How to Improve Your IELTS Speaking Score: 4 Mistakes to Avoid

Many test-takers find IELTS speaking to be their weakest section. In this article, we summarize some common reasons for low speaking scores in the hope of helping you improve quickly and overcome the difficulty of raising your score.

The first reason is blindly following model answers.

In general, IELTS draws from a certain pool of topics for a period of time, so many students prepare based on questions that have already appeared on the test. When preparing, most people look for model answers for IELTS speaking and memorize them word for word.

As a result, when it comes to the exam, they simply recite those answers. This feels like rote memorization, and it defeats the original purpose of the speaking test. In addition, most model answers use vocabulary that is not simple, so it is hard to speak them fluently. That is why the score will not be high. In short, if your English is not yet at a certain level, it is best not to rely on memorization methods that are easy to spot.

The second reason is forcing a template.

Although you can prepare for the IELTS speaking test in advance, that does not mean you can simply use templates. For example, some students prepare a few all-purpose sentence patterns and then, during the exam, fit the question into those patterns. But if your English level is not strong enough, your answer can end up sounding like you are speaking in circles just to get through the question. From the examiner’s perspective, it does not seem like you are answering the question seriously. That is not a good approach.

The third reason is using vocabulary that is too difficult.

It is true that using advanced vocabulary in the exam can help you earn a higher score. But in everyday life, no one deliberately chases overly difficult words. Most of the time, people use simple, everyday language to communicate. So we do not recommend deliberately pursuing high-level vocabulary just for the sake of it. Normally, as long as you can express your meaning clearly in simple and direct language, that is enough.

One thing to keep in mind is that the more difficult the vocabulary, the higher the score you may be able to get. But this also makes it easy to use words imprecisely or inaccurately, which may make the examiner think your level is not strong enough and hurt your score.

The fourth reason is a high rate of repetition.

Some students have a limited vocabulary, so during the exam they keep using the same familiar words over and over. There may be reasons for this, but it will still affect the score. It is better to keep varying your word choice and avoid repetition.