IELTS SPEAKING TIPS

PART 1:
Speaking Part 1 lasts between 4-5 minutes and you will be asked questions about
familiar topics, such as:

Your job/studies

Your family

Your home

Your hometown

Your hobbies

Notice that these questions are all about you. It is considered easier than the other two
parts because it is much easier to talk about yourself than more abstract topics, but that
doesnt mean it is not important.

Below are 5 Dos and Donts to make sure that you start your Speaking test in the
best possible way.

Do # 1- Know What to Expect

You will probably be a little nervous and you dont want any surprises that will make you
even more anxious, so you must be aware of exactly what will happen when you walk
into the room.

Before Part 1 begins four things will happen.

1. The examiner will introduce themselves and ask you what your name is. You can
simply reply My names _______. Make sure that you use the contraction
names rather than name is. This will remind you to use contractions (e.g. Im,
Wed, theyll) in the rest of the test.

2. The examiner will then ask you What can I call you?. You can simply say You
can call me_______. If you have an English name, it is fine to use it, but make
sure that you pronounce it correctly. If you cant say your own name properly, it
does not create the best first impression. If unsure, just use your normal name.

3. They will then ask you where you are from. Simply state Im from_____. There
is no need for you to give any extra information about your answers at this stage.

4. The examiner will finally ask to see your identification. Show it to them and then
the test can begin.
By knowing these four things will happen you will be more confident and start the exam
well.

Do # 2- Create a Good First Impression

My students often ask me, if they smile, are friendly and give the examiner good eye
contact, will they get a higher mark. The answer is no and yes.

There is nothing in the marking criteria which says that being nice, or looking the
examiner in the eye will improve your grade. However, being confident helps you
because it will have an effect on your answers.

If you look at the floor and give the impression that you would rather be anywhere in the
world apart from in the room with the examiner, you will normally give very short
monotone answers and this will lower your score.

However, if you are open and friendly with the examiner, you are more likely to give
natural sounding answers.

Dont overdo the eye contact thing. It feels really strange when someone looks you
straight in the eye for 15 minutes. Pretend that you are having a normal conversation
with a friend. If you were looking at the floor the entire time, a friend would ask you if
you were OK. If you were staring them dead in the eye, they would get a bit freaked out.

Pretend it is just a normal conversation and you will be fine.

Do # 3- Pretend Youre Interested in the Questions

Lets face it, most IELTS questions are really boring. If you listen to someone answer a
boring question you will notice one thing- their voice is monotone i.e. it does not go up
or down in pitch at all, it sounds very flat. If you speak like this you will get a lower mark
for pronunciation because one of the crucial factors you will be tested on is intonation.

When native English speakers talk, their voice naturally falls and rises depending on
how they feel about what they are saying.

Imagine you are late for class, you walk into the room and the teacher says to you in a
falling tone Sit down, please. They are probably telling you, through their intonation,
that they are not very happy with your lack of punctuality. However, if they said it with a
rising tone at the start, they would probably be telling you they dont mind that you are
late and are happy to see you.

Similarly, if you pretend that you are interested in what the examiner is saying your
intonation should become more varied. However, be careful not to overdo it and make
your voice really high, or really low because you will sound like a crazy person.
Listening to native speakers talk and copying their intonation will give you a good idea
of what natural intonation sounds like.

Do # 4- Extend Your Answers

There is no set amount of words or sentences that you should use in Part 1.

They shouldnt be too short because you want to show the examiner that you can
actually use English, so Im a student. is not really long enough.

However, they should not be too long either, because Part 1 is on familiar topics (family,
work, hobbies etc.) and you dont normally talk for 2 minutes when someone asks you
where you are from. Also, you will have lots of opportunities to give longer answers in
Parts 2 and 3.

As a general rule, if you only give a single sentence answer, with a single clause like
Im from Ireland., then your answer is too short. I also dont think Part 1 answers
should ever have more than three sentences. Somewhere in between is just right.

Do # 5- Practice
It is a very bad idea to prepare memorised answers before your speaking test, but
because Part 1 is very predictable, you should practice the familiar topics mentioned
above in number one.

Try recording yourself and then listen back and think about the following:

1. Could you improve the vocabulary?

2. Did you make any grammar mistakes that could be fixed?

3. Did you speak fluently or did you speak at an unnatural speed?

4. How was your intonation?

5. Did you extend your answer enough?

6. Did you speak clearly?

Try again and keep practicing until you are really confident about talking about the
common topics.

