Simone Braverman's Blog: IELTS-Blog.com, page 124

How to get Band 7+ in IELTS Speaking (video lesson #3)

There is some extra value in Lesson #3 that you will love! Things Adam talks about will help you not only with Speaking, but also with other IELTS skills – especially writing! The vocabulary and grammar Adam will teach you in this lesson will help you speak better, write better and understand things you hear or read, which means your Listening and Reading scores can only improve with this knowledge.

If you missed Lesson 1 or Lesson 2, don’t worry, you can watch them later. Here is what you don’t want to miss though, one very important principle Adam keeps talking about: don’t just sit and watch this lesson. Grab a pen and paper, pause the video and use the grammar he explains to write a sentence about YOU. This will help you remember, because personal things stay in our memory for longer.

Watch the video on YouTube here

Go here to get Adam to assess your Speaking, estimate you the score you’re likely to get now and tell you how to score higher.

In the video: Speaking Part 2 and Part 3 – grammar, vocabulary and idiomatic expressions

The Part 2 topic Adam talks about in this lesson is,

Describe a successful small company that you know about. Please say

– What kind of work the company does

– How you know about the company

– What you know about it.

Adam saw many test takers hesitate when they got this question, and that is why he knew he had to show you a great way to answer it.

What kind of grammar will help you get a high score?

This is a ‘present’ question and it means you should use present grammar forms when you talk about it.

One of the options is Simple Present, for example: “The company sells computers.”

If you wanted to get fancier, you could use a Passive form, “The best pizza can be bought there”, or an Active form, “You can buy the best pizza there”.

Your other options are Present Perfect or Present Perfect Continuous, and of course Adam explains how to use these grammar forms and gives you examples.

Vocabulary and Idioms for Band 7+

In this section Adam gives you a list of words to use instead of ‘business’. You don’t have to keep saying ‘company’ – you can use ‘firm’, ‘corporation’, ‘organization’, ‘venture’, ‘establishment’ and many other synonyms. Not only that, you will also learn adjectives to describe what kind of business it is, and verbs to explain what it does. Adam also introduces to you some idiomatic expressions you could use to talk about a business (and how to use them in a sentence):

“Above board” – to be open and honest

“Bend the truth” – to lie a little

… and more!

Finally, Adam gives you some ideas how YOU can come up with things to say about a business in your country. He suggests what you could think about to get enough ideas for your talk. So, if you ever find yourself short of ideas, definitely watch this video.

Mock Speaking Test

Last but not least, it is Mock Test time! Adam will be asking you questions as a Speaking examiner, and you will be answering them (and, hopefully, recording yourself).

You will be amazed how many things about your speaking you can notice from listening to your own recordings. Listen and check if you’re using the expressions he talks about in this video, if you’re using the grammatical structures he recommends, and how fluently you are talking.

Don’t forget to check for fillers – how many times you use words like ‘um’, ‘er’, ‘ah’, ‘like,’, ‘well…’, ‘you know…’. You can also check if you’re making little grammatical or vocabulary mistakes, or if you hesitate a lot. Make notes about any issues you notice, and do better on your next Mock Test.

Related posts:
How to get Band 7+ in IELTS Speaking (video lesson #1) This video lesson will make life so much easier for...
How to get Band 7+ in IELTS Speaking (video lesson #2) Today, in Lesson #2 Adam, our experienced ex-IELTS examiner is...
IELTS Speaking Band 6 Full Test Video with Examiner’s Feedback It’s not too hard to estimate your IELTS score in...
How to go from Band 6 to Band 7 in the IELTS Speaking Test The most frequently asked questions we get from people preparing...
Online IELTS course: Lesson #2 is coming Those of you who already joined the course and received...

IELTS essay, topic: Who should be responsible for protecting the environment, individuals or the government?

Scientists believe that the world is in danger due to environmental changes. Some people say that personal lifestyle changes should be made to reduce the damage to environment, while others think that the government should do something to help. Discuss both views and give your own opinion.

