IELTS Speaking | 121 3 Practical Tips to Help Prepare Yourself for the IELTS Speaking Test

Just thinking about the IELTS Test brings jitters to those who plan to take. But of all the IELTS Tests, it is the Speaking Test that brings the greatest apprehension to many.  This is most probably due to the fact that apart from preparing for the answers, test takers must also be on the watch for how they deliver the answers and the words that they choose to deliver them. In addition, there won’t be any chance to review the answers given. Once given, that would be the final answer. So how can one prepare for such a test?

Well right here are some tips to help test takers prepare for the IELTS Speaking Test:

1.  Practise in Private

List down some questions that you think may be asked during the test. You can start with some basic questions about yourself like where do you live, how many are you in the family or what is your favorite food? Then in a quiet secluded room, stand up and begin answering those questions. As you answer the questions, you need to check yourself for the following:

     a. Pronunciation

As you say each word, check if you are pronouncing the words correctly.  If you are not sure how some words are pronounced, go check it out using a dictionary (online or otherwise) first. Say the words over and over again until you get used to the correct way of pronouncing them.

     b. Stress and Intonation

Saying the words together in a sentence may seem simple enough, but you need to make sure that you are following the correct intonation and putting stress on the right words or syllables, otherwise your sentence might deliver the wrong message. To improve your intonation, watch as many tv programs, movies or videos with native English speakers on them. Listen to how they say the words and sentences, and observe their stresses and intonation. Then say those words and sentences in the same manner. Do this several times, preferably for days and weeks, and even more if possible, (the longer, the better). When you practice answering the questions alone, try to check if you are following the pronunciation and intonation of the words and syllables in the same way as you have been hearing on those videos and movies (Note: You need to note what message the characters were intending to deliver when they were saying the lines in a specific manner).

     c. Fluency

Among the reasons you will be taking the IELTS is the fact that English is not your native language.  Because of this, expressing yourself in English becomes a challenge.  It leads you to think about how to express what you want to say in English first, before you actually say it.   So this results in dead silence or an “uhmm,” in between your sentences and words. You need to try to eliminate these and there are two ways to do this.  The first will require you to speak in English more often, if possible for the next weeks and months, speak only in English.  This will exercise your brain and mouth to express yourself in English, until it becomes second nature to you. Second, you can use fillers.  When answering a question and you are still searching for answers, your brain will need time to process the question, seek the answers, and translate it to English. To help you make a more fluent delivery you can use fillers like “That’s a good question…,” “Well, to be honest…,”  “Now let me see…,” or “With regard to that….”  Use fillers to help you buy time while you process and translate your answers in English.

2. Practise with a Mirror

When you speak, you may make strange or unsightly expressions or mannerisms which you may not be aware of, so practising in front of a mirror will enable you to see yourself from the interviewer’s point of view.

     a. Posture

Always ensure that you have a good posture.  Many people have a tendency to slouch, and this does not only affect  how confident you look but also how well your voice comes out.  To appear more confident and better ensure that you are able to bring more volume and clarity to your words, check the mirror as you say your answers, to see if you are maintaining a good posture all throughout.

     b. Facial Expressions

Many people react with their faces. Whether it’s to an external or internal stimulant, people would often have involuntary or automatic facial responses.  This is what you need to guard against as you see yourself in the mirror while talking. If you see that you squint too much when you are thinking of an answer, or even frown, then you know that you need to address this, as the interviewer might take offense or mark you down for lack of confidence, when you do so during the Speaking Test.

     c. Gestures

In an effort to better express ourselves, we often use gestures in addition to what we deliver in speech.  This is found to be effective most of the time, unless, the gestures become a distraction instead of an aid for understanding your speech.

When you speak in front of a mirror, check if there are gestures that you use too frequently or inappropriately. Check also if you have mannerisms that maybe disturbing to your audience. Check too if you do not use any gesture at all throughout your speech, which may render your delivery dull. Again gestures have been found to be useful so try to adopt a few that would fit your answers nicely. Once you’ve spotted your weak points address each one of them and practise it often in front of the mirror.

