How can I prevent myself from going off topic in the expression exams for IELTS?

Listening plays a huge role in speaking. Through listening, we understand the question and create responses that will directly answer what is being asked. However, there are times that our answers are out of the topic. Most of the time, the reason for this is that we failed to listen to the question carefully, some words are not familiar in the question, or we did not fully understand what the task was. In the IELTS exam, going off the topic affects a lot on your score. Hence, candidates have to be careful in giving their responses and make sure that they are on the right track.

source: englishharmony.com

In the speaking and writing sections of the IELTS exam, candidates are evaluated on the coherence of the response. Coherence refers to the logical connection of your answers to the question. The content of the response should hit what is being asked or to the given task. To prevent going off the topic in these sections, here are some simple yet useful tips.


IELTS Speaking

• Do not hesitate to ask the examiner politely to repeat the question or have him elaborate the question for you. The examiner will rephrase the question making it easier to understand; however, do not do this in all questions. Constantly asking the examiner to repeat the question shows your weakness in understanding the English language.

• Ask the examiner if he or she is referring to a particular meaning of the word. Some words have multiple meanings that might confuse you on how it is used in the question. Clarify this to the examiner. Do not ask the examiner to define the word for you.

• Have a simple pattern for your response. When asked a question, answer it and provide a simple detail to it. Avoid talking too much on a response as it may lead to going off the topic given.


IELTS Writing

• Understand the task whether you have to agree or disagree, show the advantage or disadvantage or have them both in your essay.

• There are some tasks to be written in your essay. Make sure that these are answered and check if the questions are directly responded.

• Brainstorm on ideas and remove points that may seem irrelevant or difficult to support.

• Create an outline before writing. Always have an introduction, a body and a conclusion.

• Check your details in your essay. The details should provide example to the idea you are making not introducing a new idea.


Practicing questions for speaking and writing for the IELTS is a good start to practice having a consistent idea in the response. Content is very important; hence, mock exams for speaking and writing are very valuable.

For more IELTS Tips www.ieltsexamstips.com.

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List of Tongue Twisters that can help in Speaking English

Are you having problems talking in English? Do you find yourself stuttering on some words? Are you too slow in speaking English?


Filipinos are fond of speaking in English. The language has been a part of daily conversations that using it seems like it is Filipino’s mother tongue. The familiarity with the language all started in school where the mode of instruction is in English and books are almost all printed in the English language. However, due to the regional dialect Filipinos have, which greatly influences the manner of their speaking, mispronouncing words and minor problems in reading in the English language are observed.


There are lots of ways in practicing and improving one’s English speaking skill. One way is through tongue twisters.

Tongue twisters are groups of words or phrases that are created to help someone practice articulation and even pronunciation properly. Most tongue twisters are to be repeated thrice so that the speaker will get used to the words and articulate them appropriately. Here are some best tongue twisters one can use:


• Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers.
A peck of pickled peppers Peter Piper picked.
If Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers,
Where's the peck of pickled peppers Peter Piper picked?


• Something in a thirty-acre thermal thicket of thorns and thistles thumped and thundered threatening the three-D thoughts of Matthew the thug - although, theatrically, it was only the thirteen-thousand thistles and thorns through the underneath of his thigh that the thirty year old thug thought of that morning.


• How much wood could Chuck Woods' woodchuck chuck, if Chuck Woods' woodchuck could and would chuck wood? If Chuck Woods' woodchuck could and would chuck wood, how much wood could and would Chuck Woods' woodchuck chuck? Chuck Woods' woodchuck would chuck, he would, as much as he could, and chuck as much wood as any woodchuck would, if a woodchuck could and would chuck wood.


• She sells sea shells on the sea shore;
The shells that she sells are sea shells I'm sure.
So if she sells sea shells on the sea shore,
I'm sure that the shells are sea shore shells.


• There's a sandwich on the sand which was sent by a sane witch. (3x)


These tongue twisters are best to be familiar with the articulation in English. Moreover, they are a good practice for pronunciation, stress and even breathing when speaking in the English language.


For more IELTS Tips www.ieltsexamstips.com.

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