Silence is the enemy of fluency. At Band 4, students often go silent while thinking, which disrupts the flow of speech. At Band 6, they use natural fillers and hesitation devices to keep speaking while formulating their answer.
Natural English fillers (acceptable in IELTS):
- "Well..." / "Let me think..." / "That's a good question..."
- "I suppose..." / "I would say..." / "From my perspective..."
- "It's hard to say, but..." / "I hadn't really thought about it, but..."
- "To be honest..." / "Actually..."
Unnatural fillers (avoid):
- "Erm... erm... erm..." (repeated)
- "How to say..." (non-English filler)
- Long silences (3+ seconds)
The repair strategy: If you make a mistake, correct yourself naturally:
- "I went to — actually, I visited Paris last year."
- "It was very — I mean, it was quite challenging."
- "I think — well, I suppose it depends on the situation."
Self-correction is NOT penalised. It shows language awareness.
Band 4 (silence and unnatural fillers)
Do you prefer... [3 second silence] ...erm... how to say... erm... I like... erm... the city.
Why this works: Long silence. 'How to say' is a direct translation from another language. Repeated 'erm'. Disrupts fluency.
Band 6 (natural fillers and repair)
That's an interesting question. I suppose it depends on what stage of life you're at. For me personally — well, at this point in my career — I would say the city offers more opportunities. But I can imagine that in the future, when I have a family, I might prefer somewhere quieter.
Why this works: Natural fillers: 'I suppose', 'For me personally'. Self-correction: 'For me personally — well, at this point in my career'. Maintains fluency throughout.
formulate
to create or develop carefully
Example: I need a moment to formulate my answer.
hesitation
a pause before speaking or acting
Example: A brief hesitation is natural in speech.
Self-correction is a sign of language awareness. Use these phrases to correct yourself naturally.
- →I think — actually, I believe the situation is more complex than that.
- →It was very difficult — I mean, it was quite challenging at first.
- →I went to — that is to say, I visited three countries last summer.
- Never go silent for more than 2 seconds — use a filler.
- Use 'I suppose', 'I would say', 'From my perspective' to buy thinking time.
- Self-correct naturally — it shows language awareness and is not penalised.
- Avoid 'How to say' — it is a direct translation that sounds unnatural in English.
Answer these questions out loud, focusing on using natural fillers and avoiding silence: 1) What do you think is the most important quality in a friend? 2) How has your hometown changed over the years? 3) Do you think people today have more or less free time than in the past?