IELTS Speaking

Prepared by Laique Lodhi

www.ieltslahore.com
ieltslahore@yahoo.com
0321-4040-305

Overview

The IELTS Speaking Test is the shortest of all the modules of the IELTS, only 11 to 14 minutes.
In this short time you have to convince the examiner. The speaking test is conducted with 1
examiner and 1 candidate. The speaking test is divided into three sections and will be recorded.
(Do not be nervous about the recording it is to test the examiner and not you). The types of
questions that come in the IELTS Speaking Test are very general in nature and will not be overly
personal and will avoid contentious subjects such as politics or religion. IELTS examiners are all
professional educationalist. They understand the test is difficult. They will be patient with you
and will do their best to make sure you are relaxed.

All the questions will be open questions rather than closed questions. An open question asks you
to give an extended answer, and so you have the opportunity to show how good your English is.
A closed question is one that can be answered by a single word or a couple of words

Assessment Criterions
Candidates are assessed on their own individual performance according to the established criteria
It is important for you be aware of the standard examiner will be using to mark your speaking
test, so you could prepare yourself accordingly.

There are four areas in which your speaking test will be assessed.

• Fluency and Coherence

• Accuracy and Pronunciation
• Grammatical Range and Resource
• Lexical Resource

Fluency and Coherence

The examiner marks your fluency, which basically means how smoothly you speak. You can
pause for searching for the right idea; it will not affect your fluency but if you stop frequently for
finding the right word or structure it can upset your fluency as too many hesitations can leave a
bad impression on the examiner. Even though fluency is essential but it is ineffective if examiner
have difficulty understanding you, so in order to make yourself understood you need to be
coherent. For a coherent speaking your ideas must run smoothly, logically and consistently.

Accuracy and Pronunciation

The examiner will be assessing you on your speaking accuracy therefore; you should be able to
use different structures with accuracy. Pronunciation refers to clarity in your speaking and has no
relation to speaking with a foreign accent. Some candidates (and some ill-informed IELTS
trainers) confuse pronunciation with accent. Pronunciation is only critical if it prevents the
examiner from understanding what you are saying. Speak clearly and you can do a fine job.

In relation to IELTS speaking test assessment criterion, you should be able to accomplish
acceptable pronunciation by the appropriate use of strong and weak syllables, the smooth linking
of words and the effective highlighting of information-bearing words. (See stress syllables
chapter of this book) Intonation, which includes the use of a sufficiently wide pitch range, should
be used effectively to convey meaning; you should also be able to express individual sounds
sufficiently clear for words to be easily understood. Examiners assess the overall impact of the
communication and the degree of effort required to understand the candidate. It is also
recognised that, candidates' pronunciation may be inclined by MTI (mother tongue influence).
This is acceptable provided communication is not impeded

Lexical Resource

This factor involves the range of vocabulary that you use during your speaking test. This
criterion also expects you to use appropriate vocabulary in the right way, at the right time and in
the right place. Some candidates try to improve their speaking score by using difficult words and
make the fatal mistake of using words or expressions incorrectly which results in a lower score.
Make sure you are certain about the proper use of a word or expression before you use it in the
IELTS test.

Grammatical Range and Resource

This criterion focuses on the accurate application of grammatical rules and the effective arrangement of
words in speech. Your performance is viewed in terms of the overall effectiveness of the language used.
It also takes in to account the effect of grammatical errors on communication. This factor grades your
range of grammatical structures, your accuracy at producing them and whether you use the right
structure at the right time and at the right place.
 Test Format

Part 1

In Part 1, you have to talk on three themes: Section1 general introductions about yourself, your
home town or your work/study. Section2 and 3 two supplementary topics, these topics are
comparatively easy to prepare. You should be able to speak fluently and confidently for a total of
5 minutes. Part 1 focuses on Present Tense, which means you will be doing most of your talking
in the present tense. Do not worry about the time. That is the examiner's job. He or she will tell
you when to stop.

Following are some examples of possible part1 questions

Home town or Village…..

• What kind of place is it?

