Summary of common sentence structures commonly used in IELTS Speaking

IELTS Speaking must be a difficult skill for many candidates, right? To improve the Speaking band in IELTS, we not only need a rich vocabulary, but also understand the sentence structures in ielts speaking Very important too! Let's find out with DOL in this article!

DOL IELTS Dinh Luc

Oct 01, 2022

2 mins read

1. IELTS Speaking test structure

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The IELTS Speaking test has a structure of 3 parts

The IELTS Speaking test aims to assess the candidate's ability to communicate and use language in reflexes. The IELTS speaking test lasts 11-14 minutes depending on the number of questions from the examiner and the length of the candidate's answers.IELTS band descriptors, (https://www.dolenglish.vn/blog/ielts-speaking-band-descriptors#ielts_speaking_band) 3 parts of IELTS speaking test include:

• Part 1: Introduction and interview (Introduction and interview) (4 - 5 minutes)
  • Candidates answer directly after the examiner asks the question
  • The content of the questions in this section mainly revolves around your personal information, including things like hobbies, work, study, whereabouts, etc.
• Part 2: Individual long turn (3 - 4 minutes)
  • After reading the question, you will have 1 minute to prepare your answer
  • You will be provided with a paper and pen to take notes for 1 minute
  • You will be asked to speak within 2 minutes
• Part 3: Discussion (4 - 5 minutes)
  • You will not be given time to prepare before answering
  • The content of the question will be an extension of the topic asked in Part 2, specifically, you have to give your own opinion and discuss more deeply about the content of Part 2.

2. Synthesize common sentence structures used in IELTS Speaking

2.1. Relative clause

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👉 Uses

The relative clause issentence structure used in IELTS Speaking to modify the noun or noun phrase that precedes it.

In the IELTS Speaking test as well as in everyday communication, the speaker will sometimes need to mention objects, be it a person, a place, an object or a certain time period that the listener has not yet heard of. known or unspecified.

At this point, relative clauses should be used to clarify meaning or to add information that the speaker wants the listener to know.

Eg:

Well, I’m currently living in an apartment which is located in the center of Ho Chi Minh City.

In the above example, when answering the question about housing, the speaker mentioned that he is living in an apartment. However, this is an undefined noun phrase and the listener may still be confused about it.

When communicating, to ensure that information is fully communicated and also as a way to develop ideas in the speaking test, relative clauses are used to give the listener more information about the location of the house. (in the central area of ​​Ho Chi Minh City).

Thereby, the answer becomes clearer, besides, it also shows the speaker's language ability through the additional use of this grammatical structure.

👉 Using

Relative clauses (or adjective clauses) begin with relative pronouns (who, which, whom…) or relative adverbs (when, where, why…). This is a dependent clause that follows a noun phrase or noun it modifies.

Some pronouns and relative adverbs that are often used when speaking include Who, Which, That, Where, When, Why.

Some of the most commonly used relative clauses in IELTS Speaking

👉 How to apply in IELTS Speaking

• IELTS Speaking Part 1

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Do you think men and women have different opinions about shopping?

I would say so. I think women tend to enjoy it more than men and they find it to be a relaxing kind of activity whereas men kinda just want to get it over with. Explaining why in a household it is usually the woman who goes shopping!

Do you like your job/study? 

Absolutely. I get to work in such a dynamic environment alongside people who are so creative and unique. This makes me feel like I need to try harder to think outside of the box and to innovate more. 

• IELTS Speaking Part 2

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Describe an invention that you find useful

You should say:

• What it is
• What it is like
• What its functions are

And explain why you find it useful

Although I am not a computer geek, I still have to say that my laptop is an indispensable item in my possession.  

I own an ASUS laptop designed for gaming, so it has all sorts of high-tech components. It was about 3 years ago when I was surfing the internet, and I came across this laptop in an advertisement. The elegant and chic design of the laptop really hit me in the eye, which urged me to make a purchase at once. 

It is all black and looks rough on the surface, but every button on the keyboard incorporates a small LED light so the whole laptop can glow and shine anytime. The system causing that effect is called the RGB standing for Red-Green-Blue, which creates a wonderful visual effect whenever I turn it on. When it comes to the functions, since this computer is specialized for gaming and graphic design, the operation system and the speed of the CPU are fast and swift without any delay. Thus, all my tasks ranging from simply typing texts to complex ones like playing hard-core games or rendering videos are easily completed in the blink of an eye. That is the reason why whenever I go to work or learn something online, I prefer using this laptop instead of my tablet or my smartphone.

