Category: IELTS preparation

Often students think that more they will be sweet with the examiner, higher are there chances of getting a high score. However, students forget that IELTS is an international test and you will be tested purely on the answers you give. It might be even possible that your marks are reduced because of the attempts that you are making to be over sweet.

Let’s have a look at some of the most common mistakes students make in their speaking test.

1. TRYING TO BE OVER POLITE-: It is good to be polite but then you need not to be a sycophant. Often foreign examiners gets irritated when you try to be over polite. For Example-: if you are constantly saying sir/ma’am, waiting for them to ask you to be seated. It is better that you say a Hi.
2. DON’T TRY TO WELCOME THE EXAMINER-: Often students believe that the examiner is new to their country and they greet them saying, welcome to my country! This is not acceptable. Remember, you are their to give your test and not to show the examiner places in your country.
3. TRYING TO BE A PART OF GROUP-: Although it is good that you are part of a country and there are habits in you that are because of the environment of your country. But it is mostly preferred that you answer questions such as if you are an individual. Saying answers such as, ” Since I am from here ,… i love this or that”; won’t put you in good light.
4. USING STEREOTYPES-: You are about to live in a different country and the last thing that is expected out of you is that you have strongly held stereotypes. For example-; saying, ” Oh! the people of my country are the most hospitable in the world, might just not be the correct thing to do”.
5. BEFRIENDING THE EXAMINER-: Remember, you are giving a test. Asking an examiner who are they or what is their name or where are they from, is not going to help you. It can only lead to they cutting your marks. Just try to be polite and smile.
6. INAPPROPRIATE DRESS-: Now this is something that you must avoid. Wear formal clothes. The simple way out is wear the dress you would wear in a job interview.

REMEMBER, it is your test, do the things you would have done at a job interview. Give respect where necessary but don’t over do it. You must come out as being natural.

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If the cue card question is related to books or the reading capabilities or your favorite books, it is very obvious that the discussion topic will be related to books.
Here are some of the questions that could be asked related to books.

What is the importance of books in your life?

Books are like oxygen to me. I love reading books on different topic, they help me grow intellectually. Even more often there are problems in life, which I believe could be easily solved by reading good books.

Do you think with the coming of computers, people don’t read enough?

If we are taking about reading books, obviously yes. With the coming of internet getting information has become very easy. This has led to a loss of interest in reading and searching books. Even more smart phones have arrived and nowadays people usually prefer reading e-books. However, those who are fond of reading books do read books.

Do you think there is a way out of making children read more?

I believe children these days are more creative and have a different approach towards learning. If we want our children to read more, we need to add graphics and animations in the text books. Rather than putting simple text, we need to add text such that it is combined with certain experiments.

How do book preference have changed as compared to the past?

I believe that a book is always an individual choice. However, on a general level, earlier people loved reading religious book or the books related to philosophy. However, at present people often read either fiction books or autobiographies.

In your opinion, will paper books disappear completely in future?

I believe that the revolution has already started. Most of the schools these days have smart classes and the black board pedagogy has been replaced by online education. It is quite possible that paper books will be replaced at a large extent in future. However, I believe that people will still be interested in reading books because the experience that reading a paper books gives is nowhere to be found.

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