IELTS Speaking Marking Criteria

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Fluency and Coherence

When you are fluently able to speak you can talk at a normal pace, pause occasionally for emphasis and self-correct.

Therefore, to improve fluency, you should avoid speaking too fast or too slow, or repeating words and phrases. You can start by practicing the following questions. In your answers, there should be some complete simple sentences, and no repetition of the words used in the questions.

What did you do last night? / or at the weekend?
Did you see the latest episode of …. (insert TV show name)? What did you think of it?
When was the last time you went to the cinema?
Are you going on holiday this year? Where are you going?
Have you read any good books recently?
Did you see/read about… (insert news story)? What did you think about that?

When you are answering questions, you should organise the information logically, starting at the beginning, describing /explaining and concluding.

Using Cohesive Devices

Your ideas should be in logical order but also connected by cohesive devices. For example, if you were telling a story about your educational background it could look like this:

I started school at 5 years old. I went to secondary school when I was 12. I left that school at 18. I went to university for three years. I graduated with honours. I had training. I work in my chosen field.

Introducing cohesive devices will make it sound more natural and explain the order of events in a logical sounding way:

Firstly, I started school at 5 years old, then I went to secondary school when I was 12. However, I left that school at 18. After that, I went to university for three years, where I graduated with honours. In addition to that, I had further training. Now, I finally work in my chosen field.

Here are some cohesive devices which are useful in IELTS Writing and Speaking:

Sequencing	first, firstly, first of all, second, secondly, third, next, meanwhile, now, subsequently
Adding	and, as well as, moreover, furthermore, in addition, too, on top of that, another point is
Illustrating	for example, for instance, such as, in the case of, as shown by, illustrated by, take
Comparing	similarly, likewise, as with, like, equally, in the same way
Qualifying	but, however, although, unless, except, apart from, as long as, if
Contrasting	whereas, alternatively, unlike, on the one hand, on the other hand, conversely, nevertheless, however
Sequencing ideas	Firstly, secondly, lastly … Some people think, while others … On the one hand, on the other hand … First of all, second of all … To begin with, another, one more …

Practice answering these questions below using cohesive devices and sequencing:

What do you think are the main reasons that students in recent years like to take a gap year?
What are the advantages and disadvantages of young people using social media?
Do you agree or disagree with the idea that technology is developing faster than the public think?
Is it a good idea to try out new restaurants recommended by friends?
What did you do last weekend?

Can you use any of the following words or phrases in your answers?

Firstly / secondly……
Then
After that
Overall
However
In addition
Therefore
For example
For instance
On the one hand
On the other hand
Finally
Now

Grammatical Range and Accuracy

You will be able to achieve a higher score if you can demonstrate your ability to use a variety of sentence structures, a variety of tenses and advanced verb forms including conditionals, modal verbs and the passive voice.

Complex sentences have more than one clause, they contain an independent clause (main clause) and at least one dependent clause. Therefore, a complex sentence is made up of the main clause with one or more dependent clauses joined to it with an appropriate conjunction or pronoun.

The complex sentence is conventionally regarded as one of the four basic sentence structures in English. The other structures are the simple sentence, the compound sentence, and the compound-complex sentence.

Complex Sentences examples:

Although Lana had a busy day at work, she decided to go to the beach with her friends.
The woman who lives at the end of my street is good friends with my grandmother.
I wish that I could go on holiday this month with my friends to relax and have fun.

Complex sentences have more than one clause:

Although Lana had a busy day at work, she decided to go to the beach with her friends.
The woman who lives at the end of my street is good friends with my grandmother.
I wish that I could go on holiday this month because I want to relax and have fun.

Sentences with multiple clauses use connecting words such as, that, which, who, where, when, how, although, because, before, after, etc.

Let’s practice these questions using complex sentences:

Where do you live?
What is your favourite movie?
Where do you like to go on holiday?
What was the last book you read?