Dont #1- Give Yes/No Answers

This might sound very obvious, but you would be surprised how many people simply
answer with Yes or No. This is probably because many of the questions would
naturally lead to a yes or no answer, but you must remember that you are in a test and
you have to show the examiner how good your English is.
Giving yes or no answers does not allow the examiner to judge your ability and you will
get a low mark no matter how good your English is.

Some people give yes or no answers because they are very nervous and they want the
test to be over as soon as possible. The examiner is not there to trick you and most of
them are nice people who want you to do your best, so dont be afraid to tell them you
are a little nervous and this will normally relieve the tension.

Dont # 2- Go Off Topic

Some students try to tell you their life story or the entire history of their hometown when
you ask their name and where they are from. Remember that these are very simple
questions and if you have given more than 3-4 sentences you are probably giving
irrelevant details.

For example, I recently asked a girl what she did in her free time and she told me
everything there was to know about badminton. I did not ask about the rules, history,
great players, positives and negatives of the sport, just which sport she liked and why.

Dont # 3- Give No Answer

You dont get to choose the question and if you dont know the answer to a question, or
you simply dont like the question, you dont have a choice- you must answer it.

Remember that Part 1 is about YOU. There will be no question you dont understand
because they will all be about you.

If you dont understand one word in a question, it is acceptable to ask the examiner to
explain what that one word means. It is also acceptable to ask the examiner to repeat
the question if you didnt quite understand what they said. However, do not abuse this
privilege and use it for every question; only use it when absolutely necessary.

If you really have no idea, be honest with the examiner and tell them you dont really
know and then have a guess. It is not an examination of your knowledge, it is a test of
your English, so it is perfectly acceptable to make something up if you are really stuck.

Dont # 4- Speak Very Quietly

This is one of the most annoying things for the examiner because no matter how good
your English is, if we cant hear you, we cant give you a high score.

This has a lot to do with confidence and shyness. Make sure that you are not talking to
the floor and speak a little louder than normally. The examiner will also be recording the
test, so it has to be loud enough for the recording device to pick up your voice.

Try recording yourself and play it back. If you cant hear yourself clearly then you need
to increase the volume of your voice a little more.
Dont # 5- Be a Perfectionist
The examiner knows that you are speaking in a non-native language and does not
expect perfection. Even people who get a 9 make small mistakes, and people who get
Band 7 and 8 make quite a few mistakes.

If you are constantly thinking about the perfect grammar and vocabulary, it will reduce
your fluency and pronunciation. Fluency and pronunciation make up 50% of your marks,
so there is no point in trying to use perfect grammar and vocabulary, if you are losing
half your marks in the process.

Speak as naturally as possible, with a focus on speaking at a natural speed and clear
pronunciation and the grammar and vocabulary will look after itself.

Easy Ways to Extend Your Part 1 Answers

Feelings and Opinions

You can easily extend your answer by saying how you feel about the question you were
just asked. It will also make your answer more interesting.

What do you like to do in your spare time?

Short answer: I like shopping.

Longer answer: I like shopping because I love trying on new clothes and I always feel
more confident when Im wearing a new outfit.

Contrasting Details

One of the easiest ways you can extend your answer is to simply use the word but to
contrast details.

How long have you worked there?

Short answer: Ive worked there for three years.

Longer answer: Ive worked there for three years, but Im going to change careers next
year.

Combining Details

Instead of giving a very short answer you can add in some extra details with and, with
or also.

Do you live in a flat or a house?

Short answer: I live in a house.

Longer answer: I live in a house with my two brothers and my mum. Weve also got a
dog and a cat.

Past Comparisons

You can talk about what you used to do and how that has changed now in the present.

Do you play sport?

Short answer: I play football.

Longer answer: I used to love basketball, but now I play football more because thats
what my friends are in to.

Adding Reasons

Always try to explain why you think or do something in the test. You can do this using
because or so.

Do you like your job?

Short answer: Yes, I really love my job.

Longer answer: Yes, I really love my job because I get to help people with their
problems everyday.

Future

If something will change in the future, you can use one of the future structures, like will
or be + going to.

Do you work or study?

Short answer: Im at university at the moment.

Longer answer: Im at university at the moment, but Im graduating next year and I will
hopefully get a job in advertising.

