Fluency and Coherence

In the IELTS speaking test, the examiner will assess your ability to speak fluently.
This means that you speak at the right pace, neither too fast nor too slowly, and that
you speak smoothly, not repeating or correcting yourself too often.

Let's have a look at three ways which can help you improve your fluency:

 speaking at a natural pace,

 speaking continuously, and
 using other words when unsure of exact words.

Speaking at a natural pace

Pace refers to how fast or slowly you speak. Throughout the test, try to speak at a
natural pace; that is, do not speak too slowly or too quickly. If you speak too slowly,
your flow of ideas may be lost. On the other hand, if you speak too quickly, the
examiner may find it difficult to understand you. Both of these can impact your score
for fluency and pronunciation.

Speaking continuously
Effective responses are continuous and have few hesitations. Continuity can be
negatively affected by three aspects:


 Hesitation: This occurs when speakers pause in the middle or at the end
of an idea. They usually say ‘uhm’ or ‘ahh’. While this is a natural part of
speech, too much hesitation affects the flow of ideas. The examiner
considers this in the score for fluency.
 Repetition: Unnecessary repetition of words and short phrases in the
middle of a sentence should be avoided as they impact the flow of ideas.
 Crutch words: Using words or phrases such as ‘you
know’, ‘like’ and ‘actually’ can make you sound natural, but not when used
repeatedly within one single answer. Other common crutch words are ‘I
mean’ and ‘so’.

Using other words when not sure of exact

words
One way to improve your fluency is to use other words when you are not sure of the
exact words you need. During the speaking test, you may hesitate too long if you are
unable to remember a word or if you do not know a specific word in English. In this
case, you should try to use other words to express the same or a similar meaning.
Lexical Resource
As you learnt earlier, one of the criteria in the IELTS speaking test is Lexical Resource.
This criterion assesses your ability to use a range of vocabulary both accurately and
appropriately. Vocabulary accuracy refers to the correct use of words based on their
context, word form and collocation with other words. Let's have a look at each of these
separately.

Vocabulary accuracy based on context

Words can have a number of synonyms (e.g. car, vehicle, means of transport), but
these synonyms convey a slightly different meaning depending on how they are used
in a sentence; that is, their context.

Let’s look at this with an example. The three words below are synonyms; however,
only one can accurately complete the sentence. Which word would you choose?

think concentrate consider

I think women are better drivers than men because they ___________ more while they are driving.

Check your answer

During the speaking test use words that are familiar to you, that you feel comfortable
with and that you know are correct for the context in which you use them.

.
Vocabulary accuracy based on word form
Another way in which you can make sure to use accurate vocabulary when speaking is
to consider the different forms that a word can have. The main forms of words
are nouns, verbs, adjectives and adverbs. Let’s look at the word challenge and its
different forms:

Word Form Example

challenge noun The last job I had felt like a challenge for me.

challenge verb I was often challenged with the last job I had.
 challenging adjective The last job I had was quite challenging.

challeningly adverb The last job I had was challengingly difficult.

In some cases, like the one above, the same word is used for different forms (e.g.
challenge for both the noun and verb form). In other cases, one word may not have all
four forms or there may be more than one option for a form. For example:

Noun Verb Adjective Adverb

education educate educative educationally

educator educated

educational

Vocabulary accuracy based on collocations

Another part of using vocabulary accurately is using collocations. A collocation refers
to a group of words that are frequently used together. Using a different combination of
words sounds unnatural or awkward. A common collocation is ‘to make a mistake’.
Saying ‘to do a mistake’ is incorrect.

Consider the four words and the sentence below. Which TWO words would you
choose to create correct collocations with the word ‘crime’?

commit make carry out perform

I think people who _______ terrible crimes should be severely punished.

Check your answer

Collocations in the English language can follow several structures:

Structure Example

adjective + noun He gave me some excellent advice.

 noun + verb The disease spread before anything could be done to prevent it.

verb + noun I have always tried to follow my father’s advice.

verb + adverb Consider the proposal carefully before you make a decision.

adverb + adjective An ability to speak Japanese is highly desirable for this job.

noun + noun The coach pushes the players to perform beyond their comfort zone.

For a single word, there can be more than one collocation. Let’s take the word rain as
an example:

Structure Example

adjective + noun There was heavy rain last night.

noun + verb At sunset, rain began to pour down.

verb + adverb It rained non-stop all night.

noun + noun A few drops of rain had fallen.

Grammatical Range and

Accuracy
As you already know, in the IELTs speaking test, you will be assessed on the range and
accuracy of the grammar you use. In Part 1 of the test, you will be asked a number of
questions and you need to be able to answer them using the correct tense. Let's learn
more about this.

.
Tenses
Tense is the verb form that shows the time of an action (i.e. past, present or future).
Using the wrong tense in your answers can change the meaning of your idea or can
make it confusing, thus affecting your score for grammatical range and accuracy.

There are sixteen different tenses in English. The table below shows the most common
tenses that you might use to answer questions in the IELTS speaking test.

