Handling IELTS speaking test confusion

Judging by the frequent comments made by students preparing for IELTS (International English Language Testing System), many candidates believe they’ll lose marks if they ask for speaking test questions to be explained or repeated.

In fact, there’s no specific penalty if test takers who are confused by a question ask the examiner to explain it or say it again.

In conversations between people who are native speakers of the same language, it’s always possible that one person won’t hear another person properly, or needs a word or question to be clarified.

Given that the IELTS speaking test involves a lengthy discussion between a native speaker and a non-native speaker of English, it’s even more likely that either of these situations will happen.

Asking for clarification or repetition during a speaking test allows the communication between the candidate and the examiner to keep going. This is most appropriate.

After all, the test is designed to assess candidates’ ability to use spoken English to answer questions, to speak at length and to talk with the examiner.

Test takers who know how to handle confusion caused by not hearing or not understanding questions will be able to show their speaking abilities all the more.

Feedback on IELTS test performance

Cristina, a nurse in the Philippines, needs to get band score 7 in speaking with an overall score of at least 6.5 in IELTS (International English Language Testing System). She wrote this:

“I took IELTS twice in the last few weeks, and I managed to improve my writing score from 6.5 to 7.0. Sadly, however, I got 6.5 for speaking both times.

“Can the test centre give me feedback on specific aspects in the ielts speaking test?”

Here’s my reply: There’s no doubt that you need well-developed English skills to get band 7 in any skill area (listening, reading, writing and speaking).

However, as you’ve found, it’s particularly challenging to get a high band score in the ielts speaking test. That’s partly because it’s a productive skill and not a receptive skill.

Marks For IELTS Speaking Fluency

Van Anh, a teacher in Vietnam, asked me this question:

“In a recent article, you said that test takers might get a lower mark for fluency if they correct themselves. Can you please explain why correcting oneself risks lowering the mark for fluency? How much self-correction is acceptable in the ielts speaking test? How much is too much?”

Here’s my reply:

The term “fluency” refers to a speaker’s ability to talk readily, smoothly and effortlessly. The rate, or speed, at which the person talks is also a factor in fluency.

A person is said to be very fluent in a language if he or she can speak at a normal pace with few (or no) pauses, very little repetition and very few corrections.

Fluency in any language is important. Listeners can find it difficult to understand or follow the ideas a speaker wants to communicate if the speaker has problems with fluency. For this reason, fluency is assessed in IELTS.

[IELTS Article] Improving your speaking fluency

In the speaking test in IELTS (International English Language Testing System), the examiner assesses how fluently you speak: can you speak smoothly and continuously, and at a normal speed?

Here’s an example of poor fluency. When asked, “What would be a perfect place to have a holiday?,” one of my students said:

“A place ... a perfect place ... I think that a perfect place that I would want to visit is ... A perfect place would be Phuket ... Phuket Island.”

The student paused many times and repeated words in order to add new information. Unfortunately, this would result in a low score for “Fluency and Coherence,” one of the four areas assessed in the speaking test. Here are five ways to improve fluency.

Think in English

Psychologists specialising in language have determined that a different part of the brain deals with foreign languages (e.g., English) as opposed to your native language (such as Thai).

You have to regularly use the English part of your brain if you want to develop it. Therefore, spend at least 20 minutes every day thinking in English. Do it when you don’t have to concentrate on something else, for example, while you’re walking, travelling or taking a shower.

Furthermore, the most inefficient way of speaking in English is first thinking of what you want to say in Thai, translating it into English, and then saying the English translation.

It’s also the most ineffective way of trying to improve your English speaking ability. Why? It’s because you’re constantly hopping from the “Thai area” of your brain to the “English area” and back again. This adds unnecessary steps in communicating, and fluency is often worse as a result.

What should you do? Just create sentences in English, without using any Thai. When you get used to doing that, you’ll find it’s much easier to talk. Your fluency will develop faster, too.

Don’t try to be perfect

A fear of making mistakes could easily make you too shy to speak English. Your spoken fluency might therefore not improve at all. Worse still, you might not be able to have a conversation in English even if you know much grammar and vocabulary.

As well, if you try to be perfect all the time, you’ll probably speak slower than normal, repeat or correct words, or include pauses in your speech.

This is a common problem among candidates needing a high ielts band score, like 7.0. For example, by concentrating on avoiding grammar errors in order to get a high grammar score, their fluency suffers, resulting in too low a score for fluency.

No matter what your language level is, don’t expect to speak without making errors. If you focus too much on grammar rules, for instance, it’s easy to become nervous or even forget about your fluency.

My advice is: don’t worry about making mistakes. Just relax and think about the message you want to communicate.

[IELTS Article] What is speaking fluency ?