Contrast Opposite Opinions

You might be asked a question where you have to talk about your opinion or another
persons opinion. Use even so or although to show that you have considered both
sides.

Is your hometown a nice place for tourists to visit?

Short answer: Yes, it has a really nice beach.

Longer answer: Yes, it has a really nice beach, although it is getting really busy these
days, so its not as pristine as it used to be.

Giving Examples

Real life examples are always the easiest things to talk about because you can talk
about them naturally and in more detail.

Do you get along with your brothers?

Short answer: No, were not in to the same things.

Longer answer: No, were not in to the same things, like when we are both watching
TV we always fight about what show to watch.

Frequency

You can use words like usually, never, always and more often than not. to extend
your answers.

What do you do at the weekends?

Short answer: I watch TV and play computer games.

Longer answer: I usually watch TV and play computer games, but sometimes I go out
for a drink with my friends.

How can I use these?

The best candidates use English naturally in the Speaking test. They dont think Should
I extend this with an example or talk about the future? and then give an answer, they
just reply spontaneously.

You can improve by doing something I call practicing slow and fast. Practice slowly first
with old exam questions and think about how you could extend your answers and even
have notes and books in front of you. Think deeply about what structures you need to
use and focus on getting your answers perfect.

You can then practice fast with new questions and without any help and hopefully,
because you have studied the structures in detail, you will be able to use them naturally
without any help.

Can I use more than one?

Of course! They are totally flexible. Combining two or three of the above structures in a
single answer is very impressive.
Where are all the complicated structures?

Trying too hard to use complex structures normally leads to mistakes. Remember that
the main goal in the Speaking test is being able to communicate effectively and fluently
with the examiner. If you are thinking about complicated grammar structures, you
probably wont be able to do either of those things.

You do have to use a range of structures, but that does not mean that you have to use
every complicated phrase and tense in the English language. Focus on real
communication and the range of structures will look after themselves.

IELTS Speaking Part 2 Tips

1.You Dont Have to Talk About Every Bullet Point

In the Official Marking Criteria for the Speaking Test there is nothing that states that you
have to talk about every bullet point. Lots of IELTS examiners know this, but they dont
tell students because they dont want to give them an unfair advantage.

You will always be given a general topic at the start of the test and then You should
say: followed by 3-4 bullet points. The rule is that you must talk about the general topic
at the top of the card, but you dont have to talk about all of the bullet points. Note that it
says You should say not You must say.

The bullet points are there to help you, so if you want to talk about them, please do.
However, if there are one or two that you dont like or you dont feel comfortable talking
about, leave them out and talk about something else. Make sure what you talk about is
within the general topic and you will be fine.

2.Have a Strategy
IELTS is much easier if you have a strategy for each part of the test. You can use this
strategy when you are practicing and then you will be much more confident in the real
test.

I have developed a very effective strategy for Part 2 of the Speaking test that many
students have had success with. Please click here to view it.

3.Preparation
They say practice makes perfect and this is very true for IELTS Speaking.

Dont memorise answers. There are too many topics for you to memorise and it
is highly unlikely that you will get the same topic in the real test. It is a complete
waste of time and leads to some very strange answers. If the examiner spots this,
they are allowed to give you a Band 0!
 Focus on fluency and pronunciation. Record yourself and listen to yourself. How
could you improve your fluency and pronunciation?

Learn functional language used to describe common grammar functions, such as

talking about the past, present or future, giving your opinion, evaluating
someones opinion and talking hypothetically.

Time yourself so you know how much you have to speak in 1-2 minutes.

4.Use 1 Minute Wisely

You will have one minute to prepare before you start talking. You will not have enough
time to write full sentences. You will, however, be able to write keywords. These
keywords should guide you through your talk and help if you cant think of ideas.

Having a strategy will also help you because you will know exactly what to talk about
and you will be able to make a clear plan using short notes and keywords.

5.Personal Experiences Are Best (but telling a lie is OK too.)

The best answers are always about things you have actually experienced in your life.
You will be able to describe these things in much more detail and you will also be able
to talk more coherently about them. Students tend to be more confident talking about
real experiences and this helps them with their fluency and pronunciation.

However, some of the cue cards will ask you to talk about things you might not have
experienced at all in your entire life. It is fine to lie. The examiner will never check your
answers or worry about whether they are the truth or not. However, they might ask you
some follow-up questions, so be prepared for these.