• What’s the most interesting part of your home area?
• What kind of jobs do the people in your town/village do?
• Is your home town changing?
• Would you say it is a good place to live? Why?
• What changes would you like to make to your home town?

Work…..

• What’s your job? Why did you choose that kind of work?
• How long have you been doing it?
• What is a typical day like at your work?
• Are there things you don’t like about it? What are they?

Study…..

• What subjects are you studying?

• Why did you choose those subjects? How long have you been studying them?
• Do you enjoy them? Why?
• Are there many job opportunities for you?
• What is the best thing about studying?

Food…..

• What kind of food do you like?

• What are typical foods in your country?
• Is cooking a man’s or woman’s job?
• How do you like foreign food?
Free Time…..

• What do people in your country most enjoy doing in their leisure time?
• Do you have enough, too much or just the right amount of free time? What did you do in
your free time when you were a child?

Part 2

In Part 2, you have to speak for 1-2 minutes without stopping, on a topic the examiner will provide you.
Part 2 is a monologue (1 person speaking) by you (the candidate). The examiner will hand you a card
with a subject and a few guiding questions on it. You must talk for 1 to 2 minutes on this subject. The
examiner decides on the exact length. You will have an optional 1 minute in order to prepare for your
talk and you will be provided with some paper and a pencil to make some brief notes. Remember to take
just brief notes and do not try to write out your whole talk word for word. After your talk the examiner
will ask 1 or 2 brief questions in order to finish off part 2 (3 - 4 minutes) Part 2 focuses on the past tense,
which means you will be doing most of your talking in the past tense

Below are the examples of Part 2 questions:

Describe the best present you have received Describe an important letter

You should say: You should say:

Who sent it to you When did you receive the letter

When did you receive it From whom you received the letter
Detailed information about the present Explain the reasons why it is
important

Describe a historical place

Describe your holidays
You should say:
You should say:
What is the place
Where do you go for the holidays
Where is it located
Who do you go with
What is the historical value of the
Talk about any interesting things
place
happening during your holidays

Describe a Party
Describe your favorite
photograph You should say:

You should say: Where is the party

Where was the party held
Where was the photo taken Who attended the party
Who took the photo What did you do for that party
What can be seen from the photo
Explain why it is the favorite
photograph for you
Remember you do not have to talk fast or without breaks. Examiners expect you to talk
normally. Talk at a normal speed, pause to take breaths and take time to consult your notes to
give yourself ideas about what to talk about next.
Finally, for this part, try to articulate on something from your own experience, connected to the
talking theme. When you are talking about something from your own experience, it is easier to
talk at length.

Part 3

In Part 3, you and the examiner discuss some topics related to the topic you spoke about in Part 2. The
time limit for Part 3 is about 3-4 minutes. The examiner will help you and move the conversation along.
Part 3 focuses on the future, which means you will be doing most of your talking using the future tense
and modals (can, could, might, may, etc.) You are expected to predict, guess, analyse, relate, suggest
and evaluate (give your opinion) in this part.

Part 3 is linguistically more demanding and will require a more analytical and thoughtful answer. You
will probably need to use more complex language in regards to grammatical structure and vocabulary.
For Example if your Part 2 topic was "Describe a subject taught in your school," Part 3 might be about
traditional and modern education system, current educational system in your country

If your Part 2 topic was "Describe your favorite movie," Part 3 might be about difference in
Pakistani and American movies, violent films, and changes in cinemas for the last twenty years.

More Possible Examples!

Topic in Part 2 Possible Related Topic in Part 3

Describe the best present you Do you think that the brand name is
have received very important for sales?

Describe your holidays Do you think people will spend

more time on leisure or working
in the future?

With the popularity of computers

Describe an important letter and Internet, will people lose
their ability to write letters?
Describe a historical place Will government strengthen its
protection toward historic
places?
Describe your favorite Are images important in your culture?
photograph What is the role of advertising? Do
films and television influence our
 decisions?
Describe an historical figure Who are the most influential people in
your society? Are there many heroes or
role models today? What are the
qualities of a good leader?
Describe an important event How do different cultures celebrate
in your culture events? What is the importance of
festivals? How have special occasions
such as weddings changed in your
culture?

