After examining thousands of IELTS Speaking tests, I can tell you that Arab students make a very predictable set of mistakes. The good news? Once you know what they are, fixing them is straightforward.
Mistake 1: The /p/ and /b/ Confusion
This is the number one pronunciation issue for Arab speakers. Arabic doesn't have the /p/ sound, so "park" becomes "bark", "people" becomes "beoble", and "problem" gets mispronounced.
The fix: Place a tissue in front of your mouth. When you say /p/, the tissue should move from the burst of air. When you say /b/, it shouldn't. Practice with minimal pairs: park/bark, pet/bet, pin/bin.
Mistake 2: Memorized Answers Sound Robotic
Many Arab students memorize full answers, especially for Part 1. Examiners are trained to detect memorized responses — the fluency sounds unnatural, the intonation is flat, and the answer doesn't quite match the question.
The fix: Instead of memorizing full answers, memorize flexible phrases that work across multiple questions: "I'd say that...", "What appeals to me about X is...", "If I had to choose, I'd go with..."
Mistake 3: Overusing "I think"
Arab students start almost every opinion with "I think". Using the same phrase repeatedly signals limited lexical range.
Band 7 alternatives: "From my perspective...", "I'd argue that...", "In my experience...", "I'm inclined to believe...", "As far as I'm concerned..."
Mistake 4: Short Part 2 Answers
The Long Turn (Part 2) requires you to speak for 1-2 minutes. Arab students often run out of things to say after 45 seconds. This is because they describe the topic without extending their ideas.
The REEF technique:
Reason — Why? "The reason I chose this is..."
Example — Illustrate: "For instance, one time..."
Effect — Impact: "This had a significant impact on me because..."
Feeling — Emotion: "Looking back, I feel..."
Mistake 5: Hesitation Fillers in Arabic
Under pressure, Arab students revert to Arabic fillers: "يعني" (ya'ni), "والله" (wallah), "شو اسمه" (shu ismu). These are natural but signal to the examiner that you're struggling with English fluency.
English replacements: "Let me think...", "That's an interesting question...", "Well, I suppose...", "How shall I put it..."
Quick Self-Assessment
Record yourself answering a Part 2 topic for 2 minutes. Listen back and count: How many times did you say "I think"? Did you speak for the full 2 minutes? Did any Arabic fillers slip in? Were your /p/ sounds clear?
