Skip to main content
5 Silly Things You Say To Decrease Your IELTS Speaking Band Score

5 Silly Things You Say To Decrease Your IELTS Speaking Band Score

4.1
(29 votes)

45,739

09/27/2018

 

On the day of your IELTS speaking exam, you are nervous and due to this nervousness, you are likely to make some silly mistakes. Being aware of such silly errors in order to prevent speaking faulty statements can help you to avoid getting lowered band score in IELTS speaking. So, let us find out what these silly mistakes are and what you should do to avoid them.
Over Use of Idioms
You must be told in your IELTS speaking training sessions that usage of idioms can help you score high band score. Though using idioms are definitely the indicators of high band score but these are not the only factors that determine good score. A lot of other things should be kept in mind simultaneously such as sentence structure, grammar, vocabulary, content etc. The misconception of using idioms more than enough leads to lower band score in IELTS speaking because you would be penalized for overly using them. Hence, use idioms only when it is required to add cohesion in your speaking and this can happen when you concentrate on answering the question effectively rather than merely using idioms.
Using Connectives Excessively
As is the case with idioms, similarly, you should avoid using sentence connectors in excess, during your IELTS speaking exam. Sentence connectors are the words or phrases that help us to connect our ideas. Moreover, therefore, however, on the other hand, in comparison to this etc. are some of the connectives that are good indicators of Band 7 or above. But some students take this for granted and try to use more and more connectives which ultimately reduce the band score in IELTS speaking. So, one should use connectives only when it is needed so that it comes out naturally and does not look mechanical as if used forcefully.
Incorrectly Using Advanced Vocabulary
Vocabulary of the advanced level is the key to score at least Band 8 or above but do not consider it as the only key. Fluency, coherence, cohesion, grammar and punctuation are the other key areas as well that are to be included for achieving high band score in IELTS speaking. There are some students who have the list of uncommon words but they lack good band score in other areas.

How you should use advanced vocabulary then? Practice is the key, first of all and you should also remember that it is better to use those words you are confident about rather than those from tough vocabulary that you are unsure of. Keep on learning the advanced words and getting exposed to those new words by listening to podcasts, songs or watching movies, videos, talk shows, interviews, group discussions and most importantly, try to speak them yourself. Reading these words in newspapers, magazines etc. and then writing your own sentences is also an effective way of learning to use the advanced vocabulary naturally in IELTS speaking test.
Losing Control and Saying Fillers Excessively
In IELTS speaking, fluency and coherence are significant factors that give great impacts on your speaking. But saying fillers in between affect them and causes hindrance in letting the listener understand your talk. Fillers such as ahm, er, ah etc. are quite common. Though 100% free from fillers may not be possible, at least controlling to speaking more and saying fillers less would make a big difference in your band score, while saying them more often would lessen your band score like anything by leaving poor impression on the examiner.
Saying More Off-Topic
Sticking to the main topic is an extremely essential thing. Some students, in order to be more fluent, try to speak more and more which distracts them from the main topic. This happens in cue card section as well as in the follow-up part of the IELTS speaking test. Whenever you feel that you are getting out of track, immediately switch yourself on the right path which is nothing but the main question asked by the examiner.

 

Comments:

Related IELTS tips

Refresh

IELTS Speaking Test Part 1 Analysis – Band 6.5

Let us analyse IELTS speaking test part-1 attempted by one student and find

Speaking tips29,865

IELTS Speaking Task Analysis Part 2 (Describe an idea) – Band 6

Let us analyse IELTS speaking performance of a student who gave the

Speaking tips13,950

IELTS Speaking Test Live

In this free interactive webinar, our IELTS expert will show us how to prepare

Speaking tips1,277

How To Improve Your Pronunciation

Below we share with you ten tips that will help improve your pronunciations 1

Speaking tips28,791

Types of topics covered in IELTS speaking task.

The main reason for people to score a lower band in IELTS speaking task

Speaking tips16,023

Most popular IELTS tips

Refresh

How to practise IELTS speaking on your own?

You do not always need a partner for IELTS speaking practice, you can do it

Speaking tips83,322

How to Sound More Confident in IELTS Speaking?

IELTS speaking is the exam where you are assessed on different parameters

Speaking tips17,160

How To Improve Your Pronunciation

Below we share with you ten tips that will help improve your pronunciations 1

Speaking tips28,791

What to do if you forget what to say during Speaking Test?

Have you ever come across a scenario during the speaking test, where you didn't

Speaking tips90,964

What would Differentiate you from the Other Candidates while Attempting the Speaking Task?

What would Differentiate you from the Other Candidates while Attempting

Speaking tips31,325
Notifications
Messages