Introduction
There’s an overwhelming amount of IELTS speaking advice online, but how much of it is actually true? In this comprehensive guide, we’ve researched the most popular IELTS speaking tips and tricks and analyzed whether they’ll increase your score or potentially harm it. We’ll show you exactly what the official IELTS organizations (IDP and British Council) say about these common recommendations, so you can approach your test with confidence and focus on what truly matters.
7 Popular IELTS Speaking Tips: Fact-Checked
- Be polite, friendly, and use good body language
- Use formal, academic language
- Use uncommon/fancy vocabulary
- Study common topics and questions
- Memorize phrases and sentences
- Use lots of idioms
- Cover all bullet points in Part 2
Myth #1: Body Language, Politeness, and Eye Contact Matter
The Popular Advice:
Many YouTube videos and blogs (some with 13+ million views) claim that being friendly, smiling, maintaining eye contact, and using appropriate hand gestures will significantly improve your IELTS Speaking score.
The Official Truth:
According to IDP: “Examiners are trained and monitored closely to be fair to every candidate… they will not give you more or fewer marks if you are smiling and laughing.”
British Council clearly states: “Students are not assessed on appearance or body language.”
Why This Myth Is Harmful
When teachers and students focus on these non-assessed factors, they divert attention from what truly matters. If your teacher is giving feedback on your hand gestures or eye contact, they’re not focusing on your fluency, coherence, grammar, vocabulary, and pronunciation – the actual assessment criteria.
What To Do Instead:
Focus exclusively on what’s in the official marking criteria:
- Fluency and Coherence – How smoothly you speak and connect ideas
- Lexical Resource – Your vocabulary range and accuracy
- Grammatical Range and Accuracy – Your grammar usage
- Pronunciation – How clearly you pronounce words
Ensure your teacher is qualified and familiar with the official IELTS marking criteria.
Myth #2: The IELTS Speaking Test Is Formal and Academic
The Popular Advice:
Many teachers with large followings advise that you should use formal language and avoid slang or informal expressions because IELTS is an “academic test.”
The Official Truth:
IDP explicitly states: “IELTS tests your English language skills and yes, this includes both formal and informal English.”
The British Council confirms that the speaking test format is identical for both Academic and General Training, indicating it’s not testing academic speaking.
Important Reality Check
The Speaking test evaluates your ability to communicate effectively in everyday situations. In real life, less than 1% of conversations are formal and academic. The test is designed to assess how well you’ll be able to communicate in normal, everyday contexts.
What To Do Instead:
- Don’t memorize formal/academic phrases that sound unnatural
- Relax and speak to the examiner like they’re a normal person
- Use natural language including phrasal verbs and conversational expressions
- Focus on clarity and communication rather than sounding “academic”
Myth #3: Using Big, Fancy Vocabulary Words Is Essential
The Popular Advice:
Videos with titles like “Just 8 Words to Score 7+ Bands” suggest that using a handful of uncommon or fancy words will magically improve your score. Some teachers recommend memorizing lists of impressive vocabulary.
The Official Truth:
The British Council warns: “Many candidates memorize impressive lists of vocabulary but often end up using them in the wrong way because they haven’t understood them properly.”
IDP advises: “Don’t use big and unfamiliar words… avoid using words you are not familiar with. There is a higher chance of making mistakes by either mispronouncing words or using them in the wrong context.”
The “100% Rule”
Only use words that you understand 100% – meaning you know the exact definition, how to use it correctly in context, and how to pronounce it properly. If you’re unsure about any of these aspects, it’s safer to use a simpler word you’re confident with.
What To Do Instead:
- Trust your existing vocabulary – Most students already have sufficient vocabulary for their target band score
- Focus on accuracy rather than impressiveness
- Use words you’re completely comfortable with to avoid errors
- Remember that using fancy words incorrectly hurts all aspects of your score (fluency, grammar, etc.)
Myth #4: You Should Study “Common Topics and Questions”
The Popular Advice:
Many videos promote lists of “common questions” or “most common topics,” implying that these specific questions will appear on your test.
The Official Truth:
Official IELTS sites provide “example questions” but never “common questions.” While Part 1 often includes questions about general topics (work, family, studies, interests), Part 2 and Part 3 topics are unpredictable.
The Examiner’s Strategy
When examiners detect that you’ve memorized answers to “common questions,” they’re likely to switch to unexpected topics to assess your true speaking ability. Your score will be based on how you handle these unexpected questions, not your prepared responses.
