I E L T S K E Y P R INC IP LE S

SPEAKING
 IELTS SPEAKING CONSISTS OF 3 SECTIONS, 3 DIFFERENT
STYLES OF ANSWERS
• PART 1: NORMAL, FAMILIAR TOPICS THAT REQUIRE A ‘SHORT’ ANSWER. THESE QUESTIONS ARE ALL ABOUT YOU.

• PART 2: YOU SHOULD BE FAMILIAR WITH THE VAST MAJORITY OF TOPICS HERE. REQUIRES YOU TO SPEAK FOR
UP TO 2 MINUTES. THIS IS A MONOLOGUE.

• PART 3: MORE ABSTRACT QUESTIONS. THESE QUESTIONS ARE MORE ABOUT IDEAS THAN ABOUT YOU.
TYPICAL PART 1 QUESTIONS
TYPE: CONVERSATION
TIME: 3-5 MIN
• TELL ME ABOUT YOUR HOMETOWN?

• WHAT IS THE MOST INTERESTING PART OF YOUR TOWN?

• TELL ME ABOUT THE HOME YOU LIVE IN?

• HOW LONG HAVE YOU LIVED THERE?

• WHAT DO YOU LIKE ABOUT LIVING THERE?

 PART 1 STRATEGY 1
• SIMPLE ANSWER THE QUESTION, EXPLAIN IT AND ADD
SOME EXTRA DETAILS OR EXAMPLES.

• FOR MOST ANSWERS, YOU WILL NOT EVEN NEED A

STRATEGY. SIMPLY ANSWER IT LIKE YOU ARE
SPEAKING TO A FRIEND (BUT GIVE LITTLE BIT MORE
DETAILS THAN NORMAL).

• JUST FOCUS ON COMMUNICATING CLEARLY WITH THE

EXAMINER, NOT SPEAKING TO THEM LIKE A ROBOT, OR
OVER-THINKING,
PART 1

STRATEGY EXAMPLE

• QUESTION: WHAT ARE YOU STUDYING AT UNIVERSITY.

• ANSWER: I AM STUDYING AT DATA ANALYTICS ( TOO SHORT)

• MORE DETAILED ANSWER: I AM STUDYING AT DATA ANALYTICS BECAUSE I THINK ‘BIG DATA’ IS THE
FUTURE AND IT WILL HELP BUSINESSES PERFORM BETTER IN THE YEARS TO COME. I USED TO STUDY
BUSINESS MANAGEMENT, BUT ONCE I SAW THE POWER OF ANALYTICS, I SWITCHED MY DEGREE.
TYPICAL PART 2 QUESTIONS
• DESCRIBE SOMETHING THAT YOU OWN WHICH IS VERY
IMPORTANT TO YOU.
TYPE: MONOLOGUE • YOU SHOULD SAY:
TIME: 2-3 MIN • WHERE YOU GOT IT FROM
• HOW LONG YOU HAVE HAD IT
• WHAT YOU USE IT FOR AND
• EXPLAIN WHY IT IS IMPORTANT TO YOU

• IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO PREDICT WHAT TOPIC YOU WILL GET FOR

PART 2.
PART 1

STRATEGY 2
THEY ARE ASKING ABOUT YOU.
 SIMPLY TELL THEM THE TRUTH.
 YOU CAN’T GET THAT WRONG.

IMAGINE YOU WERE TALKING TO A FRIEND, CLASSMATE OR COLLEAGUE.

SIMPLY ANSWER THE QUESTION AND THEN ADD EXTRA DETAILS, EXPLANATIONS OR EXAMPLES/PERSONAL STORIES.

DO NOT COUNT SENTENCES.

 GIVE THE EXAMINER ENOUGH TO JUDGE YOUR SPEAKING BUT NOT SO MUCH THAT THEY HAVE TO STOP YOU.
PART 2 STRATEGY 1

1) LOOK AT THE QUESTION

2) DECIDE WHICH OF THE BULLET POINTS YOU FEEL COMFORTABLE TALKING ABOUT.
3) ADD OTHER THINGS YOU WOULD LIKE TO TALK ABOUT.
4) MAKE A PLAN OR THINK ABOUT YOUR ANSWER.
5) SPEAK UNTIL THE EXAMINER STOPS YOU.
PART 2

PROBLEMS 2

MANY STUDENTS FEAR PART 2 BECAUSE THEY HAVE TO SPEAK FOR LONG TIME, BUT THERE IS NOTHING TO FEAR IF YOU
MASTER THIS STRATEGY.

