Speaking

IELTS Speaking Module Samples IELTS Speaking is a one-to-one interaction between the candidate and an examiner. The three parts give the candidate the opportunity to use a range of different speaking skills. IELTS Speaking is recorded. Timing11 – 14 minutes MarksCandidates are assessed on their performance throughout the test. Introduction to IELTS speaking module The speaking module is the same for the general and academic exam. The test takes an average of about fifteen minutes to complete. Unlike some other speaking exams you have your own examiner. The examiner does not make up the questions you will be asked - the questions are written down on a sheet called the 'examiner frame'. The only part where the examiner has more control is the third part of the test where the examiner can change the language level to what is considered suitable to the skill that you have shown in the first parts of the test. The conversation is recorded, so if the idea makes you nervous, practice with a recorder to make sure you are used to this happening. Here are the different parts of the test (you can also see the parts in more detail after this introduction): Part 1 The examiner introduces herself. (Your examiner might be a woman or a man. Since our experience is that examiners are slightly more likely to be women, we will use the female pronoun here.) You are expected to introduce yourself as well. You will need to show that you are the person who is on the list of candidates. After this you will be asked some general questions on topics on the examiner's question sheet. This part takes four or five minutes Part 2 This is sometimes called the 'long turn'. You have to look at a question topic. You have a minute to prepare what you want to say on the topic, and then you have to speak on it for about a minute. Afterward, the examiner will ask one or two questions based on what you have said. This part takes about four minutes Part 3 The examiner will ask you questions, usually on the topic that you have just talked about. Often these are more 'abstract'; such as 'What is your opinion of ...?' or 'What would you do if ...?' This part is meant to be in the form of a conversation, so you have to keep your part of the conversation going. Marking You are assessed on four things (criteria) Fluency and Coherence Lexical Resource Grammatical Range and Accuracy Pronunciation Fluency and coherence checks whether you can talk in a normal manner without long silences, and that you can join up your ideas. So a long 'errrrrrrrrrrr ...' followed by silence will lose you marks while 'Now, there was something else I wanted to say about that ... no, sorry, I've forgotten.' means exactly the same but will impress the examiner! Use of 'link words' like 'also', 'after that' 'but on the other hand' helps to give continuity to sentences. Lexical resource comes in two parts - how good your vocabulary is, and how good you are at coping with gaps in your vocabulary by putting the idea in a different way. Unless your vocabulary is exceptional, you will sometimes find yourself looking for a word. Rather than stop talking, your examiner wants you to say the same thing differently. For example, you should know the word 'envelope' but if you suddenly find a horrible blank where that word should be, you should simply say 'the thing that you put letters into before you post them'. Grammatical range and accuracy. Again there are two parts to this. Your grammatical range is whether you can move smoothly to (for example) passives or perfect tenses if that is the best way of getting your meaning across, and secondly how well you do this. It is no use trying to use a wide range of grammatical structures if all you are doing is demonstrating that in fact you can't do it! On the other hand, if you can use a variety of grammatical forms, then you must show this to the examiner. Pronunciation. You are expected to have an accent. An accent shows where you are from, and no-one should be ashamed of that. But if you pronounce words so badly that it is difficult to understand you, or if your word and sentence stress, level and rhythm come at the wrong time (for example raising your tone in the middle of a question, rather than at the end), then you will lose marks. Hints (There are more of these in the detailed description of each speaking section) You are tested on your ability to communicate. Don't try to impress your examiner with your wide knowledge of grammatical forms or your huge vocabulary. Concentrate on getting your ideas across, and use the grammar and vocabulary that is most suitable for this. Make sure that you have a few topics prepared - your favourite book, where you live, what you think about some movies or celebrities. But if you don't get the opportunity to talk about something you have prepared, don't do it anyway. The examiner will know if you change the subject to a 'prepared topic'. It is not absolutely compulsory to tell the truth. Liars can be good at English too. If you are asked about your hobby, and you don't have one, but you know a lot about skateboarding because it's your brother's hobby, talk about skateboarding as if that was YOUR