How Do Avoid Panicking During The IELTS Speaking Test

The IELTS speaking test can literally strike fear into the heart of the average test taker. This is because of a myriad of untrue myths and assumptions floating around the internet, that give a false impression about what the exam is really like and what the examiners expect from you on test day. In this article, we will take a look at how to overcome IELTS speaking test day anxiety by clarifying a few things about the test and the examiner.

Know What To Expect

The most obvious way to ensure that there are no nasty surprises on test day is to thoroughly research the test format and question types. Get to know what is expected of you for each question, and how long your responses are supposed to be. This will go a long way to allaying your fears about the interview

Make Sure You Are Well-Rested

Students often experience a high level of test-day anxiety and this has a great impact on their speaking scores. It can be overwhelming to have to use a wide range of language skills under timed conditions and the observation of an examiner Make sure you are well rested before you sit for the exam. Get an early night's rest before your test and try to relax instead of studying frantically. You should also make sure that you have a good breakfast as you will have to sit for the entire test duration without any food items.

A Few Mistakes Are Only Natural

It’s common for even the most prepared students to make a few blunders here and there. However, this should not throw you off balance. Remember the speaking module is scored as a whole, and even if you make a few mistakes, you still have plenty of other chances to impress the examiner. Therefore, it is important to remain calm and collected even if you have misspoken.

Tough Questions Are A Good Thing

The examiner is not really allowed to give you any indication of how you are performing during the test. However, it is their duty to challenge your language skills to find the upper limit of your score. If the examiner feels that your answers are too simplistic, they will challenge you by asking more and more challenging questions. This means that they feel that you could do better and improve your score. So don’t assume that something is wrong if the examiner asks too many tougher questions.

As you can see the best way to avoid panicking is to be well prepared for the exam. Make sure that you thoroughly practice for the exam under strict exam conditions. This will help improve your stamina when it comes to answering questions in succession and you will become familiar with what is expected of you on test day

Preparing for the speaking exam is best done under the guidance of an IELTS professional. They will be able to guide you on how to improve your speaking skills and also give you feedback on your practice answers. This would be very difficult for you to do on your own.