Best IELTS Last Minute Tips for the Speaking Test.

depositphotos_12630060-Two-businessmen-standing-and-talking-with-speech-bubbles-on-white-backgroundI often receive emails from readers of this site saying something on the lines of ‘Help, I have my IELTS Test this Saturday, what can I do?’

This is the fourth and last  post in my series ‘Best IELTS last minute tips.  You can also check out my Listening Test, Reading Test and Writing Test tips.

Now, I think I always make it quite clear that I believe in starting your IELTS Test preparation way in advance of the test but in this post I’m going to give you my best IELTS last minute tips for the Speaking Test.

  • On the day of the exam, you need to ‘enter the room speaking English’.  This basically means that if the hour leading up to your interview, you need to practice speaking English; talk to anyone you can, find candidates of other nationalities to chat to in English, tell them that you want to practise speaking English before the Speaking Test; I’m sure that most other candidates would be very open to the idea as they also want to practise  speaking English.  As a last resort, speak to yourself under your breath in English (about anything!)
  • Easy to say, but try to relax and be calm, take a few deep breaths before you enter the exam room.  Remember that, as my granddad used to say, ‘It’s only an exam, no-one’s hurt, it’s okay’.
  • Smile as you greet the Examiner; this will help you relax and people are always well-disposed to someone who smiles at them.
  • Remember that the Examiner is not the enemy!  You’re working together on this as a team.  You want to do well and the Examiner wants to see you perform to the best of your ability.
  • If you didn’t hear the question properly, simply ask the Examiner to repeat it.   You do this in your own language so it doesn’t ‘look bad’.  Don’t start answering a question that you ‘think you heard’; you’ll feel insecure and it will appear that you didn’t understand the question.
  • In parts 1 and 3, if you don’t understand the question, ask the Examiner to repeat it and try to focus on the words you do understand.   You can also check quickly with the Examiner by asking, ‘Do you want me to talk about ……?’
  • If there is just one word you don’t understand and you think it’s important, just tell the Examiner, ‘I’m sorry, I’m not sure what you mean by censorship.’
  • If there’s a word you don’t understand on your Part 2 topic question, you can either tell the Examiner immediately, ‘ I’m sorry, I’m not sure what leisure means’, he/she might give you a quick definition or just before you start speaking, you can tell the Examiner, ‘I’m not 100% sure what leisure means but I’ve interpreted it as ………… so I’m going to speak about ………….’
  • Remember that questions are chosen at random before you enter the room, if you don’t like your topic, take a deep breath and ‘get on with it’; you’ll be fine!
  • It sometimes happens that in part 2, you can’t think of anything to say about the topic.  Recently, a student had to talk about cultural festivals in her country.  Her mind went blank and so just before she started speaking, she said ‘I really can’t think of any cultural festivals in my country so I’m going to talk about Christmas, which I know isn’t really a ‘cultural festival’ specific to my country’.  Easy!  Remember that the Examiner isn’t there to ‘catch you out’.  He/she wants you to speak to the best of your ability.
  • Don’t even think about timing in part 2, just keep speaking, the Examiner will stop you if you’re still speaking and two minutes has passed.
  • In part 3, you will find yourself discussing more abstract issues.  Try to organise what you are saying with phrases such as ‘Some people think….’, ‘On the other hand……..’  This will help you keep your thoughts clear and make what you are trying to say easier to follow.

Finally, good luck on Saturday!

Here’s to the best IELTS score possible!

51 thoughts on “Best IELTS Last Minute Tips for the Speaking Test.

  1. Dear Ms
    It is great learning from your website. You are great in your you tube tutorials and this web site.

    Could you plz inform that whether Cambridge IETLTS 8 (Self study pack) has been marketed?? or is it close to be launched?

    Thank you for all you have done to guide us and to teach us the things we might never know!!

  2. Hi Amir,

    Thanks for your feedback. According to the Cambridge catalogue, Cambridge IELTS 8 will be available from May 2011.

    Kind Regards,
    Alanna

  3. Dear Alanna,
    Thanks for all the tips that you provide.
    Its a great help.

    Thanks again. It means a lot.

    cheers.

    Hari

  4. Hi ms,
    I am really glad that i found your website and your channel in YouTube.
    My test will be at 30 of April.

    thanks for every things you had done in this site.

  5. hello alanna,

    thank you for all u r help! i got 6.5 in privious ielts speaking test i dont know where i went wrong i have my test tomorow i dont really know how to improve my score by 0.5?can u help me?

  6. Hi Ann Su,

    I think my reply has come one day too late but to be honest, I don’t think I could help much to help change your score by 0.5 just by writing you an email.

    Let’s hope that your test went well 🙂

    If you find yourself having to take the test again, email me at [email protected], explaining your situation (I get a lot of emails and we’ll talk about arranging a practice speaking test on skype.

    Sending all the positive energy i can your way.

    Alanna

  7. Hello Alanna

    Firstly I wana say thank you so much. You are really kind, sociable and helpfull too. Most of the people are selfish, cruel and they dont ready to share pain eachother but you are the one helpfull in thousand or million. I am following your tips but the people’s nature are deferent than other creature, what I mean it is could you please assess me wheather my speaking is enough for the band
    6?

    thanks madam

  8. The cost to do a practice IELTS Speaking Test with me on skype is $20 AUD. Please see the IELTS Test Evaluation section for examples of the feedback I give.

    If you’d like to go ahead and organise something with me, please email me at [email protected].

  9. hi alanna thank you for all your help my paper is today at 9:50am i live in karachi, pakistan
    you made my day and relased my tension
    thanks againg
    your sincerely
    kami

  10. hi alanna thank you for all your help my paper is today at 9:50am i live in karachi, pakistan
    you made my day and relased my tension
    thanks againg
    your sincerely
    kami

    i will get back to you when i will get my result

  11. Saleh,

    I’m not entirely sure what you mean. You really need more than three days to practise for any test and speaking skills are built up over time.

