IELTSスピーキングでスコアアップに役立つ便利な表現
IELTSのスピーキングは、試験官と一対一の面接形式です。パート1、2,3に分かれており、日常的な会話からディスカッションまで、様々な課題について問われます。ここで重要になるのが、自分の意見をはっきりと主張することです。
自分の意見を強調したいときは、副詞を活用しましょう。文章の中に副詞を組み込むことで、意見が強調され、表現が豊かになります。試験では、自分の意見や感情、起こった出来事などを、強調して伝えることで、豊かな表現力があるとされ、プラスの印象を与えます。日本人は、特に控えめに話すと言われていますが、強調表現を活用し、スコアアップにつなげましょう。
副詞を使用した強調表現
absolutely, a lot, really などの強調表現
意見を強調する副詞は、意識しないと、最初は使うのが難しいです。しかし、強調表現を使うことで、相手に与える印象が大きく変わります。ここでは、強調表現の便利な表現例を紹介します。
強調表現の例
副詞 | 例文 |
---|---|
absolutely | I absolutely agree with the idea xxxxxx. |
a lot | I’m enjoying it a lot. |
for sure | I will learn Spanish for sure. |
currently | I currently work as an office manager |
definitely | So yes, I definitely have to work with other people. |
会話中の使用例
I really like your plan!
Yes, it’s pretty good … but it needs a little revising.
Of course, you did a very good job, but you might need to consider a few more points.
Yes, it will probably be more effective if you highlight the staffing requirements and expand on the budget.
always, always, rarely などの頻度を表す表現
頻度を表す副詞は、行動や習慣に付け加えることで、文章を強調し、表現を豊かにします。これらの副詞は、日常会話でもよく使われるので、活用していきましょう。
副詞 | 例文 |
---|---|
always | I always get up in the morning and go to the gym. |
often | I am often late to my fitness class. |
usually | She usually wakes up at 8am. |
sometimes | He is sometimes tired after attending meetings. |
occasionally | We occasionally take a walk in the park. |
rarely | They rarely eat at that restaurant. |
seldom | I seldom go to the library to study. |
never | I never travel without planning. |
副詞以外を使用した強調表現
比較級を使用した表現
いわゆる、比喩的表現と呼ばれる方法です。比喩的表現を取り入れることで、効果的に自分の意見を強調することができます。
上の例を直訳すると、「家と同じぐらい大きい魚を捕まえた」と訳せますが、そのままの意味ではなく、魚の大きさを強調するために、あえて家と比較し、表現していることがわかります。
感情を強く表す動詞を使用した表現
使用している動詞を、より感情を強く表す動詞に置き換えることで、自分の感情を強調することができます。
回数や量を使用した表現
この表現も、頻度を表す副詞のように、行動や習慣を強調することができます。
解答例から学ぶ強調表現
IELTSスピーキングのパート1で、最も頻繁に出るスピーキングトピックに対して、特に、副詞やその他の強調表現を活用している解答例を抜粋し、紹介します。
Hometown 【No.1頻出トピック】
Q. Where is your home town?
A. My home town is called Chiba. It is a next prefecture to Tokyo. I absolutely like my hometown because there are a lot of nature like mountain and the ocean, lakes to enjoy. the population is increasing year by year due to the location and its laid-back environment.
Q. What is a historical place in your hometown?
A. Well, I don’t know actually. but if you ask me, I would say, um… the park near my house has ancient mounds where pretty famous lords were buried there. I read the detail in front of the mounds before, but I completely forget about who, when , the sort of things.
Q. Has your hometown changed much since you were a child?
A. Not much, I don’t see any change happened to my hometown. Maybe, there are more shopping malls and condos in downtown. oh yes, there are quite a few indian restaurants, too.
Q. Is there good transportation in your hometown?
A. Yes, of course. Public busses and trains are always available and run frequently. I boast of Japan’s transportation, because it is really advanced.
Study
Q. What did you study whey you were a college student?
A. I studied English literature ,but I didn’t know what I should take at that time at all . I absolutely regret the fact that I ended up taking English literature I was never interested in, just because the subject was the most popular choice for Japanese women.
Q. Why did you choose the subject?
A. As I said, I didn’t have any idea what I wanted to do then. So, I settled down to the most popular subject, which was English Literature. I should have taken economics because I love the analytical process and I am good at it.
Q. What did you like about your studies?
A. I ,for the most part, didn’t like the subject. but one class I was strongly interested in was phonology. This is because the sound of language has a set of rules, specific to particular language groups. very interesting!
Work
Q. Where is your home town?
A. My home town is called Chiba. It is a next prefecture to Tokyo. I absolutely like my hometown because there are a lot of nature like mountain and the ocean, lakes to enjoy. the population is increasing year by year due to the location and its laid-back environment.
Q. What is a historical place in your hometown?
A. Well, I don’t know actually. but if you ask me, I would say, um… the park near my house has ancient mounds where pretty famous lords were buried there. I read the detail in front of the mounds before, but I completely forget about who, when , the sort of things.