• IELTS Speaking Part 3

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In your opinion, is it important to dress appropriately at all times?

Well, it is hard to tell if we should do so all the time, since there are occasions when we have to be free to choose what to wear in order to feel comfortable. Nevertheless, being presentable in some events or in public places is obligatory simply because dressing properly is the most practical way to show that we respect people around us and also want them to show respect to ourselves. 

What do you think about body shaming on social media?

To my mind, this phenomenon is commonplace among very young people as they tend to befriend those who are good-looking and regard that friendship a triumph. Therefore, they are likely to stay away from so-called “ugly” people and may start to use bad words towards them. This is truly shabby in my opinion, since it hurts others’ feelings and worsens social relationships. 

Do you think that we should have some plastic surgeries to change our appearance in a positive way?

As much as I can tell, everyone wants to become beautiful from others' perspective, so the yearning for a perfect appearance is not a wrong idea at all. However, plastic surgeries have been abused quite a lot recently, which leaves people long-term pains and somehow gets them killed during the process. Therefore, those who are going to have surgery need to ponder carefully and undertake it at their own risk.

2.2. Comparative structure

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Comparative structure plays a big role in IELTS Speaking

👉 Uses

For IELTS Speaking skill, you will encounter a number of questions with content asking you to choose between 2 subjects or express preference. These types of questions usually begin with an auxiliary verb. You can refer to the examples below:

Eg:

• Do you prefer reading books or watching TV? 
• Which do you prefer, living in the suburbs or on the outskirts? 

To answer this type of question, first give your opinion directly and then give a reason why you chose A. Below are some commonly used sentence patterns for this type of question:

👉 Using

To express a preference for one of two objects, the speaker can use a numbersentence structure used in IELTS Speaking the following to emphasize preference more:

• I (much) prefer A (Noun/V-ing) to/ rather than B (Noun/V-ing)
• I tend to like A (Noun/V-ing
• I’m more into Noun/V-ing
• I lean towards Noun/V-ing
• I think A is a better choice for me

In addition, in some situations, candidates will need to show preferences when placed in a hypothetical situation (that is, when the candidate has no experience with the options offered). To express, candidates can use the structure "would rather" or "would prefer".

Eg:

• Which do you prefer, travelling by train or by plane?
• Actually, I have never traveled by train before. So, I’d love to give it a try, even though it takes more time than using plane.

Common Comparative Vocabulary in IELTS

👉 How to apply in IELTS Speaking

• IELTS Speaking Part 1

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Which do you prefer, eating home-cooked meals or eating out?

I think home-cooked meals are a better choice for me. (So sánh) Compared to processed food, meals that are prepared at home are more hygienic since we know exactly which ingredients have been put in them.

• IELTS Speaking Part 2

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Describe a kind of weather you like

I don’t have a particular favorite kind of weather, it really depends on my mood, but if I have to pick then the kind of weather that I have the fondest memory of is when it’s snowing.  

• IELTS Speaking Part 3

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What should teachers do to make students obey rules?

I think the easiest way would be punishments, particularly when it comes to small children. Teachers nowadays have gotten too soft with their students and they seem to think that persuasion works better.

2.3. Exclamation sentence

There are 3 common exclamation sentence structures in English:

There are 3 common types of exclamation structure in English

👉 Uses

• Exclamation with "What"

Normally, exclamations beginning with "what" are usually followed by a noun (countable and uncountable) or a noun phrase, with the following structure:

(1) What + (a/an) + adjective + countable noun (singular or plural add s/es)

Eg:

- What an interesting movie! (What a fun movie!)

- What a spacious car! (The car is really big!)

(2) What + adjective + uncountable noun

Eg:

- What bad smell! (The smell is really nasty!)

When you want to provide more information to clarify the context of a sentence, you can use the structure:

(3) What + (a/an) + adjective + noun + subject + verb

Eg:

- What a good salary they offer! (The salary they offer is really high!)

- What a kind person she is! (She is such a kind person!)

• Exclamation with "How"

Exclamatory sentences that begin with "How" are often followed by adjectives or adverbs.

How + Adjective/adverb + subject + verb

Eg:

- How beautiful the cat is! (How beautiful is that cat!)