Tense Example

Present Simple I eat a sandwich every day.

Present Continuous I am eating a sandwich now.

Past Simple I ate a sandwich last night.

Past Continuous I was eating a sandwich at 7 p.m.

Present Perfect I haven't eaten my sandwich yet.

Present Perfect Continuous I have been eating healthy sandwiches lately.

Past Perfect I had eaten my sandwich before you arrived.

Future (will) I will eat a sandwich tonight.

Future (going to) I am going to eat a sandwich later.

Conditional Simple I would eat a sandwich if I were hungry.

Conditional Perfect I would have eaten my sandwich if I had had time.

For Part 1 of the IELTS speaking test, the most common tenses used in questions
are present simple, past simple and present perfect, and it is important that you
clearly identify them so that you can provide answers that are grammatically
accurate.
Useful tips for Part 1
Here are some useful tips to help you perform better when answering questions for
Part 1 of the IELTS speaking test.
Tip 1 - Develop your ideas

Try to say interesting things about yourself. You can do this by avoiding yes/no
answers. You should develop your answers by explaining, suggesting, giving opinions
and providing examples. Your answers in this part of the test should be about 15-20
seconds in length.

Tip 2 - Let the examiner interrupt you

Don’t worry if this happens more than once, in fact, this is a good sign as it means that
you are speaking at length.

Tip 3 - Avoid asking questions to the examiner

In this part of the test, do not ask the examiner questions like “What about you?”. The
examiner will not respond.

Tip 4 - Correct yourself

If you’re speaking and realise that you’ve made a mistake, don’t be afraid to correct
yourself. Do this in a confident way. Instead of saying, “Oh, I made a mistake”, you
can say, “Sorry, that’s not what I meant”, or, “Let me say that again.”

Tip 5 - Ask for clarification

If you did not understand a question, you can ask the examiner to repeat it again. Be
confident when doing so. Instead of saying, “What?” or “Repeat please,” use
appropriate language like “Excuse me, can you repeat that again?” Or, “Do you mind
repeating the question, please?”

Planning Your Answer

In this part of the test, in addition to the topic card, the examiner will give you a pencil
or a pen and a planning sheet (i.e. piece of paper) for you to take notes and prepare
your presentation. For this, you will have one minute.

It is important that you use this planning time effectively so that you think of sufficient
and relevant information to answer the question. To achieve this, you can follow these
steps:
1. Understand the information on the topic card
Read the topic and the prompts carefully and make sure you understand what you are
being asked. This will help you provide relevant information in your answer. The
examiner will read the stem of the question (i.e. the first line on the card) aloud before
the 1-minute planning starts. You will then read the prompts on your own.

2. Write down your ideas

You are allowed to read from your planning sheet as you give your presentation, so it
is advisable that you write down the ideas you want to use for each of the prompts on
the topic card. When doing so, avoid writing full sentences (remember that you only
have one minute) and try to write your notes in English.

3. Divide planning sheet

One effective way to plan your ideas is to divide the planning sheet into quarters (one
for every prompt). This will help you make sure that you organise your ideas logically
and provide enough information for each point.

Consider the topic card that Miguel was given and his planning sheet for his second
attempt:

Topic card
Describe an item of technology that you use to make your daily life easier.

You should say:

 what it is,
 what you use it for,
 how often you use it,

and explain why it makes your life easier.

Planning sheet

This plan is effective because it:

 is well organised (using a grip divided into four),

 is easy to follow (following the prompts clockwise),
 uses all the prompts on the topic card,
 avoids full sentences and only includes key words,
 uses abbreviations to save time (e.g. 'mob' for mobile, 'w/u' for with you, 'sms' for
messages, 'fam' for family),
 uses bullet points, which you can tick as you cover that point when you speak.

Developing Your Answer

Throughout the speaking test, one of the aspects that the examiner will assess is your
ability to speak at length. In Part 2 of the test, this means being able to speak as close
to the 2-minute mark as possible. The examiner will only move on to the follow-up
questions when the 2 minutes are up, even if you have stopped speaking before then.
For this reason, it is recommended that you let the examiner stop you.

To make sure that you speak for the full 2 minutes, you should:

1) Use all the prompts on the topic card: The prompts are there to assist you in
developing your answer. Using only 1 or 2 will not be enough to develop an entire,
coherent answer.

2) Add your own prompts: It is possible that only using the prompts on the topic
card will not be enough for you to speak for 2 minutes. As you plan your answer,
include 2-3 new prompts (i.e. points) with information that is relevant to the general
topic of the question. Do not worry if you do not get to use all these additional
prompts; the purpose is to have enough information to speak for 2 minutes.

Consider the sample question you used to practise how to plan an answer and some
possible additional prompts:

Describe a book you recently read. Possible additional prompts:

You should say:  who recommended the book

 what you learnt from the book
 what kind of book it is,  what book are you planning on
 what it is about, reading next
 what sort of people would enjoy it,

and explain why you liked it.

3) Develop each prompt: For each prompt in your plan, include 2-3 ideas (e.g.
details, examples). This will guarantee that you have enough content and that you
have properly covered each point.

