This is an IELTS Energy podcast episode 1525.
Boost IELTS speaking scores with these linking words.
Welcome to the IELTS Energy Podcast from All Ears English downloaded more than 35 million times with examiner-trained IELTS whiz Aubrey Carter and Lindsay McMahon, the English adventurer.
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Do you normally use linking words in everyday English conversation?
Today, find out why you need to elevate your language slightly and use these winning linking words in Speaking, Part 3, for higher scores.
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Hey there, Aubrey.
Welcome back.
Happy to be here.
How are you?
Hey, I'm great, Lindsay.
How are you?
Good, good.
What are we getting into today?
Well, I have a question for you about linking phrases.
Do you use a lot of linking phrases when you are speaking?
Hmm.
I would say I honestly don't know that I do because yeah, I think when you're speaking it's just a little bit a little different.
It can be a little more disjointed because it's natural.
Exactly.
In natural daily conversations, it's really not normal to use a lot of linking words.
It feels overly formal for most conversations.
But on the speaking test the examiner is listening for a variety of linking words and You can't just know that you need to do that and then show up on test day and do it.
This really has to be practiced because it's so unfamiliar.
It's something we don't really do in daily conversations.
You're so right.
I mean, this is just another example of why native speakers don't really walk in and get nines right away.
Right.
And so we know that, we know that we need to prepare and know the strategies and change things slightly when we're in that test.
Yes.
And the other problem is many students, once you know you need to use linking phrases, or If you're only using very common ones, like and then because or I think these still aren't getting you that variety of linking phrases the less common ones.
So you still will get six or less for fluency and coherence if these are the only ones you're using.
OK, so it's linking words, but it's not any linking words, right?
It's not the simple ones that we can use.
So we're going to find out today.
What are those magical linking words that will get us that high score?
Exactly.
Yes.
All right, good.
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All right.
Yes.
Awesome.
All right.
So today we are sharing linking phrases for specific functions, right?
Every linking phrase has a meaning.
You can't just throw them out willy nilly and hope they'll be right.
So first we're talking about linking phrases we use to introduce an answer.
A lot of your answers, you should start with a linking phrase.
You should have filler phrases that begin with linking phrases that you're practicing using in order to boost those scores.
Yeah.
So some examples of really winning introductory linking phrases where you would start, your answer would be in the first place and then you proceed with your answer.
And again it just doesn't it's.
It's a notch above just everyday spontaneous conversation here, right?
Exactly.
These are both very native and natural.
We do sometimes use this if we're telling a story, for example, and there will be several things that happen with say, and a lot of students will just hear them say first I did this, then this.
So it's amazing how, just because this is less common, if instead you use this chunk in the first place, then that's boosting your scores.
So any of these phrases that introduce an answer.
You want to practice these instead of saying um well, when you start your answer, be ready to dive right in with an introductory linking phrase.
Yes.
Or when we're introducing opinions, which is slightly different.
Right Aubrey, from introducing an answer.
I guess it could be the same thing.
But in speaking part three, we do want to sound a little more formal, right?
Exactly right.
And there are specific linking phrases for introducing opinions.
For example, you can say I am of the opinion that right, of course you have heard, in my opinion, this is actually band six, because every student knows that.
Every student says in my opinion, etc etc.
You could say that once or twice, but you're going to share a lot of opinions on IELTS speaking.
So here are a few other options.
Yeah.
To my mind, which I don't say to my mind, I say in my mind.
Which one do you say, Aubrey?
To my mind, in my mind.
It sounds a lot more natural to me.
To my mind is a much more formal.
This is actually a band nine linking phrase.
Students don't use it a lot.
It's much more elevated.
Interesting.
To say to my mind, I think this should never happen, right?
So yeah, we also say in my mind, but to my mind is even higher scoring because it is more rare.
Okay, interesting.
Or I firmly believe, right?
I firmly believe X, Y, Z, and then we give details to support our opinion.
Exactly.
And the pronunciation is important, too, when we use this kind of vocabulary.
If you do say I firmly believe you are sharing something you're pretty passionate about.
So you're going to want to punch that harder.
I firmly believe this.
Right.
And you also have to think about these are very personal, specific to certain emotions or certain feelings, right?
You wouldn't say, I firmly believe that blue is my favorite color.
This is going to be something that you are passionate about.
It's often for speaking part three.
If you're talking about crime or the environment and you're sharing a solution, this would be ideal.
