IELTS Speaking Test: Important things You Must Know

IELTS Speaking module consists of an interview and each candidate is interviewed individually. This module tests your ability to speak on number topics. This IELTS speaking test lasts for nearly 11-14 minutes and involves you speaking to a native speaker who is trained to assess your spoken English against IELTS criteria. You will be informed of the time and place of your speaking test by the test centre at least 72 hours prior to the test date.

The IELTS speaking interview will be recorded. Recording the interview has a number of benefits. It allows the interviewer to be monitored to check the interview is properly conducted and it allows the interview to be assessed by another examiner if there is some question over your score.

The examiner will be looking at the following things in the speaking test:

Pronunciation: Here your examiner will look for fluency and clarity in speech as well as focus on correct rhythm, stress and intonation. When appearing for the ielts rather worrying about your accent, you need to simply focus on speaking as clearly as you can and minimizing any obvious pronouncing errors.

Vocabulary: Here your examiner will test your vocabulary. You need use good timely vocabulary if want to score good bands. It’s generally not the number of words you know but how well you use them (to express your thoughts clearly) that indicate your mastery level.

Communication: Examiners’ don’t test the candidate’s ability to speak; they pay attention to the ability to communicate effectively. While the IELTS Speaking is a highly structured interview, to earn a high band score it needs to be more than a series of questions and answers. It should become a free exchange of information, thoughts and experience between the candidate and the examiner.

Fluency: Here, your examiner will look for your fluency. This does not mean the ability to speak at the skill level of a native speaker. The more readily the candidate responds to the examiners question, without having to translate it, the better.

There are three stages to the test.

Stage-1: This test lasts around 4-5 minutes and very much follows the format any conversion might take when two people meet for the first time. You will be asked to talk about your personal situation (Family, Friends, Job, etc.) and other familiar topics.

Stage-2: In this stage, the examiner interviewing you will give you a card with a topic and you must talk for between two minutes. Again, the topics are very general and related to your personal experience. A topic might involve you talking about a person who influenced you a lot or about your favorite sport etc. Before you start answering the examiner will give a paper, a pencil and allow you one minute to write notes in preparation for your presentation.

Stage-3: This stage of the speaking test requires you to take part in discussion with your examiner. The topics you discuss will be mote easier than the previous parts of the test and you will need to give options. Speculate on trends; possibly suggest how to solve them.

The most important thing which will help you in the speaking test is to use English in your everyday conversations. Avoid using your native language for a few weeks before the test and converse only in English. This will make you confident and you will talk fluently in the test. Watch English movies or English programmes on television to improve your pronunciation and to expand your vocabulary.

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