Some examples of specified answers for Speaking Test

Basically, there are three I think there are several ways to I suppose you could break it
ways to look at this problem. solve this problem. I think one up into two or three areas.
One way is to imagine.... way would be to... First...
It depends on how you look I think two very different things There have been several
at it. For example, if you will happen. First of all, there effects. One effect is that
were a parent, you would might be...
have one opinion, and if you
were a student, you might
have another perspective

Use Modals
In the IELTS speaking test, Part 1 focuses on Present Tense, Part 2 on the Past, and Part 3 on the
future and modals (can, could, might, may, etc.) You are expected to predict, guess, analyse,
relate, suggest and evaluate (give your opinion) in this part.

Connecting Sentences
Band Score7 and Above

Below is a list of some of the most common connection words for IELTS Speaking and possible
sentences to use in your answers.

Do not use too many connectors when you speak, it may sound unnatural if you do.

Before/ After Although/ Even Another

though

Before we get to the Although my hometown is Another interesting thing

 station, I rang my friend very small, it has many about the trip was……....
to pick us up interesting places to visit

Before that, I was Even though my hometown Another way to tackle the
working as manager very crowded and noisy, I issue would be to...
finance like living there very much

After that, I went to... As With/ Just Like At the Same Time

After we finish the game, As with the first question, we I wanted to be a lawyer. At
we went must consider this one very the same time, I felt I should
to………………….. carefully obey my parents’ wishes

Besides/ In addition Just like any other school, my There are too many cars in
to institute provides……… Lahore. At the same time, the
city is building more roads
and adding more buses
Besides that fact, here is But Because
another interesting point...
In addition to that law, It may indeed be true to say Many people believe that is
there are many other that, but... true. I disagree because...
laws to prevent traffic
accidents

It may indeed be the case, My point of view is... The

but... reason I believe that is
because...
In an ideal situation we can do
it that way, but...
Except For For Example However/ Yet

Except for that one I believe that….. is true. For I basically agree with you.
incident, I do not know of example... However, there are a number
any other occurrences of arguments against… will be
true in the future
Except for the foreign I believe that….. is the best That is what I have thought
minister, all the other way. Let me give you an most of my life. Yet I
ministers were in favour example... wonder if I am wrong.
of the bill.

Rather than The Reason is This Or That

Rather than just accept the I tend to disagree with that Some people believe this is
decision, I decided to quit The reason is... true... and I have to agree with
my job them...
Rather than repeat that The reason I doubt that is... That was a fatal mistake made
process, I decided to change by the President
my job
When/ Whenever
When I see older buildings, I
think about...
When I remember my
childhood, I realise...
Whenever I think about my
journey, I wonder how I
survived

Expressions
Band Score 7 and above
You must practice these expressions, as these are the typical tasks you will be performing during
your speaking test.

Expressing a Preference Narrating Comparing and

Contrasting
I prefer self-employment to When I was a University Self-employment is much
a job because... student, I went to Islamabad to better / worse than a job
visit some friends
If I have a choice, I will... (a After I finished my studies, I A job is not nearly as good as
real possibility) went….... self-employment
If I had a choice, I would... During my visit to Muree last Self-employment is not quite
(not a real possibility, just year, I... as important as a job
wishing)
For me, A is much more Last year during the winter When I compare these two
attractive / interesting / Festival, I went to Muree to categories, it's clear that...
preferable than B because... visit some friends
I would much rather do / Suggesting Expressing Opinions
have / eat / listen to / A than
B...

Justifying Opinions Maybe, Perhaps, Possibly This is only my opinion but...

The most important One possibility that I can think After a lot of thought, I have
evidence supporting my of is... come to the conclusion that...
belief is...
The reason I believe this is... It seems to me that... I've never thought about this
question much before, but it
seems to me that...
Speculating Another proposal to think
about is...
I'm not sure what might
happen, but one possibility
is...
It's hard to predict the
future, but I suppose it / we
might...

