Have you ever gotten a score on an exam that was much lower than you expected?
You don’t want this to happen when you take IELTS!
Today you’ll find out why students score band 5 on IELTS Speaking and Writing.
You’ll learn how to move your score from a 5 or 6 to a band 7.
Today’s question
Today’s question was submitted in one of our webinars by an IELTS student named Jazz.
Why do some examiners give low band score in Speaking and Writing even if I answer the question correctly?
Please share with me how to go from 5.5 band score to 7.0.
#1: Speaking
The Examiner is listening for many things in your IELTS Speaking answers.
Unfortunately, it’s not enough to merely answer the question “correctly.”
Understanding the question and giving an answer isn’t enough to score over band 5.
For each of the scores, you need specific things.
IELTS Speaking score: Vocabulary
To score 7 or higher on the vocabulary score, you need high-scoring vocabulary.
This includes a variety of lexical resources.
- slang
- idioms
- phrasal verbs
- topic-specific, less common words
In addition, you must avoid repetition.
Do not repeat the question or use vocabulary from it.
Instead, paraphrase or use synonyms whenever possible.
Rather than repeating yourself, say something new!
Add as much detail as possible and feel free to go on a tangent!
As long as you answer the question, you can add any related information.
IELTS Speaking score: Fluency and Coherence
To score higher than band 5, you can’t hesitate a lot or have a lot of pauses.
You also need to use a variety of linking phrases.
Your answers can’t be too short.
- Aim for 3-5 sentences for Part 1
- Speak for the full 2 minutes for Part 2
- Speak for about a minute for Part 3
Your answers can’t be too short.
Add detail and tell stories!
Use experiences from your personal life so you have a lot to say.
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IELTS Speaking score: Pronuncation
To score higher than band 5, you must minimize errors with phonemes and word stress.
Practice mimicking so that you can use native, natural cadence.
Intonation is also important for the Pronunciation score.
You must avoid a monotone and vary your tone.
IELTS Speaking score: Grammar
Many students who score 5 are using mostly simple sentences.
The grammar score requires a variety of grammar structures.
You can satisfy this by using compound and complex sentences as well.
One mistake students make is focusing too much on the grammar score.
You can make a lot of mistakes and still score band 6.
Additionally, it can take up to a year to raise your grammar score a full band point.
It may be better to focus more on improving the other scores if you have a limited amount of time.
#2: Writing
It’s also not enough on IELTS Writing to answer the question “correctly.”
The scoring system requires specific things to be included in your essays.
We’ll break down each score and let you know what the Examiner is looking for.
IELTS Writing score: Vocabulary
You need a variety of high-scoring, less common vocabulary.
For General Training Task 1, vocabulary must be informal, semiformal or formal depending on who the letter is being written to.
If it is informal, you will need slang, idioms and phrasal verbs to set a consistent formal tone.
For formal letters and Task 2, your vocabulary must be more formal.
In every essay, you must avoid vocabulary repetition.
Don’t repeat phrases from the topic in your essay.
Instead, paraphrase it or use synonyms.
IELTS Writing score: Cohesion/Coherence
To score 7 or higher, you need a variety of linking phrases in your essays.
These help you to smoothly and clearly transition between ideas.
Your essay must also be well-organized.
This applies for both Task 1 and Task 2.
For Academic Task 1, divide information from charts or graphs.
You will then include this information in separate body paragraphs.
IELTS Writing score: Task Response
Every idea in your Task 2 essay must be fully supported with details and examples.
The topic must be fully addressed, with nothing excluded.
For Academic Task 1, you must include an Overall Trend.
All important numbers or information must be described.
IELTS Writing score: Grammar
You need a variety of sentence structures in every essay.
It’s not enough to merely use simple sentences.
Use a variety of simple, compound and complex sentences.
Additionally, it is vital that you proofread every essay.
Look for subject and verb agreement mistakes.
Check spelling and punctuation.
Use grammarly while practicing to get an idea of the mistakes you make often.
This will help you catch them when proofreading.
Takeaway
It’s not enough to give a “correct” answer to IELTS speaking questions.
In addition, it doesn’t suffice to understand and correctly write about the essay topic.
The IELTS examiner is looking for a lot more to give you 7 or higher.
Today’s episode breaks down what you need for each score.
For all the strategies you need, sign up for our online IELTS course!
What questions do you have from today’s episode?
Please leave a comment below.
