10 Expert-Backed Tips to Improve Your IELTS Results in 2026

Many candidates fear their mind going blank the moment the examiner asks an unexpected question. Here’s the good news: the speaking test is one of the most improvable sections of the IELTS exam. With the right strategies and consistent practice, you can significantly boost your IELTS results. Whether you’re aiming for a Band 7 for university admission or a Band 8 for professional registration, these ten expert tips will help you get there.

Understanding How Your IELTS Results Are Scored

Before diving into improvement strategies, you need to understand what examiners are actually looking for. Your IELTS speaking score is based on four criteria, each weighted equally at 25% of your total speaking score:

Fluency and Coherence – How smoothly you speak and how well your ideas connect

Lexical Resource – Your vocabulary range and accuracy

Grammatical Range and Accuracy – Your ability to use varied sentence structures correctly

Pronunciation – Your clarity, intonation, word stress, and connected speech

This equal weighting is crucial to understand. You can’t afford to neglect any single criterion if you want strong IELTS results. A candidate with excellent vocabulary but poor pronunciation will score lower than someone who performs consistently across all four areas.

Tip 1: Master the A-R-E-C Structure for Extended Responses

One of the biggest challenges candidates face is providing developed, coherent answers rather than short, choppy responses. The A-R-E-C structure gives you a reliable framework that can dramatically improve your IELTS results:

A – Answer: State your position directly

R – Reason: Explain why you hold that view

E – Example: Add a personal detail or concrete fact

C – Counter (Optional): Acknowledge the other side of the argument

For example, if asked “Do you think people should work from home?”:

“Personally, I believe remote work has significant benefits (Answer). It eliminates commuting time and gives people more flexibility to manage their personal responsibilities (Reason). I’ve experienced this myself—when I worked from home last year, I was able to exercise in the mornings and felt much more productive (Example). That said, I do understand that some jobs simply can’t be done remotely, and some people thrive in office environments (Counter).”

This structure ensures your responses have depth and logical flow—exactly what examiners want to hear.

Tip 2: Use Discourse Markers to Sound Natural

Discourse markers are the glue that holds your speech together. They signal transitions, show contrast, and help your listener follow your train of thought. Incorporate phrases like:

Adding ideas: “What’s more,” “On top of that,” “Another point worth mentioning…”

Contrasting: “Having said that,” “On the other hand,” “Although…”

Giving examples: “For instance,” “Take… for example,” “A case in point is…”

Concluding: “All things considered,” “On the whole,” “Ultimately…”

These markers boost both your fluency and coherence scores while making your speech sound more sophisticated and natural—key factors in achieving better IELTS results.

Tip 3: Approach Each Test Part Differently

The three parts of the IELTS speaking test require different strategies:

Part 1 (Introduction and Interview): Treat this as a warm-up conversation. Speak naturally without over-elaborating. Simple, direct answers of 2-3 sentences work well. Don’t launch into a monologue about your hometown—the examiner just wants to ease you into the test.

Part 2 (Long Turn): This is your chance to showcase your ability to speak at length. Follow the cue card points systematically. You have one minute to prepare—use it wisely to jot down key ideas for each bullet point. Aim to speak for the full two minutes.

Part 3 (Discussion): Approach this as an academic discussion where you explore abstract ideas and justify your opinions. This is where you can demonstrate higher-level thinking and vocabulary. Don’t be afraid to speculate, compare perspectives, and develop complex arguments.

Tip 4: Avoid the Memorization Trap

Examiners can spot memorized responses instantly. The rhythm sounds off, the answer doesn’t quite fit the question, and the natural spontaneity of conversation disappears. This approach rarely leads to the IELTS results you’re hoping for.

Instead of memorizing scripts, focus on:

• Practicing flexible responses that you can adapt to different questions
• Building idea banks around common topics (technology, environment, education)
• Thinking in terms of opinions and examples rather than fixed phrases

Remember: examiners are assessing your ability to communicate, not your ability to recite.

Tip 5: Develop Your Pronunciation Deliberately

Pronunciation is about more than just individual sounds. Focus on:

Intonation: The rise and fall of your voice that conveys meaning and emotion

Word stress: Emphasizing the correct syllables (phoTOgraphy, not PHOtography)

Connected speech: How words blend together in natural speech (“want to” becomes “wanna”)

Listen to native speakers in podcasts, films, and news broadcasts. Pay attention to how they link words together and where they place emphasis. Then practice imitating these patterns to see improvement in your IELTS results.

Tip 6: Build Vocabulary Strategically

Expanding your lexical resource isn’t about memorizing obscure words—it’s about having precise, varied vocabulary for common IELTS topics. For each topic area, develop:

Topic-specific vocabulary (for environment: “sustainable,” “carbon footprint,” “biodiversity”)

Collocations (words that naturally go together: “raise awareness,” not “lift awareness”)

Idiomatic expressions used appropriately and sparingly

Practice using new vocabulary in context. A word isn’t truly yours until you can use it naturally in conversation.

Tip 7: Handle Difficult Questions Gracefully

What happens when you encounter a topic you know nothing about? Don’t panic. Use bridging phrases to buy thinking time while maintaining natural speech flow:

• “That’s an interesting question…”
• “I haven’t thought much about this, but…”
• “Let me think about that for a moment…”

Then, connect the unfamiliar topic to something you do know about. Asked about space exploration but it’s not your area? Connect it to technology, government spending, or human curiosity—topics where you likely have more to say.

Tip 8: Practice Daily with Purpose

Consistent practice beats occasional cramming every time. Candidates who achieve their target IELTS results establish a daily routine:

• Practice speaking on random IELTS topics using AI platforms like Speechful
• Record yourself during practice sessions
• Review your recordings to identify:
  • Pronunciation errors
  • Filler words (“um,” “like,” “you know”)
  • Areas where you hesitate or lose fluency

This feedback loop is essential. You can’t improve what you don’t measure.

Tip 9: Manage Test-Day Nerves

Nervousness can sabotage even well-prepared candidates and negatively impact your IELTS results. The antidote? Familiarity.

• Practice with mock interviews regularly
• Simulate test conditions (timed responses, speaking to someone)
• Record yourself to get comfortable hearing your own voice

The more familiar the test format becomes, the less anxiety you’ll feel. Confidence comes from preparation, not from telling yourself to relax.

Tip 10: Focus on Communication, Not Perfection

Here’s a liberating truth: you don’t need perfect English to achieve excellent IELTS results. Examiners reward candidates who communicate effectively and naturally, even with occasional errors.

Don’t pause mid-sentence to correct minor mistakes—this disrupts your fluency. Keep talking. If you make a significant error that could cause confusion, briefly self-correct and move on.

The goal is communication, not perfection.

Your Path to Better IELTS Results

Improving your IELTS results requires understanding the assessment criteria, practicing strategically, and building confidence through familiarity. Focus on the four pillars equally: fluency and coherence, vocabulary, grammar, and pronunciation.

Start today. Pick one tip from this list and work on it this week. Record yourself practicing the A-R-E-C structure. Learn five new collocations for a common topic. Practice speaking for two minutes without stopping.

Small, consistent efforts compound into significant improvement.

Ready to accelerate your preparation? Start practicing daily with Speechful to get instant feedback on your responses. Your target IELTS results—Band 7, 8, or 9—are within reach.