British Council tips for doing well in IELTS Speaking

To get a good score in part 1 of the IELTS Speaking test, you should pay attention to answering adequately, using simple words and keeping a relaxed spirit in all situations.

Part 1 of IELTS Speaking is considered the easiest to score, but even high-level candidates sometimes get points deducted because of subjectivity. In this part, the examiner will ask you 10-12 questions on three different topics, lasting 4-5 minutes.

Before starting, the examiner will record and read out some information to confirm the exam, including the exam date and location, your name and CCCD or passport number, and the examiner's name. You will then be asked to provide three pieces of information: Full name; Name as you wish to be called; Hometown.

Next, the examiner will ask two questions related to where you live (name of building or city/town) and your occupation (still studying or working?).

Next, you are randomly selected and asked to talk about two familiar everyday topics such as reading; television; friends; weather; furniture; animals...

Here are 6 things to keep in mind in IELTS Speaking part 1:

Know how long you speak

4-5 minutes is not a lot of time to answer 12 questions. So keep your answers short, averaging 20-25 seconds per question and speaking two to three sentences at a time. In some cases, you may want to answer shorter or longer.

Reply in detail

Short answers of just one word or a few words are not accepted in IELTS Speaking. Therefore, you should give more detailed answers. If you do not give a complete answer, the examiner will ask “why” or “why not” to encourage you to continue.

Compare the two answers below:

What pets are most popular in your country?

The short answer is as follows:

Dogs are the most popular.

The answer is developed as follows:

I would say dogs are the most popular. It's probably because they are so loyal and friendly and can help people to do jobs like guarding the house. A lot of people in my area are afraid of thieves.

Prepare for disruption

Developing and expanding your answers does not mean that you should speak for as long as possible. Be aware that if you talk too long about a question in part 1, the examiner may stop you and move on to another question.

If this happens to you, don’t worry, it’s not that you did anything wrong or that the examiner didn’t like your answer. The examiner’s job is to get the best possible sample of your Speaking test by asking as many questions as possible. So if they interrupt you and say “thank you”, just stop and prepare for the next question.

Create a friendly atmosphere

You won’t be judged on your personality or appearance, but you can definitely improve your performance in the scoring criteria if you prepare yourself mentally at the beginning of the test. For example, smiling will help you and those around you feel calmer, as being too nervous often affects your fluency and pronunciation.

Eagerly accepting questions

Some IELTS questions can be boring. You may be lucky enough to get a question about something you are passionate about, but you may also get questions about topics you are unfamiliar with or don’t like to discuss. Even if you come across a topic you don’t like, try to discuss it as if it were something you really care about.

Use familiar words and writing style

The questions in Part 1 are mostly about everyday conversation. If you use complex academic vocabulary, you will come across as unfamiliar. However, many people do this because they think it will make a better impression on the examiner. The examiner will also be listening to how naturally you pronounce the words in the context of the question and how you combine words (phrases).

For example: What is the weather like where you live?

The climatological variation in my native home is drastic. It is affected by sunshiny and enormous rains .

The weather changes a great deal in my city and quickly sometimes. It can be perfectly sunny one minute and the next it's pouring down rain.

In the first example, the candidate tried to use a lot of "big words". As a result, he sometimes used words and phrases (in bold) incorrectly. For the second answer, he used simpler and easier to understand words, thus demonstrating a writing style appropriate to the question.

According to the British Council

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