hobby. Finally, relax! The examiner has only 15 minutes to discover how good you are at English. You know, (or should know) approximately how good your speaking is. If you come in looking depressed and frightened, you are telling your examiner 'I don't think my English is good enough, I think I will fail.' Why give the examiner the benefit of that opinion? Introduction The first part of the test is a 'getting to know you' exercise by the examiner. However, do not be fooled by the easy questions and the conversational style. This is in some ways the most important part of the test. During the next few minutes the examiner will make a quick judgement of your English language ability. During the rest of the speaking exam that judgement will be revised upwards or downwards, but this is where that important first impression is made. For example, if the examiner asks 'What is your name?' and you, perhaps because you are nervous, reply 'Yes, it is', then you will have to work a lot harder to show that you are really a competent English speaker! Remember, if you are confident, and look as if you are looking forward to showing off your English, the examiner will assume you have a reason for being confident - that you have good English. At the start of the test the examiner will introduce herself, and check your identification. This is already testing your English ability, but it is also to relax you, and prepare you for the more difficult questions later. Because the questions you will be asked in this part come from a set 'frame' they will be on subjects which can be answered by people from cultures and countries anywhere in the world. Popular topics are: Where you live Your job or your school Your family or friends Food Public holidays and Vacations Clothes Your favourite books or films Pets Remember While you can and should make sure that you can talk about the subjects mentioned above, do not prepare your answers so carefully that they seem rehearsed. Examiners are very good at spotting prepared answers and will not be impressed. It is much better to be spontaneous, even if you make a few mistakes. Remember Some questions require short answers e.g. Did you have to travel far for this exam? Sample answer 'Well, I live on the other side of town, but it's just a twenty minute bus ride.' (Don't just say 'yes' or 'no' Explain why you are answering affirmatively or negatively.) And other questions are more 'open-ended'. e.g. Do you think city life is better than country life? Sample answer 'Well, there are advantages and disadvantages to both. On the one hand ...' (continue for three or four more sentences.) Remember In every language, spoken sentences sometimes fail. Speakers realize that they can't finish a sentence grammatically, or realize that what they are saying is not what they mean. In this case, the sentence is simply abandoned and restarted. Native English speakers do this all the time. So do you in your own language. Listen to yourself and your friends to see what I mean. In English if you abandon a sentence, start the next one with a 'restart indication'. E.g. 'I mean..' 'Well, anyway ..' 'In other words ...'. Learn relevant vocabulary for talking about yourself, your job and your hobbies. Learn vocabulary and conventions for comparisons and likes and dislikes. Practice connecting ideas using 'link' words. Practice correcting yourself, and asking for clarification if you have not understood something. Practice interviewing your friends. Get them to interview you. Here is an extract from part 1 of an example speaking test. Examiner: So Sasha, it says here that your name is Alexandra. Is Sasha a nickname? Sasha: It's a kind of short form of my name. Like in England someone whose name is, um .. I dunno ...William? Yes, if his name is William, it might be Bill. So my name is Alexandra or Sasha, depending. Examiner: Depending? Sasha: Well, if its formal or not, you know. My teacher calls me Sasha, but if I'm in trouble, then it's Alexandra. I prefer Sasha! Examiner: So all your friends call you Sasha? Sasha: Yes, mostly. Sometimes they call me J-lo, because they say that I have expensive tastes, like a film star, but that's mostly just to tease me. Examiner: So what do you and your friends do when you are not studying? Sasha: It's such a problem at this time of the year! We have so many tests and exams it feels sometimes like we are always studying. Even if we can sometimes do it both at once when .. I mean, sometimes we get together at eachother's houses, and study and maybe, you know, share a pizza and watch a DVD or something. Examiner: Do you like watching DVDs? Sasha: Yes, its okay. I prefer going out to the cinema, but that's more expensive. One DVD is cheap, especially if five people share ... um ..take it out together and share the cost. But everyone has to buy their own ticket for the cinema, and if you also get some coffee or something before, it costs a lot more. Also at home, you can stop the DVD and get something to drink, or answer your mobe. Is mobe right for mobile telephone? I know Americans call it a 'cell'. Examiner: Most English people say 'mobile' but some do use 'mobe'. Now, what do you like ...

