Hi. I’m Bee
Today I’m going to talk to you about how to prepare for
the IELTS speaking test.
First, I’ll give you an overview of the speaking test.
Then, I’ll go through some strategies you can use to answer questions.
And finally, towards the end, I’ll give you some tips that you can use for the test.
Let's get started.
You will be speaking with a certified examiner.
The examiner is an expert English speaker, and can come from a wide range of countries
including the UK, Australia, the US and Hong Kong.
The test is as close to a real-life situation as a test can get.
The test lasts between 11 and 14 minutes and is divided into three parts.
You are tested on a range of speaking skills.
For example, number 1,
this includes your fluency and coherence; this is about your connected speech and the
way you link ideas together.
Number 2,
your lexical resource which is about the range and accuracy of the vocabulary you use.
Number 3,
your grammatical range and accuracy which is about the number of errors you make, and
whether this affects your communication skills.
And number 4,
your pronunciation which includes how clear your speech is.
OK, so part 1 is like the introduction.
What happens first in part 1 of the speaking test is that the examiner will greet
you, introduce him or herself and ask you to do the same.
They will then check your identification.
The examiner will then ask you some ‘warm-up’ questions on easier topics, such as family,
work, study and interests.
See the examples on the screen.
The topics in part 1 are designed to help you feel comfortable when speaking.
You should try and relax so that you can speak as naturally as possible.
Overall, part 1 will take approximately 4 to 5 minutes.
After part 1, you 'll immediately move on to part 2.
During the second part of the test, the examiner will pass you a task card with your topic
on it.
The task card has the main topic which you will give a short talk on.
It also has the main points that you should cover in the talk.
You can use these points as headings to keep you on track during your short talk.
So after you're given the card, you’ll be given 1 minute to prepare yourself and
make some simple notes before you start your talk.
See the example on the screen.
Do make use of this minute to think of ideas and organise your talk.
After your minute of preparation is over, you will be asked to talk for 1 to 2 minutes
on your topic.
This time is entirely for you to speak.
The examiner will not interrupt you while you are giving your speech.
You should try to speak for the full 2 minutes.
Don't worry about timing yourself – the examiner will tell you when the time is up.
At the end of part 2, the examiner might ask you one or two follow-up questions on the same topic.
You can give short answers to these questions.
This whole section will take between 3 and 4 minutes.
The final part of the speaking test will be a discussion between yourself and the examiner.
This discussion will be related to the topic you covered in the second part of the test.
So following on from the previous example, you may be asked some questions like this:
The main idea of part 3 is to give you an opportunity to discuss more abstract ideas
and concepts around this topic.
This part of the test focuses on your ability to express and justify opinions and to analyse,
discuss and speculate about issues.
This section will last between 4 and 5 minutes.
Now that we’ve covered the format of the test, let’s go over a few tips and tricks
to help you focus and succeed.
Tip number 1 is to try to talk as much as you can.
This means avoiding long silences where the examiner might think you’re not confident
in your language abilities.
A good rule of thumb is to make sure you speak more than the examiner does.
Try to put yourself at ease when you speak.
Tip number 2 is to try to speak as fluently as you can.
Avoid long ‘umm’s and ‘err’s, as this may make it appear that your vocabulary is
limited.
Tip number three is to develop your answers.
Do not give simple, one-word responses to the questions you are asked.
Use your own knowledge and experience to give further explanation and examples.
Try to make your ideas as clear as possible to the examiner.
And remember, if you feel you’re not sure about something in the question, don't be
afraid to ask the examiner for clarification.
That’s tip number 4.
Tip number 5 is to train yourself to think and respond quickly in English.
Practise effectively.
And do not rehearse specific answers to questions you think the examiner might ask.
That’s tip number 6.
The examiners are trained to notice when candidates do this, and they will change the questions
to something less predictable.
Tip number 7 is to record yourself giving answers and then listen back to your responses
to get a feel for how you sound to the listener.
This will help you pick up where you need improvement, and you can focus on those key
areas.
And tip number 8 is to get comfortable speaking to someone in English through practice.
That’s the best way to practise.
And this means you'll be ready for anything the examiner throws at you!
OK, we've come to the end of this video for the IELTS speaking test.
Remember, the more you practise your speaking,
the more confident you'll be when you actually take the test.
Goodbye and good luck on your IELTS speaking test.