IELTS Speaking Module Lecture

The IELTS Speaking Module

The speaking test is the first module of the IELTS exam, usually done a day or two before the remaining modules if you are taking the paper based (PB) version of the IELTS exam. It will be for 11-14 minutes with few questions varying from general questions to familiar topics.

What is the purpose of the speaking Module of the IELTS Exam?

The purpose of the speaking test is to hear you communicate fluently in standard English-Language. Essentially to also access Your construction of sentences, use of grammar, vocabulary and your ability to express yourself and your ideas will be generally accessed and evaluated.

The speaking module is divided into the three parts as follows;

Speaking Part 1: Introduction and General Questions

Here the IELTS examiner will introduce him/herself, ask about your name and verifies your identity by checking your ID. The examiner will ask you three questions bordering on three areas;

Maybe your work or studies
Maybe activities that you like doing during your free time
Maybe your views of public related issue, like transport section

None of the above question will require any prepared answers, or technical approach. The main purpose of the first part of the speaking module, is to get you prepared, warmed and get ready to speak.

Strategies for passing part 1

Get ready to make good impression from this very beginning
Maintain eye contact with the examiner and be mindful of your body language
Before now, you should practice answering questions about familiar topics (people, places, activities and things)

Part One Practice questions

Record yourself, answering all the questions below; ensure you speak calmly, clearly and correctly. Try to spend about 30 seconds answering each of the questions.

What do you like to eat?
Do you prefer to cook, order takeaway food or eat at restaurants? If yes, why; if no why not?
What types of food are popular in your country?
What food have you encountered when traveling that you cannot get at home?

Also answer the followings;

What do you usually do in the morning?
Where do you spend most of your time during the day?
What do you like to do in the evening?
What do you do at the weekend which you would not normally do during the week?

Instruction: Practice the above IELTS part one question samples by recording it and send it to +2349037672796 through WhatsApp for assessment.

IELTS Speaking Part Two: Individual Long Turn / Long Turn

This is so called because here you will be required to speak on a given familiar topic for 1-2 minutes without interruptions. The examiner will give you a card (task card) containing a topic and some bullets points prompt. Before speaking, you will have 1 minute to prepare your response; scratch papers will be given to you to make notes in this part of the test. After preparing your response for 1 minute, you will then be asked to speak for 1-2 minutes on the given question. When you finished speaking, the examiner will then ask you 1 or 2 follow-up questions.

During this speaking part, you will not be allowed to bring in any writing material; this is because it will be provided by the examiner.

Strategies for Passing Part two;

Read and understand the question carefully
Take note of the key words and make brief note on your scratch paper
Think of the most exciting statement to begin your speaking
D) use Connecting words: connecting words link ideas, shows how ideas are related; connecting words can be used for the followings; Connecting words are very helpful when you want to add more detail, give another example or explain your thoughts.

To add some more information e.g. and
To make a contrast e.g. but, however,

To explain a cause e.g. because

To introduce an example e.g. for example, for instance,
To give a sense of time or order e.g. first, next, in those days, now etc.

Practice One

Practice speaking for 2 minute about each of the following topics, try to use as many of the connecting as possible

Meal, event, show/programme, photo, trip, sight/view

Strategies Continue

E) skillfully speak long: One of the major challenges of the speaking test, is one’s ability to continue to speak for the given time; in most cases people are stranded especially on topic they are not very familiar with. To overcome this, try any of the followings;

Expand a point you already made skillfully and wisely
Expand an example you ‘ve made

Peep into your notes for any possible idea to speak on

Practice Sample Two of the speaking part two;

Task Card

Please read the topic below carefully. You will be asked to talk about it for 1-2 minutes. You will have one minute to think about what you are going to say. You can make some notes to help you if you wish.

Describe a place you have visited. You should say:

Where it was and when you went there
Whether anyone went with you
What happened during your visit

Also, explain what you liked or didn’t like about the place.

Note: the examiner may then ask you a couple pf brief questions to wrap up this part of the test as follows;

What do you like about visiting different places?
Do you like to visit faraway places, or do you prefer to stay close to home? (why?)
What place would you like to visit that you haven’t been to yet? (why?)

IELTS Speaking part 3: Two-Way Discussion

This part of the IELTS speaking test lasts for 4-5 minutes. Here the examiner will ask you to discuss some abstract ideas (intangible, complex), non-personal questions. You might be asked up to 7 questions on a variety of themes related to the same topic that you discussed in part 2. This last part of the speaking test actually gives you the opportunity to possibly speak more about some points you missed in the part two. In most cases you will be asked to say whether you agree or disagree

Strategies

Use key phrase from the topic to introduce your opinion and connecting words to link ideas
Express your opinion with confidence and justify them with relate examples
Speak at length but stay on the topic

Practice Samples for Speaking part 3

Look at the questions below, for each question say whether you agree or disagree and explain why. Try to say four sentences for each and all the questions.

Would you agree that young people should read more books?

Would you agree that everyone should learn a foreign language?

Would you agree that a university education should be free for everyone?

Would you agree that people shouldn’t smoke?

Would you agree that health care should be free?

Note you need to express the degree to which you agree or disagree, take note of the five possible options below;

Strongly Agree: say; you are exactly right, that’s absolutely correct
Somewhat agree: I agree up to a point, I would generally agree, but…
Neither agree nor disagree: I can see both sides, it depends on the situation
Somewhat disagree: in most cases, no/sometimes, perhaps, but I
Strongly disagree: I don’t agree at all, no, that’s never the case…

Scoring for the IELTS speaking Module

You will be able to obtained high score in the speaking test based on the following criteria;

Fluency and Coherence: this is your ability to express your ideas and opinions clearly and coherently, without hesitations and long pauses.
Lexical Resource: this simply means your ability to use wide range of vocabulary appropriately and naturally.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: this is your ability to use a wide range of grammatical structures without too many mistakes.

Pronunciation: Meaning your ability to speak a word clearly, and also to use pronunciation features; word stress and sentence intonation naturally.

Other tips:

Use of proper tense: present, past, continues etc.
Use varied vocabulary, you will get marks for your attempts, even if you make mistakes
Use a mixture of simple and complex sentence structure
If you make a mistake correct yourself, if you use a wrong word or wrong phrase, go back and use the correct expression, you can say ‘Excuse me. Let me start over’ if you were disconnected completely
Show confidence while speaking; smile and be at easy
Expand your response
Never say “I don’t know”
Avoid repeating words