Months of practice and abundance of hard work. IELTS Test preparation has cost you efforts of several days and nights. Now, that the day of your IELTS Speaking Test has finally arrived, you are getting nervous thinking,
“What would I be asked?”
“Will I be able to speak fluently?”
“What if I did not understand the examiner’s questions?”
A pool of questions in your mind leaves you clueless. And, this nervousness tends you to make silly mistakes that eventually lowers your IELTS Speaking Score.
But, what if you already know what silly mistakes you can make? Sounds interesting, right?
In this post, we are going to discuss top five silly mistakes that candidates commit and that unfortunately decreases the IELTS Speaking Score. Here, you can know them and avoid them to increase your IELTS Speaking Score.
Answering too shortly
In IELTS Speaking test, the examiner evaluates the quality of your spoken English skills. Thus, it is important for you to elaborate your response. Answering in a few words or a sentence will certainly lower your IELTS Score.
Let’s have a look at an example!
“Where did you grow up?”
The response that costs you marks: “A small city in Hungary.”
The response that increases your score: “I grew up in a small city in Hungary. It is about 2 hours from the capital city. The surroundings of the place are well-known for its natural beauty. But, I had to move away from there 4 years ago.”
This type of response makes your conversation more interactive. No doubt, you need to stay on-topic and answer the examiner’s question directly, but, you can fearlessly add some details to your response. Well, this does not mean that you keep on speaking more and more.
Poor Pronunciation
The accent is not important but Pronunciation is!
Narrating great ideas is worthless if the listener cannot make out your words. It is not essential to have a native-like accent but, you should pronounce every word clearly and accurately so that the examiner can understand you easily.
If you pronounce words incorrectly, the examiner will not be able to determine what you are trying to convey. This will lower your marks. So, you must find a speaking partner or check out IELTS practice materials that help you improve your IELTS Speaking score.
Flat Intonation
If you pronounce words clearly but have flat intonation, it will make it difficult for the examiner to follow what you speak. Your intonation, pitch, volume, and speaking speed must vary as you say so that the examiner maintains interest in what you say.
Also, responding in monotone makes you sound less natural and fluent. So, it is important to stay natural while you speak.
Excessive use of Fillers
Fluency and Coherence are the most significant factors that have a great impact on your speaking. But, using fillers in between affect your fluency as well as coherence adversely. Fillers stand as barriers in letting the examiner understand what you speak.
Here, we are talking about fillers like umm, err, ah, like, kind of, well, etc. Though 100% filler-free speaking might not be possible, you can at least try to use fewer fillers. This would certainly make a notable difference in your IELTS Band Score.
Regurgitating Answers
“What is your favorite sport to watch on TV?”Let’s have a look at an illustration!In IELTS Speaking, it is important that you show variation in your speech. So, you should not speak prepared answers. Such responses can be marked down.
The response that lowers your score: “My favorite sport to watch on TV is basketball.”
The response that will enhance your score: “I always watch basketball on TV.”
As per the scoring criteria of IELTS Test, you are marked on the basis of how well you can vary your speech and use paraphrasing. Thus, avoid regurgitation.
Here is what to remember!
- Avoid long pauses in between
- If you commit a mistake, don’t panic. Keep going.
- There are no ‘wrong’ or ‘right’ answers. You are not judged on the basis of your opinions. So, be calm.
- Try to be as fluent as possible
Another great way to improve or increase your IELTS Speaking score is by attempting free practice tests and mock tests. Evaluation of these tests by certified trainers provides you with an opportunity to identify your mistakes and rectify them. You can sign up for IELTS Tutorials to access sample questions, free IELTS practice tests, and explore proven tips and strategies.
