GET 7-9 in IELTS Speaking #3
GENERAL PREPARATION
1.Record yourself answering questions
ask yourself typical speaking test questions and record your answers on your mobile phone or computer.Then listen to your answers.
Check:
Did you use a range of grammatical structures?
Did you use any less common vocabulary?
Did you mispronounce many words?
Did you hesitate a lot?
You might not notice all your mistakes, but you will notice a few of them.
2.Write down your answers
Listen to your recorded answers and write them down word for word. That way you can learn what mistakes you made.
You can learn, for example, if you used simple or more sophisticated vocabulary, what grammatical errors you made and if you connected your sentences and ideas appropriately.
3.Practise describing your own photographs
This will train you to talk about your memories in case you are asked to describe an event in your past.
which is quite common in the Speaking test.Try to talk about what the event was,when it took place say how you felt.
4.Read a text then speak it
Firstly read the text or article.
Try to summarize what you read in your own words.
Record yourself write down your summary.
This will train you to paraphrase and use synonyms effectively, which is important if you want to achieve a high band.
5.Recall your memories
In Parts 1 and 2, you may be asked personal questions about your life. Think about the people you know, places you have visited, events you have attended and objects you own. Then practise talking about them.
6.Think aloud
Instead of thinking in your own language, try thinking aloud in English. For instance, instead of planning your day in your native language, say it in English, for example “Okay, today I’ve got an important meeting. I should get going. I’m going to be late”, etc. This will make you feel more comfortable speaking English.
7.Watch films
Watching films is a good way to improve your spoken English. The more you listen to native speakers, the more confident you will become in speaking. Try to understand what the actors are saying. Pay attention to the structures or look up words in a dictionary. Try to follow the subtitles in your own language first, and then in English when you feel more confident.
8.Find a speaking partner
If you don’t have a teacher to help you prepare for the test or if you need additional practice, you can always find a speaking partner. These sites may help you:
9.Listen to English speakers
Listening is very important. The more you listen to native speakers, the more confident you will feel in speaking.
Sources of listening include:
- Real people (tourists, travellers, etc.)
- Audio books
- Podcasts
You should find the following websites useful:
www.listen-to-english.com
10.Think in English
Between now and the day of your test, try to think in English as much as possible.This requires a lot of discipline, but thinking in English has a lot of benefits it can make you hesitate less when you speak because you're not translating from your own language all the time.
This will improve your confidence and you will sound more natural.
In fact, this is one of the secrets of successful language learners. And don't worry too much about making mistakes. Thinking in English might not improve your grammar or vocabulary, but it will improve your fluency and coherence.