Sample Band 8 Essay

Environmental problems are clearly something that is often discussed in today’s world. One part of the society claims that individuals should change their habits and lifestyle to improve the ecological situation. Others, on the other hand, believe that this issue should be solved on the governmental level. This essay will discuss both sides of the argument and my perspective will be offered.

It is hard to deny that human kind is responsible for the current environmental situation, and it seems impossible to achieve any noticeable result in this field without the participation of vast majority of individuals. For instance, a simple lifestyle change such as introducing the separation of household rubbish can make recycling projects more convenient and efficient. Moreover, consumers can reduce their usage of plastic items and, in turn, less plastic waste will contaminate the environment.

However, many people still feel that the government has more tools to prevent environmental changes. One option that the authorities have is to discourage citizens from using personal vehicles by charging high taxes and additional fees. Moreover, politicians usually have access to resources to educate people about environmental problems and promote the most important ecological projects on all levels, ranging from special courses at schools to TV shows and websites related to this topic. Furthermore, it is a key responsibility of the government to protect the environment by spending state funds on research and modern equipment. Countries where legislation protects the ecology, for example Norway, have achieved visible results and overcame most environmental problems.

In conclusion, I believe that a combined approach will work best to prevent or reverse environmental changes. A contribution of every individual is just as important as the intervention from the government in order to fix existing issues and save our planet for future generations.

Click here to see more IELTS essays of Band 8

Related posts:
IELTS essay, topic: Some people say protecting the environment is the government’s responsibility, others believe individuals should be responsible for it (opinion) Some people say that protecting the environment is the government’s...
IELTS Band 9 essay, topic: Today’s governments struggle to create enough housing for increasing populations while protecting the environment (opinion) This is a model response to a Writing Task 2...
IELTS essay, topic: Some people believe that preserving natural environment is crucial, but make no effort to do so (reasons and solutions) Some people believe that preserving natural environment is crucial, however,...
IELTS essay, topic: Some people think that public health in a country can be improved by government making laws regarding nutritious food (agree/disagree). Some people think that public health within a country can...
IELTS essay, topic: Some believe the government should take care of retirees, while others think everyone should save for their own retirement (opinion) Some people believe that the government should take care of...

How to get Band 7+ in IELTS Speaking (video lesson #2)

Today, in Lesson #2 Adam, our experienced ex-IELTS examiner is continuing his quest to help you score Band 7 or higher in IELTS Speaking. You can watch Lesson #1 here.

Lesson # 2 is about Speaking Parts 2 and 3, and you will learn the vocabulary, expressions and grammar to get Band 7, 8 – or even 9, depending on your current level!

In today’s video Adam gives you a very clever way to remember new vocabulary and grammar – you definitely want to try his suggestion, because it can make learning new words easier for you, and they will stick in your memory.

After the lesson there is a mock test with Adam being the examiner. You will get an opportunity to practice and implement everything you learned in this lesson.

Watch the video on YouTube here

Go here to get Adam to assess your Speaking, estimate you the score you’re likely to get now and tell you how to score higher.

In the video: Speaking Part 2 – ideas, grammar and vocabulary

Adam is starting by introducing a Part 2 topic:

Describe a job you would not like to do. Please say

– What the job is,

– How you know about the job,

– How difficult or easy the job is.

The key thing about this topic is that it needs you to speculate, guess or predict. When you’re certain about something in the future, you can say ‘would’ or ‘would be’.

So, “Being a garbage collector would be difficult”

Being unsure about something in the future, you could say ‘might be’, ‘may be’ or ‘could be’, and when you don’t use the same expression in every sentence, it makes a better impression on your examiner.

Many people find grammar terms, such as ‘second conditional’ scary or confusing. What is a ‘second conditional’ anyway?! Adam comes to the rescue. He does a great job of explaining what it is, and how YOU can use it, in plain human language.

Here is an example of a second conditional, and you really want to listen to Adam explain how to use it correctly:

“If someone were a garbage collector, they would/could/must have back problems.”