Some reasons Why IELTS candidates lose marks for fluency and some ways to overcome them

The speaking test in IELTS (the International English Language Testing System) takes between 11 to 14 minutes. The examiner will rate you in four areas:

• How well you can speak fluently and coherently.
• How effective your vocabulary is.
• How accurate and appropriate your grammar is.
• How clear your pronunciation is.

You’ll be given a mark for each area, and the marks will then be averaged to give your speaking test band score.

Let’s look at fluency. Many people think that speaking fluently means being able to speak perfectly (or very well) or speaking quickly. However, they’re wrong. “Speaking fluently” means being able to speak smoothly and continuously. In other words, with little or no pausing (or breaks), repetition and corrections when speaking.

In the speaking test, aim to speak at a relaxed pace. Your delivery should sound smooth, not “stop-start.” Of course, because you need to think about what you’re going to say, it’s natural to pause now and again when speaking. This is accepted as a normal part of speaking in any language, and you won’t be penalised if you do that in the IELTS speaking test.

In contrast, you may lose marks if you show you’re having difficulty knowing what to say or how to say it. This will become evident if you repeat or correct yourself, speak slowly, often have short or lengthy pauses, or stop speaking altogether. Any of those behaviours risks lowering your fluency mark.

Here are some reasons why IELTS candidates lose marks for fluency and some ways to overcome them.

Overcoming anxiety About the IELTS test

Overcoming anxiety About the IELTS test The impact of being nervous during the test can be major

Cristina, a nurse in the Philippines, asked:
“Does lacking confidence affect the speaking test score?”
Here’s my reply:
The speaking module of the IELTS test probably creates more tension for test takers than the other, paper-based modules (listening, reading and writing).

It’s likely that a lack of confidence and the related anxiety that candidates can feel will result in them not performing as well as they could in the speaking test.

Reasons for anxiety
Here are some reasons why candidates lack confidence and become nervous about doing the speaking test:

• As candidates are examined individually, they can feel like they’re in the spotlight. In other words, they think that the examiner – who is a native speaker of English – is watching them very closely, and is actively looking for and finding all of the language errors that they make. This fear of looking incompetent by making language errors in front of the examiner can raise the candidates’ tension levels significantly.
• Candidates are expected to give prompt and detailed answers to a series of questions in English – which is nearly always not their native language. As well, they have to do so for almost a quarter of an hour. This can really put a lot of pressure on candidates to perform well.
• Candidates often do the speaking test after having waited nervously for several hours.

A long waiting time can result in candidates spending the time thinking about all of their fears about doing the speaking test and imagining that they won’t do well. They become nervous as a result.

• Candidates may be upset because they didn’t do well in the listening, reading and/or writing modules. They therefore fear that they’ll repeat their poor performance in the speaking test.

On the other hand, they might now be thinking that they must do well in the speaking module to make up for a poor performance in one of the other modules.

Either way, they will feel anxious.

• Candidates may be naturally shy and not feel comfortable talking with a stranger.
• Candidates may not have prepared well for the IELTS exam. They therefore fear that their weaknesses in the language will become evident before a real person in a face-to-face conversation which they cannot control or walk away from.

This is a different situation from the listening, reading and writing modules, where candidates have the relative comfort of being anonymous and not feeling judged by someone. Why? They never meet the person who assesses their language abilities.

More Tips For The IELTS Speaking Test

More tips for the IELTS speaking test To maximise your score, use specific techniques for each part of the test

The speaking module in the IELTS (International English Language Testing System) exam is challenging for most candidates.

Here are my tips for each part of the module.

Part 1: The interview

• Look confident. To create a positive impression, greet the examiner in a friendly and polite way. Try to look relaxed, and don’t tell the examiner you’re nervous.

• Paraphrase questions. You may reuse the language in questions (e.g., “What’s your favourite sport?” − “My favourite sport’s tennis as...”), but it’s more natural to use pronouns (e.g., “It’s tennis as...”).

Even better, use introductory phrases like: “I’ve really loved playing tennis ever since I was in high school as...”).

• Avoid short answers. Avoid giving one-word or short responses. Instead, answer questions directly, and whenever possible, give a simple explanation or example.

As a general guide, aim for two-sentence answers in Part 1, and try to speak for 30 to 40 seconds.

• Keep it simple. Only talk about what you know you can say in English, and answer questions clearly.

In other words, don’t make your answers complicated or too difficult to explain in a couple of sentences.

• Respond appropriately. If asked what your favourite (something) is, or what the most popular (something) is, give just one example.

However, if you’re asked to list things, like what types of transport are available in your hometown, give more than one example.