Fluency and Coherence

One aspect that examiners consider during the test is your ability to speak coherently.
This means that:


 your ideas are sequenced logically,
 you have used signposts to organise your spoken language, and
 you have used conjunctions to link ideas.

.
Sequencing ideas logically
Sequencing ideas logically means that your ideas are linked together so that the main
idea flows on from the sentence before. This is important in all parts of the speaking
test, but it is particularly important in Part 2 as you are required to speak on your own
for up to two minutes.

In this part of the test, one way to sequence ideas logically is to use all the prompts on
the topic card and to follow the same order that they are presented in. If you add your
own prompts, make sure that they are relevant to the general topic of the question.

Using signposts
Another way to coherently organise you ideas is by using signposts. Signposts are
words and phrases, such as firstly, however, and for this reason, which help you
organise your answer and link ideas to the previous or the next ideas. Using signposts
in your speech also helps listeners to follow your ideas and avoid confusion. Without
signposts, speech, especially long stretches of speech, can be difficult to follow and
understand.

There are many signposts in English and they have different functions which show the
relationships between ideas. Some of the functions are to:

 sequence your ideas  summarise ideas

 give an example  give a cause
 add another idea  give an effect
 introduce an idea that is different  emphasise a point
 generalise  clarify a point

The following link contains a detailed list of Signposts and their functions.

As you know, in Part 2 of the speaking test, you have four prompts on your card. It is a
good idea to use a variety of language and signposts to show that you are moving
from one prompt to the next.

Using conjunctions
Another factor that contributes towards coherence is the use of conjunctions. They can
help you join ideas within a sentence and they are similar to signposts because they
are used to organise your ideas.

There are several types of conjunctions. The following table shows the coordinating
conjunctions and their functions.

Conjunction Function Example

for explain a reason I’m trying to eat healthy for I want to be in shape.

and join two ideas I like to read and I write in my journal before going to
bed.

nor introduce a second My family hasn’t been to France nor have we been to
negative idea Spain.

but introduce an opposing I would love to study a master’s degree but I can’t
 idea afford it.

or show an alternative I can’t decide if I should move back home or stay

here.

yet add a contrasting idea I studied German for four years in high school yet I
can’t speak it well.

so show result or effect I was hungry so I stopped to buy something to eat.

Lexical Resource
One of the main aspects assessed under Lexical resource is the variety of words you
use to describe various topics. There are several ways to show a wider range of
vocabulary, including avoiding repetition, using phrasal verbs and idiomatic
expressions. Let's learn more about these separately.

.
Avoiding repetition
One way of showing a wider range of vocabulary is avoiding repetition of the same
words in your answers. You can achieve this by replacing words from the questions
and within your answer for other words and phrases with similar meaning.

In Part 2 of the speaking test, you should avoid using the exact same words you find in
the topic card, especially when you move from one prompt to the next. Instead, use
other words to show the examiner that you can convey the same idea in a different
way.

Below is a sample topic card with a question and four prompts. Analyse the vocabulary
range in the two answers that follow:

Describe a famous person you admire.

You should say:

 who this famous person is,

 what this famous person does,
 how you found out about this person,
 and explain why you admire this person.
Answer A Answer B

Today I’m going to talk about a famous person I I would like to talk about a well-known singer that
admire. First, I will say who this famous person is... I have a lot of admiration and appreciation for. Her
name is…
Then I will say what this famous person does...
In addition to being a famous singer, she also...
After that I will say how I first found about this
person... I didn't know about her a couple of years ago but I came
across her music when...
Finally, I’m going to explain why I admire this person.
The main reason why I admire her is...

You may have noticed that Answer A repeats the words from the prompts in the topic
card. Doing this can affect your score for Lexical Resource. On the other hand, Answer
B effectively goes through all the prompts but uses synonyms to express the same
ideas.

Using phrasal verbs

Another way to show a wider range of vocabulary is using phrasal verbs which can
help you achieve a higher score for Lexical resource as it shows that you have a good
command of the English language.

Phrasal verbs consist of a base verb + a preposition or an adverb (sometimes both).

This combination creates a new meaning for the verb. For example:

 I looked up a word in the dictionary. (look up = find)

 I put out the fire. (put out = extinguish)
 I came down with the flu. (come down with = become sick)

Here are a few considerations about phrasal verbs:

They take tenses: This means that you need to carefully consider the most
appropriate tense. For example:

 I got up late yesterday (past simple).

 I usually get up at 7am on weekdays (present simple).
 I’ve been getting up quite hungry lately (present perfect continuous)
 I’m going to get up early tomorrow (future simple)

They can take objects: These can go at the end or in the middle of the phrasal verb.
For example:
  I’ll pick up my sister later.
 I’ll pick my sister up later.

They can have several meanings: For example:

 I was brought up by my grandparents (bring up = raise, educate a child)

 He brought up the idea of having a party (bring up = introduce a topic or idea)

The following link contains a list of Common Phrasal Verbs.