Lexical Resource

You will be able to achieve a higher score if you can demonstrate your ability to paraphrase and use synonyms. Knowing how to say something in a different way. Using varied vocabulary and common word combinations is important in order to get a band score 7 or above.

To get better at Lexical resources in IELTS you need to focus on following elements of English Grammar:

Synonym
Antonym
Paraphrasing
Collocations

Synonym, in general, is a word or phrase that offers the same or similar meaning to the word or phrase provided. Use of synonyms is a good way to show your vocabulary knowledge, as long as they are appropriate choices. One way to do this when you are practicing is by looking up for synonyms of common words in a thesaurus. This can help you to find synonyms but also to learn to select the right synonym to fit into your sentence.

Antonyms, in general, is a word or phrase that offers the opposite or different meaning to the word or phrase provided. You can use antonyms, to show your vocabulary/lexical ability as long as they are appropriate choices.

Paraphrasing is an activity of presenting the sentence or phrase using alternate words (usually synonym and antonym) to attend better clarity. It is a skill that is needed in all parts of the test. When the examiner asks you a question, you should not repeat the question back to them as part of your answer. Instead, you should paraphrase it and this means restructuring.

For example, if the examiner asks you:

What are the advantages and disadvantages of young people using social media?

Your answer could include the words benefits and drawbacks, instead of repeating the words, advantages and disadvantages.

A collocation is made up of two or more words that are commonly used together in English. Think of collocations as words that usually go together. The more you use collocations, the more you will sound like a native speaker. There are different kinds of collocations in English. Strong collocations are word pairings that are expected to work together.

For example:

make the bed: I need to make the bed every morning.
do the homework: My niece does her homework after dinner.
take a risk: Some people don’t take enough risks in life.
give someone advice: The teacher gave us some advice on taking tests.

Common verb collocations are often followed by particular nouns or adjectives.

For example:

make a phone call: I have to go and make a phone call.
get wet: It rained today and I got wet.
keep a record: I keep a record of all of my bank statements.
break down: I was on the way to work this morning and my car broke down.

Collocations are often used as short expressions to describe how someone feels about a situation. In this case, collocations can be used in the adjective form, or also as emphatic expressions using an intensifier and a verb.

For example:

positively encourage someone to do something: I’d like to positively encourage you to apply for the position.
deeply regret the loss of someone/something: I deeply regret saying no to that job offer.
to be in an utter fury over something: I am in an utter fury over missing out on getting those gig tickets.
to go to great lengths to do something: She went to great lengths to be able to move to another country.

Useful words and phrases for different topics

Holiday

all-in package/package holiday: a holiday where you purchase the travel and accommodation together
breath-taking view: an extremely beautiful view
charter-flight: a cheaper form of flying than a scheduled flight

check-in desk: the place at the airport where you register for your flight and deposit your luggage
departure lounge: where you wait for your flight to be called
far-off destination: somewhere a long way away
to get away from it all: to take a holiday to escape a busy or stressful lifestyle
guided tour: an organised group shown around a place of interest by an expert

holiday brochure: a glossy publication with details of holiday packages
holiday destination: where you go for a holiday
holiday of a lifetime: a special holiday that you are unlikely to repeat
holiday resort: a place where lots of people go for a holiday
hordes of tourists: crowds of tourists

local crafts: objects produced locally
long weekend: an extended weekend holiday including Friday or Monday
out of season: outside of the main holiday period
picturesque village: very pretty village
passport control: the place where your passport is checked

places of interest: sites of interest to tourists
wildlife safari: a holiday, often in Africa, to observe wild animals
self-catering: a holiday where you supply your own food
short break: a short holiday
to go sightseeing:  to look around the tourist sites

stunning landscape: extremely beautiful countryside
travel agent: a shop that specialises in booking holidays
tourist trap: somewhere where too many tourists go
youth hostel: a cheap form of accommodation

