The IELTS Speaking Test is popularly considered to be the toughest IELTS module and hard to achieve a good Band Score in. As such, it becomes imperative that you stand out among the rather large pool of candidates that appear for this exam every year. Sounds overwhelming? It’s not!
Allow us to share the secret recipe to making yourself sound like a rather polished speaker and achieve your desired Band Score! It’s called ‘The Use of Phrases and Idioms.’
Let’s take this scenario : The examiner asks you a question that you do not know the answer to and you say “I don’t know. Can I get another question?”
At the same time, another candidate who does not know the answer replies with — “I am not sure if I am the best person to answer that. I am certain it will require more research on my part”
The latter leaves a much better impression on the examiner’s mind and helps in securing a better Band Score. It’s very important to keep in mind that the IELTS Speaking Test is merely a test of language skills and not of how well-informed you are. As long as you can express your unfamiliarity in a well-presented manner, you should be good to go. Some other phrases you could use in this situation are :
“I am not sure if I have heard of that before”
“I haven’t really given it a lot of thought”
Similarly, some of the most commonly asked questions in the IELTS Speaking Part 1 are -
“What are your hobbies? / “What do you usually do in your free time?”
While most people start their answers with “I like…”: here are some other phrases you can replace “I like” with :
“I am really fond of”
“I think I have a weakness for”
“I actually have a soft spot for”
“I am really into”
“I am very passionate about”
Only using a wide range of words is not enough. In addition to Lexical Resources or Vocabulary, Coherence is another important Assessment Criteria for IELTS Speaking. Therefore, it is also important to link all parts of your answer in a polished manner. For instance, when taking up a point in your answer, especially in the IELTS Speaking Part 2, instead of abruptly starting your answer, you may use :
“Speaking of”
“On that note”
“As per my understanding”
“From what I know”
And similarly, when changing the subject, you may say :
“To add to what I just said”
“That reminds me”
“Not only…but also”
“Besides..”
“On the other hand”
Another Manna from Heaven that could distinguish an Advanced English Speaker from a Basic one is the use of Idioms. In fact, I just used one in the last sentence. Can you identify it?
Idioms are essentially phrases that do not quite make sense literally but are often used to describe certain events and situations in a different way. For example, some of the most commonly used idioms and their explanations are listed down below, with examples, for your ease :
1. The best of both worlds — means you can enjoy two different opportunities at the same time.
Eg : “By working part-time and looking after her kids two days a week she managed to get the best of both worlds.”
2. Stab someone in the back — means to hurt someone who was close to us and trusted us by betraying them secretly and breaking their trust.
Eg : “Sarah stabbed Kate in the back and told their boss that Kate was not interested in a promotion at work and Sarah got it instead.”
3. Lose your touch — actually means that you lose an ability or talent you once had when dealing with things, people or situations.
Eg : “It is good to see that the footballer has not lost his touch after so many years.”
4. Feeling under the weather — To feel ill
Eg : “I am feeling under the weather. I may be getting a cold.”
5. Pitch in — to contribute (give) to something or someone or to join in.
Eg : “We can all pitch in to buy her something great for her birthday”
6. Spill the beans — To leak a secret.
Eg : “Stop being so coy. Just spill the beans!”
7. A piece of cake — Very easy to do
Eg : “The English test was a piece of cake.”
8. Ring a bell — Somebody has mentioned something that sounds familiar to you, perhaps You have heard it before.
Eg : “I’m not sure, but that name rings a bell. Was she the one who went to Paris last year?”
9. To kill two birds with one stone — to solve two problems at once.
Eg : “By taking my dad on holiday, I killed two birds with one stone. I got to go away but also spend time with him.”
10. Born with a silver spoon — Someone who comes from a wealthy and successful family.
Eg : “John was born with a silver spoon in his mouth. His parents bought him everything he wanted and sent him to the best private schools.”
For more Idioms and Phrases like these, and other IELTS tips and tricks, make sure you stay tuned to our Blogs. Happy Learning!
