AEE IELTS: How to Buy Time on the Speaking Test with 6 Key Phrases

Did the IELTS examiner ask you a difficult question? Did your mind
just go blank? Today, Lindsay and Jessica share 6 phrases to
help you fill that time void! Taking IELTS? Get our free IELTS
video training course now If you get asked a question that you
can’t immediately answer during your IELTS exam, you
don’t want to go silent. It’s important to keep speaking even
if you need a moment to decide how to answer the actual question.
Native English speakers use many different phrases to help
them do this. It’s important to understand that using a
time-filling phrase won’t hurt your score.  In fact,
it’s likely to improve it!   Here are a
few phrases to use if you need a moment to think
about how to answer a question during your IELTS exam: “Honestly, I
am a little bit nervous right now and my mind just went
blank.” This says that you’re being honest, and
trying. “My mind went blank” is also an idiom. “Frankly, this
isn’t something I’m used to talking about.” Again, this is
honest, and sounds like something a native speaker would say.
“That’s a good question.” This welcomes good intonation, and
that will help your pronunciation score.   Other simple and
common English time-fillers: “Wow, let me think about that.” 
“I’ve never thought about that before.”  “Let’s see.”  
Which phrases do you plan to use, and why? Tell us what you think
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