Stop saying, “I don’t know” in IELTS Speaking

So, do you think computers make life easier?

Umm... I don't know.

Why do people dislike computers?

Well, um, I don't know. Umm…

Will we use computers more in the future?

I don't know.

Um, maybe.

Difficult questions, right?

So listen, let's find better ways to answer these questions,

so you can get a higher score in IELTS speaking.

Let's do it.

So sometimes in IELTS speaking,

the examiner will ask you a question that you simply don't know how to answer.

Especially, in part 3, right?

Now, of course, you can just say,

“I don't know”

But, you really want to show off your vocabulary and if possible,

develop your answer.

So in this video, we're going to look at some typically difficult questions

and how you can start to answer them using something different from

I don't know.

We will start with some easier expressions and then move on to more complex ones.

Also I’m going to help you with a few pronunciation tips,

that can help build your fluency.

Now, a word of warning, whilst these expressions are really good, right,

don't just learn them today and use them in the test tomorrow, right?

You need to be practicing them.

Practicing them a lot, so you can use them confidently and naturally.

Otherwise, it's not going to work.

You know, I think if you're like me,

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Really, that is the best way forward.

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Of course, that's fine.

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Let's move forward with today's exciting lesson.

Right.

Let's look at some of those tricky questions you may get.

Especially in IELTS speaking part 3, right?

Very often you get questions like,

“Do you think ……”

“Why do people …….”

“Will we ……. In the future?”

right.

And these are questions that really are pushing you to think of an answer,

give your opinion.

Maybe explain why you think so.

And give you opportunities to give examples as well.

They can be tricky questions.

I’m gonna look at some questions here around the topic of computers.

These are not real questions.

I’ve just made them up.

But you could apply this kind of question to any topic, right?

Whether it's mobile phones, social media, online shopping.

But here, just for my examples, I’m going to take computers.

So let's take the first example.

Do you think computers make life easier?

I’m not too sure, to be honest, but I reckon they do make life easier because ……

Right.

"I’m not too sure"

You could say, I’m not sure or we often put the “too” in there, right?

I’m not too sure.

Notice the “not" and the “too”

There's only one t sound.

Not-too. Okay?

You don't need to say not too.

I’m not-too sure.

You can add the filler “to be honest”

I’m not too sure, to be honest ……..

I’m not too sure, to be honest.

Try.

Great.

And then I’m leading in saying, “I reckon”,

which just is a nice informal way of saying, I think.

I reckon they do make life easier because and then you could explain why.

Great.

Nice and easy.

Let's move on.

Do you think computers make our lives easier?

I can't say for sure, but it seems to me, that by and large,

they do make life easier.

Let me give you an example.

Nice.

“I can't say for sure”, right?

Notice the pronunciation

the for is /fə(r)/, /fə(r)/

/fə(r)/ sure.

And although it's S U, it's a “sh” sound.

For sure.

It's a /ʃɔː/, right?

That long vowel sound.

I can't say for sure.

Nice, very good.

“But it seems to me”,

another nice filler, right?

Which really means I think.

But it seems to me.

I can't say for sure, but it seems to me,

right?

Great.

“By and large” just means generally speaking,

which is a nice bit of language to use.

And then let me give you an example.

Now you can probably see what I’m doing is by making this,

I don't know quite long, I’m giving myself time to think,

so that hopefully, by the time I get to--

Let me give you an example.

My brain has been ticking over and I’ve got something to say.

So this is not only about showing off language,

it's about giving yourself extra time to think on your feet, right?

Think on the spot.

Lovely.

Next.

And will we use computers more in the future?

Off the top of my head, I would say yes, we will.

The reason I think so is because....

Right.

“Off the top of my head” I would say yes or I would say no.

Great.

Off the top of my head, just means without thinking too much.

So to say something off the top of your head,

is to do it almost improvised without thinking, right?

Notice the pronunciation, right?

It's off the top-of, top-of,

sounds a bit like a Russian violin player, Top-of.

Off the top-of,

you can hear the off and the /v/.

Off the top-of my head.

Off the top of my head,

try.

Great. Get that ……

off the top of my head.

Off the top of my head, I would say,

right.

Great.

Good.

So try and give me a full answer here, right?

Will we use computers more in the future?

Great.

Cutting you off as often happens in the test.

So get used to it, matey.

Okay.

Good.

Let's move on.

Do you think computers make life easier?

As far as I can see, they do.

For instance they help us do our work more effectively,

especially when it comes to preparing reports or presentations.

Great.

“As far as I can see …….”, right?

Now it doesn't mean literally, as far as you can see,

but it just means as far as I understand or as much as I understand, right?

As far as I can see,

often, very often, often, very often.

We also sometimes say, tell instead of see, right?

As far as I can tell, right? ……

Okay.

Notice the pronunciation.

It's not as it's /əz/, /əz/

Because it's unstressed

/əz/ far /əz/

/əz/ far /əz/

As far as I /kən/,

/kən/ instead of can because it's also unstressed.

/əz/ far /əz/ I /kən/ see.

Try, as far as I can see,

with tell.

Good.

As far as I can tell,

nice.

Great.

And here I go on to give an example.

But use “for instance”, right?

As far as I can tell, they do make life easier.

For instance ……

and then give some examples always a great technique in part 3

is to give examples to develop your answers.

So what about you? Hey! Do you think computers make your life easier?

Great.

Thank you!

Cutting you off again, get used to it.

Let's move on.

Why do some people dislike computers?

I’d hazard a guess that it's because of their age.

That may be the case.

I mean a lot of older people don't like computers because

they don't really understand how to use them.

“I’d hazard a guess”

nice expression.

Really it means I’m making a guess.

Or I’m guessing, right?

So similar to saying I guess, I suppose, I think, I’d hazard a guess.

I would hazard.

I’d hazard a guess, okay.

I’d hazard a guess.

You can link hazard-a-guess, hazard a guess.

I’d hazard a guess.

It's a bit tricky.

That's why you need to practice this one,

before you start using it in any kind of test, right?

I’d hazard a guess it's because of and then you can say.

I also have that nice expression “that may be the case”, right?

Again, it's another filler, helping me gain time to think, right?

That may be the case.

That maybe the situation, right?

Maybe, maybe not.

Possibly, possibly not, right?

I’d hazard a guess that it's because of their age.

That may be the case.

I mean a lot of people ……

a lot of older people.

So I mean, really then is giving me the chance to give an example

or clarify what I am saying, right?

And by this point, I’m able to develop my answer quite a bit more, okay?

Nice expression.

So my friend, why do some people dislike computers?

That's an interesting answer.

Thank you very much!

Let's carry on.

So today we've seen five different ways of saying, I don't know.

To help you show off your vocabulary.

Also help you to gain time to think on your feet

and to also develop your answers, which is critical in IELTS speaking part 3.

I hope it's been helpful.

A big thank you again to Cambly for sponsoring this video.

Make that long-term commitment to improving your English

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Excellent.

Thank you again Cambly, for sponsoring

and thank you for watching and practicing with me today

and taking your IELTS speaking up to the next level.

I look forward to seeing you soon and do remember subscribe,

turn on the notifications.

Leave me a comment below.

Let me know, I don't know how about try to use one of these 5 expressions,

to develop an answer for the question,

“Do you think computers make our lives easier?”

Great.

Take care my friends.

Speak to you soon.

Bye-bye!