These tips will help:

1. Unless your pronunciation is particularly poor, don't waste time on pronunciation lessons. It is much more beneficial to spend the time acquiring a good range of vocabulary and structure.

2. This is easy to say, but don't be nervous. Think of is like this: if you are really nervous and can't speak then your score will be poor. If you are confident and speak freely, you will have no idea what your score will be - it could be great!

3. Remember your job is to give the assessor something to assess - if you only say 'Yes' or 'No' during the interview, the assessor won't be able to give you a good score. Your job is to give the assessor as much as possible to consider. This means speaking as much as you can. Don't go off topic and don't talk about anything that comes into your head, but speak as much as you can. The assessor will stop you when he is ready.

4. Remember the assessor won't prompt you to speak. If you don't say enough he/she will go onto the next question. If you continue not to say enough, the interview could be very short!

5. Don't ask the assessor what questions mean. All he/she can do if you don't understand is repeat the question. You can though ask the examiner to repeat a question if you are not sure you understood it.

6. As with the writing test, don't show off. Some candidates the interview as a way of showing the assessor what you know. They use sophisticated vocabulary and difficult grammar without really knowing how to use both. The result will be a decline in how well you speak and your score will go down.

7. Extend your answers by giving reasons: a. "I don't really like going to the cinema." b. "I don't really like going to the cinema because it's expensive and I don't like crowds very much."

Phase 1 Tips 

8. In the first phase of the speaking test, the assessor will ask you questions about yourself. Research the topic! The assessor might say "Tell me about your parents' jobs." If you don't know anything about them, you will be stuck. It can be surprising how little people know about their own situation.

9. Consider this phase of the test meeting someone for the first time and telling them about yourself. Try to be relaxed and keep the conversation going.

10. Don't worry about lying - this is not a test of if you are a good person. If the assessor says "Tell me about your hobbies and interests" and you reply "I don't have any" then you aren't saying enough to allow the assessor to assess you. In situations like this, lie. Make up the wildest story you can imagine.

Phase 2 Tips 

11. In Phase 2 of the speaking test. You are asked to make a presentation on a topic. It will always be something person, like talking about a holiday you went on. After the test, many candidates suggest they didn't know about the topic which is why they couldn't answer the question. Clearly, this can't be the case. What they mean is they couldn't answer the question because they couldn't think of what to say. If this is the case for you, during the one minute you have to prepare, brainstorm your answer. For example, the assessor my ask you to talk about a holiday you really enjoyed. On you piece of paper, write down questions words: 

Where? When? Why? What? Who with? How? Etc.

When you have asked the questions, answer them: 

Where? Chiang Mai When? last year Why? celebrate end exams What? climbed mountains / saw hill tribes Who with? uni friends How? bus from Morchit Etc. 

If you then 'expand' (say as much as you can about) your answers you should fill up your two minutes easily. 

12. One of the things you must do in both phases of the speaking test is show a range of grammar structures. In phase two you might be asked to talk about a holiday you had. This is the answer: 

'We went to Thailand for our holiday last year. First we went to Bangkok and saw the Grand Palace. Then we went to Ayuthya and saw the ancient city. After that we went to Chiang Mai and met the hill tribes. Finally, we went to Chiang Rai and saw the hill tribes, too." 

Although grammatically perfect, there are only a few sentence structures used. We could change this by changing the order of things: 

"Before going to Chiang Rai and seeing the hill tribes we visited Ayuthya and went to the ancient city." 

This adds another structure to the answer 'Before + Verb + ing' - this will improve your score. Take some time now to look at the answer above and consider as many ways possible including more sentence structures.  

13. You can't ask the assessor direct questions about a presentation topic, but it is permissible to 'scope' what you can talk about in a presentation. For example you can as I talk about the hill tribes in Chiang Mai?" The assessor will answer 'Yes' or 'No'. 

Phase 3 Tips 

14. Phase 3 is where the final score is given to a candidate. This is the part of the test where you must excel. Do the best that you can here without trying to hard or getting yourself into problems. Although a number of sources suggest that scores are averaged between the three phases of the speaking test, this stage is where the 'ceiling' is established - you can't get a higher score than your performance in phase 3.