Relationships

to break up: to end a romantic relationship
to drift apart: to become less close to someone
to enjoy someone’s company: to like spending time with someone
to fall for: to fall in love
to fall head over heels in love: to start to love someone a lot

to fall out with: to have a disagreement and stop being friends
to get on like a house on fire: to like someone’s company very much indeed
to get on well with: to understand someone and enjoy similar interests
to get to know: to begin to know someone
to go back years: to have known someone for a long time

to have a lot in common: to share similar interests
to have ups and downs: to have good and bad times
a healthy relationship: a good, positive relationship
to hit it off: to quickly become good friends with
to be in a relationship: to be romantically involved with someone

to be just good friends: to not be romantically involved
to keep in touch with: to keep in contact with
to lose touch with: to not see or hear from someone any longer
love at first sight: to fall in love immediately you meet someone
to pop the question: to ask someone to marry you

to see eye to eye: to agree on a subject
to settle down: to give up the single life and start a family
to strike up a relationship:  to begin a friendship
to tie the knot: to get married
to be well matched: to be similar to

to work at a relationship: to try to maintain a positive relationship with someone

Technology

to access websites/email: to locate
to back up files: to make a copy of files in case of a computer problem
to boot up: to start a computer

to bookmark a webpage: to mark a webpage for future reference
to browse websites: to look at websites
a computer buff: an expert computer user
to crash: to suddenly stop working
to cut and paste: to move text or images from one place in a document to another place

a desktop PC: a computer that isn’t portable and remains in situ on a desk
digital editing: to edit digital materials like audio or video files
download (podcasts): to save a copy of a file from the internet to your own device
to enter a web address: to type the address of a website into the address bar of your browser
a gadget: a technological tool like a mobile phone or camera

to go online: to start using the Internet
high-spec (laptop): powerful computer with top quality components
Internet security: Internet safety
intranet: a network of connected computers within an organisation that is not accessible by unauthorised visitors
to navigate a website: to find your way around a website

operating system: the software that tells the computer how to work
send an attachment: send an email with an accompanying file
social media: media used to interact with other people such as Facebook or Twitter
to surf the web: to look at a series of websites one after the other
a techie: somebody who has an interest in technology

to upgrade: to obtain a more powerful or feature-rich computer or piece of software
video conferencing: to see and hear people from different locations using the Internet
wireless hotspot: a public place where you can access the Internet
wireless network: a network where users can access the Internet without the use of fixed cables
word processing; producing written texts on a computer

Sports

an athletics meeting: an event where various athletics sports are held
an athletics track: a running track
an away game: a football match played in the opposing teams stadium
a brisk walk: a fast walk

to do judo: (not go or play)
a football fan: someone who likes football
a fitness programme: a schedule of activities to keep fit
a football match: a game of football
a football pitch: the surface on which you play football (as opposed to a stadium, which is the building)

a football season: a period in the year when football is played
to get into shape: to become fit
to go jogging: to run around the streets
a home game:  a football match played in the team’s own stadium
to keep fit: to stay in good physically condition

to be out of condition: to not be physically fit
a personal best: to achieve the best personal result so far in a sport
a personal trainer: a sports coach that helps you on a one-to-one basis
to play tennis/football: (not do or go)
to run the marathon: to run a distance of 42.195 Kilometres

a season ticket: a ticket that gives you entry to most of a team’s home games during the sporting year.
to set a record: to achieve the best result in a sport
a sports centre: a public building where people can do various sports
sports facilities: the equipment and services needed to do a sport
a squash/tennis/badminton court: the surface where you play these sports

strenuous exercise: exercise that needs a lot of physical effort
a strong swimmer: a good swimmer
a swimming pool: the place where you swim
to take up exercise: to start doing exercise
to train hard: to train with a lot of effort