Q. Has your hometown changed much since you were a child?
A. Not much, I don’t see any change happened to my hometown. Maybe, there are more shopping malls and condos in downtown. oh yes, there are quite a few indian restaurants, too.
Q. Is there good transportation in your hometown?
A. Yes, of course. Public busses and trains are always available and run frequently. I boast of Japan’s transportation, because it is really advanced.
性格を表す形容詞
IELTSスピーキングで頻出する課題として、友達や家族、先生など、身の回りにいる人について、問われるものがあります。説明する対象に関係なく、人の性格を表現する形容詞を覚えておくと、試験の際に非常に便利です。また、試験だけではなく、日常の様々な場面で役に立ちますので、下記で紹介する形容詞は、ぜひ覚えておきましょう。
形容詞 | 日本語訳 |
---|---|
self-motivated | 意欲的な |
affable | 話やすい、気さくな |
personable | 愛想のよい、感じのよい |
agreeable | 愛想のよい、人当たりのよい |
amiable | 友好的な |
polite | 礼儀正しい |
likable | 好感の持てる、好ましい |
sociable | 人と接するのが好きな |
extrovert | 社交的な、外交的な |
introvert | 内気な |
considerate | 思いやりのある |
sympathetic | 同情心のある |
understanding | 理解力のある、物分かりのよい |
diplomatic | 外交的な、人付き合いの巧みな |
straight-forward | 正直な、素直な |
generous | 寛容な |
patient | 忍耐強い |
resourceful | (問題処理の手を)色々考えつく |
proactive | 率先的な |
practical | 現実的な |
down-to-earth | 分別[社会常識]のある(=sensible ) |
organized | 几帳面な |
diligent | 勤勉な |
versatile | 多芸多才の |
adaptable | 順応できる |
dependable | 頼れる、頼もしい(= reliable) |
cheerful | 陽気な (=feisty 「元気旺盛な」) |
chatty | 話好きな |
laid-back | リラックスした、のんきな (=easy-going) |
determined | 決心の堅い |
decisive | 決断力のある (⇔ indecisive 「優柔不断な」) |
passionate | 情熱的な |
スピーチを始める前の便利なフレーズ
パート2では、課題に対してスピーチをすることが求められます。ここでは、スピーチを始める前に使用できる、便利なフレーズを紹介します。これらの表現を使用すると、回答にスムーズに移行できる、文章を強調できる、などのメリットがありますので、ぜひ活用してください。
- A long time ago, (時を表す言葉から始める)
- It was 2 years ago,
- I am going to talk about…
- I would like to tell you about the time…
- Let me talk about the time..
また、パート2の解答例を紹介します。導入に使用されている表現や、文章中の強調表現を意識して、スクリプトを読み、音声を聞いてみましょう。
I would like to tell you about an interesting conversation I had recently with a friend.
In this conversation, my friend and I were comparing gun laws in Japan and the United States. We were having this conversation because there was another school shooting recently in the United States, and my friend wondered about gun regulation laws in Japan, because they knew that I was Japanese. We talked about how Japan is such a great example of how strict gun control laws and restrictions on firearms entering the country can make a country so much safer to live in.
Because as many people know, there are very few gun crimes in Japan, and even gangsters or police officers rarely ever use their guns. In fact, I think that police in Japan prefer to use martial art techniques instead because it’s just safer for everyone. In this conversation, I also told my friend that to own a gun in Japan you need to have a license which has to be renewed every year, and you even need to have a mental health check to make sure that you won’t try to hurt other people.
In fact, an inspector has to come to your house to make sure that you store the guns in a safe place. And I think in general this conversation made me feel uneasy, mostly because every time I hear about another school shooting, it breaks my heart. At the same time, however, it made me proud to be a part of a country that has sensible gun control laws.
【音声♪で聞いてみよう!】
何かに賛成する時の便利なフレーズ
ここでは、何かに賛成する時に使用できる、便利なフレーズを紹介します。これらの表現を使用すると、その後の回答で、なぜそう思うのか、その根拠は何か、などをスムーズに回答することができます。
- I definitely agree with xxx
- I support the idea that xxx
- I must admit that xx
- I truly believe xxx
- Absolutely.
- that is what is all about.
【解答例】
Do you think the traditional classroom will disappear in the future?
I must admit that it might become less common. I think more people will study independently, using different technologies rather than sitting in a classroom. Maybe students will attend a lesson just once a week, and spend the rest of their time following online courses or watching video lessons.
何かに反対する時の便利なフレーズ
何かに反対する表現は、賛成するフレーズと同様に、非常に便利に使用できます。表現例や解答例を確認し、どのように回答をつなげているかを確認しましょう。
- I do not agree with xxx
- I have a different opinion on …
- I do not necessarily think so, (必ずしも賛成と言えない時に使う)
- I disagree.
- Although some people think A, but I think xxx
- Well, point taken, but I feel xxx
【解答例】
Is it important for boys to play with “boys’ toys” and for girls to only play with “girls’ toys”?