15. Phase 3 is much more like a conversation between you and the assessor. Here he/she doesn't have a script and can ask you anything he/she wants. If you go off topic, the assessor will make attempts to make sure you stay on topic - there's no point in rehearsing a speech! 

16. Amongst other things, in Phase 3 you will be asked to speculate about the future, give and opinion, suggest a solution to a problem, or describe a process or procedure. Try to come up with a complete answer. If you are asked how you would solve traffic problems world wide, don't just talk about buying more buses; consider where the money for the buses would come from, explain how you would raise the money for the buses and persuade people who to use them. This will certainly impress the assessor.  

17. Make eye contact with the assessor. Although theoretically you could speak great English with your head down, the fact is you may not come across as confident. Although there is no mark for confidence, you need to present yourself in as positive way as possible.

Personal

Argumentative/ short tempered

Loyal/ faithful

Adventurous/ unadventurous/ brave/ courageous/ thrill seeking

Positive/ negative/ gloomy/ a complainer/ a whinger

Hard working/ lazy/ a slacker

Punctual/ unpunctual

Adaptable/ Predictable

Outgoing/ Sociable/ a party animal

Creative

Ambitious/ unambitious/ optimistic/ pessimistic/ confident/ self-assured/ arrogant

Stressed/ relaxed

Dynamic/ energetic

Indecisive/ impulsive/ spontaneous

Competitive/ uncompetitive

Sociable/ fun loving/ unsociable/ a loner

Materialistic e.g - brand names

Films

the film is adapted from (book name)an adaptation of (book name)award winninga classica (romantic) comedya tearjerkera black comedya (psychological) thrilleran action/disaster moviescience fictionset in (time or place)a powerful story ofthe film deals withthe film looks at the film tells the story ofsuperb castingthe character is played bythe leading man/womansuperb performances froma gripping filma moving storyspecial effectsan exceptional masterpieceto have a cult followinga blockbuster

to do well at the box officeto receive critical acclaim

Personal Point of View

We use these words and phrases to express a personal point of view:

In my experience… As far as I'm concerned… Speaking for myself… In my opinion… Personally, I think… I'd say that… I'd suggest that… I'd like to point out that… I believe that… What I mean is…

General Point of View

We use these words and phrases to express a point of view that is generally thought by people:

It is thought that... Some people say that... It is considered... It is generally accepted that...

Agreeing with an opinion

We use these words and phrases to agree with someone else's point of view:

Of course. You're absolutely right. Yes, I agree. I think so too. That's a good point. Exactly. I don't think so either. So do I. I'd go along with that. That's true. Neither do I. I agree with you entirely. That's just what I was thinking. I couldn't agree more.

Disagreeing with an opinion

We use these words and phrases to disagree with someone else's point of view:

That's different. I don't agree with you. However… That's not entirely true. On the contrary… I'm sorry to disagree with you, but… Yes, but don't you think… That's not the same thing at all. I'm afraid I have to disagree. I'm not so sure about that. I must take issue with you on that. It's unjustifiable to say that...

Sports Vocabulary

Sport is one of the most popular topics for conversation. To learn the words you need for conversations about sport, study our sports vocabulary lists. On this page you can find general sports vocabulary, and by clicking on the links to the right you can find special vocabulary for particular sports, together with quizzes. You can also explore a whole section about the Olympic Games. When you are ready, you can try your hand at ourSports Knowledge and Vocabulary Quiz.

Sport or sports?1. sport (noun/singular): Johhny loves sport.2. sports (noun/plural): Johnny plays two sports; football and tennis.3. sports (adjective): Johhny reads the sports news every day. 

Word Example sentence Meaning

arena The arena was full of excited spectators cheering on their team.

a level area for holding sports events, surrounded by seats for spectators

amateur The Olympic Games were originally for amateur athletes only.

engaged in something, like playing sports, without payment; non-professional

athlete Most professional athletes spend hours every day in training.

a person who trains for and competes in a sport

athletics There are some very good runners on our athletics team.