3. Practise with an audience

It is important to practise with an audience (the audience maybe a family member or a friend) because of two reasons.  First, you need to get used to giving answers to a real person and not just to the wall or mirror, in order to train yourself on keeping eye contact to better establish a connection with your audience. Second, you also need to get not just yours but also another person’s viewpoint on your delivery.

     a. Appearance

Similar to practising with a mirror, you’ll need to check on your posture, facial expressions and gestures, but this time from the eyes of your audience. Ask them for their comments and work on improving the details they may have pointed out.

     b. Speech principles

As you practise in private, you’ll need to check on pronunciation, stress & intonation, and fluency once more, though this time from the viewpoint of your audience. They may spot things that you may have missed.

     c. Speech delivery

Now that you have an audience, it is the best to check on how effective your message comes across to them.  This can be done by taking a look at the following points:

1)      Volume

Your answer maybe perfect but if it is too loud or worse, too soft, your message won’t be delivered to your audience effectively.  They may either mishear your answer or not hear it at all. Ask your audience for feedback to adjust the volume of your voice for your delivery.

2)      Pace

You may have just the right volume for your speech, however, if your delivery is too fast or too slow, this will also impact how much your audience will appreciate or understand your answer.  Too fast may make them miss important points.  Too slow may make them bored and not receptive to your answers.  You must strike a balance, ask your audience for feedback to see if you have reached the ideal pace.

3)      Clarity

Your volume may be fine, your pacing ideal but if you eat your words, the interviewer would be left guessing what you were trying to say.  Your audience can tell you if your words are coming out clear enough to be understood  or blurred or faint. If you need to work on clarity, open your mouth wider when you speak. During practices, exaggerate the way you open your mouth as you speak.  This will allow your muscles to loosen and enable them to better form and give the distinct sounds needed for your words to come out clear.

The IELTS Speaking Test is indeed quite a challenge.  However, if you devote enough time and effort, and put the above mentioned tips into practice, no doubt you will have a better chance of securing a better score than if you don’t.  Just remember, believe that you can do it and, the more you practise… the better you become.

Also remember that the speaking confidence course now includes an online Practice Speaking exam so you can get feedback on how to improve. I tell my students to complete the course first, then try all their new techniques and strategies in the online exam.

IELTS Writing | 120 5 easy ways to get the vocabulary you need to pass IELTS

It’s important to note that in the IELTS exam, 25 percent of your score in both the writing and speaking components is based on your use of vocabulary. As stated in the official band descriptors published by the creators of the IELTS examination, candidates who achieve a higher score of 8 or 9 use a large range of vocabulary and employ lexical expressions, word choice and collocation.

This article presents five easy ways to get the vocabulary you need to pass the IELTS exam successfully.

1. Learn and write down six useful words every day

Firstly, it’s vital to grow your range of language. Rome wasn’t built in a day, so accumulate new language gradually. Aim to learn and write down six useful words every day. One of the best resources to gather new words is the official Academic Word List. Here is a link to guide you in collecting a larger scope of vocabulary: http://ift.tt/29ViH5y

2. Create word families

As you browse the site, learn how to break down words into smaller ones, or create new words. For example, the noun residence means a person’s home. We can formulate the verb to reside (to live) and the adjective residential from the noun form. Study how to create such word formations, and learn about suffixes and prefixes to grow your scope of language. Get into the habit of writing six sentences with six new words, formations or collocations every day.

3. Learn how to paraphrase

The ability to paraphrase is an essential skill in becoming an adept writer for the IELTS exam. Paraphrasing means rewriting to reiterating a sentence or phrase in another way.

For example, this sentence,

The huge block of flats will be demolished by the end of the school quarter.

can be paraphrased into this sentence:

The enormous apartment block will be torn down by the end of the school semester.

The key to successful paraphrasing is to identify the keywords in the sentence. Then, find synonyms and replace these words with them. Rewrite the sentence, making sure to maintain the same meaning. You may decide to change the structure of the sentence. For example:

Although traffic control can help reduce pollution in cities, this measure is not sufficient to deal with serious environmental problems in urban areas.

The plan to control traffic is not enough to handle issues with the environment in cities, despite the fact that traffic is a source of pollution.

In the second sentence, we have retained the same meaning as the first one. However, the keywords have been replaced with synonyms or matching expressions. Sufficient is replaced by enough and although is replaced by despite the fact. Practice paraphrasing sentences and then paragraphs to get into the habit of using a variety of words and expressions to say the same thing. Use a thesaurus (www.thesaurus.com) to help find synonyms and grow your range of language.

