4.Don't rush 

Many students believe that it is a good idea to say as much as they can as fast as they can. This is not a good idea and often results in unnatural, disorganised answers containing many mistakes. Focus on clear communication rather than speaking as quickly as you can. Try to avoid thinking about the time limit in the exam; the examiner will control the timing. 

5.Only use vocabulary you know well

This is a big one! Countless students focus on using 'high-level' vocabulary in their IELTS speaking exam, believing that this will get them a high score for vocabulary. It is true that less-common vocabulary can help to increase your score for vocabulary. However, in many cases, students learn long lists of vocabulary and don't take the time to fully understand how and in what situations the words should be used. This most often results in unnatural, incorrect answers.

When preparing for IELTS, you should try to expand your range of vocabulary.  This should be done by reading authentic English materials, listening to native speakers or using reliable IELTS preparation websites. I would recommend that you avoid vocabulary lists that are often shared online with teachers that claim these words will get you a high score. There are no magic words!

During the exam itself, you should use words that you know well, in the way you heard or saw them used, rather than try to impress the examiner with 'high-level' vocabulary that you are not fully-comfortable with.

Here are some great sources for improving your vocabulary:

• Youtube.
• National Geographic.
• Podcasts.
• Our sample answers.
• TED talks. 
• Our IELTS Speaking Masterclass
• ieltsliz.com

6.Include some phrasal verbs and Idioms

Phrasal verbs and idioms are a great way to increase your score for vocabulary if used in a natural way. Manys students do not use these correctly and get a lower score than expected. If you're not confident in your ability to use Idioms or phrasal verbs, check out these articles.

7 IDIOMS TO USE IN IELTS SPEAKING

8 USEFUL PHRASAL VERBS FOR IELTS SPEAKING

7.Include some fluency markers

Fluency markers are words or phrases like 'Unfortunately' or ' In fact'  that can help to make your answer more organised or make your feeling clearer. These words are key to getting a high score for fluency and coherence. Fortunately, we also have a full article on these words here.

8.Use linking words

In order to get a high score for fluency and coherence, linking words should be used to organise your answers especially in IELTS speaking part 2 and 3. A great tip to make sure your answers are easy to understand is to tell the listener (the examiner) what you will do before you do it. For example, if you say 'Firstly' , it tells the examiner that you will be giving more than one point. If you say 'On the other hand', it tells the examiner that you are going to say something in contrast to what you previously said. 

Similar to vocabulary, learning lists of linking words and not knowing how to use them correctly will not help you to get a higher score. Our part 2 and part 3 sample answers give examples of how to use a range of linking words.

9.Don't memorise answers

Although it is a good idea to prepare for and practise answering questions for common IELTS speaking topics, it is almost never beneficial to try to remember full answers. First of all,  the IELTS speaking exam covers a wide-range of topics and it would be almost impossible to remember so many answers! Secondly and more importantly, when students give answers that they have memorised, it is obvious. The examiner will know. Memorised answers sound forced, unnatural and are often delivered in a monotone voice. 

10.Correct yourself if you need to

Many students believe that correcting themselves in the IELTS exam is a bad idea as it alerts the examiner that you made a mistake. This is untrue. The examiner knows that you made a mistake! Correcting that mistake shows the examiner that you also realise that you made a mistake. If you make a mistake, it is not only fine but beneficial to correct it!

11.Practice makes permanent

You may have heard the phrase 'practice makes perfect'. In IELTS speaking, a more accurate phrase is 'practice makes permanent'. In preparing for IELTS, practice is essential. Your answers won't be perfect but they will become better and better. This is particularly true for grammar. Most IELTS students aiming at a high score are aware of their grammatical errors and how to amend them when they are pointed to them by a teacher or when listening to answers they recorded. This, however, doesn't mean that they won't make the same mistake again. It is often necessary to break bad habits and this only comes with practice.

12.Take time to think

It is perfectly fine and in fact, better to pause for a few seconds to consider what you want to say rather than rushing into an unclear answer that is difficult to understand. This is particularly true for IELTS speaking part 3 in which questions can be challenging, even for native speakers. Remember, a simple idea well-communicated is better than a complicated idea that is not explained well. Instead of having a lot of long silences, you should use phrases such as the following to give yourself some time.

• That's an interesting question.
• I've never thought about that before.
• Give me a second to think about that.

13.Relax

On exam day, it is important to remember that speaking naturally will get you a higher score. Many students fail to get the band score they are capable of not because they didn't practise or prepare enough but because they allowed the stress of the exam to influence their ability, particularly their fluency. I realise it is difficult but you should try to relax as much as possible. Make sure you get enough sleep the night before the exam. Make sure you eat properly. Make sure you arrive early. Be confident that you have prepared well and speak as though you would to a teacher or colleague. 

If you found this useful , you may also be interested in our  IELTS SPEAKING MASTERCLASS which contains essential strategies, sample answers with key vocabulary for more than 40 IELTS speaking topics, listening exercises and quizzes. You can learn more about it here.