'track and field' events of running, jumping, throwing, etc.

award All the members of the winning team were awarded a gold medal.

to give someone something as a reward for high achievement

beat Italy beat France to win the 2006 FIFA World Cup.

to defeat someone in a game or a competition

captain The captain usually leads his or her team onto the field.

the leader of a team

catch A wicketkeeper in cricket must be very good at catching the ball.

to grab and hold something that has been thrown

champion The boxer Muhammad Ali was World Heavyweight Champion three times.

a top-rated, highly successful player

cheer on The fans made a lot of noise cheering on their team.

to shout encouragement to a team or a player

coach Players should carry out their coach's instructions during a game.

a person who trains and directs an athlete or a sports team

compete Over 10,000 athletes will compete in the Olympic Games.

to take part in a contest or a competition

competition The English Premiership League is one of the world's top football competitions.

an organized event in which people compete to win

competitor Each competitor in a golf tournament must record his or her own score.

a person who takes part in a competition or a sporting contest

contest Do you know who won this year's figure skating contest?

a game or event in which people compete to win

court The tennis courts at Wimbledon in London have a grass surface.

a quadrangular area on which ball games are played, such as tennis or basketball

course A golf course usually has eighteen holes.

an area of land prepared for racing, golf, or other sports

cup After they won the final game, the winners were awarded the Championship Cup.

a cup-shaped trophy, awarded as a prize in a contest

defeat Our players were very happy after they defeated their opponents in the final game.

to win a victory over opponents in a game or contest; to beat

defend The team attacked and scored two goals, then spent the rest of the game defending the lead.

to protect one's goal rather than attempt to score against one's opponents

draw The score was 1-0, but the losing team got a late goal and the game ended in a 1-1 draw.

to finish a contest or game with an even score; tie

event The 100 metres run is one of the most exciting events in athletics.

a particular contest in a sporting programme

fan Sometimes the umpire of a tennis match has to tell noisy fans to be quiet.

a person who supports a particular sport, team or player

field How many players are allowed on the field during a baseball game?

a piece of land marked out for a sports contest e.g. hockey field

final score Today's basketball game was very close. The final score was 84 to 82.

the score at the end of a game

fitness I exercise at the gym every day for fitness and good health.

the condition of being physically fit and healthy

goal Jimmy got the ball, ran down the pitch, and then scored the best goal of the game.

an instance of scoring in a ball game by getting the ball into a target such as between goal-

posts, through a hoop, or into a net.

gym / gymnasium Our gym has a lot of new exercise equipment, including running machines and cycling machines.

a room or building equipped for physical exercise

half-time The players went into the rooms at half-time and listened to their coach.

the interval between the first and second halves of a game

judge In sports like diving and gymnastics, judges score each performance in a contest.

a person who rates the quality of a sporting performance, usually by awarding points

league Nearly every town in the U.S. has teams in a local baseball league.

a group of sports clubs that play each other over a period for a championship

leisure It's good for kids to spend some of their leisure time playing sports.

free time, or the use of free time for enjoyment

lob Her lob flew high into the air and dropped into the back of the court, just inside the baseline.

a shot that is hit in a high arc, usually over the opponent's head

manager Liverpool sacked their manager after they lost eight of their previous ten games.

the person in charge of a sports team

medal Every athlete's dream is to win a gold medal at the Olympic Games.

a piece of engraved metal given to signify an achievement or an honor

object The object of the game of football is to score more goals than the opponents.

the thing you want to get or achieve; what you aim to do

offside Forwards have to learn how to avoid being caught in an offside position.

In an illegal position ahead of the ball (in football, rugby, hockey, etc.)

opponent Roger Federer's opponent in the Wimbledon final was Rafael Nadal.

the person one competes against in a contest or a game; rival

pass A defender tries to pass the ball to a forward in a good position to score.

to throw or kick the ball to another player on one's own team

penalty The penalty for abusing a referee is usually a one-match suspension.

a punishment imposed on a player or team for breaking the rules of a sport

perform All the athletes will do their to carry out a practised activity,

best to perform well in the Olympic Games.

such a play a sport

performance Venus Williams put in one the best performances of her life to win the tournament.

an instance of competing in a sports event in public

physique Rugby players work hard in the gym to build up their physiques.

the form or shape of a person's body

pitch (1) The fans cheered as the players ran onto the pitch.

a playing field (British)

pitch (2) Our pitcher threw one of the best pitches of his life to win the game.

