Repeating vocabulary in production is a common problem for both students and candidates taking IELTS. You should not repeat vocabulary words in IELTS Speaking or Writing. Even if you have some high-level and impressive words and phrases in your vocabulary, but keep saying them again and again, your score cannot go beyond band 6 in the IELTS Speaking section. In this blog post, we are giving some tips on how to eliminate repetition in the IELTS Speaking test.

Why reduce repetition

As we mentioned before, fluency and coherence is one of the criteria according to which the examiner assesses your response in the IELTS Speaking section. Let us have a closer look at IELTS Speaking Band Descriptors:

The learners of English often misunderstand fluency because they tend to think about it as the speed at which you can speak. However, it is ability to maintain a flow of proper language without unnecessary hesitations, i.e. you can naturally make some pauses or stops between certain words or even sentence using, for example, fillers like native speakers do.

Coherence is about how you connect every part of your answer with another sentence, i.e. how logically your talk is arranged. If you do not speak with coherence, the listener will have a difficulty with understanding and following what you say.

Overall, if you speak fluently and coherently, you do it without hesitation, logically connect your ideas and clearly express your thoughts using wide range of vocabulary. It does take time to practice fluency and coherence, but with our useful advice, you will be able to do it easily.

READ ABOUT: Which part of IELTS Speaking is most important?

Tips to eliminate repetition of vocabulary

Tip #1. Record yourself speaking. If you have the recording of how you speak, this will allow you to listen and find out if you really repeat the vocabulary and how often you do it. When you hear such words, write them down.

Tip #2. Try paraphrasing the sentences using synonyms. They are the words that have the same or nearly the same meaning. Luckily, there are many synonyms in the English language because its vocabulary is huge. For example:

Interesting — fascinating, engaging, sharp, keen, bright, intelligent, animated, spirited, attractive, inviting, intriguing, provocative, though-provoking, challenging, inspiring, involving, moving, titillating, tantalizing, exciting, entertaining, piquant, lively, racy, spicy, engrossing, absorbing, consuming, gripping, arresting, enthralling, spellbinding, curious, captivating, enchanting, bewitching, appealing.

This allows adding colour to your language while speaking or writing. Although natives use synonyms unconsciously, it takes a great effort for those who learn English to use them in the sentences on purpose.

What you can do is :

► Learn new words in context. For example, when you are reading or listening to the text, you can come across the unknown words. Try to guess their meaning, look up in a dictionary, and check. If you know a simple synonym to it, write it down. Keep your vocabulary organized.

► Search for synonyms when you need them. We also need to use synonyms when writing. They keep the reader interested and engaged. Think about the person who is going to read or listen to you, look up for synonyms in the dictionary. This will make your writing fresh, and you will remember more engaging language, vocabulary and, expressions.

► Expose yourself to different varieties of English. You might know that there are such varieties of English as American, Australian, British etc., and that many common words in them have different meanings. However, there are many differences between regional varieties too.

READ ABOUT: What to expect at the IELTS Speaking test

 Tip #3. Use pronouns. They are a great tool for back referencing, i.e. talking about something you have already mentioned before without having to repeat the same vocabulary (e.g. it, they, these, those, he, she etc.). How you refer back to the things you have just written or said is an important way of creating a natural flow to your language. Sometimes it is the simplest way to avoid repetition, especially if you cannot find synonyms. Do not try to look smart – try to be talkative. When you are having a conversation with your friend, you hardly ever run out of things to say. Talking to a friend is easier than presenting smart ideas, so try to speak quite simply but fluently. Once you start hesitating and pausing, looking for complex words and grammar to impress an examiner, you score tends to decrease. If you use pronoun reference, it improves your Coherence score as well, in both Speaking and Writing. This one of the skills examiners look for.

Tip #4. Use various forms of the words. There are many different forms of the words in English such as nouns, verbs, adjectives and adverbs. When learning the new vocabulary, look for them as well. For example: beauty (noun) – beautify (verb) – beautiful (adjective) – beautifully (adverb). Look how we can use these in the sentences:

This is an area of outstanding natural beauty.