Introduction

This part of the test is sometimes called the 'long turn'. It will last for three or four minutes, though you will not need to talk for all of this time.
Your examiner will ask you to speak for one or two minutes on a particular topic. The examiner does not choose the topic, but instead gives you a task card. The task card tells you what you should speak about, and some ideas connected with the topic, and also one aspect of the topic that you will be asked to explain.
The topics are things that everybody in any country or society can talk about for a minute or two. It might be - for example about your leisure time, a holiday, what things you always carry with you, or what you would buy if you were given $1000. You might be asked to talk about something that uses the past tense, the present or future tense, or to speculate. (e.g. What do you think your life will be like in 15 years time?)
The ideas on the card (points) will help you to organize what you want to talk about, and you have a minute to get organized. The ideas are there to help you, and you do not need to mention them all in your talk, as long as you talk about the main topic on the card. The examiner will give you some paper and a pen so that you can make some notes (Don't write on the task card!) You do not have to make notes, but it is a good idea to do this, both because then you have something to remind you what you want to say, and because you should always take every opportunity to think about what you are going to do. It is almost always a mistake to start talking as soon as you get the card.
While you are talking, the examiner will not interrupt. If fact she might not even look at you, as she will be busy with her assessment tasks. If you stop talking before your time is up, you might be asked one or two follow-up questions, or you might be asked these anyway once you have finished talking. The examiner will stop you once she feels you have talked for long enough. Don't worry about being interrupted - you do not have to know how to time yourself, and will not be penalized if the examiner stops you because otherwise you might talk for too long.
Practice: By knowing what a two-minute turn feels like.
Practice: With your friends by playing 'just a minute' in which they name a topic and you have to start talking about it immediately for a minute without repeating yourself or using null sounds like 'ummm' or 'errrr' (on the other hand null phrases like 'Well then, let me see, actually, I think ...' are very useful, and you should get into the habit of using these.)
Remember: Fluency does not equal speed. In fact you should speak slightly more slowly than you usually do, and make sure that if you are going to pause, you do it at the end of a sentence or clause rather than in mid-phrase.
Remember: If you catch yourself making a grammatical mistake, you can correct yourself immediately. But if you focus too much on speaking with perfect grammer your fluency and coherence might suffer.
Remember: After you give an opinion, try to follow it with a reason or explanation, and give an example, preferably from your personal experience. (Always speak about what you know best, and you are an expert on yourself!)

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Extract from an example speaking test part 2.

Examiner: Okay, are you ready to start speaking?
Carlos: Yes, I think so, sure.
Examiner: Remember you have between one or two minutes. Don't worry about speaking for too long, I'll stop you. Okay, please begin.
Carlos: I've been asked to speak about my dream home, and actually, I don't think that this is really a possible home. I mean, you know, it's possible for me to have a dream home, but it's got to have my family, because we have always been living all together. So my family have to live at my dream home, but they want a dream home so different from what I think it. So it's hard to see how we can all ..., because we have all got to be happy, you see, or it's not a dream home.
Okay. I've got to have my own bathroom. And one for each of my sisters, because they kind of live in them. I mean, they're there for hours in the morning and evening. ... And a sound pre .. a sound .. a room that no sounds are coming out, where I can do music really loud and no-one says me to stop it. And Zorro, he's my cat, I want him to have a whole room just for him, where he can play and climb on things. Maybe have his own television, why not?
Oh yes, where has this home got to be? In my town, definitely. My friends ....
Examiner: Okay, thank you. How many sisters do you have?

