IELTS is an international exam that assesses your English language levels. Many people take it for various reasons. Some might need to immigrate to another country or study at an international university. It depends on your purpose. You can take the General IELTS exam or the Academic IELTS exam. Speaking is also an important part of this exam. Here is a short list of a few common IELTS speaking test topics:
- Family
- Food
- Clothes
- Education
- Hometown
- Photograph
- Studies
- Work
In this article, we will take a closer look at the speaking test in the IELTS exam and find out how you can get the best result in this exam. also, if you want to know the difference between the TOEFL and the IELTS exam, the IELTS vs. TOEFL | TOEFL or IELTS, as you like! The article is here to provide your answers.
Understand The IELTS Speaking Format
Each part of the IELTS exam has its specific structure. As someone willing to take the IELTS exam, you need to know the format of each specific part. According to the IELTS score, zero to hero! Article: here is the format of the IELTS speaking section:
1. Introduction
At the beginning of your speaking section, there is an introduction. Your examiner will introduce herself or himself and ask you to give an introduction about yourself. They might also ask about your name and last name to prove your identity. Your examiner will ask a few questions about general topics such as interests, family, work, etc. This section takes around 4 to 5 minutes.
2. Questions
Your examiner will give you a card with a topic in this section. This card also has a few important points to cover in your answer. Now you have one minute to prepare your answer. YOu can also write down the points you want to talk about. After the one-minute mark, you should talk about the topic for 1 to 2 minutes. Your examiner will not interrupt you during this period. Then, your examiner will ask you a few follow-up questions. This section of the speaking test takes around 3 to 4 minutes. Also, check out the Needed IELTS score for each country 2023 article to find out the needed score for your desired country!
3. Ending
In the last part of the speaking test, your examiner will ask you more questions about the topic provided in the last section. This part focuses on your capability to talk more about the topic. It lets you include abstract ideas and reasonable speaking skills. This section takes around 4 to 5 minutes. Your examiner might interrupt you during this period, which is normal and common. Make sure to give longer answers using more complicated ideas and grammar.
The whole speaking part of the IELTS exam takes around 11 to 14 minutes. It depends on how much you talk, how many pauses you have during your conversation, and how you handle each question.
● How to prepare for the speaking test?
Here, I will give you a short guidance on preparing for the speaking section. Based on the How can I improve my English conversation? Tips for learning to speak English are to practice a lot before the exam. Find the topics usually covered in the IELTS exam and practice the format. Practice the format of the speaking test so you know what to expect. During your practice, do not memorize the answers to each question.
You will never know what questions the examiner is going to ask you. Improve your answering capability for various topics instead of memorization. Use simple words when answering and have meaningful pauses in your speaking. Also, do not worry about your accent. You will improve your accent whenever you go to your desired country!
Types of Questions Asked in Each Part of Speaking in IELTS
There are no various types of questions in the IELTS speaking section. Suppose you get to figure out the patterns that are repeated throughout the IELTS speaking. In that case, you become better at answering questions. Here are a few kinds of questions usually asked in each part of the IELTS speaking section:
Education and academic background
When it comes to education and academic background, here are some questions that your examiner might ask you in the first section of the exam:
- Did you enjoy math lessons at school?
- Do you watch scientific programs?
- What subject are you currently studying?
- Why do you think people choose such a subject in your country?
- Have you done any research related to your field?
- Did you work with a group or alone?
- What problems can you encounter in a group study session?
- How can the issues you face be resolved?
- Describe your favorite teacher.
- What are the best qualities of a great tutor?
- What makes a teacher popular in university? Why?
- Do you enjoy studying alone or with friends?
Now, let’s talk about the second part of the IELTS speaking exam. Here is a short list of questions that you might get asked that are related to education:
1. Talk about a course you would like to do if you have enough time to finish it. Please describe:
- What course is it?
- What can you learn from it?
- Would this be easy to learn? Why?
2. Describe a project you have made with your classmates or friends in university. Please describe:
- What was the project?
- What was it about?
- What did you have to do?