4. Make a list of linking words

When using vocabulary, remember that coherence is one of the four principle criteria that is used to score your level in both the speaking and writing components of IELTS. The use of discourse connectors is essential in creating a succinct and lucid argument. As you prepare for the exam, make a list of linking words or connectors based on how they are used in the development of opinion and debate.

For example, this table shows how and when we use connectors:

Presenting a point	Adding information	Contrasting information	Concluding
Firstly,	Moreover,	In comparison,	To conclude,
	Additionally,	On one hand, … on the other hand,…	In brief,

 

Take a few minutes each day to write one sentence with a linking word from each category.

Once you understand how to use the linking words correctly, write or practice developing an argument with at least five connectors.

5. Read and listen

Last but not least, passive learning is important to prepare for the IELTS exam. This means reading and listening to topics most common to appear in the exam. These topics are education, the environment, technology, health, medicine, government, the economy, crime, business, food and society. You can find very relevant articles and podcasts on the Six Minute English link of the BBC Learning English website: http://ift.tt/Ki6S4q

Highlight new words, connectors and expressions and create new sentences with them to practice your writing skills. You can also do some practice tests on the British Council website by downloading them on this URL: http://ift.tt/1ISbSeM

6.  Use this Chrome extension.

This extension is quite funny but also offers immense practical value. The extension will read to you any text you highlight in the browser. This is really useful as a method to learn new vocabulary, and especially learn the correct pronunciation of a word the first time you use it.

After installing it to your Chrome browser, go to a site that reports similar material to the topics you get in the IELTS exam. These sites may include BBC.com, TheGuardian.com, RT.com etc, find an article about a topic, highlight the text, then go to the top right of the browser and press he new blue “play” button and listen! Easy!

IELTS Writing | 119 How to depersonalise an IELTS essay

In Academic Writing Task 2 of the IELTS exam, you will be expected to write a discursive or argumentative essay on a specific topic. You’ll be presented with a subject and question that may ask you to explore an argument, give your opinion or offer solutions to a problem.

In this article, we’ll study techniques to depersonalize your essay so that you can provide an impartial view of an argument or topic before giving your personal opinion.

Firstly, let’s consider why it’s important to depersonalize your essay. To create a convincing argument or to explore a specific point, it’s vital to provide clear topic sentences, concrete examples and true facts. During the main part of your essay, you are not offering your point of view, but information with examples. At the end of the essay, during your conclusion, you can express your opinion based on the argument you have built with accuracy, clear evidence and reason.

 

Technique 1: Develop argument with reason

 

Firstly, develop a clear argument with reason. Do not give your opinion based on what you feel or guess.

 

Let’s take an example from a recent IELTS essay title:

 

Some people say that globalization will lead to a loss of cultural identity. Others think that globalization will result in world peace and harmony. To what extent do you agree with either sentence?

 

Firstly, you can begin your essay by defining the key words and carefully paraphrasing the first paragraph:

 

Globalization is the way which companies or other groups use to develop global influence on a worldwide scale. While some people believe that the consequences of globalization are unity and peace, others suggest it may result in losing one’s cultural identity. It’s clear that the positive impacts of globalization far outweigh its drawbacks.

 

Note that the author does not give his personal opinion in the introduction. Instead, he points out that the positive implications weigh more than the negative ones.

 

Technique 2: Give concrete facts

The body of your essay will present the argument for and against globalization. As each point is presented, it’s essential to give concrete, specific facts to support each point.

 

Some people argue that globalization fosters the disappearance of one’s local culture. For example, McDonald’s fast food company has become a restaurant landmark worldwide, including in the country of Senegal, West Africa. As more McDonald’s restaurant chains establish in Dakar, Senegal, people of the local country enjoy eating fast food in this restaurant in addition to their own local cuisine. However, there is no data that suggests that the local food or drink of Senegal is disappearing. Their local cuisine is still very much a part of the people’s culture.

 

This paragraph gives a focused example, referring to a specific company (McDonald’s) and a country (Senegal). In this way, you can avoid giving a subjective point of view and instead, rely on objective facts that can support a convincing argument.

 

Technique 3: Use the passive voice

Thirdly, use the passive voice when expressing a fact.

