SIMON-SPEAKING-ADVICES_PART1_2_3

IELTSSpeaking:BasicInformationTheIELTSSpeakingTestisthefinalpartoftheexam.Yourtestwillbeatsometimebetween1.30pmand5.00pm.YoucantakeonlyyourIDdocumentintotheexamroom.Thetestlastsbetween11and14minutes.Youwillbeinterviewedbyanexaminerwhowillrecordyourconversation.Timingisstrictlycontrolledbytheexaminer,sodon'tbesurprisedifheorsheinterruptsyouduringananswer.Thereare3partstotheSpeakingTest:1.Introduction/interview:around10questionsin4to5minutes.2.Shortpresentation:talkfor2minuteswith1minutetoprepare.3.Discussion:around5questionsin4to5minutes.PreparationisthekeytoagoodscoreinIELTSSpeaking.Differentskillsaretestedineachpart,soyouneedtoknowexactlywhattodo.Wecanpredictthekindsofquestionsthattheexaminerwillask.We'llprepareideas,possibleanswersandgoodvocabularyforeachpartofthetest.IELTSSpeaking:adviceHereareafewsimpletipsthatcouldmakeadifferencetoyourscore:1.BeconfidentAlthoughyoumightbenervous,trytospeakclearlyandconfidently.Smile,befriendly,andmakeeyecontactwiththeexaminer.Asyougointotheexam,tellyourselfthatyouhavepreparedwellandthatyou'regoingtoenjoythechallenge.2.KnowthatyouarepreparedYouwillfeelmuchmoreconfidentifyouknowthatyouhavepreparedandpractisedforthetest.Youshouldknowexactlywhattoexpect.Forexample,haveyoupreparedsomecommontopics(e.g.describeaplace,aperson,ahobby)fortheshortpresentation?Areyoureadyforapastandafuturequestioninpart3?3.ImaginetheexaminerisyourfriendTrytoenjoyanormalconversationwiththeexaminer.Insteadofworryingaboutyourgrammar,listencarefullytothequestionsandtrytogivenaturalanswers.Mostofthequestionsareaboutyou,yourlifeandyouropinions,soit'sbesttobeopen.Iusedtobeanexaminer,andIalwaysfoundthejobmoreinterestingwhenstudentsspokeopenlyabouttheiropinionsandexperiences.IELTSSpeaking:informalexpressionsYesterdayIwroteabout'anevent'forIELTSSpeakingPart2.SomeoftheexpressionsIusedwereinformal:wechatted(talked)togettogetherwith(meet)tocatchupwith(talktosomeoneyouhaven'tseenforawhile)whatmyfriendshadbeenupto(hadbeendoing)towinddown(relaxaftersomethingtiring)Theexaminerwouldconsiderthesephrasestobelesscommonvocabulary.Inotherwords,afewphrasalverbsorinformalexpressionscanhelpyoutogetahighscoreinIELTSSpeaking.IELTSSpeaking:usingthe1-minutepreparationtimeMartinaskedagreatquestion:What'sthebestwaytousethe1-minutepreparationtimeinpart2ofthespeakingtest?Imustadmit,Idon'thaveagoodanswertothisquestion(yet).I'mgoingtotrysomedifferentapproacheswithmystudentsthisweek-hopefullyI'llfindsomeanswers.Ifanyonehasanysuggestions,feelfreetosharetheminthecommentsarea.I'llsharemyideasonFriday.IELTSSpeaking:ifyoudon'tknowtheanswerHowdoyouansweraquestionwhenyoudon'tknowanythingaboutthetopic?Thereare2thingsyoucando:1.Behonestandexplainwhyyoudon'tknow2.Guess,andtelltheexaminerthatyouareguessingExamplequestion:Howhastechnologyaffectedthekindsofmusicthatarepopularwithyoungpeople?Myanswer,usingbothtipsabove:(1)TobehonestIdon'treallyknowtheanswertothatbecauseI'mcompletelyoutoftouchwithwhatyoungpeoplearelisteningto,andI'mnotafanofpopmusic.(2)However,Isupposethattechnologymusthaveaffectedmusic.Maybeyoungpeoplearelisteningtomusicthathasbeenmadeusingcomputersoftwareinsteadofrealmusicalinstrumentslikethepianoorguitar.Note:Canyouseeanyband7vocabularyinmyanswer?IELTSSpeaking:workorstudyThesearecommonquestionsatthestartofthespeakingtest:1.Doyouworkorareyouastudent?2.Doyoulikeyourjob/course?Why/whynot?Exampleanswers:1.BeforeIcametoEnglandIwasworkingasanaccountant,butatthemomentI'mstudyingEnglishbecauseIhopetodoaMaster'shere.2.Yes,Ireallylikemyjobbecauseit'sinterestingandIworkwithagreatteamofpeople.OR:Yes,IenjoystudyingEnglish,butmyrealaimistodoaMaster'sandthenfindajobinaninternationalcompany.Note:Don'tasktheexaminer:DoyoumeaninmycountryorhereinEngland?-itdoesn'tmatter.Don'tworryifyouhaveajobandstudyatthesametime-youcanmentionboth.IELTSSpeaking:usewhatyouknowInparts2and3oftheIELTSspeakingtest,youneedtomakequickdecisionsaboutwhattotalkabout.Alwaystrytotalkaboutatopicyouhavepreparedorsomethingyouknowabout.Herearesomeexamples:Part2:Describealawinyourcountry.Advice:ChooseatypicalIELTStopiclikeguns.Explainwhypeopleinyourcountrycan/can'townagun,andtalkabouttheprosandconsofthislaw.Thereisachapteronthistopicinmyebook.Part3:Whatnewlawwouldyouintroducetoimprovelifeinyourcountry?Advice:Chooseaneasytopiclikeenvironment.Explainthatthegovernmentcouldintroducenewlawstoreducepollutionfromfactories,carsetc.Explainhowthiswouldimprovepeople'slives.IELTSSpeaking:animportantconversationIELTSSpeakingPart2:Describeanimportantconversationyouhad.IELTSSpeakingPart3:Whatarethedifferencesbetweenmen'sandwomen'sconversations?Whatdoyouthinkarethecharacteristicsofagoodspeaker?Forthepart2question:Myadviceistospeakaboutaconversationyouhadwithyourfatherormotheraboutyoureducationorcareer.Ifyouarestudyinginadifferentcountry,describeaconversationaboutthedecisiontostudyabroad.Thenyoucanuseideasfromthe'studyabroad'topicandthe'highereducation'topic(youcanfindthesetopicsinmyWritingTask2lessons).Forthefirstquestioninpart3,myadviceistouse'stereotypes':Ithinkitdependsonthepeoplewhoareh