Food

to be full up: to eat to the point that you can no longer eat any more
to be starving hungry: an exaggerated way of saying you are very hungry
to bolt something down: to eat something very quickly
to be dying of hunger: an exaggerated way of saying you are hungry

to eat a balanced diet: to eat the correct types and amounts of food
to eat like a horse: to eat a lot
to follow a recipe: to cook a meal using instructions
to foot the bill: to pay the bill
a fussy eater: somebody who has their own very high standards about what to eat

to grab a bite to eat: to eat something quickly (when you’re in a rush)
to have a sweet tooth: to enjoy sugary food
home-cooked food: food cooked at home from individual ingredients
the main meal:  the most important meal of the day, usually eaten in the evening
to make your mouth water: to make you feel very hungry for something

to play with your food: to push food around the plate to avoid eating it
processed food: commercially prepared food bought for convenience
a quick snack: to eat a small amount of food between meals
a ready meal: see ‘processed food’
a slap-up meal: a large meal

to spoil your appetite: to eat something that will stop you feeling hungry when it’s meal-time.
a take away: a cooked meal prepared in a restaurant and eaten at home
to tuck into: to eat something with pleasure
to wine and dine: to entertain someone by treating them to food and drink
to work up an appetite: to do physical work that leads to you becoming hungry

Education

to attend classes: to go to classes
bachelor’s degree: an undergraduate course which usually lasts 3-4 years
boarding school: a school where pupils live during term time
distance learning: a way of studying where tuition is carried out over the Internet or by post

face-to-face classes: as opposed to distance learning the traditional way of studying in a classroom with colleagues and a teacher
to fall behind with your studies: to progress less quickly than others
to give feedback: to offer guidance on a student’s work
a graduation ceremony: an event where a successful student receives his or her academic degree
higher education: education, usually in a college or university, that is followed after high school or secondary school

an intensive course: a course that offers lots of training in order to reach a goal in as short a time as possible
to keep up with your studies: to not fall behind
to learn something by heart: to memorize it
a mature student: a student who is older than average and who has usually returned to education after a period at work
master’s degree: a period of study which often follows the completion of a bachelor’s degree or is undertaken by someone regarded as capable of a higher-level academic course

to meet a deadline: to finish a job or task in the time allowed or agreed
to play truant: to stay away from classes without permission
private language school: an independent school run as a business concern
public schools: exclusive independent schools in the UK
a single-sex school: a school where only boys or girls attend (as opposed to a mixed-sex school)

to sit an exam: to take an exam
state school: a school paid for by public funds and available to the general public
subject specialist: a teacher who has a great deal of knowledge about the subject they teach.
to take a year out: to spend a year working or travelling before starting university
tuition fees: the money paid for a course of study

to work your way through university: to have a paid job whilst studying to support yourself financially

Work

to be called for an interview: to be invited to attend an interview
to be your own boss: to have your own business
a dead-end job: a job with no promotional opportunities

to do a job-share: to share the weekly hours of work with another person
a good team player: somebody who can work well with other people
full-time: the number of hours that people usually work in a complete week
a heavy workload: to have a lot of work to do
a high-powered job: an important or powerful job

holiday entitlement: the number of days holiday allowed
job satisfaction: the feeling of enjoying a job
manual work: work that requires physical activity
maternity leave: time off work given to a woman about to have a baby
to meet a deadline: to finish a job by an agreed time

a nine-to-five job: a normal job that consists of an 8-hour day (approximately)
one of the perks of the job: an extra benefit you get from a job
part-time: working less than full-time
to run your own business: see ‘to be your own boss’
to be self-employed: see ‘to be your own boss’

sick leave: time allowed off work when sick
to be stuck behind a desk: to be unhappy in an office job
to be/get stuck in a rut: to be in a boring job that is hard to leave
to take early retirement: to retire early (retire: to reach an age when you are allowed to stop working for a living)
temporary work: work done for a limited time only

voluntary work: to work without pay
to be well paid: to earn a good salary
working conditions: the hours, salary and other entitlements that comes with the job
to work with your hands: to do manual work

