Wanna get 8.5 bands instead of 5 in IELTS speaking? Here is what you need to know.

IELTS speaking is the easiest part of the IELTS exam. Yes, that's true. Still, some test takers fail to get the desired scores just because they lack the right knowledge and technique of IELTS speaking. Have you observed your way of speaking English when you are a part of a common conversation? This observation can help you know your level of spoken English. But in case you find trouble with your English tone, accent, incorrect use of vocabulary, or so on, then grab some intriguing IELTS speaking tips to brush up your Speaking skills.

Using our tips, you will be able to pursue 8 or above bands in your upcoming IELTS speaking test.

  • Good Beginning

It is in your hands to impress the examiner as much as you can. You can make a good start to your interview by using grammar, tone, accent, and vocabulary accurately. This will incorporate a good image in your examiner’s mind that you have a good knowledge of the language. With this, the IELTS examiner will consider you a skillful candidate and you are not far from getting 8 or above bands.

  • Accent Use

The most significant part of the IELTS speaking that is checked by your IELTS examiner is your accent and pronunciation of vocabulary words. Having a decent knowledge of how words are to be pronounced works well during your test. This will prove to your examiner that you have a good hold over the language.

Also read: Techniques on using connectors for gap filling in IELTS speaking

  • Confidence

You being at ease while speaking in front of your examiner is a must to ensure that you are very confident enough to respond to anything asked by your examiner. This will further give a good impression to your examiner about your skills and knowledge. So, never panic even if you don’t know the exact answer but keep a smile and confidence on your face during the test.

  • Coherence

Are you pausing a lot while responding to your examiner? Are you not using linking words and giving blank look? Alas! Poor you. But don’t panic and remember that these mistakes often bring undesired results in your exam. As a test-taker, it is your responsibility to ensure coherence, fluency, and good grammar use in your speech since they are the prominent factors that your examiner examines very deeply.

For instance, if your examiner asks you anything about Food,

Question: What is your favorite food item?

Ans: To score 8 or above bands, your answer should be something like this: 

That’s my favorite question to answer. I am fond of eating and I like multiple things like vegetables, fruits, meat, and vegan with no milk and soya. And, I am not a pure vegetarian but I can delightfully grab a plate that contains no animal products. Moreover, one thing that’s my all-time favorite is a wheat pasta salad with mixed corn. That comes in a lot of Mexican flavors so I often enjoy this meal in a variety of savory seasonings.

Question: Do you love to eat at home or eat out?

Ans: Likewise, you should respond as below to achieve good IELTS band scores.

 Well, that surely depends on the situation. I believe that home-cooked meals are nutritious and healthy. So, I prefer eating at home since it’s more comfortable. Overall, I feel that it’s more viable to spend some time in the kitchen and preparing a savory dish than eating at a restaurant. Nevertheless, occasionally, I like to dine out with my family or friends so, I like to go to a good restaurant, eat some delicious food, and enjoy a drink with a beautiful view if there is any.

In both cases, you would see that response of the candidate is up to a certain length as required which determines his level of fluency and accuracy in English. Also, he has focused on all the necessary factors (grammar, coherence, fluency, pronunciation, and vocabulary) which makes him get at least 8 bands

Let's look at the other side of the coin. Some test-takers are not native English speakers and lack the IELTS speaking skills owing to which, they are restricted to 5 or 5.5 bands only.

You can see the signs that showcase your lack of speaking abilities:

Let’s understand through an example,

The Examiner asked the following Question from the two test-takers who responded differently.
“Describe your favorite movie”.

Talk about: Which is the movie? Why do you like it? What is the story about?

In the image below, you can find two entirely different responses. One for 5 to 5.5 bands scorer and another one for 7 or above bands scorer.

Let’s suppose the name of the test-taker is “Savoy” who got 5 bands and the name of the other candidate is “John” who scored 7 bands.

Savoy’s answer:

  • It is not at par since it lacks fluency and coherence significantly. However, he responded straightway to his examiner’s questions.
  • It reflects a lack of grammar knowledge because there are multiple grammar mistakes and tenses are not correctly used.
  • He has made simple use of language which means that there are no complex tenses, no linkers, no sophisticated words and the beginning of each sentence is quite monotonous.
  • The worst part is the incorrect use of prepositions in every sentence which can shock the examiner and compel him/her to give less scores.
  • Also, he is pausing longer and is not able to define his meaning clearly through speaking.

John’s answer:

On the other hand, John’s response has an impressive beginning. He is confidently responding to his examiner. This encouraged the examiner to score him well enough.

  • It has a correct use of grammar, tenses, and linking words.
  • He has made good use of transitive words, phrases, and vocabulary in his sentences which defines his knowledge of English.
  • Through his fluency, pronunciation, and coherence in speech, he has impressed the examiner to give him 7 bands.

These differences will help you understand your strengths and weaknesses in speaking. So, you must analyze them and practice hard through different IELTS speaking mock tests.

Final Words

If you are taking the IELTS test any sooner, then now is the time to do better preparations. To level up your skills, you can practice multiple IELTS speaking mock tests and see your scores every time. If you face any conflicts or troubles, you can take help from Dr. Roma's IELTS online course who is a maestro in English and have helped more than a hundred students to achieve a 7 or above IELTS band score.

Dr.Roma

Content Writer