Top tips for the IELTS speaking test

Apart from good preparation, there are things

you can do during the test to improve your mark

From what I’ve seen, the speaking module in the IELTS (International English Language Testing System) exam would have to be the one that raises the most anxiety among candidates. A lack of preparation, a fear of speaking in English for an extended period, and a lack of awareness of how the scoring scheme works contribute to this anxiety. The impact on a test taker’s score for the speaking module can be significant.

Obviously, doing sufficient and proper preparation before the day of the exam will help to minimise the stress associated with the speaking test. However, I always recommend that candidates only do preparation courses with English teachers who are expert in the exam.

Certainly, these teachers can give guidance on how to improve a test taker’s language skills. Because of their deep understanding of IELTS, however, they can do some thing that most teachers can’t.

What is that? They can point out the particular areas in which a test taker needs to improve in order to get a higher score in the speaking module.

Sometimes, only small things need to be either avoided or improved to see a significant effect on the score that a candidate would get in the IELTS test.

Apart from good preparation, there are also things that can be done during the test itself. Here’s an introduction to some of the things you should do throughout the test to improve your chances of getting the best possible score.

The right IELTS Exam Preparation is essential

If you’re like the large majority of Thai candidates doing the academic version of IELTS (International English Language Testing System), you’re aiming to get an overall band score of 6.5 or 7.0.

To get an overall band score of 6.5, you’ll need three band 6s and at least one band 7 in the individual language skills (listening, reading, writing and speaking).

A score of band 7 in any of the language skills represents an excellent level of English. To get band 7, you need:

• well-developed English grammar, vocabulary and language skills;

• a good knowledge of test-taking strategies; and

• well-organised test practice to develop your test-taking skills.

Unfortunately, most Thai candidates don’t get what they want. In 2010, the overall average for all Thai candidates was 5.8. Only 14% of Thai candidates gained an overall score of 6.5 (the lowest score allowed for study in most master’s programmes), while a mere 11% achieved a higher score.

The most interesting point is that 73% of Thai candidates got an overall score between 4.5 and 6.0 – well below what candidates need to do post-graduate studies at overseas universities.

Why is there a gap between the score candidates want and the one they actually receive?

Top tips for the IELTS listening test

14 practical ways to maximise the score you get for the IELTS test

Most Thai candidates say that the listening module is the easiest of the four modules that make up the IELTS (International English Language Testing System) exam. Still, it doesn’t mean candidates always get high marks.

During practice listening tests in class, I often see people make mistakes that could have been avoided. Often, all that was needed to get the right answer was a little more care and thought.

Careless errors can lower the score for a listening test by up to 3.0 bands, based on what I’ve seen in class. It’s therefore essential that anyone preparing for the IELTS exam understands how to approach the listening test.

Here’s my summary of the main things you should do to improve your chances of getting the best possible score.

Practising speaking at home There are ways outside your IELTS classroom to develop your speaking abilities and confidence

A student sent me this query about IELTS (International English Language Testing System):

“I cannot go to IELTS preparation classes because I often work in the evenings and sometimes on the weekends. How can I develop my speaking skills at home, by myself? Where can I get some practice speaking test questions? How can I improve my pronunciation and fluency?”

Skim reading : a key skill Improving your skim reading skills takes time and effort

Most candidates who’ve done the academic version of IELTS (International English Language Testing System) say the reading test was the most difficult of the four modules.

The academic reading test assesses whether your reading skills are developed enough to succeed in studies in English at an undergraduate or postgraduate level.

If you’re a professional, such as a doctor or a lawyer, you may also need to do the test to see if your language skills are developed enough for you to work in an English language environment.

Many candidates want IELTS band score 6.0 in the reading test, but some need 7.0 or even higher. This can be very challenging.

Most candidates find the first of the three reading passages is difficult, and the next two passages are always harder.

Still, it’s possible to get a very good band score. Of course, you must have fairly good English grammar and vocabulary to do well. Just as important, though, are well-developed reading skills.

Avoiding penalties for IELTS essays

An IELTS student sent me this query about IELTS (International English Language Testing System):

“What’s the maximum score an IELTS essay can lose if a test taker develops an essay in a way that’s different from what the examiner expects?” This is my reply:

I’m not exactly sure what you mean by your question. Are you asking whether there’s a marking penalty if the overall view given by the candidate is very different from the personal view of the examiner? If you are, then the answer is that it makes absolutely no difference at all.

Task 2 of the IELTS writing test requires candidates to develop a clear position in response to a question or statement given in the essay question. Here, the word “position” means “a point of view or attitude on a certain question.”

Candidates are assessed on their ability to present their overall position clearly, and on how well that position is explained through supporting ideas and examples. Based on the examiner’s assessment, the candidate’s essay is given a score from 1 to 9 for “Task Response” (one of the four areas the examiner assesses).

