The thing we fear the most is something we avoid the most.

IELTS speaking section perfectly complements the statement. 

The IELTS aspirants are always on the heels to flaunt the best of their skills in the IELTS reading, writing, and speaking sections respectively. But with the speaking section, it is natural for the aspirants to become a little more nervous.

If you can relate to the above statement, then you have landed right. Here in this article, we will discuss what is speaking section in IELTS is and how you can prepare yourself to display your best performance.

Always, remember, success is only a step ahead of fear.

Before discussing the tips, let’s have a quick overview of the IELTS Speaking section.

IELTS Speaking Section Introduction

The speaking section of the IELTS examination is the shortest section of 11-15 minutes.  The section tests one’s ability to be prompt, alert, and creative in answering the examiner’s questions. Having a good command of the language, simple vocabulary, and a calm state of mind is the key to achieve the desired score in the speaking section.

This short session consists of 3 rounds:

• Part 1: Introduction
• Part 2: Cue Card
• Part 3: Discussion round

Part 1- Introduction       

In this part, you get an opportunity for face-to-face interaction with the interviewer/English speakers.  It is like a warm-up session where you are generally asked questions related to your hometown, family, occupation, etc.  It is a lighter part in comparison to other sections and aims at making the aspirant comfortable. 

Well, undoubtedly, it is the easiest round of 4-5 minutes; you still have to be prepared to conduct yourself well in front of the speaker.  Always remember, the way you speak is more important than what you speak in the speaking section.  In the case of introduction, focus on having a terrific beginning for the examiner to get a glimpse of your comfortable self.

 The examiner here in this section looks for a good vocabulary range and grammar.

How to answer the 1st part?

• Give an explanation on the topic
• Combine details using conjunctions
• Share examples to support your point
• Contrast
• Past references
• Future references

You can use these tips to develop your ideas for parts 1, 2, and 3 of the IELTS Speaking test.

Part 2- Cue Card

The real battle begins with speaking test 1 which is of 3-4minutes.  In speaking part 2, you will receive a card highlighting a topic. It includes the points that you need to cover in your speech.  You will be given a minute to think about the topic and frame your thoughts. This one minute is very crucial as within this, you need to think and organize the beginning and end of a topic. The topic will be related to your life in some way.

As a part of the test, you will need to speak on the topic for about a minute or two. You will be provided with a pen and paper to prepare your response.   The examiner could ask 1-2 questions on the topic.

Under this, focus on giving a brief introduction about the topic, detail your points, and discuss what do you think about the topic and why.  Under this section, focus on discussing the main points with examples as it provides an edge over the competitors and helps in explaining your point further.

In speaking 2, make sure to use if clause or conditional sentences.

The examiner here judges the aspirant how you explain the topic and techniques used to extend it.

How to answer the 2nd Part?

• Don’t stick by the bullet points, develop your thoughts on the topic
• Make sure to stick by the topic, state relevant points
• You can discuss your opinion on the past, present, or future situation
• Take the reference of part 1 for developing ideas

Part 3-Discussion round

Part 3 of the speaking section is an extension of part 2. The only difference here is you won’t get time to prepare for speaking.  The examiner could ask you to explain a point based on your response in part 2.  Here in this part, you can be asked to answer complex official questions in 4-5 minutes like-

What habits leads to a good work-life balance?
What are the qualities of an excellent teacher?

As said above, the questions of the examiner will be based upon the previous response; you need to have a clear bent of mind and answer in-depth. The examiner can also cover IELTS topics in part 3.  Avoid taking long pauses and stumbling over the words.  

Here in this section, you can utilize your conversation skills to answer the question.  

The primary aim of the section is to assess the student based on speaking ability.The main point to note here is –

• You will be judged based on the speaking ability, not the content.  Express what you feel about the feeling freely.
• The last thing you will want to do in the speaking section is repetition.
• Repetition is a big “NO” when it comes to speaking. It can impart a negative impression on the examiner.

How to answer Part 3 questions?

• Answer the question in 3-5 sentences
• Frame your grammatical structure based on the question asked.
• Extend ideas using the strategy used in the 1.
• The topic of the part-3 will be related to part 2. So answer the question accordingly.
• Hopefully, you have understood what is speaking section and how you can make the best of every part to score well in the speaking section.

Leverage the expert’s Knowledge to Score High!!

Unlock IELTS with Richa Speaking sessions are based on personal experience, the challenges the speaking section involves, and how you can conquer these challenges by adopting the right techniques and strategies.

If you an eager IELTS aspirant and want to leave no stone unturned in scoring well in speaking sessions, then these tips will surely help.