- How terrible the weather is! (The weather is terrible!)

• Exclamatory Sentences with "So", "Such", "Too"

Candidates can use “so”, “such” and “too” to express their feelings as follows:

(1) Subject + verb + so + adjective/adverb

Eg:

- The test was so difficult! (The test is too hard!)

(2) Subject + verb + too + adjective/adverb (expressing negative meaning)

Eg:

- The weather in Ho Chi Minh city is too hot now! (The weather in HCMC is too hot right now!)

(3) Subject + verb + such + adjective + noun

Eg:

- It's such an expensive bracelet! (It really is an expensive bracelet!)

👉 How to apply in IELTS Speaking

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• IELTS Speaking Part I

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When was the last time you saw a movie?

Let me see. About 3 weeks ago, I and some friends of mine went to the cinema to watch a famous comedy. How hilarious it was! You know, it did make us burst into laughter loud a lot. Well, It’s such a good movie to relax in.

• IELTS Speaking Part 2

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Describe a famous person that you met

Well, I remember that it was about 2 years ago when I attended a BLACKPINK concert in Thailand. I can still vividly remember seeing Rosé, the main vocalist of the group, in person. How beautiful she was! Actually, it was the first time I met her in person. She was so friendly and approachable. I really wanted to take a selfie with her and ask for her autograph but because of the crowd, I couldn’t make it. What a pity!

• IELTS Speaking Part 3

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Why are some people afraid to work in other countries?

To me, there are many reasons for this. One of those is clearly the language barrier. What a difficult challenge to face! You know, not being able to communicate in a foreign language will definitely deter people from performing the task well at work since they can’t understand and express ideas properly to their colleagues. What’s more, some people may struggle to adapt to a new environment. 

2.4 Tense structure

In addition to using thesentence structure used in IELTS Speaking Candidates should use a variety of tenses to get a higher score.

Eg:

• In Speaking part 1, instead of just using the present simple, you can combine tenses such as the past simple (used when talking about past habits and events), the simple future (when talking about plans, etc.) , hopefully in the future).
• In Speaking part 2, you can intertwine the past simple (when talking about past experiences), the present perfect, or use the structures will + V or be going to + V when talking about things. intended at the end of the article.

In general, you need to clearly define the purpose of use and master the knowledge of tenses in English as well asCommon sentence structures used in IELTS Speaking to apply reasonably.

Besides, if you have difficulty in using a lot, when speaking, you can limit it, just intertwine a few sentences instead of trying to cram too much into the speech and make yourself easy to make grammatical mistakes. unworthy.

Try to avoid repeating the words used in the examiner's questions. Use your own words to show the examiner your best. So when the examiner asks, "Tell me something about the city you live in," it's probably best not to start your answer with "Okay, let me tell you something about the city." the city in which I live.

Common tenses in English

Please see more thoughts on implementing IELTS Speaking ideas here:

3. Some other structures

Things to keep in mind when using structure in IELTS Speaking

There are also some other structures used in IELTS Speaking

Subject  + Verb/(to be) + too + adjective/adverb + (for someone) + to do something

Eg:

- The IELTS Writing Task 2 topic is too easy for me to get band 8 score. (Writing task 2 was too easy for me to get 8.)

- She plays too well for anyone to beat her. (She plays too well for anyone to beat.)

Subject 1 + Verb/(to be) + so + adjective/adverb + that + Subject 2 + Verb

INexample:

- This house is so expensive that I have to sell my car to buy it. (This house is so expensive that I had to sell my car to buy it.)

- The Physics test is so difficult that I cannot do anything. (The Physics exam was so difficult that I couldn't do anything.)

It + (to be) + such + (a/an) +Noun(s) + that + Subject + Verb

Eg:

- How to get away with murder is such an interesting show that I cannot shut it down. (How to get away with murder is such a fun show that I can't turn it off.)

- It is such a heavy box that I cannot lift it up. (It was such a heavy box that I couldn't lift it.)

Subject + Verb + adjective/adverb + enough + (for someone) + to do something

Eg:

- He is good enough to apply for this job. (He was good enough to apply for this job.)

- She studies hard enough to pass the exam. (She studied hard enough to pass the test.)

Have/get + something + Verb past participle

Eg:

- I have my fridge repaired. (My fridge has been fixed.)