THE MAIN REASONS WHY STUDENTS DO NOT DO WELL IS BECAUSE:

 LACK OF PRACTICE;
 NOT USED TO SPEAK FOR 2 MINUTES OR MORE;
 LACK OF FEEDBACK; AND
 MISINFORMATION ABOUT THE TEST.
 • IT IS ESSENTIAL THAT YOU PRACTICE THIS BEFORE THE EXAM.
PART 2
• ONCE YOU PRACTICE THIS STRATEGY ENOUGH, IT WILL BE LIKE RIDING A BIKE.
STRATEGY 2 • I WILL SHOW YOU LATER HOW YOU CAN PRACTICE.

• YOU CAN:
• INTRODUCE THE TOPIC
• DESCRIBE THE TOPIC
• SAY HOW YOU FEEL ABOUT THE TOPIC
• TELL A PERSONAL STORY
• USE AN EXAMPLE
• TALK ABOUT THE PAST
• TALK ABOUT THE PRESENT
• TALK ABOUT THE FUTURE
• USE THE BULLET POINTS
PART 2 PROBLEMS
• DESCRIBE SOMETHING THAT YOU OWN WHICH IS VERY IMPORTANT TO YOU.
• YOU SHOULD SAY:
• WHERE YOU GOT IT FROM
• HOW LONG YOU HAVE HAD IT (X)
• WHAT YOU USE IT FOR AND
• EXPLAIN WHY IT IS IMPORTANT TO YOU (X)

• PERSONAL STORY
• DESCRIPTION OF IT
• FUTURE
 TYPICAL PART 3 QUESTIONS
TYPE: CONVERSATION
TIME: 3-5 MIN

• LETS CONSIDER FIRST OF ALL HOW PEOPLE’S VALUES HAVE CHANGED?

• WHAT KIND OF THINGS GIVE STATUS TO PEOPLE IN YOUR COUNTRY?
• HAVE THINGS CHANGED SINCE YOUR PARENTS’ TIME?
• FINALLY, LET’S TALK ABOUT THE ROLE OF ADVERTISING.
• DO YOU THINK ADVERTISING INFLUENCES WHAT PEOPLE BUY?
PART 3

STRATEGY 1

• IN MY OPINION, PART 3 IS THE MOST DIFFICULT PART.

• IT REQUIRES YOU TO DISCUSS ABSTRACT IDEAS AND DEVELOP YOUR ANSWERS AT LENGTH.
• DO NOT WORRY IF YOU GET VERY DIFFICULT QUESTIONS. THE EXAMINER WILL ASK YOU MORE DIFFICULT
QUESTIONS IF THEY THINK YOU ARE GOOD.

• THE KEY IS TO ATTEMPT THE QUESTION AND DO YOUR BEST.

PART 3

STRATEGY 1

• UNDERSTAND THE QUESTION

• DO NOT BE AFRAID TO ASK THE EXAMINER 2 QUESTIONS:

1. CAN YOU PLEASE REPEAT THE QUESTION? (IF YOU DID NOT HEAR THE QUESTION PROPERLY)
2. CAN YOU PLEASE REPHRASE THE QUESTION? (IF YOU DO NOT UNDERSTAND THE QUESTION)
3. WHAT DOES “X” MEAN? (IF YOU DON’T KNOW SOME WORDS MEANING)

WHAT ARE THE DRAWBACKS OF LOW-COST AIR TRAVEL?

PART 3

STRATEGY 2

ATTEMPT THE QUESTION

IF YOU GET A DIFFICULT QUESTION, YOU SHOULD BE VERY HAPPY.

DON’T LAUGH OR SAY SOMETHING LIKE ‘THAT IS A DIFFICULT QUESTION’
IF YOU HAVE REALLY NO IDEA, BE HONEST WITH THE EXAMINER.
DON’T BE AFRAID TO LIE.
PART 3

STRATEGY 3

DEVELOP THE ANSWER

IT IS IMPERATIVE THAT YOU FULLY ADDRESS THE QUESTION ASKED.

THINK OF IT AS A TASK 2 IELTS WRITING QUESTION. YOU NEED EXPLANATIONS AND EXAMPLES. THE EXAMINER MUST UNDERSTAND YOUR POSITION ON THE QUESTION.

VERY SIMPLY:
 ANSWER
 EXPLAIN
 EXAMPLE OR PERSONAL STORY
 SHOW THE OTHER SIDE (OPTIONAL)
PART 3

STRATEGY 3

PRACTICE

DO NOT STICK TO ONE STRATEGY RIGIDLY. YOU WILL SOUND LIKE A ROBOT AND YOU WILL FOCUS MORE ON STRATEGY
THAN ANSWERING THE QUESTION.

