SPEAKING TEST

5 Tips for the Speaking Test

#1: Be yourself
Speak normally and do not put on any fake accent. Examiners have been exposed to various accents, so they will definitely be able to understand you. What's more important, is to try and pronounce your words as clearly as possible (enunciate your words well).

#2: Be clear
If you do not understand a particular question, you should not ask the examiner to explain the question as you might get marked down. Instead, you should paraphrase the question (use your own words to rephrase the question) to check if you understood it correctly. You should ask clarifying questions starting with, "Do you mean...?"

#3: Be short and sweet (in your sentences, where possible, especially for part 2)
Keep your ideas concise. Then, use connectors/ conjunctions to link up your points. Not only will this help you organize your ideas better and make it easier for you to continue, it will also mean that the examiner is able to more easily follow your train of thoughts.

#4: Be adaptable
When asked a question that does not really apply to you, you could tell the examiner what you have heard or share about other's experience. For instance, you may be asked, 'Which sports do you enjoy?' If you are not particularly athletic or if you do not like sports, you can't possibly answer, 'I do not like sports', and expect to do well. However, you could say 'I am not a fan of sports, but my brother is crazy over football...' In other words, share about someone else. This is totally fine as it means you continue talking and be on task.

#5: Be aware (of what each segment involves)
The first section will involve simple interview questions. Here, the examiner will usually ask questions about you, and everything related to you. The second and the third sections are usually linked. Take for example, if the question in part 2 is asking about your favourite gift ever received, part 3 will most probably touch on the topic of gift giving as well, but in a more abstract and in-depth context. Perhaps a possible extension in this case could be, if you feel that Christmas has lost its true meaning and is nowadays too much focused on the giving and exchanging of presents instead.