Local citizens have raised money to beautify the area.

This is an area with breathtakingly beautiful scenery.

We are staying in a beautifully designed and peaceful area.

Our tips will help you at the IELTS Speaking exam if you practice a lot. In our IELTS Grade self-study course, you will find more tips and examples of how to respond to the examiner’s questions. You will be able to explore IELTS Speaking topics and questions for the interview, long turn and the discussion. There are video lessons for you to learn strategies and tips as well as the diagnostic speaking test with feedback from one of our IELTS tutors.

READ ABOUT: Common mistakes made by candidates in IELTS Speaking

A lot of test-takers and students preparing for IELTS have been asking this eternal question. They visit IELTS forums, ask their tutors and other candidates, and often receive contradictory answers. Some believe that Part 3 is the most important part if the IELTS Speaking test, others consider Part 1 to be a warm-up before the second and the third parts of the exam, which are crucial. In fact, there are four aspects that influence your band for IELTS Speaking, and the examiner will grade your performance in all parts of the test.

Fluency and coherence

This is the first aspect of your speaking that examiners pay attention to. In other words, they listen for HOW we speak. That is why it is very important not to keep silent and answer questions thoroughly. You should not worry if you cannot think of many ideas. Unlike IELTS Writing, this part of the test assesses your English language, not the ideas you express. It is a good idea to give examples and detailed explanations in Part 3, and answer in full sentences in Part 1 of the IELTS Speaking test. By doing so, you offer the examiner with a wide range of language to assess. This means, even you struggled to answer one question, this will not influence your score if you did well in the rest of questions.

In your answer, ideas have to be organised logically and linked together. It has to be easy for examiner to follow your thought. All this is called coherence. To make your answer more coherent, use different discourse markers and linking words.

One more thing you should not do is repeating or correcting yourself too much.

Also, avoid pauses to search for words. Pausing affects your fluency and also the amount of time you actually spend speaking in the test, so you should not overdo it.

READ ABOUT: IELTS Speaking test format and assessment criteria

Lexical resource

What stands behind the second aspect? Let us have a look at the following example. This is a question from Speaking Part 3:

What can elderly people learn from the young?

This is the script of the answer given by a candidate:

• I guess, there are a lot of things that young people could teach the elderly. The first thing that springs to mind is technology. Older people could learn from the young how to work with computers, how to make effective use of some state-of-the-art devices. Generally, how to survive and thrive in the new digital world, with all its technological advancements. On top of that, I guess young people are often better at enjoying their lives, and living for the moment. It may be that older people could become more easy-going by following the examples of teens and young adults.

It shows a wide range of words, collocations and idiomatic language e.g.: springs to mind, make effective use of, survive and thrive, the new digital world, living for the moment. Less common academic vocabulary is also used, e.g., state-of-the-art, technological advancements. It is also important that the candidate uses all this vocabulary appropriately.

This means that you can definitely boost your score if you provide the examiner with:

• a wide range of vocabulary
• idiomatic language
• less common vocabulary
• appropriate use of vocabulary.

In our online self-study course, we look at more examples, compare worse and better answers, explore each criterion for different skills. Moreover, you are going to try doing Speaking part 2 yourself and get feedback from one of our IELTS tutors.

READ ABOUT: Helpful idioms for IELTS Speaking

Grammatical range and accuracy

This is the third aspect that will influence your score. You need to use various tenses, grammatical structures and complex sentences. What is more, they have to be appropriate and correct. However, they should not be memorized. Otherwise, they will not make any sense, and will not get you any points.

The truth is, the examiner has no model answer to assess your speaking. Every response given by different candidate will differ, and their language varies too. Your score depends on the language you produce at the exam, range and accuracy of structures you use.

That is why, before answering the question, think about grammar you will apply. For example, if you are asked to talk about if your hometown has changed much since you were a child, use the following structures to talk about the past: ‘used to be’, ‘would do’, and the present: ‘has become’, ‘tends to’. Other structures, such as comparisons ‘way better’ and ‘far more + adjective’, and a conditional sentence could beused for a good effect.

