Describes part 3 of the speaking test and a way to help students score better.

 

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Transcript:


The IELTS speaking test part 3


The international English testing system or IELTS speaking test is an 11 to 14-minute interview with a native English speaker. There are 3 parts. In this video, we look at the third part of the test which is 4 to 5 minutes long. We describe part 3 and then a way to help students score better in this part.


It begins with the examiner giving this instruction.

We've been talking about a school you went to when you were young and I'd like to discuss with you one or two more general questions related to this.

Let's consider first of all... types of schools.


A range of 3 questions each are asked about two out of three related topics, based on the part 2 task.


Types of school

(describe) What are the main kinds of school in your country?

(compare) How are the benefits of single-sex schools different to those of mixed schools?

(agree/disagree) Do you think that children, not parents, should choose the kind of school they go to?


Teachers


(describe) What are the differences between a good and a bad teacher

(identify) What is difficult about being a teacher                                                                                                                    

(suggest) What are the reasons why people choose to become teachers


School subjects

(compare) the types of school subjects young children and older children study? 

(consider) what school subjects are the most important for modern life

(speculate on) how school subjects may change in the future


The test finishes after 4 to 5 minutes in this way.

Thank you very much. That is the end of the Speaking test. 


Students can do well in part 3 by learning and practising the question forms that are in this part. 


A series of seven worksheets can be downloaded from the website. The link is in the description below. HERE


Each worksheet has a typical question and alternative forms of the question. A model answer is provided to give some idea of how to answer. On the other side of the worksheet is an exercise for two students. Student A asks three of the same type of questions and student B answers. Then student B asks three questions and student A answers. The students can record their answers and transcribe them for homework. In the next week, they compare their answers with other students and revise the question form. 


The challenge of this exercise is that it differs from the actual test. The part 3 discussion topics are related to the part 2 long talk topic. The test candidates can activate topic vocabulary and build schema in part 2 that will help them understand and answer questions in part 3. The exercise has questions with no context. However, it is beneficial for the students to practise questions of the same type. 


Let's look at how the test is marked.

There are four criteria, each marked 1(no communication) to 9 (native speaker)


Fluency and Coherence

Grammatical  range and Accuracy

Lexical Range

Pronunciation                                                                     


You can find out more on the internet. Search for IELTS public speaking band descriptors.

Let’s look at grammatical range and accuracy.



5

produces basic sentence forms with reasonable accuracy

uses a limited range of more complex structures, but these usually

contain errors and may cause some comprehension problems

6

uses a mix of simple and complex structures, but with limited flexibility

may make frequent mistakes with complex structures though these rarely cause comprehension problems

7

uses a range of complex structures with some flexibility

frequently produces error-free sentences, though some grammatical mistakes persist


As you can see, grammatical features range from simple to complex.

For example, simple:      

        I like music.

        I often listen to pop music on weekends.

        I bought as many as I could get with the money I was given.

        If only I had known more about it, I wouldn't have embarrassed myself like I did.

The purpose of grammar is to convey precise meaning. So both correct simple and complex features are needed to get a good score. Therefore studying grammatical forms is beneficial.

I’d like to recommend a helpful resource.

The Good Grammar Book by Michael Swan and Catherine Walter. This comprehensive 318-page book has instructions for the proper form and use of grammar from simple to complex. Each unit begins with a diagnostic exercise students can do to determine how well they understand, and whether they need to study more. The units have numerous exercises, with answers provided in the back of the book. There is a useful appendix of major points that can be steadily memorised. It can be used for self-study or in class. Anyone who thoroughly learns from this book will achieve a higher score in both the speaking and writing tests.         

I hope this video and material is of good use to you. 


This has been Helpful Hints for Teachers by Gavin Thomas. Best of luck with your teaching.



Special thanks to


Claire Uchida

Teresa Stockwell

Naomi Fujishima

Mariko Uzuka

Elizabeth Ferguson