IELTS

IELTS

Speaking

Speaking

English Language Centre

English Language Centre

The Hong Kong Polytechnic University

The Hong Kong Polytechnic University

Test Format and Tasks

Test Format and Tasks

Format and Tasks

Format and Tasks

Strategies and Examples

Strategies and Examples

Further Help

Further Help

References

References

Questions

Questions

Test Format

Test Format

Test Format

Test Format

–

11 to 14minutes

11 to 14minutes

–

One-to-one interview

One-to-one interview

–

Recorded

Recorded

–

Three Parts

Three Parts

Part I – 4 to 5 minutes (Introduction &

Part I – 4 to 5 minutes (Introduction &

interview)

interview)

Part II – 1 to 2 minutes (Mini-presentation)

Part II – 1 to 2 minutes (Mini-presentation)

Part III – 3 to 5 minutes (Discussion)

Part III – 3 to 5 minutes (Discussion)

Test Format and Tasks

Test Format and Tasks

Section One – Introduction & Interview

Section One – Introduction & Interview

–

Basic Introduction about yourself and some

Basic Introduction about yourself and some

familiar topics

familiar topics

Home

Home

Hometown

Hometown

Family

Family

Job

Job

Studies

Studies

Interests

Interests

Other similar topics

Other similar topics

Test Format and Tasks – Part

Test Format and Tasks – Part

II

II

Part II – Mini-presentation (3 – 4 mins.)

Part II – Mini-presentation (3 – 4 mins.)

–

Talk for about one minute on a subject s

Talk for about one minute on a subject s

elected by the examiner

elected by the examiner

One minute to prepare the talk

One minute to prepare the talk

Notes allowed while preparing

Notes allowed while preparing

Prompts given to facilitate the content

Prompts given to facilitate the content

No interruptions while delivering the talk

No interruptions while delivering the talk

Test Format and Tasks – Part III

Test Format and Tasks – Part III

Part III – Discussion (3 – 5 minutes)

Part III – Discussion (3 – 5 minutes)

–

Questions related to topic in Part II

Questions related to topic in Part II

–

Giving opinions

Giving opinions

–

Extensive discussion on issues related to the

Extensive discussion on issues related to the

topic

topic

–

Ability to express abstract ideas and support

Ability to express abstract ideas and support

opinions appropriately

opinions appropriately

Test Format and Tasks:

Test Format and Tasks:

Assessment Criteria

Assessment Criteria

Effective communication

Effective communication

–

Fluency and Coherence

Fluency and Coherence

Content - ideas

Content - ideas

Delivery – pace

Delivery – pace

Organisation – structure

Organisation – structure

–

Vocabulary – range & accuracy

Vocabulary – range & accuracy

–

Grammar – range & accuracy

Grammar – range & accuracy

–

Pronunciation – comprehensiveness

Pronunciation – comprehensiveness

Test Format and Tasks – Speech

Test Format and Tasks – Speech

Functions

Functions

Example of speech functions

Example of speech functions

–

Providing personal information

Providing personal information

–

Providing non-personal information

Providing non-personal information

–

Expressing opinions

Expressing opinions

–

Explaining

Explaining

–

Suggesting

Suggesting

–

Justifying opinions

Justifying opinions

–

Speculating

Speculating

Test Format and Tasks – Speech

Test Format and Tasks – Speech

Functions

Functions

Example of speech functions

Example of speech functions

–

Expressing a preference

Expressing a preference

–

Comparing

Comparing

–

Summarising

Summarising

–

Conversation repair

Conversation repair

–

Contrasting

Contrasting

–

Narrating and paraphrasing

Narrating and paraphrasing

–

Analysing

Analysing

Example of Part I - Interview

Example of Part I - Interview

The examiner will

The examiner will

introduce him or herself

introduce him or herself

to you and ask you your

to you and ask you your

name. You will then be

name. You will then be

asked to tell your

asked to tell your

interests, studies or

interests, studies or

working life.

working life.

Introduction and Interview -

Introduction and Interview -

speaking Task 1

speaking Task 1

Example of Task – Part II

Example of Task – Part II

You will be given a topic to

You will be given a topic to

talk about for 1-2 minutes.

talk about for 1-2 minutes.

