How to Practice Good Pronunciation in IELTS Speaking?

Communication is vital for human development most especially communicating in the English language. In the recent years, there are a lot of non-native English speakers who have become eager in learning English. The English language is currently used by billions of people all over the world; thus, it shows how valuable English is to communication.

source: www.bbc.co.uk

Speaking the English language is a great advantage to individuals who want to pursue a career or education in English speaking countries. Further, these individuals have to be informed that an English proficiency examination test is required as part of the visa application. One trusted English proficiency examination is the IELTS or the International English Language Testing System examination.


The IELTS test, like any other English fluency tests, has a speaking examination. In this part of the test, examinees have to sit in front of a native English speaker for fifteen minutes for an interview. The interview consists of three different tasks: an introduction, individual long-turn, and a two-way discussion. Each task evaluates the individual’s knowledge in understanding and responding different English questions.


Most candidates of the IELTS test feel anxious before the examination. Hence, it is recommended for any examinees to attend IELTS speaking lectures to improve their speaking skills and confidence in using the language. One of the most important things examinees has to practice a lot is pronunciation. In the Philippines, every region has an accent that can greatly influence one’s English pronunciation. Here are some English words that Filipinos need to be careful with their pronunciation and stress as well.


1. Prefer, Refer
The stress on this word should be placed on the second syllable, not on the first.

2. Beach
This word “beach” has a long /i/ sound.

3. February
This word does not have a /y/ sound after the /b/ sound. It should not be pronounced as Febyuary.

4. Comfortable
This word should not be pronounced as COM-FOR-TA-BLE but as COMF-TA-BLE.

5. Government
The /n/ sound in the word “government” is not silent.

6. Clothes, clothe, cloth
The first word is a noun that refers to dresses. Clothe is the verb that means to provide somebody with clothes and cloth is a noun that refers to a type of woven material.

7. Appreciate
The last syllable is supposed to be pronounced as /sheyt/ not /shet/.

8. Busy
This word has a /z/ sound not /s/.

9. Cupboard
This word has a silent /p/ sound.

10. Confirm
The last syllable is supposed to sound as /FURM/ not /FEERM?

Now, how can one practice good pronunciation for the IELTS?

• When you are not sure with the correct pronunciation of a particular word, always consult a dictionary.

• Listen to English speakers. You can browse Youtube for different videos that teach proper pronunciation.

• Have a vocabulary list. Write down words that you commonly mispronounce and practice speaking it every day.

• Use the words you commonly mispronounce often. This will help you be familiar on its pronunciation and usage.

• Find a speaking instructor. In IELTS review centers, speaking instructors train their students with the correct pronunciation of words to eliminate any regional accent one has.


Having good pronunciation is an important factor in becoming a good English speaker. Practice every day to develop your skill and your confidence in using the English language.


For more IELTS Tips you can refer to this link www.ieltsexamstips.com.

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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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Does Pronunciation Really Matter in the IELTS Exam?

To speak very clearly is a constant reminder to every person in communicating. When we speak clearly, the words that come out from our mouths are easily understood, and they sound very nicely. In speaking English, everyone is encouraged to open their mouths when they speak, breath properly while speaking, and pronounce words nicely all throughout the discourse. In taking the speaking exam in the IELTS or the International English Language Testing System examination, does pronunciation matter a lot?


It is a fact that some Filipinos are not really good at pronouncing some English words. One reason for this is the influence of the regional accents one has. For example, some people interchange the “b” and “v”, “p” and “f” and even the short “e” and long “e” sounds to name some. What candidates should bear in mind is that their accent really does not matter big time. Filipinos are not born English speakers and regional accent will somehow influence their manner of speaking one way or another. The important thing is the clarity of how words are pronounced.

courtesy of kitheater.com

A clear pronunciation is the key in getting a good score in the IELTS examination. A friendly reminder to candidates: do not impress your examinee by using a British or Australian accent when speaking. Speak in your normal accent. You should be more conscious on the clarity of the words.


Most of the time, the difficulty with the usage of grammar can affect the pronunciation of an individual. There are times that candidates have a very strong accent that verbs seem to be always in the simple past tense. When the examinee hears this, the grammar criterion on your response will be affected. What should candidates do to have a clear pronunciation of words?


• Understand that words have different pronunciations on both American and Australian accents.

• Be conscious of the speed of your talking. Sometimes, we speak too fast that words come out very unclearly and can affect your pronunciation. Speak slowly but not too slow. Listen to how different your responses are when speaking fast and on a normal speed.

• Study word stress. Some words have different meanings when the stress is placed in the beginning or on the last syllable of the word. Make sure to be familiar with these so as not to confuse your examiner.

• Sentence stress is important. Make sure to stress content words in the sentences. Content words include nouns, verbs, adjectives and adverbs. These words complete the meaning of your sentence so they have to be given emphasis.

• In the IELTS exam, examiners are looking right in front of you when you speak. When you mispronounced a word, do not be sorry for it and reason out that you have a strong regional accent. Continue speaking and be careful the next time you give a response.

• Practice. Find an IELTS speaking coach who can train you with the right manner of speaking. IELTS review centers have these coaches who can provide training and feedback on how one can improve his or her speaking skills.


Clarity is important in speaking. Words should come out clearly to be understood and get a good score in the IELTS speaking test.


For more information: 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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What is 485 Visa? What is the Needed IELTS Module?

Just like the United States of America, the Australian government offers non-residents a lot of visa types that will suit the applicant’s eligibility. Filipinos have this dream in finishing school in Australia. This is not impossible as there are very good schools and universities in the said country. If you are someone who wants to study in Australia, visa 485 might be the right visa for you.

The Australian Visa 485 or the Temporary Graduate visa lets is holder to live, study, and work in Australia temporarily after finishing his her studies. People who can access this type of visa are those students who applied as a primary applicant. This visa has two streams: (1) Graduate work stream for international students with an eligible qualification who graduate with skills and qualifications to an occupation listed on the Skilled Occupation List (SOL), and (2) Post-Study work stream for international students who graduate with a higher education degree from an Australian education provider. Applicants for this visa should be in Australia upon application. Applicants must be currently holding visa subclass 572, 573 or 574 for eligibility to apply.

Here are the requirements for the visa 485:

• Graduates must meet the Australian study requirement. The course must be conducted in English and must be completed in no less than 16 calendar months.

• Character requirements

• Health requirements

• Health insurance requirements

• Age not more than 59 years of age

• Eligible student visa in the last 6 months

• Nominated occupation worth 50 or 60 points on the current Skilled Occupations list that is related to the applicant’s skill and qualifications

• English score requirement (IELTS or the International English Language Testing System examination score of at least 6.0 in all components in the Academic module)

Once awarded with this visa, the applicant is allowed to spend time in the country to gain work experience to accompany their Australian qualification. No restrictions on the type of employment have been stated; hence, applicants can take any jobs they wish. However, the Australian government will not be the one looking for employment for the applicant. There are a lot of organizations that can help the visa holder to find a job in Australia.

Applications for visa 485 can be submitted online available 24 hours a day. Documents should be uploaded in the system as well. Payment transactions can be done through an acceptable credit card. Once the visa is granted, an email will be sent to the applicant containing instructions and possible other requirements to be submitted.

Be sure to have a valid student visa before applying for visa 485. Make sure you have the right requirements and the right IELTS score to have your applicants lodge smoothly and successfully.

For more IELTS Tips http://www.ieltsexamstips.com.

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