Using idiomatic expressions

An idiomatic expression (or idiom) is a group of words following a particular order
which convey a certain meaning different from the literal meaning of each individual
word. For example:

It’s a piece of cake. (meaning = it’s easy)

The Public Band Descriptors consider the use of less common vocabulary and
idiomatic expressions in Bands 7 and 8. Idiomatic expressions need to be used at the
right time and in the right context, so be careful not to overuse them.

Below is the second attempt that Miguel had when answering his question on an item
of technology that makes his daily life easier. Listen to it again and identify the
idiomatic expressions that he used. Also, pay attention to any phrasal verbs
that he used.

Grammatical Range and

Accuracy
One of the main aspects you are assessed under grammatical range and accuracy is
the use of complex grammatical structures including complex sentences and modal
verbs.

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Complex sentences
Complex sentences are sentences formed by two or more clauses (i.e. a combination
of a 'subject' and a 'verb') joined by a subordinating conjunction, such as when, which,
that, who, while, or because.
There are three types of complex sentences:

Type Function Example sentence

Adverb clauses These work as adverbs and they can show a I will go on an overseas holiday as soon as I save
number of different relationships between the enough money.
clauses in the sentence (e.g. contrast, time,
reason).

Noun clauses They function as nouns, and as such, they can I am not sure how air travel will change in the
be subjects or objects in sentences. future.

Adjective clauses These function as adjectives and provide extra I want to study special education and then become a
information about a noun. teacher who helps children with learning difficulties.

The following link contains a more detailed list of Complex structures with more
examples.

In the IELTS speaking test, the examiner wants to hear evidence that you can use
complex sentences successfully when you speak. Let’s have a look at how you can
include complex sentences in your answers.

Consider the following sample question for Part 2 of the speaking test and see the
sample response below. Notice how it includes a variety of complex sentences as it
covers the prompts in the topic card.

Describe a place you like to go to in your spare time.

You should say:


 where it is,
 what it is like,
 what you do there,

and explain why you like to go there.

Introduction and prompts Complex sentences used

Describe a place you like to go to in There is a location where I like to spend my free
your spare time. You could say: time, which is a large park named Centennial Park.
  where it is I’d like to explain where it is located. The park can be
found near the middle of the city, which gives city
people easy access to nature. Although there is quite
a lot of parking, it is also easy to come by bus or train.
 what it is like Next, I would like to describe the park. If you go at the
weekend, you will find that it’s crowded, but I can
understand why. The park is huge. It is full of lakes or
small lakes with many birds.
 what you do there Moving on, I go there so that I can do a variety of
activities, such as…
and explain why you like to go I suppose that I like visiting the park because it’s
there. beneficial for my mental and physical health. When I
go there, I generally feel happy because I get contact
with nature and the fresh air makes me feel relaxed
and alive. After I get home, I feel like I’ve done
something good for my body with all the physical
activity.

Note that not all the sentences in your answers need to be complex. You can also use
short/simple sentences and sentences joined by conjunctions (e.g. and, but, so).

Modal verbs
One way of showing complexity in your language is using modal verbs in your
answers. Modal verbs (e.g. can, will, must, should) are auxiliary verbs that can show a
range of information including ability, likelihood, permission, obligation or advice. The
table below shows some examples of how they can be used. For a more detailed list,
you may refer to the Modal verbs handout.

Modal verb Function Example sentence

can ability Five years ago, I couldn’t speak English very well, but
I can now.

might likelihood I might stay in Australia after I complete my university

studies.

should suggestion I think governments should invest more in education and

health care.
 would hypothetical If I had money, I would live closer to the beach.
possibility

Notice that the main verbs (i.e. those after the modal verbs) are expressed in their
base form; that is, without the preposition ‘to’, the ‘-ing’ form or the ‘-ed’ ending.

Some modal verbs can also be used to express hypothetical ideas in the past; in other
words, ideas that did not really happen in the past. These sentences require a more
complex structure when you use them:

subject modal verb HAVE past participle object

I should have woken up earlier

This structure can help you add complexity to your language when answering
questions for Part 2 and Part 3 of the IELTS speaking test. Let’s have a look at when
this would be appropriate:

COULD + HAVE + PAST PARTICIPLE

Use this to refer to something that was possible in the past, or that you had the ability to
do, but that you did not do.

Examples:

 I could have studied harder for my final exam, but I just couldn’t find the time.
 If it hadn’t rained so much, I could have visited you over the weekend.

COULD NOT + HAVE + PAST PARTICIPLE

Use this to refer to something that was possible for you to do in the past, because
something else happened.

Examples:

 I couldn’t have studied overseas without my family’s support. (I studied overseas

because of my family support).
 I couldn’t have found the place if you hadn’t given me directions. (I found the
 place because I was given directions).

SHOULD (NOT) + HAVE + PAST PARTICIPLE

Use this to express regret for not having done something in the past. It can also be used to
express an opinion about something that was (not) done in the past.

Examples:

 I shouldn’t have eaten so much. I am so full now.

 Smoking in public should have been banned years ago.

