EXAM FOCUS: IELTS Speaking Test Part 1 Introduction and lnterview
1 Tips for IELTS
1; On the next page, there is a practice test for Speaking Test Part 1. In this part, the IELTS examiner will ask questions about three common topks such as family, food, interests, travel, etc. Topie 1 will be about home/town or work/studies. Topks 2 and 3 will change for different candidates. Here are some tips to help you do well in this module. Tick (/) the ones you need to think about most. Discuss your decisions with another student.
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• Give relevant Information about yourself and expand on your answers with details where, why, how, when, etc
• Ask the exammer to explam questions if you are not surę what they refer to
• Use the 'short answer -• expand’ strategy to give shape to your answers For example begmning with 'itdepends' gives you an opportumty to say plenty Try to avoid answermg 'yes' or 'no'
• Do not wony or panie if you eannot remember a partieular word Just say you can't remember what 'it' is called and move on, or find another way of saymg it (paraphrase)
• Try to avoid repeatmg the language of the guestions at the begmnmg of your answers
• Gwe answers as you would in an mterview i e not too short and not too long The exammer has plenty of thmgs to ask you m this part of the test
• There are a number of thmgs you ean do outside class to help yourself prepare for the Speaking test
- Checkword pronunciation m a dictionary
- Practise askmg and answenng guestions with other students
- Listen to radio chat shows m English
- Download chat show podcasts
- Record yourself answermg questions
- Lrsten to English pronunaation tapes
- Revise vocabulary on everyday topics
- Chat in English to friends over the Internet
• Practise saymg words that you find difficult to pronounce both on their own and m a sentence Use an on-lme pronunciation dictionary to help you Record these wwds and ask your teacher to listen to the recordmg
• Make a deosion NOW about how and where you are gomg to keep notes on vocabulary m this course You have seen some ideas in this unit Usmg vocabulary well is somethmg you are marked on m the Speaking test
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