5 IMPORTANT TIPS

IN IELTS SPEAKING PART 1

12/27/2017 ToanZIM - ZIM IELTS 1

TIP 1
Give short answers in full sentences (1-3 sentences)

Why?
It gives the examiner enough resources to assess your answer.

Example:
Q: Do you work or are you a student?
A: I’m working as a full-time teacher at an IELTS training center in
Hanoi. I’ve been working here for about 2 years.
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TIP 2
It’s OK to ask the examiner to repeat his/her
question when you can’t hear the question clearly.
Why?
You will NOT lose marks if you ask the examiner to repeat the question.
• Don’t do this too many times…

Example:
Q: Do you live in a house or an apartment?
A: I’m sorry I didn’t get what you just said. Could you repeat your question
please?
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TIP 3
It’s NOT about the truth or your real experience.
Make up an answer if you need to.
Why?
This is a test of your speaking ability, not a test of knowledge or experience.

Example:
Q: Do you play sports?
A: Well … I do, E-sports especially. I usually play DotA with my friends at
night. During the day, I hit the gym in the early morning and play football
in the afternoon.
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TIP 4
Stop paraphrasing the questions! Trust me, it
works!
Why?
- It is difficult to do so.
- Sometimes, it’s not natural to paraphrase.
- It doesn’t do much to help increase your scores.

Example:
Q: Who’s your closest person in your family?
A: My mom is the closest person in my family. My dad usually has to go on
business trips, and my brother, hmm… I hate to say that I’m not really fond of the
guy.

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TIP 5
Give “I don’t know” answers when you need to.

Why?
Again, this is a test of language, not a test of knowledge. The examiner doesn’t
expect you to know everything, but he/she expects you to be able to explain why
you don’t know.

Example:
Q: Why are you still FA? (It’s not a real question :D)
A: To be honest, I’ve been asking myself the same question ever since my
puberty. It’s hard to say. Maybe there’s some kind of woman-repelling vibe when
I talk. (Not true by the way)

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SUMMARY
• TIP 1: Give short answers in full sentences (1-3 sentences)
• TIP 2: It’s OK to ask the examiner to repeat his/her question when
you can’t hear the question clearly.
• TIP 3: It’s NOT about the truth or your real experience. Make up an
answer if you need to.
• TIP 4: Stop paraphrasing the questions! Trust me, it works!
• TIP 5: Give “I don’t know” answers when you need to.

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