Health

aches and pains: minor pains that continue over a period of time
to be a bit off colour: to feel a little ill
to be at death’s door: (informal) to be very ill indeed
to be on the mend: to be recovering after an illness
to be over the worst: to have got through the most serious or uncomfortable stage of an illness

to be under the weather: (informal) to not feel well
a blocked nose: when the nose has excess fluid due to a cold
to catch a cold: to get a cold
a check-up: a physical examination by a doctor
a chesty cough: a cough caused by congestion around the lungs

cuts and bruises: minor injuries
to feel poorly: to feel ill
as fit as a fiddle: to be very healthy
to go down with a cold: to become ill
to go private: to choose to be treated by commercial healthcare rather than by services offered by the state

GP: General Practitioner (family doctor)
to have a filling: to have a tooth repaired
to have a tooth out: to have a tooth removed
a heavy cold: a bad cold
to make an appointment: to arrange a time to see the doctor

to make a speedy recovery: to recover quickly from an illness
to phone in sick: to call work to explain you won’t be attending work due to illness
prescription charges: money the patient pays for medicine authorised by a doctor
to pull a muscle: to strain a muscle
a runny nose: a nose that has liquid coming out of it

a sore throat: inflammation that causes pain when swallowing

Books and Films

an action movie: a film with fast moving scenes, often containing violence
to be engrossed in: to be completely focused on one thing
bedtime reading: something to read in bed before you go to sleep

to be a big reader: someone who reads a lot
to be based on: to use as a modal
a box office hit: a financially successful film
to be heavy-going: difficult to read
a blockbuster: a film that is a big commercial success

to catch the latest movie: to see a film that has just come out
the central character: the main person in a film or book
a classic: of the highest quality
to come highly recommended: to be praised by another person
couldn’t put it down: wasn’t able to stop reading a book

an e-book: a digital book
an e-reader: a device for reading e-books
to flick through: to look quickly through a book
to get a good/bad review: to receive positive or negative feedback
to go on general release: when a film can be seen by the general public

hardback: a book with a rigid cover (see ‘paperback’ below)
a historical novel: a story set in the past
a low budget film: a film made with a small amount of money
on the big screen: at the cinema
a page turner: a book that you want to keep reading

paperback: a book with a flexible cover (see ‘hardback’ above)
plot: the main events in a film or book
to read something from cover to cover: to read a book from the first page to the last
sci-fi: science fiction
to see a film: to see a film at the cinema (see ‘watch a film’ below)

the setting: where the action takes place
showings: performances of a film
soundtrack: the music that accompanies a film
special effects: the visuals or sounds that are added to a film which are difficult to produce naturally
to take out (a book from the library): to borrow a book from the library

to tell the story of: to outline the details of someone’s life or an event
to watch a film: to watch a film on TV (see ‘to see a film’ above)

Accommodation

(all the) mod cons: technology at home that makes jobs easier such as a washing machine, dishwasher etc.
apartment block: a large building made up of smaller units of apartments

back garden: a garden at the rear of the house
detached house: a house that is not physically connected to another property
to do up a property: to repair an old building
dream home: a home you regard as perfect
first-time buyer: someone buying a property for the first time, especially when taking out a loan (mortgage)

fully-furnished: a rented property with all furniture included
to get on the property ladder: to buy a property with the aim of buying another bigger or more expensive one later in life
hall of residence: a college or university building where students live
home comforts: things that make a home feel comfortable to live in
house-hunting: looking for a property to live in

house-warming party: a party to celebrate moving into a new home
ideal home: a perfect home
to live on campus: to live on the university or college grounds
mobile home: a home that can be moved by a vehicle or one that has its own engine
to move into: to begin to live in a property

to own your own home: to have bought the property you live in
to pay rent in advance: weekly or monthly rent paid at the beginning of the week or month
permanent address: a fixed address
property market: the buying and selling of land or buildings
to put down a deposit: to pay an amount of money as the first in a series of future payments

rented accommodation: property owned by someone else and for which a person pays a fixed amount to live in
single room: a room for one person
spacious room: a large room
student digs: student accommodation
the suburbs: a residential area on the edge of towns or cities

to take out a mortgage: to borrow a large amount of money, paid back over several years, in order to buy a house
terraced house: a house connected on both sides by other properties