a throw of the ball, esp. in baseball and softball

player How many players are on the court during a doubles match in tennis?

a person who plays a sport

practise(U.S. spelling; practice)

Professional golfers spend hours every day practising their shots.

to repeatedly do something in order to develop one's skill

professional Tiger Woods has been a professional golfer since he was 20 years old.

a person whose paid occupation is playing a sport

record Do you know who holds the world record for the men's 100 metres?

the best performance that has been officially measured and noted

referee The referee saw a foul, blew his whistle and awarded a free kick.

a sports official with authority to make rulings during a contest

rules In several sports there is an offside rule, and it's often difficult to explain.

the laws or regulations that govern how a game or sport is played

score Do you know how to keep score in badminton?

the number of points a competitor or team earns during a game

serve Serving the ball is one of the most important skills in sports like tennis.

to hit the ball to begin play (in tennis, table tennis, squash, volleyball, etc.)

shoot In basketball, players try shoot from outside the 3-point line to score the extra points.

to kick, hit, or throw the ball in an attempt to score a goal (in soccer, hockey, basketball, etc.)

skill Ken has gone to a boxing camp to improve his boxing skills.

the ability to do something well

spectator Spectators can add a lot to sporting events by creating an

a person who watches an event

exciting atmosphere.

sportsmanship Good managers know how to teach their players sportsmanship.

an attitude of fairness, respect for opponents, and graciousness in winning or losing

stadium The stadium was built for sports, but it's sometimes used for concerts as well.

a sports arena with tiered seating for spectators

strategy One of the jobs of the manager or coach is to develop a strategy for winning each game.

a plan to achieve an objective

tackle Rugby players have to learn how to tackle an opponent strongly but fairly.

to challenge an opponent who has the ball

tactics Players use tactics such as attacking their opponent's weaknesses in order to win.

an action or strategy planned to achieve an objective

talent Our daughter's basketball coach says she has a lot of natural talent for the game.

a natural aptitude or skill

teammate The team wins because the players are always looking for their teammates.

a fellow member of a sports team

teamwork The best teams spend a lot of time on the training ground working on teamwork.

the combined action of a group of people

tie The score was very close throughout the game, and it ended in a tie with 89 points each.

a result in a game in which teams have the same final score; a draw

tournament The four major tennis tournaments form what is known as the 'Grand Slam'.

a series of contests between a number of competitors, who compete for an overall prize

trainer Some players are a bit lazy and need a strict trainer to make them work hard.

a person who helps athletes develop their skills and fitness

train The hockey team trains every Tuesday and Thursday after school.

to teach a skill over time through instruction; to practise a skill

trophy The players carried the trophy over their heads as they ran around the stadium.

a decorative object awarded as a prize in a contest or a tournament

umpire In a game of cricket, there are two umpires on the field during

a sports official with authority to make rulings during a contest

play.

victory The players had worked very hard, and they deserved their victory.

the act of winning a game or contest

whistle The referee blew his whistle twice to signal the end of the match.

a small instrument that makes a high-pitched noise when blown

Entertainment

The words below are some of the most important used when talking about entertainment.

Entertainment - People

actoractressartistaudiencebacking groupballerinachoreographercastcomposerconductordancerdirectordrummerguitarist (lead / bass)magicianmusicianorchestrapainterpianistplaywrightproducersaxophonistsculptorsingervocalistviolinist

Entertainment - Arts and Crafts

carvingdrawingknittingpaintingpotterysculpturesewing

Entertainment - Artistic Events

balletconcertexhibitionfilmplayopera

Entertainment - Inside the Theater

aisleboxcirclecurtainfootlightgallerylightingmicrophoneorchestra pitrowscreenscenerysetspeakerstagestallswingsworkshop

Entertainment - Places

art gallerycinemaconcert hallexhibition centermuseumopera housestadiumtheater

Entertainment - Verbs

applaudbooconductexhibitperformplay (a part)The Weather

The words below are some of the most important used when talking about the Weather.

The Weather - Describing the Weather

breezebreezybrightclearcloudcloudydampdrizzledrizzlydrydullfogfoggyhailstonelightningrainraindroprainfallrainyshowershowerysnowsnowfallsnowflakesnowystormstormysunsunnysunshinethunderwetwindwindy

The Weather - The Temperature

chillycoldfreezinghotmildscorchingwarm

The Weather - Verbs

glowfreezehailpour (with rain)rainshine

snow

Senses

The words below are some of the most important used when talking about Senses.