PRACTICE:
• ANSWERING THE QUESTION
• EXPLAINING WHY THAT IS TRUE
• USING EXAMPLES OR PERSONAL STORIES
• SHOWING THE OTHER SIDE
PART 3
QUESTION: DO YOU THINK ADVERTISING INFLUENCES WHAT PEOPLE BUY?
STRATEGY 3
ANSWER A: YES, IT DOES. HERE IS WHY THAT IS TRUE. HERE’S AN EXAMPLE/PERSONAL
EXAMPLE STORY OF WHY THAT’S TRUE.
ANSWER B: NO, IT DOES NOT. HERE IS WHY THAT IS TRUE. HERE’S AN EXAMPLE/PERSONAL
STORY OF WHY THAT’S TRUE.
COMBINE THE 2 ANSWERS.

EXAMPLE ANSWER:
SOME WOULD SAY THAT IT DOES BECAUSE COMPANIES SPEND BILLIONS EVERY YEAR ON
ADVERTISING. IF IT DIDN’T WORK, THEY WOULDN’T SPEND SO MUCH MONEY ON IT. FOR
EXAMPLE, COCA-COLA HAS BILLBOARDS AND TV ADVERTISEMENTS IN EVERY COUNTRY IN
THE WORLD AND MOST PEOPLE CHOOSE COKE IF THEY WANT TO BUY A COLA.

HOWEVER, OTHERS WOULD DISAGREE AND SAY THAT IT DOESN’T INFLUENCE WHAT
PEOPLE BUY BECAUSE THERE ARE THOUSANDS OF SMALLER BRANDS THAT HAVE NO
ADVERTISING BUDGET AND THEY DO JUST FINE. I BUY ALL OF MY CLOTHES FROM A SMALL
CHARITY SHOP WHICH OBVIOUSLY DOESN’T SPEND TOO MUCH MONEY ON ADS.
IELTS SPEAKING TASK OBJECTIVES
PRONUNCIATION
FLUENCY
GRAMMAR
VOCABULARY
 THERE ARE 2 MAIN CONCERNS:
PRONUNCIATI
1. CAN THE EXAMINER UNDERSTAND EVERYTHING YOU SAY?
ON2. CAN YOU USE HIGHER-LEVEL PRONUNCIATION FEATURES?

THE NUMBER ONE PRIORITY IS THE ‘CLARITY’.

IF THE EXAMINER CAN’T UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU ARE SAYING, YOU WILL NOT GET A 7 OR ABOVE.
 • HIGHER LEVEL PRONUNCIATION FEATURES INCLUDE:
PRONUNCIA
• WORD STRESS
TION
• SENTENCE STRESS
• INTONATION
• CONNECTED SPEECH

• YOU CAN SEARCH IT ON GOOGLE ‘IELTS PRONUNCIATION GUIDE’ AND YOU’LL GET EVERYTHING YOU NEED.
FLUENCY PROBLEMS

CONTENT

THINK OF YOUR BRAIN AS A COMPUTER.

THE PART THAT DEALS WITH SPEECH AND LANGUAGE IS JUST LIKE YOUR OPERATING SYSTEM E.G.
WINDOWS OR IOS.

IF THERE ARE TOO MANY PROGRAMS OPEN AT THE SAME TIME, YOUR COMPUTER WILL SLOW DOWN.
YOU DO NOT GET EXTRA MARKS FOR ‘IMPRESSIVE IDEAS’ SO WHY WORRY ABOUT THEM?
DO NOT OVERTHINK YOUR IDEAS.
GRAMMAR RANGE
• WHAT DO YOU NORMALLY DO ON THE WEEKEND?
• WHAT DID YOU DO LAST WEEKEND?
• WHAT’S THE BEST THING TO DO IN YOUR HOMETOWN ON THE WEEKEND?
• WHAT WILL YOU DO THIS WEEKEND?
• HOW HAS WHAT PEOPLE DO ON THE WEEKEND CHANGED IN RECENT YEARS?
• SHOULD PEOPLE SPEND TIME WITH THEIR FRIENDS OR FAMILY ON THE WEEKEND?
• IF YOU COULD DO ANYTHING THIS WEEKEND, WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO DO?
GRAMMAR

• YOU DO NOT GET EXTRA MARKS FOR USING EVERY COMPLEX TENSE OR GRAMMAR STRUCTURE.
• YOU GET EXTRA MARKS FOR CLEARLY COMMUNICATING WITH THE EXAMINER.
• YOU SHOULD SEE GRAMMAR AS A TOOL THAT WILL HELP YOU CLEARLY COMMUNICATE WITH THE
EXAMINER, NOT A TRICK TO HELP YOU GET EXTRA MARKS.
GRAMMAR
•THERE ARE 2 THINGS YOU NEED TO
CONSIDER:
1.RANGE
2.ACCURACY
RANGE

•RANGE TAKES CARE OF ITSELF.

