Hundreds of candidates listen to IELTS experts share how to conquer the speaking and writing tests
There is no best, only the most suitable
Speaking to Thanh Nien on the sidelines of the IELTS Festival organized by the British Council on March 16, Mr. Vu Hai Truong, a master of data science at Liverpool John Moores University (UK) and who achieved 8.5 IELTS, pointed out the fact that there are countless different preparation methods posted online. However, instead of assuming that a certain method is the "true love", candidates need to research and experiment first.
"Each person has different characteristics, so a method that may be helpful for one person may be less effective for another. Therefore, the most important thing is to determine where you are on the 'mountainside' of learning English, and from there find a suitable method. Don't compare yourself with others, and don't try to get high scores at all costs because learning English is a long-term accumulation journey," Mr. Truong advised.
The winner of the IELTS Prize 2022 scholarship also suggested some popular methods for candidates. For example, to memorize vocabulary, you can write it down on paper or associate it with sounds, images or some specific memorable situations. Or candidates can "bathe" in English or practice pronunciation to improve listening skills. "In general, the right method will motivate you to do it every day," Mr. Truong added.
According to Mr. Vu Hai Truong, the "key" to getting a high IELTS score is finding a study method that suits you.
As for speaking skills, Mr. Andy Milner, academic manager of international exams, British Council East Asia, advises candidates to practice listening and singing in English to practice tone, intonation and stress. "Or you can follow and download the transcripts of programs like TED Talks, mark the pauses, key words and repeat what the speaker says. That is the shadowing method," Mr. Milner shared.
Mr. Milner added that the co-owners of IELTS, the British Council, IDP and Cambridge English Language Assessment, published the band descriptors for the speaking and writing tests in May 2023. This is the basis for IELTS examiners to score candidates, so learners need to study and research this document to develop a specific review strategy to meet the required skills.
What do you need to know for the exam?
At the event, experts from the British Council also revealed many tips for candidates to achieve the best results in the IELTS test. For the speaking test, Mr. Oliver Holmes, IELTS expert from the British Council, said that the examiner will score based on 4 main categories, each category accounts for 25% of the score, including: fluency and coherence, vocabulary, grammar variety and accuracy, and finally pronunciation.
Mr. Oliver Holmes, IELTS expert from British Council
Mr. Holmes also noted that the speaking test is divided into three parts, with part 1 focusing on small talk, part 2 requiring presentations or extended discussions, and part 3 on academic discussion and debate on more abstract topics. To prepare for the test, candidates should practice speaking continuously for about 2 minutes and record themselves to form a habit.
"When taking the test, you don't necessarily have to tell the truth, because IELTS is not a test of life experience. In addition, there are many other things to note, such as asking the examiner again if you don't hear clearly or don't understand the meaning, or always include reasons or examples in your answers... And when speaking and thinking, use phrases like 'well', 'actually', 'in my view' instead of being vague, which will lead to losing points," Mr. Holmes added.
For the writing test, Mr. Michael Alpaugh, IELTS expert from the British Council, advises candidates to read texts that are compiled in the IELTS style. From there, candidates can take notes of useful content, such as tenses and verb forms used; noun phrases, word combinations, word choice, word forms; relative clauses and other subordinate clauses; articles and prepositions...
Mr. Michael Alpaugh, IELTS expert from British Council
Mr. Alpaugh also noted that for task 1, candidates need to summarize the chart information by selecting, reflecting on the main points and comparing if relevant. In this part, candidates should not interpret the data or give personal opinions. As for task 2, candidates must give reasons for their opinions including any relevant examples from their knowledge and personal experience, "and only put pen to paper after 'brainstorming' and outlining".
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