Think about these questions, or answer them aloud.
Fluency is not speed. A fluent speaker talks at a steady pace, keeps going without long silences, and connects ideas so the listener can follow. Even native speakers pause, repeat themselves and correct mistakes; they just do it smoothly.
In IELTS, this is called Fluency and Coherence, and it is a quarter of your speaking score. TOEFL and TOEIC speaking scores also reward a natural pace and ideas that are clearly connected.
Everyone needs a moment to think. The problem is long silences or the same sound again and again: um… er… like… um…. Instead, use a short phrase that sounds natural and gives you two or three seconds:
Use them once at the start of an answer or when you change direction, not in every sentence. One um is fine; ten is a problem.
| Function | Natural in speech |
|---|---|
| Adding a point | On top of that,… / Plus,… / And another thing is… |
| Contrasting | Having said that,… / On the other hand,… / Mind you,… |
| Giving an example | For instance,… / Take my brother, for example. / A good example is… |
| Rephrasing or clarifying | What I mean is,… / In other words,… / Sorry, let me put that another way. |
| Giving your view | Personally,… / If you ask me,… / The way I see it,… |
| Summing up | So overall,… / So basically,… / All in all,… |
Match each marker to its function. There is one extra function.
Question: “Is it better to study alone or with other people?” Complete the answer with the markers in the box. Use each one once.
Listen and repeat. Copy the rhythm: the marker is quick and light, followed by a tiny pause, then the main idea.
Listen to each sentence, then record yourself saying it the same way. Copy the rhythm, stress and intonation.
1.Well, that's an interesting question.
2.I'd say yes, although it depends on the situation.
3.Having said that, a lot of people don't really need one.
4.Take my brother, for example.
5.What I mean is, we're together, but we're not really talking.
6.On top of that, it's much cheaper than it used to be.
7.So overall, I think it's a positive change.
Answer with no preparation time, as in the real test. Start with a thinking phrase if you need one, then use at least three different markers.
Some people think that working from home will become normal for most office workers in the future. What's your opinion?
No preparation time · 1:00 speaking
Save words to review them later with flashcards.
“Reading aloud every day helped my fluency.”
“Good linking words improve the coherence of your answer.”
“She hesitated before answering the question.”
“'On the other hand' is a common discourse marker.”
“If the listener looks confused, rephrase your idea.”
“His answer sounded a bit stiff, as if he'd memorised it.”
“I spent an hour scrolling through photos.”
“We keep in touch with a weekly video call.”
“Some problems are easier to solve face to face.”
“The research on remote work shows a mixed picture.”
“We ended up staying until midnight.”