In my experience, the best strategy is to use real experiences first and add in some lies
to help you answer the question fully. Use your imagination and you will be fine.

6.Expand Your Ideas

It is much better to fully expand each main idea, than to simply state lots of main ideas
and not develop them at all.This will help you give more impressive answers and it is
also a better use of your time. It is much easier to think of a few relevant ideas and
develop them, than it is to think of lots of different ideas.

When you are practicing, a good way to expand your main ideas is to use Who, what,
why, where, how. This will help you quickly and easily develop your main ideas and
you will also get used to the grammar structures needed to do this.

You can also use your senses to help you use a wide range of vocabulary. Think about
how things looked, sounded, smelled and tasted. You obviously wont be able to talk
about all of these things for every topic (you would sound a little strange describing how
a book tasted) but you will normally be able to use two or three of them.While practicing
you can use a dictionary to help you describe these sensations and expand your
vocabulary.

7.Mistakes are OK
Everyone makes grammar and vocabulary mistakes. Every time I make a new video it
takes me longer to edit out the mistakes than it does to record the video. Even students
who get a Band 8, or even 9, make small mistakes. This is totally understandable and
you should therefore not panic when you make a mistake.

I have listened to students who were half way through their Part 2 question and then
they made a small grammatical error and they completely lost their way and their score
went from a very high one to a very average one.

Being nervous and stressed affects your ideas, pronunciation, fluency and normally
leads to further grammar mistakes. When you make a mistake simply forget about it.
There is nothing you can do. Dont panic and continue.

IELTS Speaking Part 2 Strategy

In IELTS speaking part 2 you will be given a topic or cue card similar to this:

Describe a plant grown in your country. You should say

what the plant is
where it is grown
why you like or dislike it
and explain why it is important to your country.

You will have 1 minute to make notes and then will be asked to speak for between 1-2
minutes.

Speaking for 2 minutes on an unfamiliar topic scares most IELTS students and thats
why IELTS speaking part 2 is one of the most feared parts of the exam. The problem
seems to be running out of things to say or not knowing what to say because you are
unfamiliar with the cue card suggestions.

To overcome this problem, I have developed a strategy to help students and it has
proved very successful.

A common error is thinking you have to talk about exactly what is written on the card.
You dont! Having spoken to several IELTS examiners and students who achieved very
high marks in their speaking test, I can assure you that you dont have to cover
everything on the card. The band descriptors also dont mention anything about
answering all the suggested parts of task 2.
Following the suggested sentences on the card is fine and many candidates do very
well following them but others run out of ideas. More importantly, if you have a structure
to follow for every question you can practice and prepare more effectively.

My strategy is to talk about what you feel comfortable talking about. In other words, talk
about the things you think will get you the highest marks. If you like the suggestions on
the card, then talk about them. But if you dont, or you want some extra things to talk
about, then follow the strategy below.

When you get the cue card you will be given one minute to write down some ideas. You
are going to use this time wisely by using the following structure. On the piece of paper
provided write down five headings with a little space between each one.

Introduction
Past
Description
Opinion
Future

Now you will start to write keywords beside each of these headings. Lets look at each
in a little more detail.

Introduction

Start off by saying Id like to talk about (X). Then say I chose this topic because and
you will be able to say why you choose this topic. If you cant think of a reason just
make one up, although its always better to talk about real experiences.

Past

Now pause and use a linking word like anyway or anyhow to transition into talking
about the past. This will allow you to demonstrate that you are confident using a range
of past structures. For example-

Used to + infinitive to talk about past habits or states that are now finished.
Would + infinitive to describe past habits.
Past simple to talk about things you did in the past that you no longer do or are no
longer true.
Past continuous to talk about the background of a story or how you felt at a particular
time.
Past perfect to say something happened before something else in the past.

Description

Now pause and say So let me tell you about (X) in a little more detail. This is your
opportunity to impress the examiner with specific vocabulary. Get to know the common
topics and have some specific adjectives ready. If you use an adjective to describe
something, make sure you expand on it or explain it with examples. Again, if you cant
think of specific examples, it is fine to make these up. Make sure your examples match
the adjective and you will be fine.

Opinion

Now you can pause and say If you ask me/In my view/I would say + (opinion on topic).
This give you a chance to express how you feel about the topic. It could be your
personal opinion or it could be a comparative or superlative. Using a wide range of
phrases to express your opinion will help you get a higher mark. If you want to give a
stronger opinion you could say:

I strongly believe that

As far as Im concerned
Im strongly against
Im strongly in favour of.
Im skeptical of the idea that
I must admit, I think.