Clothes and Fashion

to be on trend: to be very fashionable
casual clothes: not formal
classic style: a simple, traditional style that is always fashionable
designer label: a well-known company that makes (often expensive) clothing
dressed to kill: wearing clothes that attract admirers
to dress for the occasion: to wear clothes suitable for a particular event
fashionable: in fashion
fashion house: a company that sells (usually expensive) new styles in clothes
fashion icon: a person who is famous for their sense of fashion
fashion show: an event where modals show off the latest in fashion designs
to get dressed up: to put on nice clothes, often to go out somewhere special
to go out of fashion: to not be in fashion any more
hand-me-downs: clothes that are passed down from older brothers or sisters to their younger siblings
to have an eye for (fashion): to be a good judge of
to have a sense of style: the ability to wear clothes that look stylish
the height of fashion: very fashionable
to keep up with the latest fashion: to wear the latest fashions
to look good in: to wear something that suits you
to mix and match: to wear different styles or items of clothing that aren’t part of a set outfit
must-have: something that is highly fashionable and therefore in demand
off the peg: clothing that is ready made
old fashioned: not in fashion any more
on the catwalk: the stage that modals walk along to show off the latest fashions
a slave to fashion: someone who always feel the need to wear the latest fashions
smart clothes: the kind of clothes worn for a formal event
to suit someone: to look good on someone
to take pride in one’s appearance: to pay attention to how one looks
timeless: something that doesn’t go out of fashion
vintage clothes: clothes from an earlier period
well-dressed: to be dressed attractively

Personality and Character

to be the life and soul of the party: a fun person, someone who is the centre of activity
to bend over backwards: to try very hard to help someone
broad-minded: prepared to accept other views or behaviours
easy-going: relaxed and not easily worried about anything
extrovert: an energetic person who likes the company of others
fair-minded: to treat people equally
fun-loving: to enjoy having fun
to hide one’s light under a bushel: to hide one’s talents and skills
good company: enjoyable to socialise with
good sense of humour: the ability to understand what is funny
introvert: someone who is shy
laid-back: see ‘easy-going’
to lose one’s temper: to suddenly become angry
narrow minded: opposite of ‘broad-minded’ (see above)
painfully shy: very shy
to put others first: to think of others before yourself
quick-tempered: to become angry quickly
reserved: shy
self-assured: confident
self-centred: thinks only of oneself
self-confident: believes in one’s own ability or knowledge
self-effacing: to not try to get the attention of others (especially in terms of hiding one’s skills or abilities)
to take after: to be like (often another member of the family)
thick-skinned: not easily affected by criticism
trustworthy: can be trusted
two-faced: not honest or sincere. Will say one thing to someone to their face and another when they are not present.

Physical Appearance

to bear a striking resemblance: to look very similar to
cropped hair: very short hair
dishevelled hair: untidy hair
to dress up to the nines: to dress very smartly or glamorously
fair hair: light-coloured hair
to be fair-skinned: light skinned
to get done up: to dress smartly
to be getting on a bit: to be getting old
to go grey: to have hair that is turning grey
to be good looking: to be attractive
to grow old gracefully: to act in a way that embraces the fact you are getting older
to be hard of hearing: to find it difficult to hear
in his/her 30s/40s: to be 20/30 something
scruffy: dressed untidily
to look young for your age: to look younger than you are
to lose one’s figure: to have a figure that has lost its toned shape
complexion: natural skin colour and texture
make up: cosmetics
medium height: average height
middle-aged: approximately between 45-65
to never have a hair out of place: perfectly styled hair
to be overweight: to weigh more than is regarded as healthy
pointed face: the opposite of a round face
shoulder-length hair: hair that comes down to the shoulders and no further
slender figure: a figure that is tall and slim
slim figure: attractively thin
thick hair: a lot of hair
to wear glasses: to use spectacles
to be well-built: to be muscular
to be well-turned out: to look smart
youthful appearance: to look young