Is there a “first conditional”? Yes, there is! Adam explains about that one and how to use it correctly, too.

You probably know by now that synonyms are important in IELTS, but how well do you use them when you speak?

Imagine you started to talk on the topic, trying to describe a difficult job. Adam gives you some synonyms so that you don’t have to say ‘difficult’ over and over again. You could say ‘tough’, ‘tricky’ or ‘onerous’, and that would increase your score for Lexical Resource. What’s more, you could add some adverbs – and if you don’t know what they are, here are some examples: ‘very, really, quite, extremely, unbelievably’.

Another thing to help you get a higher score is idiomatic expressions. Adam talked about them in Lesson 1, but here are some expressions related to this particular topic:

“Burn the candle at both ends” – meaning to work very long hours.

“Work your fingers to the bone” – meaning to work very hard.

“Go the extra mile” – to do more than is expected of you

“Get off on the wrong foot” – to not make a good first impression

Speaking Part 3 – ideas and vocabulary

Since Part 3 questions are related to Part 2, it is important to have enough ideas to talk about. Sometimes you get questions on topics you didn’t really think about, and you may struggle to come up with ideas, so Adam is sharing some well-researched information that can help you. Take a moment to think how YOU might respond to a question like this:

“Which do you think young people prioritise more – an interesting job, or one that pays a high salary?”

Adam’s ideas are – some young people choose a high paying job because it gives them more money to buy things, more freedom to enjoy life, a better life partner, a higher status.

Others might choose a more interesting job to have better co-workers, to feel happy to go to work, and take pride at what they do.

Adam talks about many possible questions you may get in Part 3, but his main message for you is, pause and make your own notes. Write down your own ideas and make them as much about YOU as possible – because then you will remember the ideas and vocabulary.

Mock Speaking Test

And once Adam is done teaching, it is Mock Test time! Adam will be asking you questions as a Speaking examiner, and you will be answering them (and, hopefully, recording yourself).

You will be amazed how many things about your speaking you can notice from listening to your own recordings. Listen and check if you’re using the expressions he talks about in this video, if you’re using the grammatical structures he recommends, and how fluently you are talking.

Don’t forget to check for fillers – how many times you use words like ‘um’, ‘er’, ‘ah’, ‘like,’, ‘well…’, ‘you know…’. You can also check if you’re making little grammatical or vocabulary mistakes, or if you hesitate a lot. Make notes about any issues you notice, and do better on your next Mock Test.

Related posts:
How to get Band 7+ in IELTS Speaking (video lesson #1) This video lesson will make life so much easier for...
IELTS Speaking Band 6 Full Test Video with Examiner’s Feedback It’s not too hard to estimate your IELTS score in...
How to go from Band 6 to Band 7 in the IELTS Speaking Test The most frequently asked questions we get from people preparing...
Online IELTS course: Lesson #2 is coming Those of you who already joined the course and received...
IELTS Speaking Band 7.5 Full Test with Examiner’s Feedback The video you are about to watch features a Polish...

IELTS Essay, topic: In some countries private cars are now banned from city centres (advantages / disadvantages)

This is a model response to a Writing Task 2 topic from High Scorer’s Choice IELTS Practice Tests book series (reprinted with permission). This answer is likely to score IELTS Band 9.

Set 3 Academic book, Practice Test 14

Writing Task 2

You should spend about 40 minutes on this task.

Write about the following topic:

In some countries private cars are now banned from certain city centres. What are the advantages and disadvantages of such a system and do you feel that this is something that most cities should adopt?

Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your knowledge or experience.

You should write at least 250 words.

Answer

Banning cars from city centres is a recent trend and it can be seen in various cities around the world. Certain advantages and disadvantages immediately spring to mind when considering this step that city councils are taking.