Future

Finally you can display your ability to use future tenses. Start off by saying With regards
to the future. A range of tenses will help you gain extra marks. For example you could
use:

Present continuous to talk about fixed arrangements.

Be going + to + infinitive to talk about future plans.
Will or wont + infinitive is used with predictions based on opinions or experiences. It can
also be used to talk about hopes and assumptions.
The future perfect- will have + past participle- is used to say something will have
happened or will have been completed by a certain point in the future.

Thats it! Five simple headings that will allow you to speak for at least two minutes
without any difficultly.

The most important thing is that you practice using this strategy with many different
topics. Get some past IELTS speaking part 2 questions and ask a friend or classmate to
give you them at random. You can start off slowly by using this post to help you, but
after a lot of practice, this strategy will become natural for you and you will be able to
answer any part 2 question with confidence.

There is no magic formula or trick to getting the IELTS band you want but there are
good strategies you can use and, more importantly, strategies you can use to help you
practice.
IELTS Speaking Part 3 Tips

1. Dont try to finish quickly

Speaking for up to 15 minutes in a foreign language is tiring. You might not have slept
the night before, you are stressed and you might have also done other tests that day. In
short, you will be exhausted and your body will want you to take it home and tuck it into
bed as quickly as possible.

Lots of students give very short answers because they simply want their test to be over
as soon as possible. Know that the examiner will keep asking you questions (and the
next ones will probably be more difficult), so it is much better to give a full answer and
answer the question to the best of your ability, than to simply give a short answer and
hope that it ends quickly.

2. Know that the examiner is trying to stretch you

Part 1 is really just a warm-up and Part 2 is a monologue, so Part 3 is the examiners
chance to really test you and stretch your language abilities to the very limit. The main
thing to remember is that they will ask you questions you wont be able to answer as
well as you hoped. They will often increase the difficulty until you cant answer the
question. They are not trying to be cruel, this is just the best way for them to test your
knowledge of grammatical structures and vocabulary.

Think about a personal trainer or athletics coach forcing an athlete to perform more and
more strenuous exercises to judge their true ability.

If you know this is going to happen you will not get stressed out and you will answer the
questions more confidently and get higher scores.

3. Dont be afraid to ask questions

There will be words in some questions that you dont understand. The rule is that you
can ask the examiner to explain what one word means, but you cant ask them to
explain what a whole sentence means.

You can also ask them to repeat the question, if you didnt quite get what they said.

Please dont abuse this privilege and try to use it for every question.

4. Always give an answer

There will be at least one question that you have no idea how to answer. Dont worry,
this is normal- see point number one. The most important thing to do is to at least make
an attempt. You have been speaking for 15 minutes and one question is not going to
lower your mark for the whole test. However, the worst thing you can do is to simply not
attempt an answer. If you have this mindset, then you wont push yourself to the limit of
your abilities.

It is also fine to admit that you have no idea. Simply say Im really not sure about this
question, but if I had to answer, I would say... The examiner will be much happier
that you attempted an answer, rather that just saying I dont know or blankly look at
them (which happens more than you would think).

You can also give yourself time to think about the question by saying That a difficult
question, just give me a second to think about that. or Ive never thought about that, to
be honest, give me a moment. However, dont do this for every question, only the ones
you need to actually think about.

5. Think about what structure the examiner is testing.

The examiner needs to know that you are capable of using a wide range of structures.
Dont worry about inserting as many structures as possible into your answers because
they will ask you specific questions to test specific grammar structures. Lets look at the
examples above:

How have mobile phones changed the types of relationships people make?
opinion/past/present

Some people think that children should not be allowed to use mobiles, do you
agree?- evaluating someones opinion

How has mobile phone use changed in the last 10 years.- past to present
(perfect tenses)

How will mobile phones change in the future?- future/prediction

If you could add any new feature to a smart phone, what would it
be?- hypothetical

IELTS Speaking Part 3 Guide

Technique #1- Paraphrase Question

A good way to extend your answer is respond with a paraphrase of the examiners
question. Paraphrasing is when you repeat the sentence but with synonyms so that it
has the same meaning.

This technique is very effective because it not only gives you time to think in a natural
way, but it also focuses your mind on answering the question.

