IELTS Speaking - Better Connectors, Better Fluency

Summary

In this video, Keith from IELTS Speaking Success offers practical strategies to boost fluency and coherence in IELTS Speaking. He explains how to use natural fillers, connectors, and discourse markers to give opinions, add information, emphasize points, provide examples, clarify ideas, contrast concepts, and conclude responses effectively. With tips on intonation, colloquial expressions, and avoiding common mistakes, learners can enhance their answers and achieve higher scores. The video also highlights free live lessons on Facebook and an in-depth online course on Udemy, providing resources for continued practice and mastery of IELTS Speaking.

Takeaways

• 😀 Fluency makes up 25% of your IELTS Speaking score and includes hesitation, repetition, and the use of connectors and fillers.
• 😀 Use a wide range of natural English connectors and discourse markers to achieve Band 7+ fluency.
• 😀 When giving opinions, vary your language with phrases like 'I reckon', 'absolutely', 'for sure', and 'to be honest'.
• 😀 Begin your answers smoothly using starters such as 'Well…', 'First of all…', 'To kick off…', or 'For starters…'.
• 😀 Add information effectively with phrases like 'Another thing is…', 'On top of that…', 'As far as I know…', and 'To my knowledge…'.
• 😀 Emphasize your points using advanced expressions such as 'I’d go as far as to say…', 'Hands down', 'Actually…', and 'Here’s the thing…'.
• 😀 Provide examples naturally with phrases like 'For instance…', 'Take [X] as an example', or 'You can see this with…'.
• 😀 Clarify answers in Part 3 by breaking down questions and using phrases like 'If we’re talking about [group]…' or 'I suppose they…'.
• 😀 Contrast ideas using connectors beyond 'but', such as 'However…', 'That said…', 'Mind you…', and 'At the same time…'.
• 😀 Conclude your answers smoothly with expressions like 'In a nutshell…', 'Overall…', 'All in all…', and 'At the end of the day…'.
• 😀 Practice intonation with all connectors and fillers to sound more natural and fluent during the IELTS Speaking test.
• 😀 Avoid overused or incorrect phrases such as 'I think yes' to maintain coherence and accuracy in responses.

Q & A

Why is fluency important in IELTS speaking?

Fluency makes up 25% of your IELTS speaking score. It reflects how smoothly and coherently you can speak, including your use of fillers, connectors, and discourse markers, without excessive hesitation or repetition.

What are fillers and connectors, and why are they used?

Fillers and connectors, also called discourse markers, are words or phrases that help connect ideas, organize speech, and improve coherence. They signal to the examiner what you are going to say next, making your answers more structured and fluent.

What are some common mistakes learners make when giving opinions?

A common mistake is directly saying 'I think yes' without proper phrasing. Instead, you should say 'I think so, yes it is important' to sound more natural and coherent.

Can you give examples of phrases to express opinions naturally?

Yes. Examples include 'to be honest,' 'honestly,' 'without a doubt,' 'absolutely,' 'I reckon,' 'in my eyes,' 'in my view,' 'I guess so,' and 'I suppose so.' Using these adds variety and naturalness to your speech.

What are some ways to start an answer in IELTS speaking?

You can start answers with phrases like 'well,' 'first of all,' 'to kick off,' or 'for starters.' These act as natural introductory fillers and signal the beginning of your response.

How can you add extra information when answering a question?

Use connectors such as 'another thing is,' 'on top of that,' 'as far as I know,' and 'to my knowledge.' These help expand your ideas smoothly and make your answer richer.

What phrases can be used to emphasize a point?

Emphasizing can be done using phrases like 'I'd go as far as to say,' 'hands down,' 'actually,' 'as a matter of fact,' 'in fact,' and 'here's the thing.' Proper intonation is also important when emphasizing.

How can you give examples effectively in your answer?

You can use phrases like 'for example,' 'for instance,' or 'take X as an example.' For instance: 'To my knowledge, Qantas Airlines has never had a fatal accident.' This makes your answers more specific and credible.

What strategies help clarify your ideas in Part 3 questions?

Breaking the question down by groups of people or situations helps clarify your ideas. For example, for 'Why do people choose to live in cities?', you can answer by discussing young people, parents, and workers separately using phrases like 'If we're talking about young people...' or 'I suppose parents want...'

What are some alternatives to the word 'but' when contrasting ideas?

Instead of repeatedly saying 'but,' you can use 'however,' 'that said,' 'mind you,' and 'at the same time.' These add variety and sound more natural, while also maintaining the flow of speech.

How can you conclude an answer effectively?

You can conclude with phrases like 'in a nutshell,' 'overall,' 'all in all,' or 'at the end of the day.' These help summarize your ideas clearly and give a strong finishing touch to your response.

How can learners practice improving their fluency for IELTS speaking?

Learners can practice by using a variety of fillers, connectors, and discourse markers in their answers, mimicking natural intonation, giving opinions, examples, emphasizing points, and concluding clearly. Watching videos like this one and attending live lessons can also help.