Here is a list of questions you might get asked in the third part of the IELTS exam related to education:
- What are the advantages and disadvantages of studying or working in a group?
- What subjects do most students study in your country? Why is that?
- When a company hires a person, do they consider qualifications or experience?
- What is the role of teachers in learning?
Work and Employment
Here are the questions you might get asked in the first part of the IELTS speaking test:
- Describe your job
- How important is this profession in your country?
- Do you prefer to work alone or in a team? Why?
- Why did you choose this profession?
- Do you enjoy your work?
- Do you see yourself working in the same field in the future?
- Have you worked or studied in groups?
Here are a few questions you might get based on the topic of your card:
- Describe the job/ career you have or hope to have. Please say:
- What the job is
- What it involves
- Why did you choose it, and explain why you are interested in this job?
- Describe an activity that you do with your workmates. Please say
- What is the activity?
- Where and when do you do it?
- Why is it important to you?
Finally, here are some questions you might get asked in the last part of the speaking section:
- Is it possible for a manager and employees to become friends?
- If other employees had problems with the manager, how would you help them?
- Some people believe it is not possible. Why?
- Can everyone communicate well?
- Is it a skill that one can learn?
- Is cooperation important at every job? Why?
- What skills are necessary to be a good employee? Why?
Hobbies and interests
Here are some questions you might get asked in the first part of the IELTS speaking test:
- Do you practice any hobbies?
- What are the most popular pastimes in your country?
- Why do you believe people have hobbies?
- Is it necessary to have a hobby?
- Should people’s interests be shared?
- Does your hobby necessitate any special equipment?
- Do you enjoy sharing your interests with others or prefer to pursue them alone?
- Is it bad to spend too much time on a hobby?
- What recreational activities do you intend to pursue in the future
Here are some questions that you might get asked in the second part based on the topic of your card:
- Describe an interest or hobby that you enjoy
- Will this hobby become more popular in the future?
- Is this hobby popular in your country?
Finally, here are some follow-up questions for the last part of the speaking section:
- Is it important for children to have hobbies that teach them new things?
- In your country, how much time do people spend on work, and how much time do they spend on leisure?
- Is this a good balance?
- Do people have more or less free time now than they did in the past?
- Do you think having hobbies as a child makes a person better prepared for adult life?
- How has the Internet affected how easy it is to meet people with similar interests?
- What problems can it cause when people spend too much time on their hobby?
- Is having a hobby good for people’s social life? In what way?
Tips For Answering IELTS Speaking Questions Effectively
According to the IELTS Speaking Test: 10 tips from Experts article, here are a few tips to help you answer speaking questions in the IELTS exam more effectively:
- Don’t memorize the answers to each question
- Use a variety of grammatical structures and rules
- Don’t use fancy and big words – keep things simple and smooth
- Your accent does not matter – do not worry about it
- It is okay to pause and think
- Give longer answers
- Smile while talking – it helps pronunciation
- Change your tone as you speak
- Have a grasp of common IELTS topics before taking the exam
How to Find The Best Online IELTS Tutors?
Ostado is a great platform where you can find your perfect IELTS tutor. Make sure to visit the Ostado website. Go to the IELTS section to view our available experienced IELTS tutors. Improving your IELTS score in a fast way requires dedication and practice. Different strategies can help you maximize your preparation time and get better results on test day. From familiarizing yourself with the exam structure to practicing mock tests, there are several ways to boost your confidence and improve your IELTS score quickly.
However, the best way to improve your IELTS score quickly is to get help from an online IELTS tutor. Improving English skills quickly is a daunting task, but with IELTS tutoring, it can become an achievable goal.
● Find the best online IELTS tutor in Ostado!
Ostado provides you with the best online IELTS tutors. IELTS teachers Ostado are trained professionals with a wealth of knowledge and experience teaching English to non-native speakers.
They can provide personalized lessons focusing on areas where the student needs improvement, such as grammar, vocabulary, pronunciation, or writing skills. With their guidance, students can gain confidence in language use, practice their speaking and listening skills, and learn proper sentence structure and word usage.