 

For example:

 

Recent studies have shown that globalization has helped in improving education worldwide. For example, millions of dollars have been invested by The Bill Gates Foundation in educating young people in technology and medicine in countries in Central Africa.

 

This extract offers a fact regarding the positive impact of globalization, using the passive voice.

We don’t hear the writer’s point of view. However, we know the facts and example, and that information will support a clear argument.

 

Technique 4: Beware of your use of subject pronouns

 

Do not use ‘’I’’ or ‘’We’’ subject pronouns when presenting ideas, opinions or conclusions in your essay. Instead, use ‘’It is clear’’, ‘’It can be assumed’’ or a fact presented with a connector to define your key points or conclusion.

 

To conclude, it can be safely assumed that the advantages of globalization outnumber the drawbacks. Although feared by many people due to the arrival of change, globalization will help to bring unity, solidarity and freedom to a greater population than ever known in the history of the world.

Technique 5: Transforming examples

 

You check out the full tutorial here.

Or watch the video here:

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IELTS Writing | 118 Why these essays got Band 8 and these got 6.5

This article address the reasons that certain essays received a Band 8 score, while others got 6.5 in the Academic Writing Task 2 of the IELTS exam. Firstly, let’s review the criteria used to determine whether an essay meets a higher or lower score.

A score of band 8 will result if the candidate addresses all parts of the writing task sufficiently in at least 250 words. The writer must create a well-developed response with specific examples to support their ideas, and connectors to sequence points in a logical manner. The examinee should use paragraphs in a cohesive format; the use of structure must be accurate and there should be a good variety of language.

Now, let’s take a look at two examples with the same essay title that received different scores. Here’s the first paragraph of an essay that received 6.5:

More students are travelling abroad for further education. Do you believe the advantages of this experience are greater than the drawbacks associated with it?

Since the last ten years, there are many more students who travel abroad to study to international universities. I will investigate the advantages and disadvantages on this pattern in this essay.

In this example, the writer develops the idea of the title that more students travel abroad to study. There are four grammatical errors in the use of preposition and tense. Moreover, the introduction is short and the range of language is appropriate but basic. This paragraph deserves a score of 6.5.

 

Now, let’s take a look at the introduction of an essay with a score of Band 8:

More students are travelling abroad for further education. Do you believe the advantages of this experience are greater than the drawbacks associated with it?

There have been an increasing number of students travelling internationally for further education in recent years. Whereas some people argue that studying abroad is a very positive experience, others suggest that there are several problems associated for it. I believe that the advantages of a study-abroad experience outweigh the drawbacks.

In this example, the candidate writes a more developed introduction, offering a reference to the pros and cons of studying abroad. Apart from one preposition error, the use of complex grammar and tense are accurate. The writer uses a linking word of contrast (Whereas) to introduce an adverbial clause appropriately. Moreover, the paragraph is coherent and there is a wide variety of language. This type of writing merits a score of 8.

Let’s read the presentation of the first point in the essay that merited a score of 6.5:

First of all, studying abroad is exciting and you can meet a lot of persons from other countries. You can find opportunities to study new subjects you are not finding at your home town university. Yet, you can be feeling lonely and feeling homesickness from time to time. As example, I have had this experience when I visited Japan for my study experience three years ago.

In this extract, the candidate attempts to present a topic sentence with examples. However, there are significant grammar and tense issues. The writer uses Yet instead of the linking word of contrast However. An example of studying abroad is provided, but it is not clear why this example is given or what is shows in relation to the topic sentence. Although this paragraph is understandable, the redundancy (use of feeling twice in line 3), lack of a conclusive example and inaccurate structure will limit the score to a 6.5.

 

Now, let’s examine a first paragraph scored at Band 8:

First of all, a study-abroad trip offers the opportunity to experience education in a new culture. For example, the Erasmus program allows Spanish students to attend university in The United Kingdom. These students can develop English language skills of the country they are visiting. Furthermore, they can learn in a system that is different to that of their home country. This is a truly invaluable experience for any person wishing to enrich their education.

This paragraph offers a topic sentence. The writer then elaborates the topic further by giving a very specific example. An appropriate linking word (Furthermore) develops the main idea. The employment of connectors is precise; the use of vocabulary is varied and appropriate.
To summarize, the essay that achieved the higher score had a cohesive structure, developed the answer with very specific examples, used connectors and maintained clear, complex grammar and use of language.