IELTS Writing: Not too long, Not too short

In the writing test in IELTS (International English Language Testing System), you’re required to write at least 150 words in task 1 (describing a graph or diagram, or writing a letter) and at least 250 words in task 2 (the essay).

If you don’t write the minimum number of words in either task, your answer will automatically lose marks and your band score will be reduced. Your overall band score may then be too low for you to enter a university or to migrate to another country.

Note that although a minimum number of words is required, there’s no maximum. However, this doesn’t mean you should write a long answer. For one thing, you don’t get bonus marks for long answers. For another, a long answer means you’ll have to write fast. The faster you write, the more likely you’ll make errors in your grammar and vocabulary, or that you will leave out important information. Your band score will therefore fall.

A sensible goal, then, is to write only a little over the required minimum number of words. I recommend that you aim for a maximum of 170 words for task 1, and 280 words for task 2. Writing within those limits will give you more time to think carefully about your ideas, the structure of your answer, and your grammar and vocabulary. In the writing test, quality is much more important than quantity.

Let’s look at an answer that an IELTS student wrote for me. Lisa had to answer the following essay question:

In many countries, children are engaged in some kind of paid work. Some people regard this as completely wrong, while others consider it as valuable work experience, important for learning and taking responsibility. What are your opinions on this?

Some misunderstandings About the speaking test in IELTS

It’s clear from the comments that candidates and students make that there are many wrong ideas about the speaking module in IELTS (International English Language Testing System). Here are three common misunderstandings.

“If the examiner stops you, your English is bad.”

An IELTS candidate had this to say after her recent exam:
“When the examiner asked me something and I was answering, sometimes, he didn’t wait and let me finish what I wanted to say. Maybe he didn’t like what I was saying or my English was no good.”

The fact is that examiners may need to interrupt candidates in any part of the speaking module.

In Parts 1 and 3, examiners must ask test takers a range of questions to allow the candidates’ speaking skills to be fully assessed. Each question tests candidates’ ability to use English in a different way.

For example, one question might test how well candidates can satisfactorily compare items in English. The next question might test whether test takers can talk about possible events in the future.

Consequently, if a candidate gives a longish answer to a question, the examiner may decide to interrupt. This gives the examiner the opportunity to ask other questions to assess different aspects of the candidate’s English.

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The most important Speaking skill in IELTS

Recently, a test taker asked me this about the speaking test in IELTS (International English Language Testing System): “Can you tell me what the most important skill for speaking is? Is it pronunciation? How is pronunciation marked?”  My reply was:

Regarding your question about the most important speaking skill, there’s no simple answer. Four areas are assessed in the speaking test, and you need to be good at all four. Having good vocabulary, for example, is not going to help you get a satisfactory band score if your grammar is weak or your fluency is poor.

Areas assessed

Here are the four areas assessed by examiners in the speaking module and an outline of the factors influencing your band score:

Fluency and Coherence: Can you talk at a normal rate of speech (not too fast and not too slow), with normal effort, and without too many pauses or corrections? Can you present and link ideas in an understandable and connected way?

Using time wisely in the IELTS listening module

One student asked me this about IELTS (International English Language Testing System):

“I’ve been told I should transfer listening test answers to the answer sheet during the break at the end of each section.

“The reason given was I may not have enough time to transfer them all at the end of the test. Other people have told me to read the next section of the listening test instead. What should I do?” Here’s my reply:

Unfortunately, the advice to transfer answers during the test was wrong.

The listening module has four sections with ten questions each. The test’s recording runs for about 30 minutes, and candidates have time to read the questions and to write down and check answers.

All answers are written on the question paper while candidates listen to the recording.

Common queries about IELTS

Here are some questions often asked by candidates sitting for IELTS (International English Language Testing System).

The schedule

The exam consists of four parts. The first three modules – listening, reading and writing – are held in the morning, and you do them in that order. The three tests are given without any break between each.

The fourth module, the speaking test, is usually given some time in the afternoon on the same day. Occasionally, however, candidates are asked to do the speaking test a few days before or after the other three tests. The test centre that takes your application for the exam will tell you when the speaking test will be held

You must arrive on time for the start of the morning tests. If you’re even a few minutes late, you won’t be allowed to take the exam as you’ll disturb the candidates already doing the test.

How fast can you improve your English?

If you’re like the large majority of Thai candidates doing the academic version of IELTS (International English Language Testing System), you’re aiming to get an overall band score of 6.0, 6.5 or 7.0.
How well do test takers do? It may surprise you, but most candidates in Thailand don’t get the score they want.

Currently, the average band score in Thailand is 5.8, which is below what candidates usually require to study at an overseas university. Depending on the university and the course, an overall score between 6.0 and 8.0 is typically required for admission. In 2010, only 24% of Thai candidates got an overall score of 6.0, and just 25% got higher.