Tips and Phrases for IELTS

Speaking Part 2
September 11, 2021 , Part 2, Tips

In this article, you will find out how you can succeed in
IELTS Speaking Part 2 with 6 powerful tips and lots of
useful phrases

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IELTS Speaking Part 2 is a piece of cake, if you know what

you are doing!

In this article, you will find out how you can succeed in IELTS

Speaking Part 2 with 6 powerful tips and lots of useful

phrases

Table of Contents

IELTS Speaking Tip 1. Have a Clear Structure

IELTS Speaking Tip 2. Be Direct

 IELTS Speaking Tip 3. Use Different Tenses

IELTS Speaking Tip 4. Use Some Flexible

Templates

IELTS Speaking Tip 5. Use Cohesive Devices

IELTS Speaking Tip 6. Get Into the Flow

IELTS Speaking Tip 1. Have a Clear

Structure
It’s important to have a clear structure in Part 2 of your IELTS

test, so the examiner can follow your answers.

Here, you will be given a task card, a piece of paper, and a

pencil. 

The examiner will give you 1 minute to prepare. 

In that one minute of preparation, you should:

 Get an idea quickly 

Structure your talk – think about what you are going to

say and make some notes.

Remember, when speaking, you should keep hold of the task

card and refer to your notes as you speak.

These are effective ways to stay focused and use your one-

minute preparation time well.

IELTS Speaking Tip 2. Be Direct

Get to the point!

You only have 1 to 2 minutes to talk so remember, avoid any

preamble that will just confuse the examiner. 

Make sure you say clearly what you are going to talk about in

the first sentence. For example,

The person I am going to describe is

none other than my father 

I’m going to tell you about my favourite

place.

If you spend more time on the introduction, you may have less

time to talk about the most important topic.

IELTS Speaking Tip 3. Use Different
Tenses
Most students ask ‘Which tenses can I use?’

Actually, you can use any tenses you want in IELTS Speaking

Part 2.

It depends on what meaning you want to convey. There may

be chances to use past, present and future tenses.

What is important, is that you try and show off your use and

control of several different tenses. 

Let me show you some ideas below with a special storytelling

technique as old as the hills – but take note, only use it if you

are confident with it. 

In the first example below, we’ll use past tenses only. 

Describing an event:
 It happened about 2 months ago. [TIME]

I was waiting for a friend inside a coffee

bar. [SET SCENE] 

This woman came in and started talking

really loudly on her phone. Then
she sat next to me. It was so noisy so
I asked her to be quiet. [ACTIONS]

Now see what happens when we introduce

some present tenses.

It happened about 2 months ago. [TIME]

I was waiting for a friend inside a coffee

bar. [SET SCENE]
 Then, this woman comes in
and starts talking really loudly on her
phone. Then she sits next to me. [LIVELY
ACTIONS]

It was so noisy so I asked her to be quiet.

[CONCLUDING ACTIONS]

We can use the simple past tense to say when something

happened. 

Then, the past continuous tense to set the scene.

After that, we can introduce present tenses to make the action

vivid and make it feel like it is happening now in front of us. 

It’s a powerful technique because it triggers stronger

emotional responses.
Finally, when concluding, we often go back to the simple past

tenses.

IELTS Speaking Tip 4. Use Some

Flexible Templates
It means not memorizing whole sentences, but using

templates to help you explain your ideas and build your

confidence.

A template is basically a short phrase where we can change

some of the words to make new but similar sentences.

Here are some examples:

1. When starting a talk or story

I’d like to kick off by telling you

________

I’d like to kick off by telling you what

happened 

2. When saying when it happened

This took place ______________

This took place quite a while back

3. When describing a place

 It’s one of the _____________ places I
have visited

It’s one of the most amazing places I have

visited

IELTS Speaking Tip 5. Use

Cohesive Devices
What are Cohesive Devices? 
These are the words or phrases that act like glue and stick

your sentences and ideas together, making them logical and

easy to follow.

They are often called discourse markers, linkers or

connectors.

For example:

First of all, to kick off 

After that, next, 

Anyway, 

Finally, In the end

These make it easier for the examiner to follow you, to

understand your ideas and so give you a higher score. 

Other examples:

1. When changing topic

 Anyway, what happened next…

2. When describing or summarising your feelings

When it comes to my feelings, I’d say I felt

very happy

As far as my feelings are concerned, I’d

say I was over the moon

Use Cohesive Devices in your everyday English

conversation until you become comfortable with them.

IELTS Speaking Tip 6. Get Into the
Flow
All of the above tips are good, but another thing to consider

in IELTS Speaking Part 2 is ‘don’t think too much’.

The most important thing is to use natural English and just

start talking to get into the flow.

This is not easy for everyone and depends on your

personality, level and dedication. However, it is great if you

can do it. 

It also helps you be creative and improve your speaking

skills.

In order to be a high-level English speaker, you need to not

only repeat phrases and imitate others, but also be creative.

Make every sentence yours and unique.

Just imagine, when you move to a new country, that country

and community need more than a robot, it needs your

creativity. It requires you to express yourself creatively in

English. 

The same is true when you go to study abroad, that university

doesn’t need a robot, it needs you. It needs your creativity. It

requires you to express yourself creatively in English.

This is where you can bring great value to those around you.

Now if you are going for a band 7 or 8 in IELTS Speaking,

don’t be too straight, just imitating lots of phrases.

Open up, be creative, go with the flow, and let yourself shine!