READ ABOUT: Which IELTS should you take: general or academic?

Pronunciation

The last criterion is pronunciation. Here, you should pay attention to intelligibility, that is how clear your pronunciation is to the examiner, how well they can understand what you say.

Do not speak very fast. IELTS does not test the maximum speed you can speak at. Choose a natural pace.

Examiners also listen to your intonation, and whether you pronounce words and put stress correctly.

Your accent does not have to be British English, but for a score higher than 7, your mother tongue does not have to affect clarity. If your accent is so heavy that the examiner cannot understand what your are saying, it will affect the score. If it does not take much effort to understand your pronunciation, you can get a high band score.

Now you know what you should pay attention to at the IELTS Speaking test and what to work on. Get more practice and a full mock Speaking and Writing tests with a detailed feedback from IELTS preparation experts in our course.

READ MORE: 6 typical mistakes in IELTS essays

Speaking is truly considered to be quite a complicated part of the test. Candidates never know what questions exactly they will hear. However, if you have a clear understanding of the format and how your response will be evaluated, if you know some tips and useful strategies, you can perform really well.

If you’re wondering how you could improve your IELTS Speaking in a limited period of time and what to focus on in your preparation, join our free webinars on November 19th and 20th! 

We’re going to cover the following things at the webinar:

—  the format of the Speaking part;

— useful tips on how to prepare effectively before the test;

— effective strategies you can use during the test;

— how your response is assessed and evaluated.

We’ll also take a look at IELTS speaking band descriptors, ways of how to structure your response and useful phrases that will help you sound more naturally. 

Who the webinar is for: 

— IELTS Academic test takers

— students preparing to take IELTS in the future

— teachers providing IELTS preparation classes

— anyone wishing to improve their speaking skills for international exams.

By the end of the webinar you will have a clear understanding of the test format and assessment criteria and you’ll be equipped with effective techniques and strategies to use during IELTS Speaking test.

Speaker:

Olena Bochkariova — Academic Director, teacher with more than 19 years of experience and international teaching qualifications (CELTA, Delta), IELTS certified tutor and course consultant. Olena has been involved in IELTS preparation courses and running various training and academic programmes, creating materials, delivering workshops and webinars.

Register here: 

November 19th, 5 pm – 6 pm (UTC +2) 

 https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZMrfuCurzwvHdbI8mfaiuo-Tw8vZCeggFI4

November 20th, 3 pm – 4 pm (UTC +2) 

 https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZ0qd–rrzwpHtUuFFmzIgXnXR-xarCx0z22

You will spend an hour going through IELTS Speaking tips and strategies. You will also get a special bonus offer that will help you build rock solid skills to achieve the desired band score in IELTS.

When many people think about the IELTS exam, they often start to feel quite nervous — especially when they think about how their speaking is going to be assessed!  Moreover, many students start their exam preparation with some incorrect ideas — or misconceptions — about how the exam will take place, and what exactly the examiners are looking for according to their criteria.    

Join the free webinar on IELTS Speaking preparation on October 8th and 9th, where we’re going to take a closer look at speaking, and see exactly what skills we need to develop to reach our desired band on IELTS — and what things we should avoid.

Register for the webinar to find out about:

— IELTS Speaking format and overview

— key skills to train

— important things to avoid during speaking on the exam

We’ll also cover some practical methods of preparation for the exam, and key resources that can be used to help you get ready.

Who the webinar is for: 

— IELTS Academic test takers

— students preparing to take IELTS in the future

— teachers providing IELTS preparation classes

— anyone wishing to improve their speaking skills for international exams

Speaker: 

Christopher Reese — a certified teacher (CELTA, Delta), teacher trainer, Cambridge speaking examiner. Chris has experience teaching English to all age groups of students, including international exams preparation. Recently, Chris has also been working on teacher training courses including Cambridge CELTA and CELT-P/S courses.

