How to Start Speaking in IELTS: Part 1

Summary

In this video, Keith from Keith Speaking Academy guides viewers on confidently tackling Part 1 of the IELTS Speaking test. He explains how to introduce yourself, talk about work, study, home, and hometown, while avoiding nervousness and ‘getting stuck for words.’ Keith provides practical phrases, tips for fluency, and strategies to vary answers, emphasizing short, clear responses and natural pacing. He also highlights valuable resources like the free IELTS Prepare vodcast and IELTS by IDP app, offering comprehensive guidance for all IELTS sections. The video empowers students to build confidence, flexibility, and effective communication skills for exam success.

Takeaways

• 😀 Stay calm and positive before entering the IELTS Speaking test; take a deep breath and think 'I’m going to enjoy this.'
• 😀 Greet the examiner politely with a simple 'Hi,' 'Hello,' or 'Nice to meet you' when entering the room.
• 😀 Always have your ID ready and provide your full name clearly; respond with 'You can call me [Name]' when asked.
• 😀 Keep your answers short and focused, usually 1–3 sentences, especially for Part 1 questions about work, study, home, and hometown.
• 😀 For work questions, structure answers as: Job → Workplace → Duration (e.g., 'I’m a nurse. I work in one of the main hospitals in my hometown. I’ve been doing this for five years or so.').
• 😀 For study questions, structure answers as: Student status → Subject → University → Year → Duration (e.g., 'I’m a student at Oxford University. I study French. I’m in my first year. I hope to graduate next year.').
• 😀 When talking about your home, mention the type, size, location, and who you live with, using descriptive vocabulary like cozy, spacious, comfortable, cramped, or dingy.
• 😀 When discussing your hometown, express your opinion and reasons; use adjectives and phrases like exciting, vibrant, interesting, and 'It’s a great place to [shop/eat out/visit].'
• 😀 Practice flexibility by giving different answers each time; avoid memorizing fixed responses to build confidence.
• 😀 Speak clearly at a natural pace; practicing slowly at home helps improve pronunciation, phrasing, pausing, and overall control.
• 😀 Use available resources like the IELTS by IDP app and the IELTS Prepare by IDP vodcast to gain practical tips, strategies, and guidance for all parts of the IELTS exam.

Q & A

What is the main purpose of the video by Keith?

The video aims to help students start speaking confidently in Part 1 of the IELTS Speaking Test, focusing on introducing themselves and talking about work, study, home, and hometown.

What common problem do students face at the start of the IELTS Speaking Test?

Many students get nervous, experience a mental block, and may struggle to find words, often described as 'the cat got your tongue.'

How should students greet the examiner when entering the test room?

Students should smile and greet the examiner politely with 'Hi,' 'Hello,' or 'Nice to meet you,' and then sit down and say 'Thank you.'

What are the recommended ways to answer questions about work?

Students should directly state their job, workplace, and duration, e.g., 'I’m a nurse. I work in one of the main hospitals in my hometown. I’ve been doing this job for five years or so.'

How should students answer questions about their studies?

They should state their subject and institution, mention their year, and talk about graduation plans, e.g., 'I study French at Oxford University. I’m in my first year. I hope to graduate next year.'

What advice does Keith give for talking about home?

Students should mention the type of residence, location, size, comfort, and who they live with, e.g., 'I live in a house in the countryside. It’s quite a big place. I live there with my wife and daughter.'

How can students describe their hometown effectively?

They should express their opinion, provide reasons, and use descriptive phrases, e.g., 'Yes, I love it. It’s full of amazing architecture and interesting sites for tourists. It’s a great place to visit, especially in spring.'

Why is it important not to memorize answers for Part 1 of the IELTS Speaking Test?

Memorizing answers reduces flexibility and can make responses sound unnatural. Practicing different combinations builds confidence and demonstrates language control.

What tips does Keith give to improve speaking fluency and confidence?

He recommends keeping answers short (1–3 sentences), developing answers slightly, smiling, speaking clearly at a natural pace, practicing slowly for accuracy, and using varied sentence chunks.

What additional resource does Keith recommend for IELTS preparation?

He recommends the 'IELTS Prepare by IDP' vodcast, available through the IELTS by IDP app, YouTube, or Spotify, which provides practical guidance for all test sections, including Speaking, Reading, Writing, and Listening.

How can students practice pronunciation and phrasing effectively at home?

Students should practice speaking loudly, sometimes slowly to focus on accuracy, pronunciation, phrasing, and pausing, then gradually increase their pace for natural fluency.

What is the importance of pausing strategically during answers?

Pausing helps improve fluency by allowing time for accurate pronunciation, phrasing, and sentence control, making the response sound more natural and confident.