1. DURATION AND FORMAT
IELTS Speaking test takes the form of a one-to-one interview between the candidate and the examiner. The candidate is asked questions, made to speak for one to two minutes on a given topic (one minute is given for making notes and preparing what one wants to say), and answer further questions expressing opinion and speculation. Even if you are fluent in English, to succeed in IELTS speaking, you should learn its structure and pattern.
There are three parts in it. Each part fulfils a specific function in terms of interaction pattern,task input and candidate output.
| Greetings and Introduction | 4-5 min. |
| Long Turn (Cue Card) | 3-4 min. |
| Two-Way discussion | 4-5 min. |
| Total time | 11-14 min. |
In Part 1 – Greeting and Introduction: In the first section of Part-1 you are asked personal questions such as questions about yourself, your family, your home or your career or study. Give a brief description of your life, home, family and work/study. Also, you may have to answer questions on some topics of general interest. These are not complicated but are more demanding than the ones that you have done in the previous section. Let’s say that the theme(-topic) the examiner chooses is traveling, The examiner will have a set of questions to ask you. How many questions he asks depends on how long you talk uninterruptedly. Your answer should not be just yes or no. You should extend your answers (= lengthy answers). As these are open-ended questions, you have to speak for a while until the examiner tells you to stop.
In Part 2 – Cue Card section: In part 2 of the interview, the examiner will ask you to speak for one
or two minutes on a subject which they will give you on a card (cue card). You will get a minute
to prepare and can make some notes, which will help you to organize your thoughts. After one or
two minutes, the examiner stops you and may ask a few simple follow-up questions. You will have
your notes and the topic card in front of you throughout your talk. During your 1-2 minute talk on
a topic, you should keep talking. Don’t worry about minor hesitations, which are quite normal. But long pauses show a lack of fluency.
In Part 3 – Two-way discussion: Part 3 carries on from where Part 2 has been left off. The examiner
will ask you questions that are thematically linked to the subject that you talked about in Part 2.
For instance, if your topic was “Describe a journey you made recently”, the examiner may start
a discussion on travel, possibly asking you to compare travel in the past with that of the present or speculate on travel in the future. This is where you have the chance to show your language skills, discussing things of speculative nature. You should answer the questions as fully and fluently as possible and give reasons for your opinions. Very brief answers will probably show that you are not able to communicate well.
II. BASIC RULES FOR IELTS SPEAKING
First of all, practice gives us confidence. To excel in the speaking test, you need the help of an expert to correct and motivate you to excel in effective speaking. When you are taking the test, wear a smile on your face and look at the face of the examiner. Smile manifests confidence. You have to be cheerful during the full test. Try to be friendly and look as though you are enjoying the conversation. This has a special effect on the examiner. If an examiner has to talk with someone who doesn’t talk much, and doesn’t smile at all, then it has a negative effect on the examiner. Being nervous is quite natural. The examiner will try to put you at ease. If you are friendly, it will make a real difference. Regular practice will reduce your nervousness.
Don’t be worried about occasional mistakes. The examiner expects some mistakes as you are not a native speaker. He will get a general impression of your English fluency and proficiency. What is more important is your communication skills. You have to keep on talking. Without your talking input, the examiner can’t grade you well. Try and give as full an answer as you can so that you show the examiner that you are comfortable and can communicate well. Don’t try to be too clever. Just try to talk as normally as you can Perfection is not expected. So don’t let making errors upset you. Everybody makes mistakes in English. Go on talking, concentrating on your communication.
III. FACTORS IN THE ASSESSMENT
You’re assessed for your: Self-confidence, grammatical accuracy, range of vocabulary, expression
of thoughts, fluency;, audibility; intonation, pronunciation, level of confidence, duration of speaking,
natural gestures, the right posture, smile of confidence and eye contact.
The questions will not require any ‘specialist knowledge,’ e.g., the examiner is not going to ask you when the Taj Mahal was built or who invented the television or about something which contains technical language. However, some questions will require general knowledge and, for this reason, it is very important to update yourself with current events. You can do this with the radio, the Internet, newspapers and the television. May I reiterate, you’re not assessed on your knowledge, but you are assessed on your communication skills.
For some questions, you might have a lot to say while for others you might only say a few words and that is quite acceptable. You don’t need to be worried about saying TOO MUCH, you should be worried more about saying TOO LITTLE! For e.g., if you’re talking about a festival and have nothing left to say after one minute, you could talk about a second festival in order to complete the time – that’s fine. However, you should avoid talking about something completely unrelated to the topic! If you don’t know much about something, express it frankly and carry on with what you do know. When you have finished speaking, the examiner will give you another question.
IMP: During the IELTS Test, the examiner will not change the speaking task card, even if the student doesn’t know anything about the topic.
IV. TIPS FOR SPEAKING MODULE
Mind your gestures: Speak more eloquently. Examiners are human beings. They are also influenced by the first impression. It must be done in mind that within two minutes of our meeting with the examiner, an impression is created in her mind. This impression is made by the way we walk, talk, smile and our gestures. In IELTS speaking, your gestures should radiate confidence. Let me reiterate, IELTS is a test of your proficiency in English, but proficiency is the totality of many factors.
When you have natural gestures to your words, he observes you well and the message is
conveyed more effectively. The sense organs are our windows to the external world. The
more sense organs one makes use of in communication, the more forceful the expressions
become Therefore, by making use of gestures, you can create a deeper impact
upon the listener.
Avoid staring at the examiner, just look full in the face. When you walk into the room, walk elegantly and firmly. If you are very fast in speaking, either you are nervous or you have inferiority complex. Speak at the right speed. Use enough pauses while you speak. Try to do away with all mannerisms, awkward movements of the body.
Eye Contact: Eye contact is the most important thing. All feelings and emotions find their expressions in our eyes. Speak looking right in the eyes of the listener. That shows your level of confidence and your conviction on the topic. If you avoid looking in the eyes, the listener loses interest in what you are saying. Even a silent gaze can be quite eloquent.
Dressing: Your clothes are often a reflexion of your personality. Your dress lends you confidence. Try to be in a formal dress. Avoid casual wear like jeans, T-shirts etc.
Intonation: You must observe intonation to score well. It is the rise and fall of pronunciation of a sentence. Intonation is natural with the native speakers of English. Watch visual media critically to develop a good intonation.
Your gait and your talk should be elegant.
For IELTS speaking practice tests, go to https://takeielts.britishcouncil.org/take-ielts/prepare/free-ielts-practice-tests/speaking