WOULD + HAVE + PAST PARTICIPLE

Use this to express something you wanted to do but didn’t. It can also be used for third
conditionals.

Examples:

 I would have loved to learn another language, maybe Spanish.

 I would have called you if I had had my phone with me.

Pronunciation
In addition to the correct pronunciation of individual sounds and consonant clusters,
which you learnt in Part 1, the examiner will also be looking at other pronunciation
features you use in your speech, including word stress, sentence stress and chunking.
Let's learn about these features separately.

Word stress
Words in English vary in length based on the number of syllables or sounds they have.
When a word has two or more syllables, one of them is pronounced with an additional
emphasis, and this is what is known as word stress.

Placing stress on the wrong syllable can lead to mispronounced words and mean that
your speech is unclear.

One of the best ways to learn about syllable stress is by listening to how native or
proficient speakers of English stress different syllables. You can do this by speaking to
native and proficient speakers regularly, watching TV programs or listening to
podcasts.

You can also use a dictionary to check which syllable is stressed. The stressed syllable
is often preceded by the symbol (‘). For example: about (/əˈbaʊt/); water (/ˈwɔːtə(r/).

Finally, you can learn and implement word stress rules by downloading the
attachment Word Stress Rules to understand some patterns of how different words
are stressed.

Sentence stress
Another important pronunciation feature you need to learn and recognise is sentence
stress. Sentence stress refers to emphasising (or stressing) key words in a sentence.
These words are known as content words because they carry the meaning of the
sentence. English speakers convey this meaning by making content words a little
louder and longer than the less meaningful words around them.

Content words include:


 nouns (people, places, things),
 main verbs (actions, states),
 adjectives (words that modify nouns such as beautiful or difficult),
 adverbs (words that modify verbs and adjectives such as quickly or sadly),
 negative forms (not, never, neither), and
 quantifiers (some, many, all).

 Consider the following sentence. Which do you think are the content
words?

I think that it’s good to include sport in the school curriculum because it can help students to develop their ability to function
as a part of a team.

 Check your answer

 .
 Using sentence stress can help you to convey different meanings. That is,
depending on the word that is stressed, the meaning of an idea can change.
Let’s see how this can be done with the following example:

My father doesn’t work on Saturdays.

  My father doesn’t work on Saturdays.
 In this sentence, the word ‘father’ has been stressed, showing that the speaker
is specifically referring to their father, and not their mother or another member
of the family.
 My father doesn’t work on Saturdays.
 Stressing the negative form ‘doesn’t’ is emphasising that the action ‘work’ did
not take place, despite what the listener may believe.
 My father doesn’t work on Saturdays.
 In this case, the speaker is stressing the word ‘Saturday’ with the intention of
clearly showing that the action did not happen on a different day of the week.
 Practising sentence stress can help you speak more naturally. Try finding a
paragraph and highlighting words you think should be stressed. Then record
yourself reading the paragraph with a focus on the content words. Listen back
and see how you went. Alternatively, you could watch TV programs or movies,
press pause, and repeat the sentence the way the speakers do. If you do this
regularly, your sentence stress is sure to improve.

 .
Chunking
 Chunking is a pronunciation feature that proficient speakers use. It involves
using pauses when speaking to divide pieces of information into different
chunks. People use chunking and pausing for a number of reasons. They may
insert pauses to show importance, relationships, emotion and linking between
ideas. These pauses help ensure that the listener does not receive too much
information at once.

How to chunk?
It is common to use pauses before or after important information, signposts, full stops
and in between clauses. To properly chunk, you need to identify and group the
following grammatical units. Pausing briefly between these units of meaning will help
you use chunking correctly.

Grammatical unit What is it? Examples

noun phrases/groups A noun phrase is a group of words containing  the process of producing
one or more nouns which as a whole can chocolate
function as the subject or object of a sentence.  the small house at the corner
 the email from the manager in
Canada

verb phrases These are phrases consisting of an auxiliary or The project // should have been
modal verb and a main verb. finished // by now.
 transitive verbs and their These are verbs that require an object after The original manager // contacted all
objects them. In the sentence ‘Her grandmother loves staff // via email.
dogs’ , ‘loves‘ is the transitive verb and ‘dogs‘ is
the object. Verb phrases are grouped together
when you speak.

clauses When you say words such This is the classroom // where the
as when, because, if, or who, you need to lecture will be held.
pause either before them or at the end of the
dependent clause. If I were you, // I’d consider that idea.

lists of items These usually come in the form of noun or verb When we moved // we gave away our
phrases and are separated by commas. sofa, // our bed // and our washing
machine.

Let’s see how chunking can improve your response in the IELTS speaking test.

Useful tips for Part 2

Here are some useful tips to help you perform better when answering questions for
Part 2 of the IELTS speaking test.
Tip 1 - Use your planning time effectively

You only have one minute. Preparing well can help you to reach the two-minute time
limit and to speak cohesively. This preparation can also help you to make sure your
answers follow the same order as the prompts on the topic card.