  12. Hi Alanna,
    Im looking for a 7 band.last time I got 6.5 .So it will be great if you kindly arrange some speaking practice on skype.My test date is on 30th July.
    thanks for your support

  13. hi mam.
    i am using the internet and suddenlyi i got your website or but i like.bocause i want to go abroad and i wanna take ielts exam but my speaking is too week…plz u help me………plz plz mam.
    i just keep from ur expected.

  14. hi alanna
    please wish me the best my ielts exam will on the next saturday and i want the band score of 5 can u help me with some advice?

  15. hie alanna mam
    i love ur website and i have my exam on 16spt
    plzzzzz give me some tips..! In previous exam i got 5 bands in speaking..!

  16. Hi Amandeep,

    Hope your test went well. If you don’t get the score you need, contact me via the contact page to discuss speaking practice.

    Alanna

  17. Hello Alanna,
    I am very happy that I found your website moreover suggestion s and presentation was wonderful on utube. I am writing from Mongolian which locates in central Asia with long historical country. The most of people are in overseas they khow regarding the greatest king Chingis. I just want to say thank you so much and I got a lots of tips for speaking and other tests. I have a test tomorrow. I have just realized I need not to afraid from examiner :-).

    Many thanks,
    Angie

  18. Hello Alanna,

    I need to get at least a 7 score in IELTS in every band. I have done the test three times! without improving in speaking and writing. Could you help me with some skype classes? I will repeat the test on the 22th of october. I will appreciate your help.

    Thanks

  19. @ Nati. Thanks for your comment. I am fully booked with students taking their test on 22nd October. I wish you all the best in your test on that date and hope you get the score you need.

    If you don’t, please contact me via the contact page and I’d be only too happy to help

    Alanna 🙂

  20. HI Allana,
    Tomorrow is my speaking test for IELTS Exam. I was trying to download the “IELTS Speaking Test tips” from the section that is on the right side of this blog and i provided my e-mail but did not recieve this FREE report. Kindly help.

  21. Hi Faheem,

    I’ve just tested the link; it appears to be working. Check your email ‘junk mail’ filters.

    Good luck tomorrow!

    Alanna

  22. Hi, I have`nt seen someone like you Allan before, Your heart is like diamond, the way you help each person and the way you try to answer to every one is really unique. Thanks

  23. Hello mam, I usually visit your website ,it helps me a lot and i have exam on 15 november .i want to attain at least 6 bands.what should i do at last moment……..?

  24. Punit, you’ve done exactly the right thing, reading these last minute tips (have you read the last minute tips on listening, reading and writing too?)

    Best of Luck in your test!

  25. hi madam,
    i wrote the ielts exam 2 times.but i scored only 5.5 .when i wrote first time i got 5.5 in eac module.when i wrote the exam 2nd time igot 6 band in speaking and lestening modules,reading-5.5 , writing 5 .overall=5.5
    so., i am going to write the exam again on 26 nov(3rd time).
    madam i want to know that ,if igot 6band in 2 modules and 5.5 in other two modules what will the over all score…

  26. hi madam,
    i wrote the ielts exam 2 times.but i scored only 5.5 .when i wrote first time i got 5.5 in each module.when i wrote the exam 2nd time. igot 6 band in speaking and listening modules,reading-5.5 , writing 5 .overall=5.5
    so., i am going to write the exam again on 26 nov(3rd time).
    madam i want to know that ,if igot 6band in 2 modules and 5.5 in other two modules what will the over all score…

  27. Hi Dharmi,

    I assume the overall score would be 6 as 5.5+5.5+6+6 =23. 23 divided by 4 is 5.75. To my knowledge, overall scores are rounded to the nearest half band score.

  28. HI im looking to practice speaking for ielts.Any one interested can add me on santhoshkumar.vala
    thanks santhosh

  29. Hi Alanna,
    How are you. I hope you are doing well. I would like to thank you for your useful website . I have IELTS Exam in thid month in London and I am doing my best to achieve a good band . Thanks again.

    Warm Regards,

  30. Hi Ms,
    i have my test on 31 march n im preparing hard for my exams. i learn a lot frm u online. small small tit bits make a big diffrence. i thankyou fr all your support and care.
    Asif

  31. The bar graph depicts the fuhltory sales numbers of Woodward chocolate bars (Wuzzle Bar, Woody Bar,Wachi Bar, Wozic Bar) for the previous year.In the first quarter of the year Wachi Bar was the top product among the three having 55 million. It decreased its sale in the second quarter and continuously occurred until the last period having 10 million of its sale. Wozic Bar had similar demand on its first quarter and last quarter for having 35 million of demand.On its third period , the chocolate bar (Wozic Bar) got its least income for that year same as the Wachi Bar.Wuzzle Bar had equal transaction on its first and second period of the year having approximately 19 million. On the third quarter it reached the peak of its trade for that year.The Woody Bar had 10 million sale for the first quarter and gradually increased until at the end of the year.One may conclude that Wachi Bar is the least product at the end of the year even though it is the top chocolate bar at the start.

  32. hello mam, i wanna see the 12 weeks courses list but i couldn’t see it.Why mam. Have any problem?

  33. Hi John,

    I presume you are looking at the course list on the right hand side of the page? If so, do not click on the grey box, click on the individual weeks to see the contents and what is covered. Hope this helps. Let me know if you still have problems.

    Kind Regards,
    Alanna

  34. Dear Alanna,

    These tips are really good and has brought much confidence in me to appear for the exam on 24th of this month.
    Cheers !!!

    Best Regards,
    Avinash

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