For example:
Examiner: What can people do to try and reduce water pollution?

Student: So, what can individuals do to ensure water is kept clean? I think.

Examiner: How can events like the Olympics improve international relations?

Student: Hmmmm, how can sport bring people from different countries closer together?
I believe

Again, this should not be used for every answer and only when you think it is
appropriate.

Technique #2- Explain why

Many students state their opinion but dont extend their answer by stating why they feel
that way. Some students have told me that they are afraid of patronising the examiner
and assume he or she will know why they have stated their opinion. Assume that the
examiner has no knowledge at all about the topic. Pretend you are speaking to a child
who knows nothing of the topic and this will help you explain how you feel.

Example:

Examiner: What can people do to reduce water pollution?

Student: I believe the best way to keep water clean is to curb water use at home.
(Why?) The vast majority of water is used in the home, (why?), for cooking, cleaning
and washing, (why?) therefore by reducing the amount of water we use, (why?) the
government can conserve the water supply and keep it clean.

By asking ourselves why we continue to explain our opinions and this leads to more
developed answer.

Technique #3- Give Examples

This seems an obvious one but it is something many students dont do. In order to really
develop your answer an example is normally needed. A lot of my students complain that
they dont know or cant think of any examples. If you cant think of one just make one
up. You will not lose any marks for making up an example and this will only lead to you
gaining marks for giving a well developed answer.

A good technique is to use an example from a newspaper article or recent study.

Example:
Examiner: Have the modes of transport people use in your country changed much over
the last few decades?

Student: Absolutely, they have changed a lot. In the past most people used bicycles,
but now they predominantly use motorbikes. For example, a recent survey found that
72% of people in Ho Chi. Minh City now own a motorbike.

I just made that statistic up and it is perfectly acceptable for you to do the same thing in
the IELTS speaking test. The examiner will never disagree with you or ask you to prove
any of your examples.

Technique #4- Make Concessions

We make a concession by admitting that there are limits to our opinion or there may be
another side to the argument. We use words like however, on the other hand and
despite this to make concessions.

Some students dont like doing this because they think it weakens their argument or
opinion. In fact, by showing you are aware of other opinions you actually strengthen
your argument.

Example:

Examiner: To what extent do you think advertising affects peoples shopping habits?

Student: Personally, I dont think that it affects the way people shop at all. When people
need something they make up their own mind rather than thinking about adverts.
However, it must have some influence, if companies pay lots of money for ads.

Next Steps

Reading this guide wont help you unless you put the ideas in to practice. Every part 3
question is different and therefore requires a different response. Try to answer it as
naturally as possible and use the techniques above to extend your answer if needed.

There is no magic formula, so find some example questions and practice. Why not
record your answers and you can then listen and pinpoint your mistakes.
IELTS Speaking Part 3- 7 Common Questions

The seven common question types that appear in IELTS speaking part 3 are:

1. Opinion What do you think about this? Remember to say why you think that
way and give examples.

2. Evaluate What do you think about someone elses opinion?

3. Future What do you think will happen in the future?

4. Cause and Effect What caused this and/or what effects has it had?

5. Hypothetical Talk about imaginary or unreal situations.

6. Compare and Contrast Talk about the difference and/or similarities between
two things.

7. Past How were things different in the past and how have they changed?

Grammatical Structures

Opinion

One thing you should not do is start every sentence with I think or In my opinion
The IELTS examiner will be looking for how you vary your language. Below are a
number of ways you could do that:

As I see it,

Personally,

For me,

If you feel very strongly about something you could use:

Im convinced that.

Im certain that.

Im sure that.

If you are less sure about your opinion you could give a weaker opinion by using:
 I guess that

I suppose that.

Id say that..

Example Question

What are some of the ways people can help others in the community?

As I see it, there are many ways one can help the needy, but the best way is by making
charitable donations. People can choose a charity and simply donate a sum of money
and leave it to them to help others in need. For instance, I recently gave money to an
orphanage. I dont have time to help them personally, so Ill leave it up to them to use
the money as they see fit.

Evaluate

In these kinds of questions you will be asked what you think about someone elses
opinion. We will therefore need to use expressions that allow us to agree or disagree.

For agreement we can use:

I couldnt agree with you more.

Thats so true.

Thats for sure.

Thats exactly how I feel.

No doubt about it.

I suppose so./I guess so.