Sample Answers to Typical Questions

Please note these model answers have been prepared for illustrative purpose only
and you should amend them to suit your situation. There can be many possible
answers to a question.

Part-1: Introduction
Examiner: Hello; could you show me your identification card please?
Candidate: Hi; sure, here you are.

Examiner: Could you tell me your full name please?

Candidate: My full name is XXXX. XXXX
Examiner: How are you?
Candidate: I am fine, thank you, and you?
Examiner: How old are you?
Candidate: I am 27 years old. In other words, I was born in 1983, March 8, 1983, to be exact.
Examiner: Does your name have any special meaning?
Candidate: Yes, my name does have some special meaning. My name means ‘Truth’ and it was
given to me by my grandmother.

Part1: Hometown
Examiner: Where do you come from?
Examiner: Where do you live?
Examiner: How long have you lived in your hometown?
Examiner: Can you tell me something about your hometown?
Candidate: I (live in) come from Lahore; it is the capital of Punjab province. My parents
have been living here for the past twenty years or so. I grew up in Lahore. We live in a nice
area with many shops, restaurants, and other businesses. Although my hometown does not
 have a beach, it has several advantages that make it a great place to live. In addition, it is rich
in history. For example, Badshahi Mosque, the Fort, Minar-e-Pakistan and many more make
Lahore a historical city of Pakistan

Examiner: Can you tell me about some famous landscapes in your hometown?
Examiner: Can you tell me about some famous scenic spots in your hometown?
Examiner: What are the main places of interest in your hometown? Why?
Examiner: What places should foreigners visit in your hometown? Why?
Candidate: Sure. Firstly, I’d like to mention Food Street in the heart of Lahore has to offer the
finest continental dinning.In summer Sozo Water Park is a popular place to visit and have a
swim. In addition, the city’s symbol, Minar-e-Pakistan is located in Iqbal park. There are many
other sites in the city that are worthwhile visiting, such as TheMall, the museum, Anarkali
bazaar, shalamar Garden, British architecture can also bee seen at different places in Lahore.
Examiner: What are the people like in your hometown?
Examiner: Can you tell me something about the character of the people in your hometown?
Candidate: Well, they aren't any different from the people in any other large city. For example,
here we also have people with multiple characters, good and bad people. Secondly, like everyone
else, they are trying to earn a living for themselves and their children. For instance, parents are
working hard to make sure their children receive a good education.

Part1: Present Situation

Examiner: Are you a student or do you have a job?
Candidate: I am a student at the moment. I am studying English as a full-Time student at a
Language School in Lahore. We have classes in the mornings, afternoons, and evenings.
Saturday, afternoons we are off. We have a number of foreign teachers who assist us in the
correct pronunciation and grammar of the language.

Examiner: Are you a student or do you have a job?

Candidate: I have a job. I am working as a finance manager in an engineering firm at the
moment. I did my MBA finance two years ago and went to work immediately. As the head of
finance department my responsibilities include preparation of financial statements like profit and
loss, accounts and balance sheets, assessment, acquisition and allocation of funds.

a) STUDENT

Examiner: What is your major?

Candidate: As I have been studying on a full-Time basis at an English Language School, we
have only one subject, namely English for Academic Purposes. We do reading and writing,
practical speaking, and listening by means of audios and videos. English is the language of the
future. Especially in the business world. What I mean to say is that when I am able to
communicate well in English I will not only be able to go and study abroad and improve my
qualifications, but also have mastered a very necessary tool for my future career.

Examiner: What do you like most about your studies?

Candidate: Well, I guess the speaking part. Let me explain it to you. Language is all about
communication. So when I am able to communicate with someone in English. I get a sense of
achievement. I particularly like our open talk sessions with the foreign teachers. It provides me
the opportunity to question them about their countries and cultures.

Examiner: Could you sum up your study habits?

Candidate: I have well established study habits. I always start my study promptly at eight in the
evenings. I study for two hours, have a ten-minute break, and then study for another two hours.
And over the weekends I spend most time in relaxing with my family or friends.

Examiner: Do you think your present subjects are relevant to society?

