8.1. IELTS Speaking: Top Tips
The habits that keep marks, gathered in one place.
The short version
Communicating beats speaking without mistakes.
Answer, then add a reason or an example.
Fill a pause rather than going silent.
Being stopped is normal, not a penalty.
Nothing here is new
These are the habits that transfer from every part you have just practised.
Six habits that keep the turn
- 1Answer first
Give the yes, the no, or the view in sentence one. A long lead-in is how you leave the question.
- 2One example is enough
A bakery, a towpath, a bus ride. A second example in Part 1 is a new speech. In Part 3, a second cause is a new essay.
- 3Repair without restarting
Sorry, I mean the landlord keeps the turn moving. Wait, let me start again throws the last thirty seconds away.
- 4A first-language accent is fine
Be easy to follow. Copying another accent for the test often makes you less clear.
- 5Do not ask for a new card
In the minute, pick an example you can see. The examiner will not replace the topic.
- 6Being stopped is not a penalty
Stop. Answer the next question. Finishing the sentence you were on earns nothing extra.
Return to the last clear point. Say the word another way.
Ask them to repeat. In Part 3 you may also ask them to explain a term.
One habit to drop
- Reciting an opening
An opening that would fit any question, such as That is a very interesting question, tells the examiner nothing about you. Answer this question in your first sentence.
Quiz time1 question
If the card is hard
Choose the habit that keeps the turn.
You do not like the Part 2 card. The minute has started. What should you do?
Recap
Answer first. The reason and the example come after it.
Repair in a few words. Never restart the turn.
The card cannot be changed, so pick an example you can picture.
Next: what actually happens in the room on the day.