Online IELTS tutors in Ostado can also provide valuable feedback and corrections, helping students avoid common mistakes and improve their fluency. By working with an IELTS teacher, language learners can accelerate their learning process and achieve faster their language goals.
7 Mistakes To Avoid During The Speaking Test
By the Last-minute notes: Seven mistakes to avoid during your IELTS Speaking test article, here are 7 mistakes you should avoid during your IELTS speaking test:
1. Memorizing answers
Many participants try to memorize the perfect answers for each question they practice. While it might seem helpful initially, it does not help you in the test. Suppose you memorize your answers to various questions. In that case, your answers will not be dynamic and come out as prepared and useless. Instead, try to improve your thought process so that you can answer various kinds of questions thrown at you during the exam.
2. Not having enough confidence.
It is okay to be nervous during your test. No one expects you to talk as smoothly as a news reporter. However, talking with a low amount of confidence and a low tone will not help you. Make sure to have eye contact and take meaningful pauses if needed.
3. Wandering off
If you are asked a specific question, make sure that you answer that question carefully and do not go off-topic. You might talk about something that is not asked in the question to prove your proficiency, but it is not recommended to do that in this section. Answer the questions and provide some extra information, not too much.
4. Elaborate
When asked a question, make sure to talk enough. Remember that talking too much or too little is not good. If needed, elaborate on the subject and provide a reason after a yes or no question.
5. Repeating
Before taking the IELTS exam, ensure you have acquired a good wealth of vocabulary and phrases. Do not use the same words and phrases when you speak. Change things up and use the particular phrases needed for each topic.
6. Using too many transition words
Transition words and phrases are here to help us connect different sentences. A few of the transition words and phrases are:
- For example
- For instance
- Furthermore
- However
- In addition
- On the other hand
Do not use too many of these transition words, as it makes your speech less smooth.
Conclusion
In this article, we looked at some of the topics and questions you might get asked in the speaking section of the IELTS exam. Practicing these and other common subjects before the exam helps you understand what the examiner asks. Also, having a grasp over the format of the speaking section is essential as it helps you to understand what you should do in each part. All you need to do now is go ahead and choose one of your experienced IELTS tutors from the Ostado platform and begin your IELTS speaking classes.
FAQ
● What are the common topics asked in IELTS speaking?
- Hometown
- Work
- Food
- What is your dream job?
- Clothes
- Education
- Studies
- Books
- Culture
● Which part of the IELTS speaking exam is the most important?
Do the 3 parts of the speaking test carry equal weight when your score is calculated, or is one part more important? The simple answer is that the 3 parts are not scored separately; the examiner rates the candidate’s performance. In this sense, neither part is more important.
● What are the predicted topics for IELTS speaking 2023
Here are the predicted topics:
- Work/Studies
- Accommodation
- Home Decoration
- Hometown
- Your Country
● How can I ace my IELTS speaking test?
Here are a few tips to get you going in the IELTS speaking test:
- Don’t memorize answers.
- Don’t use big and unfamiliar words.
- Use a range of grammatical structures.
- Pause to think.
● Which is the hardest part of IELTS
The writing section is one of the most challenging parts of the IELTS exam. This is because it requires strong language skills and the ability to organize and present your thoughts clearly and cohesively.
● Which grammar is important for IELTS speaking
Subject-verb agreement is an important rule for the IELTS test. This grammar rule concerns the use of singular and plural nouns with verbs in sentences. The Subject-Verb Agreement Rule states that the verb should be singular when there is a single subject.
● How can I get 7.0 in IELTS speaking?
- Care to smile and be yourself.
- Never memorize answers
- Do a 24-hour English warm-up
- Understand what the IELTS examiner needs
- Make the most of 1 minute
● Is it easy to get a 9 in IELTS speaking?
The IELTS Speaking test is a crucial component of the IELTS exam, designed to assess your ability to communicate effectively in English. Achieving a band 9 score in the Speaking section requires a combination of language proficiency, a strategic approach, and effective communication skills.