The advantages are clear. Since cars were introduced, city centres have always been areas where air quality is poor due to the amount of emissions, which in turn affects people’s health. City centres become quieter and safer for people to wander around shopping and enjoying themselves. Access to city centres can still be good, as it is usually only private vehicles that are banned, and buses and taxis can still take people in and out of the city centre areas. Many towns also operate a park and ride scheme, so people can leave their cars in safe car parks in the outskirts of towns and travel with a dedicated bus service to the town centres. It would seem hard to criticise this kind of scheme.

There are critics though to the scheme of banning cars in city centres. City centre shop keepers have often been vocal opponents, as they believe that fewer people will come to the city centres and therefore their incomes will be affected. The general public also sometimes object, as people often like to travel in their own private vehicles. In actual fact, banning cars from city centres has in practice not reduced the number of people who travel to city centres to shop. People like shopping and socialising in city centres and they just adapt to the situation. There is no answer to people who want to drive their own cars. They hopefully will just realise that the sacrifice of not driving their own cars is outweighed by the health and lifestyle improvements of a cleaner and quieter city centre.

In conclusion, there are far more advantages to banning cars from city centres than allowing them. It is therefore a measure that most city centres should adopt for their citizens.

Go here for more IELTS Band 9 Essays

Related posts:
IELTS Band 9 essay, topic: Some schools insist that students have laptops in class (advantages / disadvantages) This is a model response to a Writing Task 2...
IELTS essay, topic: should children grow up in the city or countryside (advantages/disadvantages)? Some people think it is better for children to grown...
IELTS essay, topic: Nowadays many people choose ready-made food and refuse to cook at home, why and what are the advantages/disadvantages? Nowadays many people choose ready-made food and refuse to cook...
IELTS essay, topic: Many museums charge for admission while others are free. Do the advantages of this outweigh the disadvantages? Many museums charge for admission while others are free. Do...
IELTS essay, topic: The advantages and disadvantages of studying in another country Every year an increasing number of students choose to go...

How to get Band 7+ in IELTS Speaking (video lesson #1)

This video lesson will make life so much easier for those of you aiming at Band 7+ in Speaking. Adam, our very knowledgeable ex-IELTS examiner, is telling you step by step everything you need to do to start scoring 7 (or 8, or 9!) in the Speaking test, concentrating on the harder Parts 2 and 3.

Watch Adam explain and demonstrate with examples how a Band 7 candidate should talk, including expressions and idioms that are great for Band 7+. We promise what you’ll learn is worth your time!

The Part 2 topic Adam is using as an example has been asked in recent IELTS Speaking tests:

Describe a time you had a challenge that you thought would be very difficult. Please say

– What the challenge was

– Where and when you did this difficult thing

– Why you thought it was difficult.

In the video Adam explains what grammar forms you should be using for this type of topic, what tenses, and if you need a refresher, he also explains the difference between Past Perfect, Past Perfect Continuous, Simple Past and Present Perfect.

Moving on to vocabulary, Adam explains the need for synonyms in your speech, and then he talks about how crucial idiomatic language is for getting Band 7 in Speaking. He gives many examples of idioms – such as ‘At my wits end’ or ‘to dodge a bullet’ (there are more in the video).

Finally, Adam spends quite some time on Part 3, giving you the questions you may be asked related to the Part 2 topic. He also offers some ideas of things to say to answer those questions and what vocabulary you can use.

And once Adam is done teaching, there is a mock test for you to do! Adam will ask you questions as if he were your Speaking examiner, and you can answer them and record yourself. This is great to see if you’re using the expressions he talks about in this video, to check if you’re using the grammar he talks about and if you’re doing it well, and how fluently you are talking. You can then listen to the recording to check for fillers – how many times you use words like ‘um’, ‘er’, ‘ah’, ‘like,’, ‘well…’, ‘you know…’. You can also check if you’re making little grammatical or vocabulary mistakes, or if you hesitate a lot, and that recording will make it easy to catch yourself doing that.

Watch the video on YouTube here

Go here to get Adam to assess your Speaking, estimate you the score you’re likely to get now and tell you how to score higher.