Tip 2 - Use all the prompts

This ensures that you address all parts of the question and that you speak for as close
to the 2 minutes as possible.

Tip 3 - Add your own prompts

Some candidates find that using the three or four prompts in the topic card is not
enough to speak for about two minutes. You can add more information as long as you
stay on topic.

Tip 4 - Expect no feedback from the examiner

The examiners are not allowed to assist you or comment on your presentation. They
will simply move on to the follow-up questions or the next part of the speaking test.
Tip 5 - Let the examiner stop you

Believe it or not, this is what you want to happen. If the examiner stops you, it means
that you have spoken for two minutes.

Developing Answers
Your responses in Part 3 of the test need to be longer and more developed than in Part
1. You have already learnt how to use different perspectives to generate ideas. In
addition to this, you can further develop your responses by following these steps:


 provide more than one reason, suggestion or advantage: There are a
few/a couple/several reasons/suggestions/advantages;
 explain the reasons, suggestions or advantages: The reason is that; This
means that; This is because;
 give examples: For instance; For example; such as;

Let's see how a response can be developed this way. Consider the following sample
question and answer.

Question Response

Why do you think some people are better at There are a couple of reasons why some people are better at
learning languages than others? acquiring languages. One reason is their location. If they grew
up in a region that has a lot of languages, they may find it easier
to learn just because of practice. For example, in Switzerland,
many people can speak Swiss-German, German, French, Italian
and Romansch. Another reason is that they may have a
personal interest in learning a language. Some people just like
studying words and they become good at it through pure
interest.

This is an effective and well-developed answer. It starts by providing two reasons and
these are explained and supported by examples. The signposts used to clearly
introduce these ideas are: 'There are a couple of ....', 'One reason is...', 'For
example...', and 'Another reason ...'.

Giving Relevant Answers

It is essential that you listen to the examiner’s questions carefully and provide
relevant answers. This means that you need to give responses which directly answer
the questions. You can do this by ensuring that you identify the function of the
question and the main content words.

A question may ask you to do one or more of the following:


o
 describe
 give a preference
 give an opinion
 explain
 suggest
 compare and contrast

Consider the following sample question and identify its function and main content
words.

Fluency and Coherence

In the previous lessons, you learnt several different strategies for improving your
fluency and coherence in the IELTS speaking test. Let's now look at three more ways
which can help you increase your fluency and coherence score. These include using
fillers, using reference words and staying relevant.

.
Using fillers
Another way to improve how smoothly and continuously you speak is to use fillers.
Fillers are words or phrases that you can use when you want to avoid hesitation or
long periods of silence as you speak.

Some effective fillers you can use while you speak include:


 That’s an interesting question. I’ve never thought about that before.
 Well,...
 Let me see.
 So,...
 Well, let me think for a moment.
 It’s hard to say, but...
 There are many ways to answer this question...
 I'm not sure exactly...
Another way to fill the silence is to repeat or paraphrase the question that the
examiner asked you. For instance:

Question Candidate's response

Why do you think some people choose not to donate to Why don’t they donate to charity? Well, I think it’s
charity? because…

It is important to note that you should only use fillers when you genuinely need time to
consider your answer and you should avoid using them for every answer.

Using reference and staying relevant

Another way to create cohesion in your speech during the speaking test is to use
reference. This means that in your answer you need to:


 refer directly to the main idea of the question at the beginning of your
response using the key words from the question,
 continue to refer to the main idea throughout your answer using reference
words, and
 stay relevant to the topic by repeating the key ideas.

Reference words are words which refer back to a concept that has already been
mentioned in the same sentence or a previous sentence. They help the listener to
follow an idea and therefore make your answer coherent. The most common reference
words are:


 pronouns such as I, you, we, they, he, she, it,
 words such as who, whose, which, what, where, this, that, these, those,
here, there.

Consider the following question and sample answer from a candidate. What key
words and reference words has the candidate used to make his answer
cohesive and relevant?

Question Candidate’s response

What can teachers do to encourage I think that if teachers want their students to
students to do their homework? complete their home assignments, they need
to make them interesting and collaborative.
For example, they can ask their students to
complete homework tasks by using fun
 technology apps which would make the
process more fun and exciting for students.
Also, if teachers set homework as a
collaborative task, students might be more
willing to complete it as they are accountable
for their part, and it is more fun to work with
others.

Lexical Resource
In Part 3 of the speaking test, the examiner will ask you questions to develop a
discussion. Although you cannot predict exactly what questions you will be asked, you
need to be able to do the following:


 compare and contrast,
 evaluate,
 make suggestions, and
 speculate.

Let's have a look at some phrases and language to help you do that.

Comparing and contrasting

The examiner may ask you to compare and contrast two things; in other words, to
show similarities and differences.

Consider the following two sample questions.

Question 1: What are some similarities between buying food in your country and buying food here?

This question asks you to compare. Here's some useful language you could use to
show similarities.

 Some similarities between buying food in my country and here are that…
 Buying food in my country and here is similar because...

Question 2: What are some differences between buying food in your country and buying food here?

