IELTS Speaking Secrets: Master the Live Interview

Guess what the subject of Part I is...

Hint: it's about somebody you know really well!

Learn Strategies to master Part I of the live interview. 

This is an introduction to these strategies; check out the other lectures in this section to watch me demonstrate these strategies by answering real exam questions.

Part I Strategies include: answering "why"; answering "when/where"; using the proper tense; using present perfect tense; making a bold choice and trusting yourself to expand your answer. 

At the end of Part I you can find all the questions in a single document. I will demonstrate my answers to all the questions, but remember to practice the strategies yourself, using my videos as a resource. 

Talking about change is another confusing topic when you are trying to maintain the proper tense. Answer the question and see if you can stay in the same tense.

Can you use the proper tense when talking about ages? The topic of ages can be somewhat tricky because it can be easy to change from past tense to present.

In this video, my goal is to stay in the present tense. Can you answer the same question without using past tense?

Watch me talk about how I learned how to cook, will I use the past tense or the present tense (or both)?

Hint: listen for tense in the question and you will know which tense to use in your answer. 

The present perfect tense is useful for answering some questions in Part I. 

Present perfect is a great way to talk about your activities, such as in this sentence: "I have been studying English to help get into university." Since you will be talking about yourself quite a lot in Part I, it is best to practice several different ways to talk about yourself and your experiences. 

This is the first of three demonstrations on answering "why" with your Part I answers. 

These are really important skills for you to understand and practice because the examiner will expect you to expand upon your answers a little bit and give some detail. You don't need to give too much detail, but some detail. How much? Just answer the question "why" in your answer and you should be able to give the right amount of detail to the examiner. 

Always give a reason. Answer the question "why"? Give reasons or explanations for your answers. 

The examiner won't ask you "why"? so you have to train your own mind to ask yourself "why"?

Giving examples of your meaning can really help to paint a picture for your examiner. Rather than just say that your boss was a nice man, tell an example about a nice thing he would do or say. 

Go ahead. Make a bold choice for your answer. Then think up the details after you have made your bold choice. It's fun! Make bold choices and just add some details.

Download the questions for Part I so that you can practice answering them!

These are the same questions that Brian answered in the videos.If there is any question you struggle to answer, it might be helpful to go back and watch Brian's answers again.

Go to the British Council's official website to practice Part I Speaking.
This is a practice test from the British Council, which is the organization in charge of the IELTS exam.

Are you afraid of the Part II speech? So many students fear Part II because they feel like they have to talk nonstop for a long time. They ask themselves questions, "Will I have enough to say?"; "What if I don't know anything about the topic?"

Stop being afraid of Part II-- it is the easiest part of the live interview! You just need to practice the strategies in this section of the course. 

Describe a person you know. When you are practicing, it is easiest to describe somebody you know very well in your real life. For example, your mother or a close friend. Since you already know this person so well, it should be easy to visualize them and tell a story. 

When describing a person, you should include: 

• Appearance
• Personality 
• Actions

Describe an object that is important to you. Think about something that holds meaning for you. Maybe it is something you bought, perhaps it is something your grandfather gave you when you were a child. 

When describing an object, you should include: 

• Appearance
• Purpose
• Importance

Think of an event you experienced. Practice talking about the event by answering these questions:

1. Who is involved 
2. Purpose
3. Activities

Watch me answer a Part II question. The topic is about a place where I have been. 

First, I will take notes for one minute. During my note-taking, I think aloud to show students my thinking behind my notes. Notice, that the notes are not in paragraph form, but rather, I write only a single word or phrase for each idea. Then it's time to speak for 1-2 minutes. I glance at my notes before and during my talk to give an effective speech. 

Your Part II speech should be straightforward if you take proper notes. All you need to do is speak for a few seconds on each of the points you are making. 

Watch me answer a Part II question. The topic is exercise.

First, I will take notes for one minute. During my note-taking, I think aloud to show students my thinking behind my notes. Notice, that the notes are not in paragraph form, but rather, I write only a single word or phrase for each idea. Then it's time to speak for 1-2 minutes. I glance at my notes before and during my talk to give an effective speech. 

Your Part II speech should be straightforward if you take proper notes. All you need to do is speak for a few seconds on each of the points you are making. 

Download the questions for Part II so that you can practice answering them

These are the same questions that Brian answered in the videos. If there is any question you struggle to answer, it might be helpful to go back and watch Brian's answers again.

Go to the British Council's official website to practice Part II Speaking.
This is a practice test from the British Council, which is the organization in charge of the IELTS exam.

Part III Introduction. 

This is your chance to have a fun conversation with your examiner! Time to show off those English skills.

Before I demonstrate these strategies in the next lectures, let me describe the strategies to you. 

• Full Sentences
• Compare/Contrast
• Conditional "if"/"would"
• Present Perfect
• Paraphrasing the Question

Part III Strategy: Full Sentences

Watch Brian answer a Part III question about "Time." 

In this demonstration, Brian chooses a very specific idea to answer the question. You challenge with this question is to come up with your own very specific idea and then justify it with great examples. 

Part III Strategy: Full Sentences

Watch Brian answer a Part III question about "Friendship." 

In this demonstration, Brian uses just one idea and then simply comes up with reasons/examples to support that single idea. 

Part III Strategy: Full Sentence

Watch Brian answer a Part III question about "How to Become a Good Writer." 

In this demonstration, Brian decides to use two different answers. First, he thought up two ideas to answer the question; then he answered each, giving reasons and examples. 

Part III: Compare/Contrast

In this demonstration, Brian looks at both sides of the issue and develops his answer using the strategy of compare and contrast. There is no rule that says you must only talk about one side of an issue; discussing both sides is a really simple way to extend your answer. 

Part III Strategy: Conditional

The conditional uses the words "if" and "would" to create hypothetical or imaginary scenarios. Here is an example of a conditional sentence: "If I lived in Japan, I would learn how to prepare sushi." 

Watch Brian answer a Part III question using a conditional sentence construction.

Remember, Part III is the part of the exam where you will be asked to use future tense. In Part I and Part II, you will mostly talk about your past and present. Spend some time practicing future tense in preparation for Part III questions. The conditional sentence is one great way to practice talking about the future. 

Part III Strategy: Present Perfect

Watch Brian answer a question about Business using the present perfect. Count how many times he uses present perfect tense in his answer. 

Download the questions for Part III so that you can practice answering them! 

These are the same questions that Brian answered in the videos.If there is any question you struggle to answer, it might be helpful to go back and watch Brian's answers again.

Go to the British Council's official website to practice Part III Speaking.
This is a practice test from the British Council, which is the organization in charge of the IELTS exam.

After you have done all the hard work of preparing for the exam, it's time to go and actually take the exam!

I will guide you to the registration website and go over the 3 steps to register for the exam.

You did it! You completed the course. Congratulations! 

Do you want help on all 4 sections of the IELTS?

If you enjoyed this course, you'll love my complete IELTS course, which covers all four sections in-depth and includes everything you need to boost your score. You can find it here: https://briansenglish.com/ielts-course

For students who want a deeper dive into all four sections of the IELTS exam, I’ve created a comprehensive course at briansenglish.com/ielts-course. It includes advanced strategies and resources to help you succeed in the IELTS exam.

It has been my pleasure to share this journey with you!