Related posts:
How to go from Band 6 to Band 7 in the IELTS Speaking Test The most frequently asked questions we get from people preparing...
How to get Band 7+ in IELTS Speaking (video lesson #2) Today, in Lesson #2 Adam, our experienced ex-IELTS examiner is...
IELTS Examiner Explains How Speaking Test is Scored For most IELTS test takers the only time they get...
IELTS Speaking Band 8 Sample Test with Examiner’s Feedback Do you know what score you would get in the...
IELTS Speaking Band 6 Full Test Video with Examiner’s Feedback It’s not too hard to estimate your IELTS score in...

How to get Band 7+ in IELTS Speaking (video lesson)

This video lesson will make life so much easier for those of you aiming at Band 7+ in Speaking. Adam, our very knowledgeable ex-IELTS examiner, is telling you step by step everything you need to do to start scoring 7 (or 8, or 9!) in the Speaking test, concentrating on the harder Parts 2 and 3.

Watch Adam explain and demonstrate with examples how a Band 7 candidate should talk, including expressions and idioms that are great for Band 7+. We promise what you’ll learn is worth your time!

The Part 2 topic Adam is using as an example has been asked in recent IELTS Speaking tests:

Describe a time you had a challenge that you thought would be very difficult. Please say

– What the challenge was

– Where and when you did this difficult thing

– Why you thought it was difficult.

In the video Adam explains what grammar forms you should be using for this type of topic, what tenses, and if you need a refresher, he also explains the difference between Past Perfect, Past Perfect Continuous, Simple Past and Present Perfect.

Moving on to vocabulary, Adam explains the need for synonyms in your speech, and then he talks about how crucial idiomatic language is for getting Band 7 in Speaking. He gives many examples of idioms – such as ‘At my wits end’ or ‘to dodge a bullet’ (there are more in the video).

Finally, Adam spends quite some time on Part 3, giving you the questions you may be asked related to the Part 2 topic. He also offers some ideas of things to say to answer those questions and what vocabulary you can use.

And once Adam is done teaching, there is a mock test for you to do! Adam will ask you questions as if he were your Speaking examiner, and you can answer them and record yourself. This is great to see if you’re using the expressions he talks about in this video, to check if you’re using the grammar he talks about and if you’re doing it well, and how fluently you are talking. You can then listen to the recording to check for fillers – how many times you use words like ‘um’, ‘er’, ‘ah’, ‘like,’, ‘well…’, ‘you know…’. You can also check if you’re making little grammatical or vocabulary mistakes, or if you hesitate a lot, and that recording will make it easy to catch yourself doing that.

Watch the video on YouTube here

Go here to get Adam to assess your Speaking, estimate you the score you’re likely to get now and tell you how to score higher.

Related posts:
How to go from Band 6 to Band 7 in the IELTS Speaking Test The most frequently asked questions we get from people preparing...
IELTS Speaking Band 6 Full Test Video with Examiner’s Feedback It’s not too hard to estimate your IELTS score in...
IELTS Examiner Explains How Speaking Test is Scored For most IELTS test takers the only time they get...
The IELTS Speaking test video Many people feel insecure about the IELTS Speaking test, they...
IELTS Speaking Band 7.5 Full Test with Examiner’s Feedback The video you are about to watch features a Polish...

IELTS essay, topic: Children today are spending more time watching TV than in the past, is it a positive or a negative change?

Today children are spending much more time watching TV compared to the past. Why do you think this happens? Is this a positive or a negative change?

Sample Band 8 Essay

A trend has emerged in the last two decades with youngsters watching more TV than ever before. One of the main reasons behind this issue is the recent advancements in technology in gaming and film industries. This tendency has both pros and cons, and will be further discussed in this essay.

The latest developments in video game consoles attracted both children and adults to spend extra time watching TV, compared to the past. With interactive gaming characters and high quality graphics, children are more likely to spend long hours playing games in front of the TV. A recent survey showed that TV addiction among young people, for example, has significantly increased from 5% to 80%, which was supposedly caused by the introduction of advanced gaming consoles. This increase is also partially due to films, drama series and cartoons being easily available on pirated websites and various gaming platforms.