Business

Towns and Cities

boarded up shops: shops that are no longer doing business
chain stores: well-known brands with shops in multiple cities
to close down: to stop doing business
fashionable boutiques: fashionable clothes shops
to get around: to travel around
high-rise flats: multi-story apartments
inner-city: the central part of a city where people live and where conditions are often poor
in the suburbs: the outer area of large towns and cities where people live
lively bars/restaurants: bars or restaurants with a good atmosphere
local facilities: local buildings or services serving the public
multi-story car parks: car parks on several floors
office block: a large building that contains offices
out of town shopping centre/retail park: large shopping centres outside of the town or city
pavement cafe: cafes with tables outside on the pavement
places of interest: buildings that have a particular interest for visitors
poor housing: housing that is not in good condition
public spaces: areas in a town or city that are open to the public
public transport system: public vehicles such as buses and trains that operate at regular times on fixed routes
residential area: an area where people live
run down: old and of a poor standard
shopping centre: an area consisting of multiple shops
shopping malls: large indoor shopping centres
sprawling city: a city that has grown over time and which covers a wide area
tourist attraction: a place of interest to tourists
traffic congestion: heavy traffic making it difficult to move around a town or city
upmarket shops: expensive fashionable shops

Music

adoring fans: people who love a particular band or singer
background music: music that is played while something else is happening
a catchy tune: a song that is easy to remember and makes you want to sing it
classical music: music that is regarded as part of a long, formal tradition
to download tracks: to obtain music from the Internet
to have a great voice: to sing well
to go on tour: to go on a planned series of performances around a region or country
a huge following: a large number of fans
live music: music that is listened to while it is performed (not recorded)
live performance: (see live music)
a massive hit: a record that sells lots of copies
a music festival: music performances at a venue often over several days
musical talent: skilled at music
to be/sing out of tune: to not be in harmony/to sing the wrong notes
a piece of music: an item of music
to play by ear: to play without reading the musical notes
a pop group: a small group of people who play or sing pop music together
to read music: to understand and follow written musical notes
a rock band: a group of musicians that play rock music
to sing along to: to join in singing
a sing-song: to sing informally, often with other people
a slow number: a song with a slow tempo
to take up a musical instrument: to begin learning a musical instrument
taste in music: the music someone likes

to be tone deaf: to be unable to distinguish the different notes in music

Weather

to be below freezing: below zero degrees Celsius
bitterly cold: very cold and unpleasant
a blanket of snow: a complete covering of snow
boiling hot: very hot (informal)
changeable: weather that often changes
a change in the weather: when weather conditions change
clear blue skies: a sky without clouds
to clear up: when clouds or rain disappear
to come out (the sun): when the sun appears out of a cloudy sky
a cold spell: a short period of cold weather
to dress up warm: to wear warm clothes to protect yourself against wintry conditions
a drop of rain: a little bit of rain
a flash flood: a sudden and severe flood
freezing cold: very cold (informal)
to get caught in the rain: to be outside when it rains unexpectedly
to get drenched: to get very wet
heatstroke: a serious condition caused by being too long in hot weather
a heatwave: a period of very hot weather
heavy rain: intense rainfall
long-range forecast: the weather forecast for several days or weeks ahead
mild climate: a climate without extreme weather conditions
mild winter: a winter that isn’t particularly cold
not a cloud in the sky: see ‘clear blue skies’ above
to pour down: to rain heavily
to be rained off: to be cancelled or postponed due to poor weather
sunny spells: short periods of sunny weather
thick fog: a dense fog that makes visibility very poor
torrential rain: see ‘heavy rain’ above
tropical storm: a storm typical of ones that you find in tropical climates
weather forecast: a TV/radio programme or section in a newspaper/magazine which predicts weather conditions