Candidate: Certainly. Allow me to explain myself by shortly mentioning a few points: First, we
often use case studies in class. What I mean is that the professor gives us real life examples to
examine and report on. Moreover, our lecturers and some advisors from the relevant industries
have set up our study materials. What I mean to say is that the people who are going to work for
one day we have had the opportunity to tell the university what they think we should be taught.

Examiner: What kind of job would you prefer after finishing your studies?
Candidate: If I have a choice, I would like to become a medical doctor. Please allow me to
explain. Firstly, I would like to render a service in the community to which I will eventually
belong. For example, I would like to assist the elderly that do not have the financial means to
afford private hospitals.

Examiner: What are your job prospects?

Candidate: I am planning to become a Hotel Manager. I believe that the hotel industry will be
growing greatly in future. People are becoming more affluent, and spend more and more of their
money on holidays. In addition, I believe that after graduation I will be able to find a good job
anywhere in the world. All hotels and resorts need well-trained professionals no matter where
they are situated. The professionals ensure that hotel guests will have a good time and come back
later.

b) EMPLOYEE

Examiner: What do you do for a living? / Describe your job in detail.

Candidate: I am an Engineer working for a large construction company. To be more precise, my
specialisation is building of railway and bridges. When I am assigned a new bridge-building task,
my colleague and I have to travel to the site, have a review of the surroundings. And then decide
what type of bridge will be suitable. Lastly, we have to make recommendations to the railway
company of all the alternatives, and give them some idea of the costs.

Examiner: Is your job important to you?

Candidate: Definitely. I can serve my community and my country through my job. For
example, when my company builds a new road, many people benefit from our work. I personally
get pride and the sense of achievement from the job. At the same time, it makes me feel good
about myself. I become financially independent with the salary earned through my job

Examiner: Are there possible changes that could affect your job in any way?
Candidate: It's hard to predict the future, but I suppose, there may be some changes but not
many. The company that I am working for is large and strong. In addition, I have a good
relationship with my colleagues and my endorsing. The only possible change that comes to my
mind is I may receive a promotion. That would be a positive development.

Part-1 FAMILY

Examiner: Could you tell me something about your family?

Candidate: Certainly. In Pakistan today, the majority of families have four members, and my
family is no exception. It consists of my father, my mother, my sister and me. I am the youngest
child. My grandparents passed away when I was still very young, so I did not have the privilege
of knowing them. My father was one of their four children, and my mother has a brother. So I
have a number of uncles and aunts and many cousins.

Examiner: Who does most of the cooking in your family?

Candidate: My mother does most of the cooking, but I do some cooking from time to time. And
we often eat out. For example, sometimes my mother does not fell like cooking. And then we
visit one of the fine restaurants, and have our favorite dish.

Examiner: How does your family feel about you going abroad?
Candidate: They feel very happy about it and give me 100% support. I believe my parents will
be very proud if I may achieve a degree at a university abroad. In addition, they themselves
never had the opportunity to study in foreign countries. Since I am their only child, they would
do anything in their power to allow me to have the opportunity.

Part-1 HOBBIES

Examiner: Do you have a hobby?

Candidate: Yes, I’m interested in stamp collecting. I have been collecting stamps for nearly five
years. I regularly spend time on my collection, about two hours every week. This is mainly over
the weekends, as I do not have time during the week.

Examiner: Why have you chosen this hobby?

Candidate: My point of view is that hobby provides fun as well as knowledge. Stamps provide
rich knowledge. For example, the stamps from other countries often tell something about the
countries and their people. In addition, the hobby will teach you some self-discipline and how to
be very systematic. That is to say, you have to arrange your collections regularly, which cultivate
your habit of being systematic.

Examiner: What are good hobbies, and what are bad hobbies?
Candidate: In my opinion, good hobbies are those that give you the opportunity to develop a
new skill. For example, collecting stamps teaches you how to be systematic. Bad hobbies, on
the other hand, may make you lose the opportunity. For example, TV and computer games will
waste a lot of your time, so you don’t have time and energy to do develop other skills.