This trend has had more negative than positive effects on young citizens. More time spent watching TV adversely affects the mental and physical wellbeing of a child. For instance, the obesity ratio among young individuals in the past 10 years has risen dramatically; this has caused further health problems such as anxiety and depression. However, TV can also be used in a positive way. It is a great source of information that can help youngsters increase their knowledge and succeed in their future careers.

In conclusion, recent breakthroughs in technology are driving up the amount of time our youngsters are spending in front of their TV screens. This can do more harm than good if we don’t regulate the use of TV, but parents have the power to make TV time useful and beneficial for their children.

Click here to see more IELTS essays of Band 8

Related posts:
IELTS essay, topic: In the past people wore their traditional clothes, but these days most people wear similar clothes, is this a positive or negative development? In the past, people wore their traditional clothes and followed...
IELTS essay, topic: Some people use the Internet to search for solutions to their medical problems, is this a positive or negative development? Some people use the Internet to search for solutions to...
IELTS Essay, topic: the positive and the negative sides of globalization Even though globalization affects the world�s economies in a positive...
IELTS essay, topic: In many countries young people start living on their own after high school, is this a positive or negative development? In many countries around the world young people decide to...
IELTS essay, topic: Nowadays families move to different countries for work and some think it has a negative effect on children (agree/disagree) Nowadays families move to different countries for work. Some people...

Michael got Band 8 in IELTS – here is how YOU can replicate his success

The tips we have for you today come from a very reliable source. Michael Abosi, a winner of our June IELTS Results competition who scored Band 8 in IELTS, is sharing what he learnt in his exam preparation:

“IELTS exam is a test of your English language proficiency. In other words you are going to be tested, as you already know, on your grasp of the English language.

Whichever way you approach this exam, your frequent usage and skill will show in one way or another. The best way, in my opinion, to tackle this exam is to expose yourself to a broad base of material that will challenge your knowledge base on the subject matter.

Writing skill

My favorite writing tips can be found here, most notably the 4 C’s of writing. You should read and understand all the tips presented in this website as they are informative. Remember ‘skill’ is the key, and not being verbose. Less is more!

Listening skill

Have a pen in hand to scribble down all important points discussed (these may include dates, addresses, team members, pointers, topics, requirements nuances etc) as you listen to the recording. That will be your only reference while answering the questions later.

Reading skill

The key to acing the reading section is to read books. The more abstract the books are, the better. This will better prepare you for the various content IELTS exam reading section is based on.

I have found that reading the first two lines in a paragraph and the last sentence gives you a good overview of the paragraph information. Skim through all the paragraph this way at first glance. Then head straight and read all the questions and return to read the comprehension thoroughly. With the questions ringing at the back of your mind, as you approach possible answers while reading the text again, you will be better poised to answer quickly and correctly. Feel free to skip hard questions an return to them later on.

Speaking skill

The key is to communicate clearly. I found that speaking is a skill both native and non-native English speakers have to learn. You need to be clear, concise and expressive to make a subjective impact on your examiner.

In summary, all the necessary tips can be found on this website. Wish you all the best in your exams.”

Related posts:
Two IELTS Success Stories that Resulted in Band 7.5 Today we have two stories to share. One belongs to...
What helped Felix and Sandra achieve success in IELTS The 1st place winners of our IELTS Results competition, Felix...
Student success: Jennifer and Rafael reveal how they got IELTS Band 8.5+ Jennifer and Raphael are two of our students, who won...
Student success: how Senthil prepared for IELTS and got Band 8 If you’ve been following IELTS-Blog.com for some time, you may...
Farzam got IELTS Band 7.5 – here are his tips for success Today I would like you to meet Farzam, a 25...

IELTS Results competition winners in June 2020

As all of you know, due to the COVID-19 pandemic in many locations IELTS exams were temporarily put on hold, and there was a period of uncertainty. Gradually things have changed for the better and many countries have brought the virus under control. IELTS testing was restarted and today we are happy to announce the test takers who used lockdowns to sharpen their skills and get awesome scores!