Register here: 

• October 8th 5:30 pm (UTC +3) 

 https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZcqc-GqrDooHN2jt_HdRyRmKv9s_7a-lA-c

• October 9th 3 pm (UTC +3) 

 https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZUpd-qtqT4pG9DIPuNuFbbPEutoWMNdvw-n

Besides 60 minutes of useful content and real practical techniques, you will also get an exclusive bonus that will help you skyrocket your IELTS preparation.  

See you online! 

Test-takers and students often find IELTS Speaking to be difficult because they are not aware of what to expect in this section of the exam. In this article, we will tell you about the IELTS Speaking test, the parts it consists of and the types of questions to expect at the test. You will also learn what the examiner will be listening for during the test, and what your band will depend on.

Basic facts

Regardless the version of the test you choose, paper or computer-based, IELTS Speaking is always conducted face-to-face. You will take this part of the test in a private Speaking test room, free from noise and distraction with the examiner only. According to IELTS, it is the most effective way of assessing your speaking skills and it prompts a more lifelike performance. This is also an advantage because the examiner can repeat and rephrase questions for you.

You will take the Speaking test before or after other sections of IELTS. Some centers offer to take IELTS Speaking a day before Listening, Reading and Writing which is less stressful for candidates. Others conduct the Speaking test on the same day after the main session. It is up to you what option to choose. However, people tend to demonstrate better results when they are less tired and more relaxed.

IELTS Speaking is the shortest section of the test. It lasts only from 11 to 15 minutes. However, it may seem like you have spent forever and a day in the room with the examiner. The main reason for this is that candidates forget to relax and lose their confidence. The examiner knows you worry a lot, so he or she may also ask you how you feel to help you relax.

3 parts of the IELTS Speaking test

There are 3 parts in the speaking test:

• Introductions and general questions;
• Individual long turn;
• Two-way discussion.

Part 1 will last for only 4 – 5 minutes, and you will have to answer questions about your everyday life, for example, about your family, work or studies, hobbies, weather etc. These are the questions people often ask each other when they meet for the first time. This part of the test is a kind of warm-up before the next two parts.

In Part 2 the examiner gives the candidate a card with the task. You will have 1 minute to prepare and then talk for 1 – 2 minutes, with some questions from the examiner. The tasks in this part are usually about your experience. For example, you can be asked to speak about things you have or want to have, places you visited or would like to visit, situations and experiences you’ve had or would like to have. Use the preparation time to plan your answer and make some notes. You can look at your notes while answering.

READ ABOUT: How not to pass IELTS Speaking: common mistakes made by candidates

Below, there is an example of the prompt card you might get from the examiner:

In Part 3 the examiner asks further questions on the topic from Part 2, and gives the candidate the opportunity to discuss more abstract issues or ideas. This means that you will have to speak about other people, tendencies and social issues. For example, if you were to talk about the adventure in Part 2, now you may have to answer the following questions:

• How important is it to have adventure in our lives?
• What do people learn about themselves from having adventures?
• Should people always avoid danger, or is it a good idea sometimes to take risks?
• What risks should people try to avoid?
• Do you think people take fewer risks as they grow older? Why (not)?

The examiner will ask you questions, and you will have to give a response with as much detail as you can. Your answers should be clear and extended. It’s a good idea to support them with an example or two.

What do examiners look for in your response?

In IELTS Speaking you will be assessed according to the following criteria:

• Fluency and coherence. The examiner will listen if you can speak fluently without preparation, if you can organize your speech so that the listener could follow your ideas, if you make long pauses or not.
• Lexical resource. You should avoid repetition and show that you have a wide range of vocabulary. They also check if you can use less common and idiomatic vocabulary, or if you are good at paraphrasing.
• Grammatical range and accuracy. They will listen for simple and complex structures , and if you can use them appropriately. Try to avoid making mistakes as well.
• Pronunciation. Your pronunciation should be easy to understand, and you should speak clearly.

The better your work on these aspects the higher score you will get for your speaking test.