Part-1 TRAVELLING
Examiner: Do you like traveling?
Candidate: Yes, I like traveling. Firstly, I believe that traveling is always educational. What I
mean to say is that the people that you meet along the way are usually interesting. Secondly, I
wish I were able to travel more. For example, I have not traveled to a foreign country yet.
Examiner: How do you usually travel?
Candidate: In Pakistan, I like to travel by train. Allow me to explain. Firstly, when I travel by
train I am able to see more of the country. In addition, the trains in Pakistan are convenient and
comfortable. For example, I can travel to any city, and I am able to sleep on the train. Lastly,
traveling on a train is a social event as well. For example, one can chat with other passengers
about where they are going, and why they are traveling.

Examiner: What kind of places do you like to visit?

Candidate: I would much rather visit places where there is a lot of entertainment and places
with historical interest then places where there is no activity. For example, I don’t like it when
we go and visit my grandparents in the countryside. They live on a farm and don’t even have a
computer for me to play on. I hope the places I go to have leisure facilities.

Part-2 Special Gift

Task Card-

Describe the best present/gift you

have received:

Who sent it? What is the gift? What

is it for?

When did you receive it?

Detail information about the
present.

The best present I’ve ever received is an electronic dictionary sent to me by my uncle a couple of
months ago as birthday present. The best thing about this dictionary is the convenience as it fits
in my pocket and I can use it while traveling. It's blue and quite small. I like the electronic
dictionary very much. Before I received this present I used to carry a conventional dictionary
with me but now I can improve my vocabulary with the touch of a button and have a better
understanding of the English language.

Part-3
 1) In Pakistan, when will people send the present?
People in Pakistan send presents on special occasions and festivals, such as Wedding
Party, Birthday Party. During Eid Festival, people send or give presents to each other,
including clothes, flowers and sweets.
2) What sort of gifts you think the children will receive in future.
It’s hard to predict the future but, I think more and more children will receive rational
gifts in future, such as electronic dictionary, notebook computer, MP3 player, play station
and so on.

Part-2 Friend
Task card-

Describe your best friend

Who is your best friend?

How did you meet?

What do you do with your friend?

My best friend is xxx. We grew up in the same neighborhood and were in the same class for five
years. We met on the school bus on the way to school. At that time, we got on with each other
quite well. And we often got together to study and play. Now, we work in the same company.
We have the membership of the same social club and we play tennis twice a week and have a
family get together on weekends.

Part-3
1) Tell me the way you make friends with others and you think what people should be
your friends?
Friendship is extremely important to me. It’s like being brothers or sisters, but even more
than that. I mean, I would do nearly anything for my friend, and I would expect that he
would do the same for me. If he didn't help me when I was in need, then I would not
consider him a good friend. I have a lot of different kinds of friends. Some are loud,
others are shy. I prefer having a real variety of friends.
2) Do you think it is easy to make friends in Pakistan?
Yes, of course. Nowadays, transportation and communication are easy and convenient.
We have more opportunities to meet all kinds of people and make friends with them.
Especially with the mushroom growth of mobile phones and the internet, it’s much easier
to make friends now then it was 10 years ago
3) What do you think the difference between adults and children making friend?
The difference is attitude or mindset between adults and children making friends. In
 general, children like to make friend with good students because they can help each other
in studying. But adults make friends with anyone they like.

Part-2 Travel
Task-Card

Describe your latest interesting travel in

detail.

When and where you go?

Whom you go with?

What things you do?

Last year, I went to Muree with my friends. Murree is located in the northernmost part of Punjab
province where it borders the North West Frontier Province. The hill resort city of Murree is the
capital city of this area. We enjoyed the evening walks on the Mall road. We had a ride on the
chair lift and witnessed the spectacular views of the valley. Another interesting thing of the trip
was, I met an old friend of mine. We talked about the things and persons which we remembered
in school which made it an interesting trip.

Part-3
1) What is your goal and reasons to travel?
I enjoy traveling. It is so interesting to see how other people live, and it is really an incredible
way to learn about different cultures, architectures, life styles, and living standards.