With great pleasure we present the winners of IELTS results competition in June 2020:

Academic Module – 1st place

Michael Nwokenna Abosi from Australia, Band 8
Asef Madhi Rakin from Bangladesh, Band 8

Academic Module – 2nd place

Kourosh Moini from Iran, Band 7.5

General Training Module – 1st place

Simi Sebastian from India, Band 8.5

Congratulations on your success! To celebrate your achievements we are sending your special certificates to your emails. Winning IELTS results will be displayed in the IELTS-Blog hall of fame – so if you won, please feel free to show them off to your friends!

How did they score so well?

It is nice to see some of our students among the winners.

Dr. Asef Rakhin said, “Please accept my gratitude. I used your writing correction service and read the book ‘Target Band 7’. I practiced with your free materials too. These have helped me a lot to get band 8 in academic IELTS that I have taken recently with 7 in writing. Thank you guys for your support and suggestions.”

Kourosh Moini used High Scorer’s Choice practice test books and got Band 7.5 in his exam. He said, “You helped me along the way, and I feel I owe you a thank you. So I hope you keep your energy and continue to share and help test takers all over the world the same way you did with me.”

Now it is more important than ever that we hear from the winners of June’s competition. Why? Because not only they achieved great IELTS scores, but they also did it in a very difficult situation. They found the strength to keep going when others gave up. They remained resilient and strong, and we can all learn that from them. Their advice, as soon as we get it, will be posted on IELTS-Blog without delay, so everyone can use the same technique and get a better score in their own exam.

If IELTS exams in your country are suspended for now, don’t lose hope, don’t shelve your IELTS preparation. Remember that this situation is only temporary, and very soon testing will resume. In many countries you can take an IELTS Indicator test online and get an indicative IELTS score that lots of organisations accept (read all the details here).

The world can only stay in lockdown for a limited time, and as soon as restrictions end, you need to be ready! Many of us have wasted a lot of time already, let’s not waste any more, and get your target score! We at IELTS-Blog.com are here to support you every step of the way, so if you need help, email us any time.

P.S. IELTS results competition runs every month, and everyone is welcome to participate. Learn how to enroll here.

Related posts:
IELTS Results competition winners in June 2017 We are just about to present the 11 top scorers...
IELTS Results competition winners in March 2020 At times like this good news is especially important, and...
IELTS Results competition winners in February 2020 Prepare to be inspired, as we introduce to you the...
IELTS Results competition winners in January 2020 A new year is a new beginning, a chance to...
IELTS Results competition winners in April 2020 Napoleon Hill once said, “Some people dream of success while...

IELTS Speaking Band 8.0, Full Test with Examiner’s Feedback

The video you are about to watch features Nabial, a student from Zimbabwe, answering questions from Speaking Test 17 in “High Scorer’s Choice” IELTS Practice Tests book series.

Nabial is doing a full simulated IELTS Speaking test with an examiner, who is asking him typical IELTS Speaking test questions. This video shows you what happens on the test day in the real examination room.

IELTS Speaking Test has 3 parts.

In Part 1 you should expect personal questions on familiar topics, for instance about your job or studies, your home, your family, etc.

Part 2 is different, because you receive a single topic to talk about for 1 to 2 minutes, with 4 bullet points you should cover in your speech. Another difference between Part 2 and the other parts is that in Part 2 you get 1 minute preparation time and you can write down some ideas to talk about. This doesn’t happen in Part 1 or Part 3.

Part 3 is a longer discussion where the examiner asks you questions related to Part 2 topic. You are expected to give longer, more elaborate answers and talk in-depth about the topics your examiner brings up.

Here is how you can learn from this Speaking test video

1. Get familiar with everything that happens in the Speaking test. It will help you feel prepared when it’s your turn.

2. Listen to the questions the examiner asks and note how Nabial answers them. Then think about what YOU would say in response to these questions.