Introduction

This part of the test is sometimes called the 'discussion'. It usually lasts between three and five minutes.
In this part the examiner will ask you questions which are related to the topic you have just discussed in part 2 of the test. You will need to show that you can give an opinion and put together ideas into a logical pattern. You will be asked to express abstract ideas (i.e. talk about things like emotions, plans, ideas.)
The examiner will be checking your fluency (how easily you express and connect ideas, the speed that you talk at and whether you pause in the correct places), and your coherence (how well organized your sentences are, and if you accurately use a wide range of grammar and vocabulary)
As well as saying what you think about a particular topic, you will need to be able to explain why you feel that way. You should also be able to analyse, discuss and speculate about topics the examiner asks you about.
Remember to listen for 'key words'
'What do you think about ...' invites you to analyse
'Do you think...' invites you to speculate
'What can you tell me about ...' invites you to outline
There are many other key words - in each case, remember to think about what the examiner is asking you do do.
If you are asked whether you like horror movies, you must reply with an opinion. You should not (for instance) start outlining the story of the last horror movie which you saw.
Remember you can give yourself a bit of extra time with 'verbal nulls'. Practise a variety of these so you do not use the same ones every time. (Verbal nulls are phrases and sentences which do not really mean anything, but give the speaker time to prepare his answer.)

For example:

Examiner: What is your opinion of modern pop music?
Candidate: Modern pop music? Do I like it? well, let me see ... as a matter of fact, I think I do. Well, that is generally speaking.'
(This reply means the same as 'Yes.' But it will impress the examiner a lot more.)
Practice giving reasoned opinions.
After you have made sure you understand what the examiner wants from your answer, you can use verbal nulls to prepare, but after that you have to give a reasoned response.
If that response is an opinion, make sure that you support your opinion with some reasons, and it will also help if you 'balance' your opinion by giving some reasons why other people might not agree.

For example:

Examiner: Do you like English-style fish and chips?
Candidate: Well, I can't say this is my favourite food. The chips are too thick, and I prefer fries. Also, I don't think cooking in fat like that is very healthy. But some of my friends really like it, and if they want to have fish and chips, maybe I'll have some as well.
Remember to use a general-specific answer style. So start with a general answer, and then be more precise.

For example:

Examiner: Is fashion very important to you?
Candidate: No, I don't think so. (General) I'd prefer to have the latest computer rather than the latest fashion in shoes or shirts (specific).
Remember You do not need to know the technical stuff about how you talk (i.e. words like coherence, structure, handling of abstract concepts). That's the examiner's job. Nor do you have to be completely fluent in English to do well in the test. A good, relaxed conversational style will make up for the occasional error in grammar. You should not concentrate on your score but on keeping your side of the discussion clear, smooth and understandable

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Extract from an example speaking test part 3.

Examiner: We've been discussing eating out. Now I'd like to ask you a few more questions about this. Which do you prefer, eating out, or eating at home with your family?
Matilda: Oh, it depends. Going out to a restaurant is good, but I don't think I want to do it all the time. I think going to a restaurant is for special times, but with my family its more relaxed. You can be yourself, you know?
Examiner: What is important to you when you go to a restaurant?
Matilda: Important how? Do you mean for the food, or if the restaurant is a good one, with a good name?
Examiner: Well, all of these I suppose.
Matilda: Of course, the most important thing for me is the food. I don't care so much if it is not a fashionable restaurant. I mean a fashionable disco is good, and I don't mind if it is crowded. But a crowded restaurant, where you have to queue for a table, I don't think I like that. Also, good service. That's important.
Examiner: Do you always leave a tip after a meal? What's the tradition in your country?
Matilda: Well, it's not like some countries where you always have to give a big tip. We give a tip if we like the waiter, or if the food was more good, I mean, better than I expected.
Examiner: What would you do in a bad restaurant? I mean one where the food or the service was not acceptable.
Matilda: I would complain. I'm not patient, and I know what my food should taste like. If it's not good, I'll tell the waiter. Sometimes they, how do you say, try to get away with it? Like put me in a too small table next to the toilet, when I said on the telephone I wanted a table by the window.
Examiner: So describe what you think would be a perfect restaurant ...