Describe your favorite famous person

[willhunting]

Hello all,
I would love to have any feedback from you about my speech, and if possible, to have an estimate band.
Thanks in advance.

Cue Card
Describe your favorite famous person. Please say
- Who is he/she?
- What does he/she do?
- When did he/she become famous?

[rzz]

Nice effort , i will rate you at 7.0

but i would really like if you can be more fluent and can avoid pausing by reducing your speaking speed.

[willhunting]

Thanks for your feedback, rzz. How crucial is to talk without pauses? I mean, you sometimes need time to think and breathe, right? Is there a threshold that I should meet to be considered fluent? E.g. 100 words per minute?
I have read a lot of tips about preparing for the speaking part, but in a nutshell they tell you to practice a lot. But I feel like I am missing some strategy here, specially when I am talking about a subject I am not familiar with. E.g.: cooking.

[lmoore]

Hi, WillHunting,

Thank you for sharing your thoughts about the movie “The Iron Lady” and Margaret Thatcher. I haven’t seen the movie yet, and your description of her life makes me want to see it.
Overall, I would say that you’re going to score well on your IELTS exam, if you haven’t already. Your vocabulary level is high, and I heard words like “unprovoked.” Your organization is easy to follow, and you include a good introduction and conclusion. I liked how you left the listener with something to think about when you said that there aren’t many politicians like her. Pronunciation is generally not an issue, either. There were a couple of times, however, when pronunciation could have been better, such as when you said “Meryl Strip” instead of “Meryl Streep.” Be careful how you pronounce the short /i/ vs. the /ee/ sound. Try practicing words with both sounds, such as “ship” and “sheep.”

Here are some other notes:
Discuss about
--Of the capitalism – of capitalism (no “the)
--Most of companies – most of THE companies
--This action boost U.K. economy in the long-term – BOOSTED THE U.K. economy
--Her response for this unprovoked – Her response TO
--She was a person she stood for her principles – she was a person who stood for her principles (no she)

Regarding your question about how to deal with subjects you may not be that familiar with, I would suggest that you make it clear in your answer that you aren't that knowledgeable about it. However, I would do your best to answer the question. For example, maybe you're asked about how to prepare your favorite meal. You might say that you don't know for sure because you've only prepared it once or twice, and it really wasn't that good. You could list the general steps, such as purchasing fresh ingredients, rinsing off rice, cutting up vegetables a certain way, etc. Or you could talk about how you've seen your mom or sister make the meal.

Thanks, and best wishes as you continue to practice!

[willhunting]

Hello LMoore,
Thank you very much for your feedback. You hit the nail on the head when you say I should be careful while pronouncing words endings. I know this is one of my weak spots, and I hadn't noticed that I mispronounced her last name.
I will take the exam in late October, so I will keep practicing.
And finally, I definitely urge you to watch the movie. I hope you enjoy it