This question asks you to contrast. Here's some useful language you could use to
show differences.
  Some differences between buying food in my country and here are that…
 Buying food in my country and here is different because...
 The biggest difference is...
 They also differ in...

Consider the following question and the sample answer and identify any comparison
and contrast language the candidate uses.

Evaluating
In the speaking test, you may also be asked to evaluate something. This means you
may be asked to judge something in respect to its worth, significance, or efficiency
and provide reasons.

Consider the following question.

Question: What type of assessment do you think is more effective for tertiary students,
assignments or examinations?

This question asks you to evaluate. It asks you to say which type of assessment you
think is better and why.

Below is a list of some of the language you can use to evaluate:

 I believe that (assignments) are more effective/better/fairer because…

 (Assignments) are definitely more suitable for (tertiary students) because…
 In my opinion, (assignments) are not as effective as (exams) because…
 Generally, (assignments) do not test knowledge very well because…

Note that in order to evaluate something, you may have to compare it with something
else in order to decide if it is better/worse etc. You may therefore need to use
comparative or superlative adjectives such as those used in the above examples:


 more effective/the most effective
 better/the best
 fairer/the fairest

Other examples are:

 more successful/the most successful

 more important/the most important
 more popular/the most popular

Consider the following question and the sample answer and identify the language the
candidate uses to evaluate.
Making suggestions
In the speaking test, you may also be asked questions that require you to answer by
giving suggestions. This means you may be asked to provide ideas or
recommendations on how something should be solved or addressed.

Consider the following question:

Question: What could your government do to encourage more tourism in your country.

This question asks you to suggest ways in which the government could increase
tourism in your country.

Look at the following phrases you can use to give suggestions.

 I think (the government) should…

 Perhaps (the government) could…
 One way (the government) could…
 Another way (the government) could…
 A good idea would be for (the government) to…
 Maybe (the government) should…

Listen to the following sample answer to the question above and identify the language
the candidate uses to give some suggestions.

Speculating
Lastly, the examiner may ask you to speculate about a certain matter. This means you
may need to form a theory about something without having much evidence. This could
refer to the events or situations in the past, present or future.

Consider the following question:

Question: Do you think the recycling of household waste products will become more
efficient in the future?

This question asks you to speculate. It asks you if you think recycling of household
waste will be more effective in the future. As there is no evidence yet, you need to
give an opinion on what you think might happen.

Here are some useful phrases you can use to speculate. Speculation can be about the
past, present or future:

 It might be because…
  I’m certain that…
 There’s a good/reasonable chance that…
 Most probably…
 It’s quite possible that…
 I hope that…
 Perhaps…

Consider the following question and the sample answer and identify the language the
candidate uses to speculate about the future.

Grammatical Range and

Accuracy
In the previous lessons, you learnt how to improve your grammatical accuracy and
range using a number of different structures including correct tense, complex
sentences and modal verbs. Let's have a look at two more grammatical structures
which can help you express your ideas in a more advanced way. These are
comparative structures and passive voice.

.
Comparative structures
It is common to be asked questions that prompt you to use comparative and
superlative forms. If the examiner asks you to compare and/or contrast something, it
is important to use these forms in your answer as they give you a chance to show
grammatical range. Let’s have a look at some of these.

Comparative structure Use Example

(not) as + adjective + as This structure can be used to Food prices in my country are not as cheap
compare and contrast. as they used to be.

I did not walk as far as the others because I

was very tired.
(not) as + adverb+ as This structure can be used to I did not study as regularly as the other
compare and contrast to show students in my class.
'how'.

comparative adjectives These can be used to compare one Driving a car is easier than taking public
noun to another noun. In these transport.
 instances, only two items are being
compared. Apartments are generally less expensive
than houses.
superlative adjectives These are used to describe the In my opinion, an electric car is one of the most
noun that is at the highest or efficient vehicles.
lowest limit of the group of nouns.

more/less/fewer + noun + than This structure can be used to show Doing art classes at school has more
there is more or less of something. advantages than disadvantages.

more + adverb + than This structure can be used to She works more effectively than the other
compare two things in terms of employees.
'how'.

Consider the following sample question and a candidate's answer. Identify any
comparative structures you hear.

Passive voice
Another grammatical structure that can help you show a wider grammatical range is
passive voice. This structure can be used when the idea focuses on the results of the
action rather than who performed it. Look at the following sentences:

Active voice Universities are offering more online courses.

Passive voice More online courses are being offered by universities.

Notice that the passive voice is formed using the verb to be and the past participle
of the verb. It can also be expressed in any tense, for example:

 Present simple: More online courses are offered by universities.

 Past simple: More online courses were offered by universities.
 Present perfect: More online courses have been offered by universities.
 Modal verbs: More online courses should be offered by universities.

Generally, it is more common to use active voice when speaking as it makes your
arguments stronger and more direct, but there are times when passive voice is
effective.

Consider the following sentences taken from the sample candidate’s answer above:

For example, many chemical preservatives and artificial colours are

used in the food industry to make the production more efficient, but
 these can have adverse effects on people’s health.

