such as giving your opinion or saying if you agree or disagree or clarifying what
you've just said and you can find these and other useful phrases for your test in this
video here thank you so much for watching me today good luck with your preparation and your exam bye