I firmly believe that the best possible solution would be government intervention, for example.
Yes.
Yeah, when you're saying something maybe that might be controversial, for example, or something that people will be split on, that's a great time to say that.
I firmly believe.
Exactly.
And these are all quite a bit more formal.
So speaking part three will be perfect.
Sometimes speaking part two answers as well.
And then the phrases, the linking phrases you use in speaking part one will often be more informal.
So it's interesting.
You really have to think about which linking phrases are appropriate for your answer, for what you are saying.
All right, and we do have one more batch of choices here.
This is for introducing another example or another idea.
So when we're building a response for speaking part three or writing test two, we're gonna want to, of course, Add additional examples or reasons to support our opinion, right.
Exactly.
But when we're speaking, we don't usually.
We'll just sort of say and and then we give another example.
We don't usually use these linking phrases, but the examiner is looking for these.
So you want to add them to answers.
And, just like you said Lindsay, speaking part three is perfect where you are going to want to give multiple ideas in order to speak for a full minute.
So your first example.
You can either say in addition moreover, or furthermore.
All of these just mean I am going to give additional details or examples.
Yes.
Another one would be yet another example of this is yet another example of this is.
Yes.
That's a very high scoring chunk, right?
It's polished.
It's professional.
This.
You wouldn't use this on part one when you're talking about restaurants you like visiting or what hobbies you have.
This is much too formal for those, you know, very informal questions and conversations.
But these part three questions about you know society or bigger issues, then this would be perfect.
Yes, I love that.
And we have another one, one last one our listeners could write down right now.
Yes, the last one very similar to yet another example of this.
Yet another reason, or yet another reason for this is right.
So all of these are ways to add additional examples, additional details, but prefacing them with a high scoring linking phrase.
Excellent.
All right.
Good stuff.
So good, so good.
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Okay, Aubrey, we are back and now it's time to do some sample answers, yeah?
Yes.
So we are going to give you two sample part three answers using some of these linking phrases.
So you can see how you do it.
A part three answer is about a minute.
And it's usually about something that's a little bit more of a formal topic, right?
It's not necessarily what you would chat with about friends every day.
Sometimes you never know what you talk about with your friends.
But because they're a little more formal, all of today's linking phrases would work perfectly.
Okay, perfect.
So would you like to go first or should I go first?
Up to you.
Okay.
All right.
I'll ask you first.
Should I time you?
Should we do a timer here for a minute?
You can if you'd like.
Maybe time me for a minute.
And if I don't stop before a minute, you can interrupt me and say, thank you.
Just so we can let you listeners out there know it's no problem to be interrupted if you go longer.
You actually, when you're practicing with a speaking partner, it's good for you to practice that.
Practice getting interrupted and not letting it throw you off.
Yeah, because there's no way we could.
The examiner would never expect you to be able to time exactly a minute and deliver it perfectly in under a minute.
So you should be still speaking by the time the examiner stops you.
Yeah.
And if you can speak for about a minute and end your answer, amazing.
But if you're interrupted, no problem.
Don't let it throw you off.
Just be ready for the next question.
All right.
So here we go.
I'm going to hit the timer.
So if you had the chance, would you like to go up into space?
To my mind no one should be going to space.
I don't believe in space tourism.
I think the funds being used to send private individuals into space could be allocated in so many better ways.
First of all, feeding the hungry.
Moreover, housing the homeless.
I can think of millions of ways to use the money that is being spent for someone to just go into space to say that they did.
Now, when we're talking about space exploration for other reasons, then I can see the drive.
I can see the reasons.
But as far as me going into space, there's no need.
I find it not only unnecessary, but downright irresponsible.
Ah, nice.
Okay.
You finished a little, just a few.
Actually, you didn't.
You know what I mean?
I actually started the timer early.
So you, I think you actually finished right at a minute.
Yeah.
I think I started at four seconds early.
So you are good to go, but I want to highlight some things.
Oh yes.
Go ahead first.
And then I want to share a couple of things about timing.
Sure.
I like how you said to my mind.
So you're introducing an opinion, maybe a controversial one.
I liked the bonus phrase you used allocated.
You know, funds being allocated is a better way versus saying something like funds being used.
Right.
Might as well take advantage of that moment to use that word.
Yes.
You use first of all and moreover.
And then, yeah, that's what I had.
Nice.
Awesome.
Yes.
And I did have to think about using those linking phrases.
I also haven't practiced this a ton.
