How to get a 7+ on IELTS Speaking without “studying”?
We get a lot of questions on how to get a good score on the IELTS speaking test without studying and memorization. Today, we are going to talk about 3 language learning principles you can apply to your studying that will help you score a 7+ on IELTS speaking.
1.) Don’t memorize grammar, vocabulary or sentence structures
People studying for IELTS speaking spend hours and hours trying to memorize grammar rules, vocabulary and sentence structures. Stop doing this right now!
Forget about the grammar, vocabulary or sentence structures and focus on trying to communicate. Think of how kids learn English. Kids don´t study and then speak, they just naturally speak. This is what you need to do to improve speaking English, especially when preparing for a test like IELTS speaking. No babies went to English language courses and learned English, they just pointed to things and gradually learned the names of the basic things and then added to that as they grew until they learned to speak. You need to absorb English the same way in order to get your brain to “communicate” in English.
Train your brain to think in English as you prepare for the IELTS Speaking test. If you are like most IELTS test takers, you probably might have studied English for a few years and have a vocabulary of around 500 English words. If so, you must stop processing grammar rules in your head and start speaking in English naturally.
2.) Narrate what you do in English
Don’t stop there. Talk to yourself in English. This is a powerful strategy to speak more naturally, instead of translating from your native language.
As you prepare a meal or drive your car, narrate what you’re doing in English. Focus on forming the sentences directly in English. Name the vegetables and spices. What tools are you using? What steps do you have to take? What direction are you turning? You can do this out loud or silently in your head! This is the easiest and least stressful way to practice. Try to make a habit of narrating at least 30 minutes every day, especially if you don’t have time for a conversations with a Native English Speaker.
You will find that a lot of IELTS speaking questions test you on your ability to speak in English about situations like the above. You won’t even feel you are studying for an exam.
3.) Listen/Watch Native English speakers as you get closer to the IELTS speaking test
Finally though this is more passive than actually having a conversation, many people find that watching native speakers, from a distance as an observer, improves aptitude with the language. For example you can watch a movie or a TED video. Here are some suggestions we have.
Additionally, if you find a good movie or a video, you may become so engrossed in the plot that you may think you’re just watching a good movie rather than studying a language. Again, it helps sometimes to not be so focused on trying to retain new vocabulary or phrases, and just enjoy the film, even if you are missing words here and there.
Questions you may have about a phrase or rule could be answered in dialogue, or you can develop an appreciation of the rhythm and cadence of the language as it is meant to be spoken. These are all critical skills you need to develop to score a 7+ for IELTS speaking.
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