Students always ask me, “How do I get Band 7, 8, or 9?!” In the IELTS speaking test, the examiner needs to assess your ability to express yourself in English, so don’t just give short answers. How is the examiner suppose to know you can speak English fluently if you don’t show that you can use a mix of short and complex sentences and idiomatic expressions? Use the REE method to extend your answers so you can improve your speaking score!

When you get a question, here’s what you do:

Respond – answer it right away. This can be quite short.

Elaborate – then add something more to extend your answer.

Example – give an example!

Here’s an example:

Do you think children should wear school uniforms?

Respond – Oh, definitely.

Elaborate – If all the students have to wear a uniform, then there will be less discrimination based on the type of clothing that they wear.

Example – For example, in my school, we didn’t have a school uniform and certain students were picked on because of the clothes they wore to school. It sounds crazy, but kids can be cruel like that.