All in all, technology is an important part of food industry, but there

need to be stricter regulations so that people’s health is not
impacted negatively in the process.

In both sentences, the use of passive voice allows the speaker to focus on the ‘what’
rather than ‘who’.

Pronunciation
You have learnt that it is important to use pronunciation features when you speak in
order to communicate your ideas clearly and be understood by the others. In a
previous lesson, you learnt and practised chunking, word stress and sentence stress.
Other pronunciation features that you need to be aware of are connected speech and
intonation.

.
Connected speech
In spoken English, words are not pronounced separately or in isolation. Instead,
sounds between words are connected to create a more natural sound. This is known
as connected speech.

When English speakers talk, they link certain sounds together and two words can
sound like one, such as:


 traffic congestion, or
 problems and solutions.

Let's have a look at some common ways you can link sounds together:
How to connect sounds? Examples

Consonants with vowels Connect the sound of the final consonant of a word to the sound of
the vowel of the following word. For example:

 Let’s talk about → Let’s talkabout

 I had an assignment to finish→ I hadanassignment to finish
 But I think → BudIthink
  They use it for entertainment → Theyusit forentertainment

Words with similar sounds When one word ends with a consonant sound and the next word
begins with the same consonant sound, you can join the two words.
For example:

 We need data. → We needata

 Social learning → Socialearning
 First stop → Firstop

Making new sounds When you connect the /t/ sound with the /j/ sound, it creates the new
sound /tj/. When you connect the /d/ sound with the /j/ sound, it
creates the new sound /dj/. For example:

 Last year → Lastjear.

 Nice to meet you → Nice to meetja
 Did you call? → Didja call?
 Would you mind? → Woudja mind?

Dropping a sound When the last consonant of a word has the sound of a /t/ or a /d/ and
the following word starts with another consonant, drop
the /t/ or /d/ sounds. For example:

 My next class → My nexclass

 The most common mistake → The moscommon mistake
 I used to work → I useto work

Using contractions When possible, contract auxiliary and modal verbs. For example:

 I would like → I’d like

 It is not cold → It isn’t cold
 We should have gone → We should’ve gone

Intonation
Another important pronunciation feature you should pay attention to is intonation.
Intonation refers to the rises and falls you place in your voice when you speak. Good
use of intonation can help you communicate your ideas, emotions and intentions more
accurately. However, using the wrong intonation can lead to changes in the meaning
of what you want to say, even if the words might say something else.

Let’s have a look at some example intonations that you might need in the speaking
test.

Falling intonation
 statements

If you are giving information and you are certain about it, show a falling intonation on
the last word of the sentence.

Summers in my country are very hot.

 sadness
 disappointment
 boredom

If you want to express any of these feelings, use a falling intonation on the last word of
the sentence.

I have no plans for this weekend.

Rising intonation
 doubt
 happiness
 surprise
 uncertainty

If you want to express any of these feelings, use a rising intonation at the end of your
sentence.

I got a 7 in IELTS!

 incomplete statements

If you want to show that your idea is not finished and you have more to say, use rising
intonation and hang in there before you finish the sentence.

I think technology… has changed the way we communicate.

Rise-fall intonation
 list of items
If you want to give a list of items, use a rising intonation with all the items except for
the last one, which will require a falling intonation.

It is important that parents, siblings, teachers and children understand the dangers of
the Internet.

 introductory phrases and linking devices

When you use phrases like In my opinion or linking devices such as However, show
rise and then fall intonation like this:

How ev er

In my opinion, exercising in a gym is not as fun as doing sport outdoors. However, the
weather outdoors is not always ideal, especially in winter.

 clauses

When a sentence begins with a subordinator such as if, when, who or because, use a
rising intonation in the first clause of the sentence (dependent clause), and a falling
intonation for the clause completing the idea (independent clause).

If a solution is not found soon, the problem may worsen.

Useful tips for Part 3

Here are some useful tips to help you perform better when answering questions for
Part 3 of the IELTS speaking test.
Tip 1 - Develop your ideas

To provide well developed answers, you should give an opinion followed by a reason,
and then provide an example. You may also want to consider aspects about the past
or the future regarding the question asked.

Tip 2 - Stay on topic

Listen carefully to the questions and make sure your answers are relevant to what you
are being asked. The examiner will not use words like ‘speculate’ or ‘contrast’, so
listen carefully and identify the purpose of the questions.

Tip 3 - Do most of the speaking

While it is a conversation, it is important that you do most of the talking. Avoid asking
the examiner questions such as “Do you agree?” or “What do you think?”
Tip 4 - Ask for clarification

If you do not understand a question or a particular word, it’s okay to ask the examiner
for clarification. Unlike Part 1, in this part of the test, the examiner may paraphrase
the question or give you a synonym for an unfamiliar word.

Tip 5 - Avoid saying "I don't know"

Instead of saying this, use expressions such as, “I’m not quite sure about that, but I
think,” or, “I hadn’t thought about that before, but I’d probably say…”