Many students mistakenly believe that speaking quickly on IELTS will improve scores.
Slowing down will actually boost your scores!
Today we’ll explain how your score is affected when you slow down.
You’ll hear sample answers using these tips.
Apply them on test day to get the score you need!
Today’s question
I just have a lot of things running in my mind spontaneously which ain’t much showing fluency.
I feel like as a communicator, I’m thinking at a rate of 8.5, but just speaking at a rate of 6.5 only
Erick Shih
This is a common struggle for students.
You may feel you can think in English but aren’t able to organize your thoughts.
Another cause for this is speaking too quickly.
Ideas and vocabulary
You need time to think of ideas.
If you’re speaking too quickly, you don’t have time to think of details.
Additionally, you don’t have time to think of interesting vocabulary.
When you slow down, it’s easier to avoid repetition of vocabulary as well.
This can cause pauses and hesitations.
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Fewer mistakes
When a student has more time to think, they make less mistakes.
You have the time to make sure you’re using correct verb tenses.
You can consider which article or pronoun is needed.
If speaking too quickly, it is likely you’ll make grammar mistakes you don’t notice.
Fewer fillers
Fillers like ‘um,’ ‘uh,’ and ‘like’ must be limited on IELTS speaking.
The faster you speak, the more of these fillers you will use.
These will be inevitable when you pause to think of what to say next.
You will also find yourself using these fillers while you think of vocabulary or consider grammar.
Instead, slow down your speech in order to avoid using too many fillers.
Improved pronunciation
The phonemes and different sounds of words may be unclear if you speak fast.
What is more, if you speak too quickly, you’ll have a tendency to speak in a monotone.
It will be difficult to add expressiveness and emotion to your voice.
You need room for your words to breathe.
This will allow you to use appropriate intonation, stress, and rhythm.
How to slow down
Take a breath between sentences.
Remind yourself mentally to slow down.
Give room to words that need to be emphasized, such as adjectives and adverbs.
Use native filler phrases, such as, “I was just chatting with a friend about this.”
Low-scoring example
In the podcast episode, you hear a lower-scoring example.
People like to go to the beach where I live. They prefer going in summer rather than in winter since it’s always crowded in June and July but no one is really at the beach in the winter.
Notice that it is stated with a monotone.
It is spoken quickly, with no room to be expressive.
High-scoring example
You then hear a much-higher scoring example.
The same phrase is spoken more slowly with expressiveness.
Going to the beach is by FAR the best activity to do where I live. Everyone I know ABSOLUTELY LOVES a beach day and, HANDS DOWN, they prefer to go when it’s SUPER hot out in the BLISTERING summer rather than in winter when they’re TOTALLY freezing to death!
Takeaway
You may be speaking too quickly when answering IELTS speaking questions.
On test day, you may get nervous and speed up your answers.
It is vital that you slow down when practicing.
This gives you more opportunities to think of details and vocabulary.
It also greatly improves pronunciation.
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What questions do you have from today’s episode?
Please leave a comment below.