3. Spot Nabial’s mistakes and avoid them when you speak.

4. Go over Examiner’s Feedback below to learn how he rated Nabial’s performance and why (he also points out some of his mistakes!)

5. You can even use this as a Listening exercise, and switch on subtitles on YouTube to understand every word on the recording.

Watch the video on YouTube here:

Examiner’s Feedback

This section shows you what goes on in the examiner’s mind when he rates a Speaking test. Make sure you read this before looking at the scores he gave Nabial in every criterion, because this explains the reasons he got those scores.

Speaking Test, Part 1 – 0:18

Nabial spoke hesitantly in this first part, maybe showing that he felt quite nervous. It seems he is a person who speaks slowly anyway, but the hesitancy affects his fluency band. Apart from this, Nabial produced a good Part 1. He answered most questions fully and took up the required amount of time. Nabial used a wide range of lexis in his Part 1 and showed he had access to some complex vocabulary, i.e. “population density” and “irks me”. There were some occasional awkward collocations, i.e. “so extremely popular”, but his vocabulary range allowed him to communicate fully everything he wanted to. In addition, Nabial’s grammar range was excellent and accurate and there were no issues at all here. He had a slight accent, but it did not affect his pronunciation or communicative ability in any way. Finally, Nabial used some mild humour in an appropriate way, which added to how he communicated his ideas and feelings on some of the topics.

Speaking Test, Part 2 – 5:01

Nabial spoke for an appropriate amount of time on the film that he chose, Now You See Me. Again, Nabial was a little hesitant, but this did not seem to be because he was searching for lexis or the right structures. Nabial’s vocabulary was again nearly always appropriate and accurate, though there were some awkward moments, his use of “heists” for example, seemed a little strange, even if it did describe the illegal activities to which Nabial was referring. Nabial’s grammar was again accurate and he used an appropriate range. He used one incorrect plural with “medias”, which stood out, as it was really the only error so far. Again, Nabial’s slight accent had no effect on his communication. As in Part 1, Nabial used some mild humour in an appropriate way, which helped communicate his feelings.

Speaking Test, Part 3 – 7:54

Nabial further showed his good oral ability in Part 3. There was the same hesitancy, this time more to access ideas and develop thoughts due to the more complex questions, but the time taken was appropriate. Nabial gave thoughtful and developed answers and did not need prompting to justify what he said. Nabial showed a good range of lexis, though it became apparent that he over-used the words / phrases “major” and “type of things” a little in this Part and in the two previous Parts. Occasional awkward collocations were apparent again, i.e. “throughout the years” instead of “over the years”. His grammatical range and accuracy was very good. His accent was again non-intrusive and did not impede communication in any way. Nabial did not fully understand the question on the role of advertising at the end, but he gave a coherent answer to what he thought I had asked about. Nabial’s humour was again apparent at appropriate times and he used mild irony, euphemism and litotes (“not the richest”) in order to convey nuance to his meaning.

Nabial’s IELTS Speaking score

The marking of the IELTS Speaking Test is done in 4 parts.

Fluency and Coherence 8

Lexical Resource 8

Grammatical Range and Accuracy 8

Pronunciation 9

Estimated IELTS Speaking Band 8

Need more Speaking tests with Examiner’s feedback? Find them in High Scorer’s Choice book series.

If you’d like to get your own Speaking evaluated, you can – go here to learn how.

Related posts:
IELTS Speaking Band 8.5 Full Test with Examiner’s Feedback The video you are about to watch features a Swedish...
IELTS Speaking Band 7.5 Full Test with Examiner’s Feedback The video you are about to watch features a Polish...
IELTS Speaking Band 6 Full Test Video with Examiner’s Feedback It’s not too hard to estimate your IELTS score in...
IELTS Speaking Band 8 Sample Test with Examiner’s Feedback Do you know what score you would get in the...
Full IELTS Speaking Test, Free Sample #2 (with Examiner’s Commentary) Speaking Test Sample #1 became a very popular resource as...