SPEAKING

by Michael Melbourne
 Today's topic
• Introduction to Speaking • Structure class (full answers &
storytelling)
• Introduction to Part 1,2,3
• Vocabulary building
• Introduction to marking criteria
• Grammar class
 Speaking part 1
The examiner will ask you familiar, everyday
questions about your life. This will last around
4-5 minutes. See the links below for tips, sample
questions and answers for Part 1.

Tip: Try to answer in a mixed balance of simple, compound and complex sentences

Common topics: Your Job, Studying, Your Hometown, Your Home, The Internet, Your
Likes and Dislikes, Sports, Food, The Weather, Family
 Types of sentences
A SIMPLE SENTENCE has one independent clause

A COMPOUND SENTENCE has two independent clauses joined by

A. a coordinating conjunction (for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so),
B. a conjunctive adverb (e.g. however, therefore), or
C. a semicolon alone.

COMPLEX SENTENCE has one dependent clause (headed by a subordinating conjunction or

a relative pronoun ) joined to an independent clause.
 Examples
Simple sentences:
1. She is a nice person
2. I like reading
3. The view is amazing
Compound sentences:
1. The fruits I like are mangoes, rambutans and papayas
2. He was sleepy and tired
3. She is late so she was scolded
Complex sentences:
1. Due to the current pandemic, cinemas are left vacant
2. Although his dad is a doctor, Joe has no plans of being one
3. People who are beautiful rarely get criticised
 Speaking part 2
Many consider Speaking Part 2 to be the most
difficult part of the IELTS Speaking test
because it is a monologue. A monologue is
different from the rest of the test because you
will be speaking alone, without any questions
or help from the examiner. The examiner will
give you a cue card similar to the one beside:

Tip: It's not a must to talk about all the bullet

points!
 Speaking part 3
After your 2 minute monologue in Part 2 of the Speaking test, the examiner will ask you around 4-5
more abstract questions about the same general topic you talked about in Part 2. For example, if
Part 2 was about mobile phones, they might ask you deeper, more complex questions about
mobiles like:

How have mobile phones changed the types of relationships people make?
Some people think that children should not be allowed to use mobiles, do you agree?
How has mobile phone use changed in the last 10 years?
How will mobile phones change in the future?
If you could add any new feature to a smart phone, what would it be?

Tip: try to provide as much developments as possible (comparisons, evaluations) and use jargons
 Marking criteria
Fluency and coherence Grammatical range and accuracy
Speaks fluently with only rare repetition or self- Uses a full range of structures naturally and
correction; appropriately
Any hesitation is content-related rather than to find Produces consistently accurate structures apart from
words or grammar ‘slips’ characteristic of native speaker speech
Speaks coherently with fully appropriate cohesive
features
Develops topics fully and appropriately

Lexical resource Pronunciation

Uses vocabulary with full flexibility and precision in Uses a full range of pronunciation features with
all topics precision and subtlety
Uses idiomatic language naturally and accurately Sustains flexible use of features throughout
Is effortless to understand
CLASS ACTIVITY