IELTS Speaking Part 2: using the task card

People often ask me whether it is necessary to talk about all of the points on the task card in speaking part 2.

The answer is no. You won't lose any marks for missing some of the bullet points on the task card. There's nothing in the examiner's marking scheme about covering every point.

However, I do still advise people to try to cover each point. Here's why:

• The points on the task card help you to structure your description.
• They help you to move forward, rather than getting stuck on one idea.
• The points are 'prompts' that remind you what to say next.
• The final point is often a 'why' question, which will allow you to express your feelings, opinions and reasons using some good descriptive language. It would be a shame to miss this point.

Comments

[H. A. Kader]

I got my answer. Thank you, Simon, for informing a very crucial question that was in my mind. But it started with "You should say". What the should stands for?

[sjm]

H A Kader

'should say' means 'we advise you to say', NOT 'you must say'

The prompts under the question exist for two main reasons. They are there to help 'lower level' candidates (around level 4 to 5) by giving them ideas. Before the prompts were there, lower level candidates often had difficulty saying anything at all. The prompts allow them to give language that can be rated by the examiner. The other thing the prompts do is give the examiner the ability to 'push' the candidate to two minutes by asking the candidate to say more about something.

[Nozima]

Thank you Simon!

[H. A. Kader]

Hi sjm

Thank you for the explicit answer.

[Tami]

Hi Simon,

I have a quick question for the speaking test. Should we do the self-correction or let it flow? I noticed that Band 7 (public score band of speaking discriptors by the British Council mentions the self correction as hesitation?

Please do tell.
Thank you,

[Ming.]

hi Simon,

I have a question about answer for part2. If the topic is about a place or object, should we describe it by introducing its landscapes or features? or should we talk about a story like when , where, who?

Which one does the examiner like to hear ?