2) Describe the advantage and disadvantage of travel for the country

Tourism is a useful source of foreign currency for the country, but sometimes visitors destroy
cultural heritage.

3) Compare the difference about traveling among Pakistani people between 100 years
ago and now?
Transportation was very difficult 100 years ago and a few people could travel in Pakistan
because most people were very poor. But now, transportation is easy and convenient and we
now have more money for travelling.

Speaking Strategies
Many of my English students complain that they understand English, but don't feel confident
enough to speak or be part of a conversation. There are a number of reasons for this including:

• You are trying to translate Urdu into English.

• Construction "blocking" is occurring due to nervousness, lack of confidence, etc.
• You are looking for a specific word, rather than using simple language to describe what is
meant.
• There aren't enough English conversation opportunities in or outside of class in Pakistan.
• Exam preparation focuses on grammar and vocabulary, etc. and leaves little time for
practical use.

The first strategy is to improve speaking skills is to speak. The following strategies can help
you make the most out of your efforts.

Stress Syllables
In every word in English, there is one main emphasised syllable. The sound in this syllable
sounds higher in pitch, longer, and louder, and this is called stress. This helps to create the
rhythm of the language, and knowing how to recognise the stressed syllable will help you
with comprehension. It plays an important role in both understanding and being understood
and of course will be very helpful in your speaking and listening modules of the IELTS.

Take a look at the following words for a better understanding: Syllables in Capital letters are
stressed and have to be spoken a little louder and higher in pitch. Take a

comPUter, LANguages, pronunciAtion,CENter, OBject, FLOWer, reLEASE, aDMIT

,arRANGE, , ecoNOmic, geOmetric, eLECtrical, techNIcian, graduAtion , coHEsion,
phoTOgraphy, biOlogy, geOmetry, parAmeter, therMOmeter, baROmeter, PRESent, EXport,
CHIna, Table, PRESent, SLENder, CLEVer, HAPpy, deCIDE, to begin, GRAPHic,
geoGRAPHic, geologic, teleVIsion/ TELEvision, CONtroversy/conTROversy. deMOcracy,
dependaBIlity, phoTOgraphy, , revelation, geOlogy, CRItical, DESKtop , PENcil
case,BOOKshelf ,GREENhouse,well-MEANT ,hard-HEADED ,old-FASHIONED,
underSTAND, overLOOK , turn OFF, buckle UP , hand OUT

There are many two-syllable words in English whose meaning and class change with a change in
stress. The word present, for example is a two-syllable word. If we stress the first syllable, PRE-
sent it is a noun (gift) or an adjective (opposite of absent). But if we stress the second syllable,
pre-SENT, it becomes a verb (to offer). There are other words that can be nouns or verbs
depending on whether the stress is on the first or second syllable for examples: the words export,
import, contract and object. (EX-port, ex-PORT, IM-port, im-PORT, Ob-JECT, OB-ject)
 Stress Words
Native English speakers stress on a particular word in a sentence for a better understanding of
what they mean. In Pakistan students of English learning are generally being taught to read
and write English, a little thought is given to speak English; in my opinion, written and
spoken English are two different languages. Well, when I get students in my classroom and
they hear conversations of native English speakers, they often have difficulty understanding
the language. One of the reasons they can't understand the spoken language is that they're not
familiar with this alternating stress and unstressed pattern."

You need to understand which words we generally stress and which we do not stress. Stress
words are considered content words. One of the normal patterns of English is that you stress the
last content word, the last information-conveying word. For example “I need to buy some food”
the most prominent word in that sentence is the word 'food' it is a noun. It is also stressed
because it is the last content word of the sentence. One of the normal patterns of English is that
you stress the last content word, the last information-conveying word, of the sentence.

Basic rule when speaking is to put emphasis on "content words" like nouns and verbs (the
words that convey information). Words that are part of the grammatical structure of the
language (articles and prepositions and pronouns) known as function words tend to be
unstressed.