Speaking

Speaking

Test – Individual Talk

Test – Individual Talk

Describe a teacher who
has greatly influenced you
in your education. You
should say:

•Where you met them
•What subject they taught
•What was special about them
and explain why this person
influence you so much

Speaking

Speaking

Test – Individual Talk

Test – Individual Talk

Example of Task – Part III

Example of Task – Part III

Modern society is often called

Modern society is often called

“materialistic”. Why do you think

“materialistic”. Why do you think

this is?

this is?

What are the advantages and

What are the advantages and

disadvantages of commuting long

disadvantages of commuting long

distance to work?

distance to work?

What is the role of advertising?

What is the role of advertising?

How do you think the Internet will

How do you think the Internet will

affect buying patterns in the future

affect buying patterns in the future

Speaking

Speaking

Test – Two-way

Test – Two-way

Discussion

Discussion

Strategies – Test Tips

Strategies – Test Tips

Be prepared to respond fully to questions a

Be prepared to respond fully to questions a

sked by examiner

sked by examiner

Give rounded answers with appropriate lin

Give rounded answers with appropriate lin

king words

king words

Don’t waste time trying to write the whole

Don’t waste time trying to write the whole

talk

talk

Use time to jot some key ideas to prompt y

Use time to jot some key ideas to prompt y

ou while you are speaking

ou while you are speaking

Practise giving your talk with a clock for ju

Practise giving your talk with a clock for ju

dging how you spend your time

dging how you spend your time

Strategies – Test Tips for

Strategies – Test Tips for

Discussion Session

Discussion Session

Producing a Reasoned Response

Producing a Reasoned Response

–

Re-phrase the question in your own words

Re-phrase the question in your own words

–

Decide if any key words raise new

Decide if any key words raise new

questions

questions

–

Do you have clear view on the questions?

Do you have clear view on the questions?

–

Make sure you can give two sensible

Make sure you can give two sensible

reasons to back your opinions

reasons to back your opinions

Further Help - SAP

Further Help - SAP

SAP – speaking Assistance Programm

SAP – speaking Assistance Programm

e Core A 3/F

e Core A 3/F

–

Small group help from an ELC teacher wi

Small group help from an ELC teacher wi

th your speaking skills

th your speaking skills

–

SAP teachers will give you suggestions f

SAP teachers will give you suggestions f

or improving your speaking.

or improving your speaking.

–

More information at

More information at

http://elc.polyu.edu.hk/sap/

http://elc.polyu.edu.hk/sap/

Further Help - CILL

Further Help - CILL

CILL – Centre for Independent

CILL – Centre for Independent

Language Learning Core A 3/F

Language Learning Core A 3/F

–

Help from an ELC teacher with your

Help from an ELC teacher with your

speaking, reading, speaking and listening

speaking, reading, speaking and listening

–

CILL teachers can give you suggestions

CILL teachers can give you suggestions

for improving your speaking. They will not

for improving your speaking. They will not

proof-read

proof-read

–

More information at

More information at

http://elc.polyu.edu.hk/cill/ielts/

http://elc.polyu.edu.hk/cill/ielts/

References

References

You can find these books in CILL, Room

You can find these books in CILL, Room

AG305:

AG305:

Cambridge Practice Tests for the

Cambridge Practice Tests for the

IELTS, Books 1, 2 & 3 (with CD-ROM

IELTS, Books 1, 2 & 3 (with CD-ROM

for listening tests)

for listening tests)

Insight into IELTS - an IELTS

Insight into IELTS - an IELTS

preparation course

preparation course

Useful websites

Useful websites

UGC Introductory site

UGC Introductory site

http://

http://

www.ugccepa.com

www.ugccepa.com

IELTS homepage

IELTS homepage

http://www.ielts.org/index.htm

http://www.ielts.org/index.htm

ELC homepage

ELC homepage

http://elc.polyu.edu.hk

http://elc.polyu.edu.hk

Questions

Questions

Please do not ask us (or any ELC

Please do not ask us (or any ELC

teacher) to predict what grade you

teacher) to predict what grade you

will get, as this is forbidden by the

will get, as this is forbidden by the

IELTS organisation.

IELTS organisation.