Mm hmm.
And it just doesn't go without saying, right?
It's something that you will need to practice using impressive higher scoring linking phrases in order to boost your fluency and coherence score.
But one quick note about timing.
It's interesting.
The examiner won't be timing your part three answers.
They have to ask a certain amount of questions in that time.
Your answers.
You should be shooting for about a minute in order to fully answer these usually more complicated questions.
So time yourself.
Make sure you can speak about it for about a minute.
But the only reason they will really interrupt you is if they need to ask another question.
So if you go on longer than about a minute and then toward the end even if it's only been 30 or 40 seconds but they know they have to ask three more questions they will likely interrupt you just because they've got to ask a certain amount of questions.
Got it.
Okay.
Excellent.
Good to know.
It's really important to know what the structure looks like on the day of, so nothing surprises us.
Exactly.
You want to know what to expect.
You want to know how long it feels to answer that part two question for two minutes, or part three for about a minute.
Okay, Lindsay, are you ready for your question?
Sure.
Let's do it.
All right.
How about colonizing another planet?
Do you believe humans need to find another planet to live on?
Oh my gosh, what a question.
Well, first of all, I don't love the word colonizing.
That has bad connotations to me.
And, you know, honestly, to my mind...
The idea of a reason that we might eventually need to colonize another planet.
As far as I understand, that reason would be climate change.
And if we get to that point, that means that we will have destroyed the planet.
So I firmly believe we don't deserve it.
We don't deserve finding another place to live. if we destroy the planet.
I mean, I can see climate change right here in my life.
I mean, my parents have a harborside house, had one, that I'm pretty sure will be gone in 20 years.
Yet another example of this is I see houses just again, just disappearing off the shore.
I see pollution.
I see the change happening right in front of my eyes.
So I don't know.
Honestly, I don't believe that we.
I do believe that we'll need to find another place to live, but I'm not sure that we deserve it, if that makes sense.
I love that answer.
So many great things about this.
First of all, great linking phrases you use to my mind to introduce your opinion.
And then honestly, later, this is good as well, right?
When we want to say frankly, honestly or in all honesty.
These are also high scoring linking phrases for part three.
And remember, just like these others, these have meaning.
You could never say, honestly, my favorite color is blue, right?
This is when you are sharing an opinion that some people might disagree with, but you feel like you need to be honest.
Very interesting.
But also I really loved what you did.
Where this might happen, where you disagree with a question or you don't like a word in a question.
Just like Lindsay said, I don't love the word colonizing.
This has bad connotations.
But then didn't dive into it because she recognized that she had to answer this question, because that's something that you could go off on a tangent about.
And you've talked about what you don't love about colonization in the past.
And then the examiner has to say, thank you and ask the next question.
And you find that you haven't actually answered the question about if we should be colonizing another planet.
So that's sort of a pitfall to watch out for.
Love that you started it that way, but you recognize like, I can't really go into that any further.
I have to answer this question.
Yes.
And where would it show up in our score Aubrey, if we don't?
If we did that, if we went off into a tangent, would it be the task?
Where would that be on the speaking score? then your task response score is really going to plummet.
Okay.
So resist the temptation to take it in the direction we want and just assume it's okay because we're speaking.
We do have to answer the question.
Especially in part three.
This is important because if the examiner needs to ask another question, they might have to cut you off and they can't say I'll give you a few minutes to answer the question before I ask the next one.
No, your time is up.
You haven't answered that question.
Oh, so important to know.
These are little nuances about the exam that again, we wouldn't know if we weren't studying this and preparing for this.
Right.
Absolutely.
Oh, I'm so glad we were able to share these amazing linking phrases today.
Practice using them in your IELTS practice speaking questions.
So you're ready on test day to get the fluency and coherence score that you could get.
These will really boost that score.
All right.
Really good stuff today, Aubrey.
And guys, don't forget to check out our course, Three Keys IELTS.
So go over to allearsenglish.com slash K-E-Y-S.
Over there.
We give you all this information, all of this important strategies techniques tips, traps that you need to be ready for, but it's presented to you in a much more digestible, clear study plan.
Right, Aubrey?
Absolutely.
You learn all of the linking phrases you need on writing and speaking in that course, as well as every other strategy you could need on test day.
All right.
Good stuff.
We'll see you back here very soon.
Have a good day.
Awesome.
See you tomorrow.
Bye.
Thanks for listening to IELTS Energy.
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