You/they have a point there.

For disagreement we can use:

I dont think so.

Im afraid I disagree.

I totally disagree.

I beg to differ.
 Id say the exact opposite.

Not necessarily.

Thats not always true.

Thats not always the case.

Remember that you will have to extend your answers with explanations and examples.

Example Question

Some people say that people helped others more in the past than they do now. Do you
agree or disagree?

I dont think so. When it comes to my parents generation I think they are quite sceptical
about helping other people in the community, but my generation are regularly doing
things to improve it, such as volunteering for various environmental and charitable
organisations. Young people are actively encouraged to help out in the community and I
dont think this happened in the past, so Im afraid Id disagree.

Future

You are often asked to predict how a certain topic will change in the future.

For making future predictions we normally use will + verb, however this is quite simple
and the examiner will be looking for your ability to use more complex structures to
predict the future. More complex structures could include:

X plans to..

It is predicted that.

X intends to.

I foresee..

It is foreseeable.

Conditionals- If X + verb..

It is likely that

It is probable that.

It is unforeseeable that.
 I envisage.

As always you will have to explain why you think this will occur in the future. You may
also want to use future conditionals to extend your answer.

Example Question

Some people say that working from home will be quite common in the future. Do you
agree?

It is foreseeable that more people will work from home in the future. If the internet
becomes faster and there are more programs, such as Skype, that allow people to work
from home more easily, Id predict that more people will stay at home. If you think about
it, most people dont need to be physically present to do their jobs and I envisage that
face to face meetings will be a thing of the past.

Cause and Effect

You may also be asked to discuss what has caused a certain situation and what effects
this has. This language will also help you in IELTS writing task 2.

To talk about cause and effect you can use:

because

as a result.

resulted in

as a consequence

due to.

caused

led to.

means that.

These are just some examples and the form of the words may change depending on the
words around them in the sentence. Only use them if you are sure your sentences are
grammatically correct.

Example Question

How does advertising influence what people choose to buy?

I think advertising has a big influence on what people purchase and often leads to them
always sticking with the same brand. For example, I always drink Coca Cola and I
believe this is because I grew up watching all those ads on TV and I instinctively buy
it as a result. I mean, why would companies spend so much money on adverts, unless
it led to more sales?

Hypothetical

The second conditional is used to talk about unreal, unlikely or impossible situations.
You might get asked a question about an unreal situation, for example If you were
mayor of your city, what would you do to improve it?

The grammar we use for this is:

If + (subject 1) + past participle, then (subject 2) + would + verb

Example Question

If you could choose any country to live in, where would you choose?

If I could live in any country, I would probably choose Australia. The weather is great;
the people are super friendly and just imagine living beside all those beaches. If I could
choose another country, it would have to be Italy, for the architecture, the culture and its
fascinating history.

Compare and Contrast

To compare two things, use a comparative adjective + than e.g. Hes taller than his
sister.

Some comparative adjectives are irregular:

Good- better

Bad- worse

Far- further

For short adjectives, add (e)r. If they end in y change to ier. For example:

Hard- harder

Cheap- cheaper
Easy- easier

Lazy- lazier

For longer adjectives, use more. For example:

More interesting

More difficult

Example Question

Do you think primary school children should learn a second language or should they
wait until secondary school?

Its obvious that the earlier children start a language the easier it becomes in later life.
However, some parents might think that subjects like maths are more important than
languages at primary level. They may also think that a foreign language is less
important than their first language and this should be prioritised.

Past

We may use the present perfect continuous to talk about something that
started in the past and continues up until the present. Example: They have been
developing the city centre for the past five years. For this tense we use the
structure has/have + been + past participle.

Used to + infinitive to talk about past habits or states that are now finished.

Would + infinitive to describe past habits.

Past simple to talk about things you did in the past that you no longer do or are
no longer true.

Past continuous to talk about the background of a story or how you felt at a
particular time.

Past perfect to say something happened before something else in the past.

Example Question

How has teaching changed in your country over the past few decades?

In the past, teachers simply lectured students and the students just listened to what they
said. We were given lots of facts to learn and there was no room for creativity or
freedom of expression. I remember learning lots of things without thinking about the
theory behind it. Now, theres been a movement towards students thinking for
themselves.

Source:
https://www.ieltsadvantage.com/2015/03/26/ielts-listening-connected-speech/
https://www.ieltsadvantage.com/speaking/