- She had her hair cut last week. (Her hair was cut last week.)

It + be + time + Subject + Verb past tense

Eg:

- It is time you went to bed. (You have to go to bed by now.)

- It’s time for me to leave. (It's time for me to go.)

It + takes/took+ someone + amount of time + to do something

Eg:

- It only took me two days to finish my internship report. (It only took me 2 days to finish my internship report.)

- It only took her 20 minutes finish the task. (It only took her 20 minutes to finish the job.)

To prevent/stop + someone/something + From + Verb -ing

Eg:

- I can’t prevent him from consuming so much sugary drinks. (I couldn't stop him from drinking too many sugary drinks.)

- I can’t stop her from smoking. (I couldn't stop her from smoking.)

Subject + find+ it+ adj to do something

Eg:

- She finds it very healthy to do exercise every day. (She feels that exercising every day is good for her health.)

- She finds it difficult to terminate the relationship. (She finds it difficult to end the relationship.)

To prefer + Noun/ Verb-ing + to + Noun/ Verb-ing

Eg:

- I prefer watching movie at cinema to watching at home. (I prefer to watch movies in theaters than at home.)

- He prefers coffee to tea. (He prefers coffee to tea.)

Would rather + Verb­ (infinitive) + than + Verb (infinitive)

Eg:

- Alice would rather cook by herself than go to a restaurant. (Alice would rather cook for herself than go to a restaurant.)

- He’d rather learn English than learn Chinese. (He would rather learn English than learn Chinese.)

To be/get Used to + V-ing

Eg:

- She is used to waking up at 6 o’ clock every day. (She is used to getting up at 6 o'clock every day.)

- I get used to exercising on a daily basis. (I am used to exercising every day)

Used to + V (infinitive)

Eg:

- I used to go to library every week when I was college student. (I used to go to the library every week when I was a college student.)

- He used to eat a lot of sausages when he was in Germany. (He used to eat a lot of sausages when he was in Germany.)c.)

To be amazed at = to be surprised at + Noun/V-ing

Eg:

- We were greatly surprised at the news that she told us. (We were surprised by what she told us.)

- You’d be amazed how much money you can save. (You will be surprised at how much money you can save)

To be angry at + Noun/Verb-ing

Eg:

- My father was angry at the story that my aunt told him. (My father was angry with the story my aunt told.)

- I was angry at receiving this ticket. (I'm annoyed with having to get a ticket.)

I love that sth allows me to…

Eg:

- I love that mobile phones allow me to keep in touch with other people so easily and conveniently.

- I love that advancement in technology allows me to complete tasks much faster.

I’m not the least bit interested in sth…

Eg:

- I'm not the least bit interested in playing games. I think they are a waste of time. (I have no interest in playing games. I think it's just a waste of time.)

- I'm not the least bit interested in listening to her stories as I prefer to devote my time to learning how to invest. (I'm not interested in hearing her stories because I'd rather spend my time learning to invest.)

I must admit that…

Eg:

- I must admit that when you turned up drunk for the interview, I didn't think you would get the job, but congratulations. (I have to admit that the moment you showed up to the interview drunk, I didn't think you'd get the job, but congratulations.)

- I must admit that I no longer want to be friends with someone like her. (I have to admit that I no longer want to be friends with someone like her.)

What really strikes me about sth is sth

Eg:

- What really strikes me about the design is its layout and the contrasting colors. (What really impressed me about the design was its layout and contrasting colors.)

- What really strikes me about her is her sincerity and authencitiy. (What really impressed me about her was her sincerity and genuineness.)

If my memory serves me right,...

Eg:

- If my memory serves me right, my mom got me this bracelet on my 16th birthday. (As far as I remember, my mother gave this bracelet to me for my 16th birthday.)

- If my memory serves me right, I got this scar because I stumbled upon a rock while walking. (As far as I remember, I got this scar because I fell while walking.)

Summary of other structures used in IELTS Speaking

4. Answers to frequently asked questions

What are the sentence structures that are easy to score in IELTS Speaking?

Should I use an adverb at the beginning of the bridge in the IELTS Speaking test?

What are some possible questions in the IELTS Speaking test?

What phrases help candidates do well in the IELTS Speaking test?

Thus, through the article on DOL suggested to youSentence structures in IELTS Speaking.Have fun studying for IELTS and get high scores!