Senses - Senses

hearingsightsmelltastetouch

Senses - Verbs

catch a glimpseglanceglimpsehearlistenlook atnoticeobservescanseestarewatch

Senses - Other Related Words

(color) blinddeafeyesighthard of hearingshort- / long- sighted

People and Physical Characteristics

The words below are some of the most important used when talking about People and Physical Characteristics.

People and Physical Characteristics - Age

babytoddlerchildteenageryoung man / womanyouthmiddle-aged (man / woman)

elderly (man / woman)teensearly mid lateabouttwentyishthirty something

People and Physical Characteristics - Build

fatoverweightslimthinskinnyplumpstockywell built

People and Physical Characteristics - Complexion

fairdarkolivepaletannedcleargoodspottypimpledfrecklesspotspimples

People and Physical Characteristics - Facial Features on Men

moustacheclean-shavenbeard

People and Physical Characteristics - Hairlongshortmedium lengthshoulder lengthblackfairdarkredgraygoing graylight brownblondwhitecurly

spikystraightwavybaldreceding hairline

People and Physical Characteristics - Heightaverage heightabove averagebelow averagepetiteshorttall

Family and Relationships

The words below are some of the most important used when talking about Family and Relationships.

Family and Relationships - Families

auntbrother elder / older brothercousindaughterfathergrandchildgranddaughter / songrandfather / mothergrandparent (s)great-grandchildhusbandex-husbandin-lawsson-in law, etc.motherniecenephewparentssistersonstep-fatherstep-daughter, etc.twintwin-sister/ brotherunclewidow (woman)widower (man)wifeex-wife

Family and Relationships - Marital Relationships

divorced

engagedmarried / unmarriedseparatedsinglewidowed

Family and Relationships - Verbs

get divorced (from)get engaged (to)get married (to)get on (well) with someonemarry someonestart / end a relationship with someone

Family and Relationships - Other Related Words

acquaintancebosscolleagueemployeeemployerfiancéfiancéefriendbest friendneighborpartner

Places

The words below are the most important words used when talking about different places and areas such as shops, towns and the countryside. At the end of each group of words you will find a link to a page which has further Example Sentences and Definitions concerning that word group. Another link leads to the list with a pronunciation RealPlayer file for the correct pronunciation (standard North American accent) of the words.

Places - Buildings People Live In

apartmentblockapartment blockblock of flats (British English)bungalowcottageduplex (American English)flat (British English)floor on the ground / first / top floorhousedetached house (British English)semi-detached house (British English)terraced house

story - ten / multi-story building (British English - storey)Pronunciation Examples of these Words FileQuiz: Living QuartersQuiz: Rooms People Live and Work inExample Sentences and Definitions

Places - Other Buildings

bar (American English)car parkcastlecathedralchurchofficeoffice blockparkpost officepubrestaurantskyscraperstationbus stationfire stationpolice stationrailway stationtown hallPronunciation Examples of these Words FileExample Sentences and Definitions

Places - Stores and Shops

baker'sbutcher'sdepartment storedry cleaner'sfishmonger's (British English)fish-shopgreengrocer'sgrocer'sironmonger's (British English)hardware store (American English)shopshopping mall (American English)stationer'ssweetshop (British English)tobacconist's (British English)Pronunciation Examples of these Words FileExample Sentences and DefinitionsQuiz: Choosing The Right Shop

Places - Communities

citycapital cityport

resortholiday resortseaside resortski resorttownvillagePronunciation Examples of these Words FileExample Sentences and Definitions

Places - Parts and Areas of Communities

areacountry arearesidential arearural areaurban areacentercity centertown centerdistrictoutskirtsregionsuburbin the suburbssuburban (adj)Pronunciation Examples of these Words FileExample Sentences and Definitions

Places - Geographical Features

baybeachcliffcoaston the coastcountrysideflat (adj)foresthillhilly (adj)lake - loch mountainmountainous (adj)plain (n)riverseaseasideshorestream (n)valleywoodwoody / wooded (adj)