If you want to find out more about the format of the test, strategies you can use to increase your score and get feedback on your speaking, register for IELTS Grade course. Moreover, you will have the chance to practise all four skills, watch video tutorials, get your writing evaluated and checked by the automated checking system that uses artificial intelligence to give you the IELTS band score instantly.

We have also written about helpful idioms you can use at the IELTS Speaking test.

Do you know what one should do to fail IELTS Speaking? We have prepared a list of the most common mistakes candidates must be aware of and avoid on the day of the exam.

• Silence is golden but not in the case of IELTS Speaking

It is fine if you think for a few seconds before speaking, but being silent for longer than five seconds may not be to your advantage. Fortunately, there is a solution to this problem: while you are thinking, say, “That’s a good question …” or, “Wow, I really haven’t thought about that before …”

• Grind away the topics

If you think the best way to succeed in IELTS Speaking is to cram the answer, you will be disappointed. The memorized answers are quite obvious, and examiners are specially trained to recognize them. You will not only lose your scores, but you will also get more complex questions from the examiners, that will allow to test your English speaking  skills and define your real level. 

• Brevity is the soul of wit

but if your answers are too short or you just say ‘yes’ or ‘no’, a low score is guaranteed! In this part of the test, it is important to give more detail! Provide the examiner with enough information to make your interaction more like a live conversation.

If you are asked, for example, “Where are you from?” the answer “Lviv” will not be enough. Better say: “Lviv, which is one of the major cities in Ukraine. It’s wonderful place, with a lot to see and do.” As a rule, 2-4 sentences are enough.

• Constant repetition carries conviction

However, if you use the same word over and over again, the examiner will think that you have limited vocabulary. Here is an example:

‘It was an interesting experience because I met interesting people and we did interesting things.’

Use different words to express the same meaning. Say:

‘It was an interesting experience because I met amusing people and we did fun things.’ 

• In your answer, repeat the question

Don’t be a parrot! In the wild, a parrot is a bird that can mimic but it does not understand human language. In IELTS, ‘a parrot’ is a candidate who repeats the question in the form of a statement. For example:

 Question: ‘What’s your favourite dish to cook?’

 Answer: “My favourite dish to cook is borsch”

By all IELTS criteria, it rewards those who are able to vary the language. Paraphrasing words or question structures is the fast track to a higher score. It is better to answer, “Most of all I like cooking borsch” or “I often cook borsch because I love it most of all”.

• Speak a lot, even if it is off topic

Many candidates tend to deviate from the question in the midst of the exam. Talking more is not the same as saying right. Remember that questions are usually direct and simple and do not require more than 3-4 sentences to answer. The main thing is to answer the question, not to say much.

• Find out the examiner’s opinion

Some candidates, having read reviews and tips on the Internet, believe in the fact that speaking well means the examiner agrees with your opinion. Some even ask the examiners questions. There is nothing further than the truth. The examiner will politely redirect the question back to you if you try to kill the clock by saying, for example, “I don’t know. What do you think?” Examiners are not interested in your opinion; they just want you to demonstrate your speaking skills. Focus on answering the question and doing it grammatically correct.

• Shoot down the examiner with your grammar!

This is not what we meant. Many candidates think that they need to show the examiners how good their grammar is to get high marks. Again, the danger is that you try to use grammar that you are not 100% sure of and then lose control of the sentence. As you prepare for the exam, familiarize yourself with expressions that help you express and contrast opinions, emphasize your ideas, etc.

• Use as many cool words as possible!

You have to insert very long, complicated words in each sentence to get a high test score. Isn’t it cool? Not at all. If you listen to native speakers, it just won’t happen unless you’re at a conference of university professors. The truth is that you really should try to show the examiner that you have a range of vocabulary, but you should not try to use words that you do not quite understand. If you are trying to use complicated words that you do not quite understand, it is very likely that you will make a lot of mistakes and lose your points. If you are not 100% sure about the meaning and form of the word, do not use it.

Read more:

• What is IELTS?
• Which IELTS should you take: general or academic?
• Opportunities you have with IELTS certificate
• IELTS Academic Writing self-study online course