Content words

Stressed words are considered content words such as;

• (most) principal verbs e.g. visit, construct

• Adjectives e.g. beautiful, interesting
• Adverbs e.g. often, carefully

Function words

Non-stressed words are considered function words such as;

• Determiners e.g. the, a, some, a few

• Auxiliary verbs e.g. don't, am, can, were
• Prepositions e.g. before, next to, opposite
• Conjunctions e.g. but, while, as
• Pronouns e.g. they, she, us

Word Stress Explanation

When you are speaking English the words you stress can change the underlying meaning of a
sentence. Take a look at the following sentence for a better understanding:

I don't think he should get the job.

This simple sentence can have many levels of meaning based on the word you stress.
Consider the meaning of the following sentences with the stressed word in bold. Read each
sentence aloud and give a strong stress to the word in bold:

I don't think he should get the job.

Meaning: Somebody else thinks he should get the job.

I don't think he should get the job.

Meaning: It's not true that I think he should get the job.

I don't think he should get that job.

Meaning: That's not really what I mean. OR I'm not sure he'll get that job.

I don't think he should get that job.

Meaning: Somebody else should get that job.

I don't think he should get that job.

Meaning: In my opinion it's wrong that he's going to get that job.

I don't think he should get that job.

Meaning: He should have to earn (be worthy of, work hard for) that job.

I don't think he should get that job.

Meaning: He should get another job.

I don't think he should get that job.

Meaning: Maybe he should get something else instead.

As you can see, there are many different ways this sentence can be understood. The important
point to remember is that the true meaning of the sentence is also expressed through the stressed
word or words.

Here is an exercise to help you develop the art of correct word stress. Take the following
sentence:

I put my PEN away

What question is it answering?

It is answering the question; what did you put away?'

I put my pen AWAY

What question is it answering?

It is answering the question; What did you do with your pen?”

I put my pen away.

What question is it answering?

It is answering the question; Who put your pen away?

I put MY pen away

“As opposed to someone else's”

As you can now understand that we can willingly focus on any word in the sentence that we
want to in order to convey a specific meaning.

"And, in fact, if you're not familiar with the sort of natural patterns and you stress the wrong
words, you will confuse the listener.

I suggest you practice writing a number of sentences. Read each of them stressing a different
word each time you read them. Notice how the meaning changes depending on which word
you stress. You can even exaggerate the stress, in English we often use this device to add
meaning to a sentence. It is very possible that when you think you are exaggerating, it will
sound quite natural to native speakers.

How to practice Speaking

First tip I can give you for IELTS speaking is to speak English as often as possible. Look
around you and make an effort to explain what is happening in English.

Get a clear idea of the speaking test format; it will be helpful in your preparation.

Section1, as you know, will be about yourself, your family, your interests, your home town
and your social life. So think of all the possible questions that may fall in to these categories
and craft a good preparation for this, because you know about yourself so well you can
prepare it almost perfectly. Note down all the possible questions get a family member or a
friend to ask you all these questions. Your answers should be specific with more details not
just yes/no answers.

Section 2, preparation should be done with practicing a variety of topics. You can make some
topics in relation to your personal interests, this way you will not have difficulty speaking for
2 minutes.
You can record your voice during speaking practice so you could listen to your recording and
analyse your fluency and accuracy on your own. Keep practicing until you are able to speak
for 2 minutes without too many pauses and hesitations.

Section 3, is more of a discussion and examiner will ask questions relating to task2. This
section is linguistically more demanding as it requires in-depth discussion on a topic. You
should practice speaking argumentatively and with reasoning.

Set aside the maximum number of hours you can spare each day to practise speaking English.
Do not concentrate only on your weakest areas. Be regular in your practice, and give yourself
a rest. Take at least one day out of your week to rest and forget the test completely. The secret
of success is to work towards your goal slowly, steadily and regularly. Take every
opportunity to speak English whenever and wherever you can.

If you’d like to book Laique Lodhi as your personal

IELTS trainer for online or offline IELTS coaching
email at ieltslahore@yahoo.com or visit
www.ieltslahore.com
Watch IELTS video by Laique Lodhi
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OIIgzGzvXuc