Shopping

advertising campaign: a series of advertisements to persuade people to buy something
big brand names: large well-known companies or product names
to be careful with money: to not over-spend
carrier bag: bags (usually plastic) supplied by shops
customer service: the degree to which customers are treated well
to get into debt: to owe money
to give someone the hard sell: to put pressure on someone to buy something
high street names: well-known shops
independent stores: small shops independent of large companies
local shops: community shops
loyalty card: a card issued by a shop to allow customers to save money on the basis of what they spend
must-have product: a product that is very popular that a lot of people want to have
to be on a tight budget: to have a limited amount of money to spend
to be on commission: to pay someone in relation to the amount they sell
a pay in cash: to pay for something using coins or paper money
to pay the full price: to pay the full amount for something
to pick up a bargain: to buy something much cheaper than the normal price
to run up a credit card bill: to owe money on a credit card
to shop around: to try different shops to find the best deal
shop assistant: the person who serves customers
to shop until you drop: to do a lot of shopping
to slash prices: to reduce prices a great deal
to snap up a bargain: to buy something quickly that is being sold cheaply
summer sales: a period in the year when things are sold cheaply
to try something on: to see if an item of clothing fits or is suitable
to be value for money: to be worth the cost
window shopping: to visit a store to look at items without the intention of buying anything

Environment

Advertising

Pronunciation

You will be able to achieve a higher score if you can demonstrate your ability to form individual sounds correctly; syllable stress, sentence stress, intonation (pitch), pausing and chunking, elision (dropping individual sounds), assimilation (changing individual sounds when you speak quickly) and linking (moving sounds from the end of one word to the beginning of the next).

Pronunciation is the act or manner of speaking a word. Many words in English are not pronounced the way they are spelt, and some sounds can be represented by more than one combination of letters.

Have you ever noticed that native speakers emphasise the most important words in a sentence by pronouncing them slowly and loudly? When you are speaking English the words you stress can change the underlying meaning of a sentence.

For example: I don’t think that is a good idea.

This simple sentence can have many levels of meaning based on the word you stress. Consider the meaning of the following sentences with the stressed word in bold. Read each sentence aloud and give a strong stress to the word in bold:

I don’t think that is a good idea.

Meaning – other people might think it is a good idea.

I don’t think that is a good idea.

Meaning – it’s not true that I think it is a good idea.

I don’t think that is a good

Meaning – I’m not sure if it is a good idea.

Use punctuation to help your pronunciation by adding a pause after each period, comma, semicolon or colon. By using punctuation to guide you when you pause, you will begin to speak in a more natural manner.

For example: I’m going to visit my friends in London. They have a beautiful house in Chelsea, so I’m staying with them for one week.

In this example, pause after ‘London’ and ‘Chelsea’. This will help anyone who’s listening to you follow you more easily. On the other hand, if you rush through the sentences, where the periods and commas (and other punctuation marks) would be, your pronunciation will sound unnatural and it will be difficult for listeners to follow your thoughts.

Intonation is the act of raising and the lowering of the voice when speaking. In other words, intonation refers to the voice rising and falling. We use the pitch of our voice to change the meaning of what we are saying.

Raising Your Voice at the End of a Question

If the question is a yes / no question, the voice rises at the end of a question.

Do you like living in Greece?
Have you lived here for a long time?
Did you visit any of the Ionian Islands last month?

Falling Voice at the End of a Question

If the question is an information question – in other words, if you are asking a question with ‘where’, ‘when’, ‘what’, ‘which’, ‘why’, ‘what / which kind of …’, and questions with ‘how’ – let your voice fall at the end of a question.

Where are you going to stay on holiday this year?
When did you leave your town?
How long have you lived in the UK?

When using a question to clarify some information, let your voice rise to let the listener know that you expect more information.

Jane isn’t going to be at the restaurant, is she?
You understand your position here, don’t you?
We aren’t expected to finish the assignment by Tuesday, are we?

We also use a specific type of intonation when using commas in a list.