What To Do Instead:
- Develop general speaking skills that allow you to discuss any topic
- Practice responding to unexpected questions about everyday topics
- Focus on improving overall fluency, vocabulary, grammar, and pronunciation rather than preparing for specific topics
- Remember: The test assesses your ability to communicate in real-life situations, which are rarely predictable
Myth #5: Memorizing Phrases and Sentences Is Effective
The Popular Advice:
Videos with millions of views recommend memorizing specific phrases or complete sentences to use in your speaking test.
The Official Truth:
The British Council explicitly warns: “It’s important to avoid memorizing large chunks of speech. Examiners are trained to identify memorized responses and will mark you down for that.”
Why Memorization Fails
Examiners are extensively trained to identify memorized responses, which are easy to spot due to their unnatural delivery and context. Popular YouTube videos expose the same phrases to millions of students, making these memorized responses instantly recognizable to examiners.
What To Do Instead:
- Focus on authentic communication rather than rehearsed responses
- Develop your general English skills to handle any question naturally
- Practice speaking spontaneously about various topics
- Remember: Your true speaking level is revealed by how you respond to unexpected questions, not memorized answers
Myth #6: Using Lots of Idioms Will Boost Your Score
The Popular Advice:
Videos with titles like “7 Idioms to Score 7+ in IELTS Speaking” suggest that using specific idioms automatically leads to high scores.
The Official Truth:
The marking criteria mentions “idiomatic vocabulary” for higher band scores, but this is often misunderstood. “Idiomatic” doesn’t just mean idioms; it refers to natural language use by native speakers.
IDP advises: “Be very careful not to overuse [idioms] and to make sure that the idiom matches the topic area you were speaking about.”
Common Misunderstanding
According to official dictionaries, “idiomatic” means “containing expressions that are natural and correct” or “language that sounds natural to native speakers.” This includes phrasal verbs, natural collocations, and appropriate expressions – not just traditional idioms like “it’s raining cats and dogs.”
What To Do Instead:
- Listen to native speakers in casual conversations to understand natural speech patterns
- Notice that idioms are actually used sparingly in natural speech
- Use phrasal verbs and natural expressions that fit the context
- Never force idioms into your responses (e.g., “I’m over the moon that you asked me about pens”)
- Speak naturally as if you’re having a conversation with a friend, not taking a test
Myth #7: You Must Cover All Bullet Points in Part 2
The Popular Advice:
Many videos (some with nearly 4 million views) insist that you must cover every bullet point on the Part 2 cue card and even point to each one as you talk about it.
The Official Truth:
IDP clarifies: “Test takers sometimes worry that they have not covered all the points on their task card… Don’t worry if this happens, as you have already shown the examiner that you can speak at length, appropriately extending your description.”
The Real Purpose of Bullet Points
The bullet points are there to help you, not to restrict you. They’re prompts to assist you if you’re struggling for ideas. Focusing too much on covering each point often leads to fluency problems when:
- You encounter a bullet point you’re uncomfortable discussing
- You exhaust all bullet points quickly and don’t know what else to say
- You rush through points instead of developing your response naturally
What To Do Instead:
- Focus on the main topic of the cue card
- Use the bullet points that you’re comfortable discussing
- Feel free to add related information not mentioned in the bullet points
- Prioritize speaking fluently for 2 minutes over covering every point
- Develop your response naturally as you would in a real conversation
Why Is There So Much Bad Advice Online?
Understanding the Problem
There are several reasons why misleading IELTS advice proliferates online:
- Clickbait culture – “Tips and tricks” get more views than solid, evidence-based advice
- Copying without verification – New content creators often reproduce existing content without checking its accuracy
- Misunderstanding the test – Many advice-givers lack experience as examiners or qualified teachers
- Mistaking popularity for accuracy – Millions of views don’t indicate reliable information
Remember: The best advice is often straightforward and may seem “boring” compared to clickbait tips and tricks promising quick results.
Key Takeaways: Focus on What Really Matters
Fluency & Coherence
Speak smoothly and connect your ideas logically. Practice speaking spontaneously about various topics.
Lexical Resource
Use vocabulary you’re comfortable with correctly. Focus on appropriate word choice rather than impressive words.
Grammatical Range & Accuracy
Use a variety of sentence structures correctly. Practice speaking with grammatical accuracy.
Pronunciation
Focus on clear pronunciation. Practice word stress, sentence rhythm, and intonation.
Remember: The IELTS Speaking test assesses your ability to communicate effectively in everyday English. The best preparation is developing natural, confident speaking skills rather than memorizing tricks or specific language. Approach the test as a normal conversation, and you’ll be well on your way to achieving your target score.
IELTS Speaking Links: