The IELTS Speaking test is designed to assess your ability to express yourself clearly, fluently, and accurately in English. It consists of three parts:
- Part 1: Introduction and Interview – Basic questions about yourself.
- Part 2: Long Turn – You will be asked to speak on a particular topic for 1-2 minutes, and you will be given a cue card with prompts.
- Part 3: Two-way Discussion – A deeper discussion about the topic presented in Part 2.
As an IELTS examiner, I will be evaluating your speech based on several criteria such as fluency and coherence, lexical resource, grammatical range and accuracy, and pronunciation. Let’s delve into how you can effectively tackle the parts of the test using the example of “Describe a situation when you were very sad.”
II. 内容 Main Content
1. Part 1: Introduction and Interview
In Part 1, the examiner may start by asking questions related to your daily life, hobbies, or personal experiences to get you comfortable.
Common Questions:
- What do you do in your leisure time?
- Can you tell me about a difficult experience you’ve had recently?
- How do you usually handle stress?
Here’s how to answer:
Example Question: Can you tell me about a difficult experience you’ve had recently?
Sample Answer:
“Well, recently, I experienced a tough situation when one of my closest friends moved abroad for work. It was quite challenging to come to terms with the fact that I wouldn’t see them frequently anymore. I felt a sense of loss and had to adjust to the new circumstances without their constant companionship.”
This response offers a specific example, employs complex grammar (e.g., “I wouldn’t see them frequently anymore”), and uses emotional language (“sense of loss,” “constant companionship”).
2. Part 2: Long Turn
Cue Card:
Describe a situation when you were very sad.
- You should say:
- When it happened
- Where you were
- What happened
- And explain why you felt so sad
Sample Answer:
“One of the most heart-wrenching experiences I ever had was about five years ago when my grandmother passed away. I was at home when I received a phone call from my father, breaking the news. It happened quite suddenly as she had always appeared to be in good health. The moment I heard the news, I felt a profound sense of loss and devastation because she had been a profoundly influential figure in my life. She raised me while my parents were working and instilled in me a lot of values that I cherish today. For weeks, I found it hard to go about my daily routine, and I often felt like a part of me was missing. The pain was excruciating, but eventually, with support from family and friends, I was able to come to terms with her passing.”
Possible Follow-up Questions:
- Have you ever experienced any other situation that made you extremely sad?
- How did you cope with this sadness?
Sample Follow-up Answer:
“Yes, another instance that brought immense sadness was when I failed an important exam I had prepared rigorously for. It was a hard pill to swallow, but I used it as a learning experience and worked harder to improve myself.”
3. Part 3: Two-way Discussion
The examiner will now ask more abstract questions related to the topic of sadness or emotional experiences.
Examiner Questions:
- Do you think it’s important to express your emotions openly? Why?
- How do different cultures handle sadness and grief?
Sample Answer:
“Yes, I believe it’s very important to express your emotions openly. Bottling up feelings can lead to mental health issues such as depression and anxiety. Expressing emotions permits individuals to seek support and help from their community. For instance, in my culture, we have communal mourning practices where the community comes together to console the bereaved family. This shared experience helps alleviate the burden of grief.”
Key Phrases:
- “Bottling up feelings”
- “Seek support”
- “Communal mourning practices”
- “Shared experience”
Useful Vocabulary and Structures:
- Heart-wrenching /ˈhɑːrt ˌrentʃɪŋ/ (adj): Extremely sad or distressing.
- Profound /prəˈfaʊnd/ (adj): Very great or intense.
- Excruciating /ɪkˈskruːʃiˌeɪtɪŋ/ (adj): Extremely painful or distressing.
- To cope (with sth) /koʊp/: To deal effectively with something difficult.
- Learning experience: An experience that teaches you something, often something valuable.
Example Sentences:
- “The loss of a loved one can be a heart-wrenching experience.”
- “I felt a profound sense of loss when my pet passed away.”
- “The pain was excruciating, but I found solace in the support of my friends.”
III. Examiner Tips for Speaking:
- Practice Fluency: Keep speaking even if you make mistakes; correcting yourself is natural.
- Expand Your Answers: Always provide reasons or examples to support your statements.
- Use Advanced Vocabulary: Incorporate idioms, collocations, and advanced vocabulary to showcase your lexical range.
- Stay Calm: Relax and think of the speaking test as a conversation rather than an exam.
- Mock Practice: Regularly practice with a partner or record yourself to evaluate your performance.
By continually practicing and using these tips, you can enhance your speaking abilities and feel more confident in tackling the IELTS Speaking exam.