IELTS Interview: Everything You Need to Know
The IELTS Interview is not something to be taken lightly. In this article, IELTS Singapore specialist ICON+ guides you on how to prepare for the Interview...
On the day of the IELTS interview, you can eat a full breakfast and wear your lucky football shoes - you can even pray silently to God before you walk into the exam room…
But can you guarantee conversational success when you actually sit down and meet your examiner? Probably not.
Unlike the other components of the IELTS, the interview is extemporaneous and based on an organic, discussion between you and your examiner. There are no math formulas you can study - or heavy duty passages you can memorize. All you have to rely on is a mental database of English words you already know: and a mouth to deliver them.
So how are you supposed to study?
How are you supposed to know what to say?
How can you know the unknown?
Well don’t tear your hair out quite yet - there are several things you can do to prepare for the Interview. Below, we offer you a basic sketch of the three sections involved in the Interview, and then give you an additional 1-2 points on how to approach each of them. This information will let you know exactly what to expect - and simple tactics you can employ to tackle the interview, which you guarantee you at least some success!
In Part 1 of the IELTS interview, the examiner will greet you, and ask you some general questions about yourself in an effort to produce an informal conversation with you. So, to begin with, the examiner will say something like this: “Hi John, how are you doing today? Where are you originally from? Why are you taking the IELTS test?” The examiner will then proceed to ask some more personal questions that relate back to you: “What are your favorite books? Who is you best friend?” This kind of discourse will go on for about 4-6 minutes. Naturally, you will be expected to answer these questions as clearly and comprehensively as you can.
The questions in Part 1 of the Interview are straightforward and concrete, so you will often know the answers without thinking about them extensively. That being said, you should still think about your personal information and the kinds of comments you can make about it. To prepare for this, make a list of topics that include your basic statistics (age, ethnicity, experiences with English), personal interests, and relationships before the interview. Then write out two or three sentences for each topic. Try to think of relevant details, using colorful adjectives. Then, in the interview, make a conscious effort to give proper long sentences, rather than on words answers. Remember the details you wrote previously, and say things like this: “I am from Penang, which is a state located in the northwest region of Malaysia” rather than “I’m from Penang.” At the same time, however, do not memorize a speech to give as an answer because this always sounds inorganic and unnatural. The overarching aim during the first part of the interview is to establish a comfortable space where you can speak back and forth with the examiner easily and fluidly.
In Part 2 of the Interview, the examiner will give you a note card with a set of related questions on a given theme: for example, the residential options in universities or the practice of cheating during exams. You will then have one minute of preparation time to think about what to say in response to these questions. During this time, you can jot down ideas and words on the note card in either English or you native tongue. When your preparation time is over, the examiner will let you know. Subsequently, you will have to give a monologue for 1-2 minutes, where you answer all of the questions provided on the note card. During your monologue, you cannot ask the examiner for any assistance; he/or she will remain quiet, while you speak alone and give full, substantial answers to all of the questions you are given. In its entirety, this section will last 4-5 minutes.
Students often feel very pressured during this second part of the interview. They read the note card over and over again, but only gloss over the words; they cannot think of what to say because the time is so constraining. To combat these problems, we suggest you do the following. First, read the entire note card twice. When you read it the first time, circle the main topic that is being addressed; this is usually located within the first two lines. When you read it the second time, underline the specific words in the questions that you have to think about and respond to. Then go through each question, and think of one quick point you can make to answer it. Next to each question, write one or two words to help you remember your point later on. Again, you can write the words in English or your native tongue because you will not be marked on your notes. Complete this procedure for all of the questions; this will give you a systematic way of approaching all of the material in a short amount of time. Make sure you think of a point for every question asked. Do not leave ignore a question - otherwise, you may be marked down.
In Part 3 of the IELTS interview, the examiner will ask you more questions about the monologue you delivered in Part 2. In this sense, the examiner will engage with you in a wider discussion of the smaller topics or side issues you may have brought up. For example, the examiner might ask you to come up with a suitable punishment for a student who is caught cheating on the exam; or, the examiner might ask you to think of a thorough way to prevent cheating during exams.
Part 3 of the Interview is therefore more abstract, and requires you to consider social implications of a particular topic. More often than not, the examiner will ask you to draw on your personal experiences or opinions on the topic at hand. Like the previous two sections, Part 3 will last for roughly 4-5 minutes.
Part 3 is the toughest to prepare for, because it is entirely based on your monologue - and who knows what you might say. Still, there are certain things you can keep in mind going in. Often, the interviewer will want to know your unique perspectives; given this tendency, you should use some personal memories or events that might support your points. So you can, for example, explain how one girl in your math class was required to attend after school detention for copying down the quadratic formula on the back of her hand. You can then add that you believe this kind of punishment is an acceptable way of dealing with cheaters. Given that this part of the exam requires more abstract thought – you can also articulate that you’re not sure, or there are a few options that might be make suitable punishments. In this regard, you can get more creative with your ideas. As long as you answer the question in full sentences and make coherent points - you are sure to do well. Again, try to avoid “yes” or “no” answers - and engage with the material as fully as you can.
About this article
IELTS, which stands for International Language Testing System (Wiki: IELTS), is an international standardized test of English proficiency that is jointly managed by IDP Education Pty Ltd, the University of Cambridge and the British Council. There are 2 versions of IELTS - the Academic Version and the General Training Version. ICON+ provides IELTS test preparation classes in Singapore and boasts a reputation of producing students with scores higher than the worldwide average. Read more about ICON+'s IELTS Singapore program.
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