• YOU WILL BE ASKED SO MANY DIFFERENT QUESTIONS. THE KEY IS TO IDENTIFY THE
GRAMMAR STRUCTURES YOU NEED TO USE AND GIVE THE EXAMINER.
ACCURACY

•ACCURACY IS A MUCH BIGGER

PROBLEM.
• THE EXAMINER WILL BE LISTENING FOR THE NUMBER OF ERRORS YOU MAKE.
GRAMMAR
IT IS ESSENTIAL THAT YOU REDUCE THE NUMBER OF ERRORS IN YOUR SENTENCES.
YOU SHOULD BE AIMING FOR MORE THAN 50% OF YOUR SENTENCES HAVE NO ERRORS AT ALL.

HOW CAN YOU DO THIS?

 SLOW WAY
 FASTER WAY
GRAMMAR
IMPROVEM
HAVE A PROFESSIONAL LISTEN TO YOU AND IDENTIFY YOUR
ENT
MOST COMMON ERRORS.
LEARN FROM A SPECIALLY DESIGNED COURSE.
 HAVE YOUR PROGRESS CHECKED.
FASTER
WAY
GRAMMAR
 DO IT ALL YOURSELF.
IMPROVEM

ENT LISTEN TO YOUR PRACTICE SESSIONS.
IDENTIFY YOUR OWN MISTAKES.
 DO YOUR OWN RESEARCH AND TEACH YOURSELF.
SLOW WAY
SOME COMMON GRAMMAR ERRORS
ARTICLES
PREPOSITIONS
TENSES
COUNTABLE/UNCOUNTABLE NOUNS
VERB-SUBJECT AGREEMENT
-ING+TO INFINITIVE
COMPLEX SENTENCES
CONDITIONALS
RELATIVE CLAUSES
VOCABULARY MISCONCEPTIONS

• YOU MUST USE ‘ADVANCED’ COMPLEX WORDS.

• YOU MUST USE IDIOMS REGULARLY.
• YOU CAN NOT REPEAT ANY WORDS.
• YOU SHOULD LEARN LISTS OF ‘ACADEMIC’ WORDS.
• YOU SHOULD LEARN LISTS OF WORDS RELATED TO ‘COMMON TOPICS’.
VOCABULARY

HOW TO IMPROVE?
ACTIVELY READ AND LISTEN.
NOTE DOWN ANY NEW WORDS.
LEARN THEM 100%
 SYNONYMS
 PRONUNCIATION
 COLLOCATIONS
 EXAMPLE SENTENCES
TAKE RISKS USING YOUR NEW WORDS AND NOTE YOUR MISTAKES.
TREAT MISTAKES AS OPPORTUNITIES FOR IMPROVEMENT.
REVIEW REGULARLY.
VOCABULA
RY
IMPROVEM
ENT PLAN
SPEAKING PRACTICE AT HOME FOR FREE
RECORD YOURSELF DOING A PRACTICE TEST.
LISTEN BACK AND THINK ABOUT YOUR PERFORMANCE, FIND YOUR MISTAKES AND NOTE IT DOWN. THEN CORRECT IT ALL.
AFTER PRACTICE AGAIN AND RECORD IT.
LISTEN TO IT AGAIN.

YOU’LL FIND QUESTIONS AT:

 BC
 IDP
 IELTS
 CAMBRIDGE ENGLISH
SUMMARY

WHAT DID WE LEARN TODAY?

• STRATEGY FOR EACH PART OF THE TEST.

• HOW TO IMPROVE GRAMMAR, VOCABULARY, FLUENCY AND PRONUNCIATION.
• HOW TO PRACTICE AT HOME FOR FREE.
FINALLY…
• THINK ABOUT WHAT IELTS WANT YOU TO DO.

• THEY WANT YOU TO PROVE THAT YOU WILL BE ABLE TO CLEARLY COMMUNICATE WITH PEOPLE IN AN
ENGLISH-SPEAKING COUNTRIES.

• WHATEVER YOU DECIDE TO DO, FOCUS ON THAT AND YOU WILL BE WAY AHEAD OF 99% OF PEOPLE.