Every IELTS test taker has several questions regarding the IELTS speaking module Is Pronunciation important in IELTS? I might get a good ielts score what if I have a strong accent? Which accent should I choose to get a 7+ band score? In this blog, we will discuss how pronunciation is important for achieving a 7+ IELTS score, and how pronunciation affects marking criteria in IELTS speaking.                                                                                           

IELTS speaking criteria depend on fluency and coherence, grammatical range, lexical resources and accuracy by which any student can make up 75% of the score. Despite this kind of dependency on IELTS speaking of pronunciation many students often ignore the term “pronunciation”, which gives one-fourth of the score. In this comprehensive & short guide let me tell you how pronunciation is important in the IELTS speaking module. In the IELTS speaking test, the marking criterion depends on four different things: Vocabulary (25%), Fluency & Coherence (25%), Grammar (25%) and Pronunciation (25%).                                              

Pronunciation impacts English fluency as well, so it is about more than only 25 %. As a definition let me tell you that pronunciation is usually a part that creates the most difficulties in the way of learning because it depends on how strong your vocab is what if you do not know the meaning of the word how can you pronounce that? Other than this, it takes more time, practice and consistency, but you have to be aware of how to practice pronunciation as well.                   Let’s get started!!                                                                                                                 

Individual Sounds

The phonemic chart contains all the sounds in the English language, divided into vowel sounds at the top and consonant sounds at the bottom. Each word is made up of these sounds, and the chart helps identify difficult ones. By improving the pronunciation of these tricky sounds, your overall speaking ability will improve. To understand the chart better, using an interactive version is helpful. At several IELTS centre in Mukerian, they guide students to improve their pronunciation by mastering the phonemic chart, which is key to boosting their speaking scores.

Creating the Correct Sounds

Pronunciation is influenced by both your brain and body, but it’s more about the body than the brain. While your brain helps you recognize and think about the sounds, it’s the physical aspect—like the position of your mouth, tongue, and jaw—that plays a bigger role in producing them. Much like playing a whistle, trumpet, or flute, the way you position these parts affects the sound you make. Mastering pronunciation involves training your body to form the correct shapes and movements to create accurate sounds, leading to better clarity and fluency in speech.

Word stress

Every word is made up of syllables, and typically, one or more of these syllables are stressed more than the others. If stress is placed incorrectly, it can make it difficult for native speakers to understand, which can affect your score in the IELTS test. For example, consider the following words:

• Photograph: stress on the first syllable (PHO-to-graph)
• Photographer: stress on the second syllable (pho-TOG-ra-pher)
• Photographic: stress on the third syllable (pho-to-GRAPH-ic)

Proper stress placement is essential for clear communication and better IELTS results.

Sentence Stress

Kindly notice this sentence, “Meet me at 9 pm on the corner of 5th and 6th Streets on Saturday,” we stress the content words that carry meaning: Meet, 9 pm, corner, 5th, 6th, and Saturday. Content words are usually verbs, nouns, adjectives, or adverbs and are key to understanding the sentence. Without them, the sentence loses meaning. On the other hand, function words, like pronouns, articles, and prepositions, help with grammar but aren’t as important for conveying meaning, so we don’t stress them. Proper stress on content words improves clarity and understanding, especially in spoken English.

Linking Sounds

Have you ever noticed that native English speakers sound like they’re talking too fast? This is often due to linking sounds. Instead of pausing between each word, native speakers connect them, making their speech more fluent. For example, when one word ends with a consonant and the next begins with a vowel, the sounds link together. In the sentence, “It’s a little bit of a problem,” the words link to sounds like “itsa” and “bitova.” Similarly, when two vowel sounds meet, they also link, and a /w/ or /j/ sound may be added for smoothness.

Final Words

In conclusion, mastering pronunciation is crucial for achieving a high score in the IELTS speaking module. It accounts for 25% of the total score and also influences fluency and coherence. By focusing on individual sounds, word stress, sentence stress, and linking sounds, students can significantly improve their speaking clarity and fluency. The Best IELTS institute in Mukerian helps students enhance their pronunciation by guiding them through techniques like using the phonemic chart and practising sound articulation. With consistent practice, students can achieve the desired 7+ band score by paying attention to this vital aspect of the IELTS exam.