Speaking & Writing: tips that lift your score

The Speaking & Writing section rewards structure and consistency more than raw eloquence. A few reliable habits go a long way.

Speaking

• Read Aloud: use the preparation time to scan for hard words and phrase boundaries, then read at a steady, even pace — fluency counts more than speed.
• Repeat Sentence: focus on meaning, not individual words; understanding the sentence helps you reproduce it accurately.
• Describe Image: keep a simple template — what it is, the key trend or extremes, and a one-line conclusion. Never stop mid-answer.
• Re-tell Lecture: jot two or three keywords as you listen, then speak to those points rather than trying to recall everything.
• Speak clearly into the mic and avoid long pauses — the scorer values continuous, intelligible speech.

Summarize Written Text

You must compress the passage into a single sentence of roughly 5–75 words. Find the main idea, link supporting points with connectors like "while", "because" or "although", and keep it to one grammatical sentence. A single well-formed sentence that captures the core argument beats a longer one that runs over the limit or breaks into two.

Write Essay

Aim for a clear four- or five-paragraph structure within the word range (about 200–300 words): an introduction that states your position, two body paragraphs each with one idea and an example, and a short conclusion that restates your view. Save a minute at the end to fix spelling and obvious grammar slips — accuracy is directly scored.

The fastest way to internalise these templates is repetition. Drill a handful of prompts of each type until the structure is automatic, then the content is all you have to think about on the day.