Five Proven Ways to Get a Band 8 in IELTS Speaking
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Hello, it’s Keith from the Keith Speaking Academy. Many students ask me:
How do I get a Band 8 in the IELTS Speaking Test?
The simple truth is to meet the requirements of a Band 8, you need to speak easily and fluently, even during long turns, and use a wide range of vocabulary and grammar.
Sounds simple, I know, but most importantly, to get a Band 8, there are two things you need to do.
- Acquire Band 8 level English.
- Show your English to the examiner.
A small word of warning. Both of these take time and focused practice. There’s no magic trick!
In this lesson, I will give you 5 proven ways to make sure you can do this and so get a band 8 in your IELTS Speaking test.
Speak Naturally, Not Perfectly
I think many students obsess too much about perfect grammar. Whilst grammar is important, it doesn’t have to be 100% perfect.
I suggest you focus more on fluency and coherence, not perfect grammar.
In addition, use natural connectors, including higher level ones like:
- actually
- to be honest
- what I mean is
- as a matter of fact
Band 8 students don’t sound like a textbook. They sound like a real person!
Develop Your Answers Intelligently
To get a band 8 in IELTS Speaking, it’s important you have plenty of ideas to talk about, especially in part 3 of the test.
So read a lot, listen a lot, watch a lot. Research and discover ideas that you can talk about in the test.
When it comes to Part 3 answers in IELTS Speaking, depth is better than length.
Try using the ORE method to develop your answers:
- Opinion
- Reason
- Example (+ Consequences)
Add feelings and show emotion.
A Band 6 answers the question. A Band 8 develops the answer!
Use Advanced Vocabulary Naturally
Getting a band 8 is not about big words — it’s about using the right words.
It’s essential you use natural spoken English, including:
- Idioms (used in the correct context)
- Nuance (for precise meaning)
- Collocations: (e.g. take a break, face a challenge, conquer your fears)
- Phrasal Verbs: (e.g. talk into, come round, put off)
- Signposts: (e.g. It’s fair to say that…, One thing that comes to mind is…, all said and done, I think…)
Repeat your ideas using different words to sound fluent and natural.
Be Flexible with Grammar
As I mentioned earlier, many students think they should focus on using grammar accuracy. To some extent, that is true, however, the IELTS Speaking band descriptors, say the following about band 8 grammar:
A mix of simple and complex structures used flexibly.
So, yes, you need to know advanced grammar, including the following,
- Conditionals
- Relative clauses
- Passive voice
- Inversions (if natural)
but when you speak, use a combination of complex and simple grammar.
You don’t need fancy grammar. You need flexible grammar!
Shadow
A key skill I have yet to talk about is pronunciation.
For this skill, the IELTS Speaking band descriptors talk about ‘sustaining appropriate rhythm’ and ‘flexible use of stress and intonation across long utterances’. An utterance is just a spoken sentence.
This skill is important because it is closely connected with fluency too.
For me, a great way to develop this ability to manage long utterances is to practice shadowing.
This is just listening and simultaneously repeating the spoken sentences (utterances) you hear from any audio file.
I suggest you start small, build up to longer stretches of speech.
This will build fluency and pronunciation naturally.
Bonus Tip: Do Mock Tests and Record Yourself
- Listen to your recordings.
- Find weaknesses.
- Fix your mistakes.
Top students review, reflect, and grow!
I hope all these ideas inspire you to continue studying towards getting a band 8, if that is your goal.
It takes time, but it is possible with the right guidance and support. Good luck on your journey to a band 8 in IELTS Speaking.
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