There’s no denying it. The
speaking test is the most nerve-wracking component of the IELTS exam. Here’s
why.
·
It’s
the last part of the exam, which means that it’s highly likely that your mind
is no longer as sharp as it was at the beginning of the test.
·
It’s
doesn’t just test your speaking skills. It also challenges your ability to
understand the IELTS examiner, analyze questions, and come up with clear, extensive,
and well-structured responses—all within a few minutes.
·
It
can delve into just about any topic, which means that you’ll probably have to
answer difficult questions and discuss challenging subjects.
The last point is what
keeps many IELTS takers from getting their band score goals. So, make sure you
know how to deal with difficult topics. Enrolling in an affordable IELTS review course is one of the best ways to prepare
for challenging questions. That, and integrating the tips below into your IELTS speaking strategies.
1. Don’t panic.
Stay
calm and focused. Determine what about the topic or question confuses. Is it an
obscure word or expression? Or is it your general unfamiliarity of the subject?
Once you identify what it is, you’ll know how to approach the question. If it’s
because you misheard the IELTS examiner, you can…
2. Ask for clarification.
Is
something about the question/topic unclear to you? Think you misheard the
examiner? Don’t force yourself to respond if your understanding of the
question/topic is limited. Ask for clarification.
If
you think you missed something during the Introduction
and Interview section, you can politely ask the IELTS facilitator to repeat
the question. However, you can’t take the same approach with the other two
sections.
In
the Long Turn section, the question
is delivered via task card. So, you’d have to figure out the task on your own.
In
the Discussion section, the
questions are provided in a two-way conversation with the examiner. So, you can
ask the IELTS examiner to repeat or paraphrase the question directly.
Keep
these clarification options in mind during your one-day
IELTS review program.
3. Buy yourself some time.
If
the topic is something that you know little about, buy yourself some time. Acknowledge
the question to avoid an awkward silence. Then, let the examiner know that you
are thinking about your response. You can say “I’ve never thought about that
before” or “that’s an interesting question.” Then, pause for a few moments to
gather your thoughts. Enroll in an affordable IELTS
review to learn more ways to stall for time.
4. Answer as best as you
can.
IELTS
is an English proficiency exam, not a topic test. This means that you don’t
need to have in-depth knowledge about the question or subject to ace the
speaking exam. You just need to demonstrate your linguistic skills. So, provide
the best and most extensive response you can. If you’re not that familiar about
the topic, you can start your answer with something like “I don’t know much
about this subject, but I think…” or something similar. Make sure you don’t go
off-topic.
Want to test your speaking
skills and strategies against an accurate IELTS speaking mock test? Enroll in a
one-day IELTS review program! Not only will you
get access to up-to-date practice tests and other quality training materials,
but you’ll also get one-on-one coaching sessions with IELTS experts. Prepare
with the best preparatory course in your area to boost your chances of IELTS
success.
References:
"How to
Deal with Tricky Questions in the Speaking Test." Tips for Improving Your
English Language Reading Skills. Accessed September 17, 2018. https://ieltscanadatest.com/2017/03/how-to-deal-with-tricky-questions-in-the-speaking-test/.
"IELTS
Speaking Part 2: Difficult Topics with Tips." IELTS Liz. Accessed
September 17, 2018. http://ieltsliz.com/ielts-speaking-part-2-difficult-topics/.
Wills, David S.
"Answering Difficult Questions." TED IELTS. April 15, 2016. Accessed
September 17, 2018. https://ted-ielts.com/answering-difficult-questions/.
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