No, I don’t necessarily think so. I think boys naturally seem to prefer playing with “boys’ toys” and girls with “girls’ toys”. When I was young I had toy cars, trucks, guns and things like that, whereas my sister always wanted to play with dolls. I don’t suppose it really matters if a boy plays with a doll or a girl plays with a toy car, but children learn quickly what toys are supposed to be for boys and for girls.
自分の経験を話す時の便利なフレーズ
自分の経験は、自分の意見を裏づける、重要な根拠となります。また、一貫性のある文章を話しているとして、好印象につながります。これらの表現を活用することで、自分の意見を根拠づけ、試験官に伝えましょう。
- When I was younger ( a child)
- In my childhood,
- xxx years ago, I had the opportunity to xxx
- back in 2020, xx
- a little while ago,
【解答例】
Are science subjects more useful than arts subjects?
When I was a high school student, I thought science-related subjects were more useful than art ones. but when I become older, I have changed my mind and think that both arts and sciences compliment a person’s learning, since it requires the use of the left and right side of the brain. Science helps people to develop their analytical skills, while the arts encourages people to tap into their creative resources. Both provide people with the opportunity to become innovative and great problem solvers.
自分の意見を述べる時の便利なフレーズ
自分の意見を述べるときに、これらの表現を使用すると便利です。同じ表現を繰り返し使用すると、表現力が少ないとして、減点につながることもあるので、複数の表現を使えるようにしておきましょう。
- I think (believe) that xx
- In my opinion,
- It seems to me that xx
- I feel that xx
- What I think is that
- As I see it from xx,
- As far as I am concerned,
- To be honest/ honestly,
【解答例】
Are people in Japan concerned about protecting the environment?
To be honest, no. It seems to me that the middle and upper class are more interested in earning as much money as they can in order to buy as much things as they can. There are many people in my country who live below the poverty line and they quite literally can’t afford to worry about the environment when they’re struggling to put food on the table and just survive.
推測をする時の便利なフレーズ
根拠があいまいな時、推測を行って回答する方法は、非常に有効です。こちらも、表現方法がいくつかあるので、言い換えて使えるようにしておきましょう。
- I suppose(guess) xxx
- As far as I am concerned,
- I am not quite sure about it, but I believe
- I imagine that…
- Probably,
【解答例】
What are some of the advantages and disadvantages of having a pet?
I do not have a pet, but I can imagine that a pet can be a good friend, sometimes the best friend. Pets are also great playmates for children. I think it’s very good for kids to have a pet when growing up. The disadvantages are probably that pets are expensive to feed and care for, and require a lot of time, depending on the kind of pet.
Conversation fillers の活用
Conversation fillers(フィラー)とは、言葉に詰まった時に、場を持つために会話の沈黙を埋めたり、情報を処理するための時間を稼ぐ時に使用します。日本語でいう、「あのー……」「えっと……」といった表現です。 発話の間に挟み込む、意味を持たないつなぎ表現です。 うまく利用すると、自然な表現に聞こえてスコアアップにつながります。
- Er… let me think…
- Hmm… that’s a good question…
- Actually… I’ve never really thought about it…
- Umm… (質問を繰り返す)
- Well…
- I don’t know, but I guess…
- Give me a second,
- That is the hardest question I have recently encountered,
【解答例】
How do different seasons affect the way people feel?
Well, I don’t know, but I guess one of the things that weather affects is the kind of food we eat. When it’s really hot, I don’t usually feel like eating a lot, just some fruits or quick and easy meals, like sandwiches and cold noodles. When in the winter, though, I usually feel like eating lots of food such as soup, rice and noodles. Also when it’s hot, I just feel like sleeping, but in the winter our body need to work hard to keep warm, so we need more energy.
Discourse marker の活用
Discourse marker(ディスコースマーカー)とは、「つなぎ言葉」とも言われ、日本語では「さらに」、「一方で」、「すなわち」、「しかし」、「したがって」、「さらに」などの用語を表します。シグナルワードとも言われ、スピーキングでは、文章の流れをスムーズにする役割をし、話の内容を効果的に伝えるのに役立ちます。特にスピーキングで重要なのは、順番を表す言葉です。
順番を表すディスコースマーカー
First | Firstly | First of all | In the first place |
To begin with | Second | Secondly | Third |
Next | Before | Earlier | Later |
Afterwards | Subsequently | Eventually | Once |
Lastly | At last | Then | So |
Moving to the next | On top of that | After that |
Discourse Marker は、パート2 では、順序良く話を発展させるためによく使われます。パート3でも、理由を2つ並べたり、例を上げたりして、自分の主張を総括的にまとめるために、順番を表すDiscourse Marker の使用は欠かせません。長い回答を求めらえる時には、Discourse Marker を活用し、順序良く並びたてて回答しましょう。
〔Discourse Makerを効果的に取り入れた解答例〕
The first thing I am going to do is to show you the broken parts, then I’m going to tell you how to fix it and finally, I’m going to let you do it by your own.
To start with, I really like studying English. Firstly, it is interesting, Secondly, it is challenging. Later, I can meet new people. However, I must say that I once found it difficult because of the grammar. On top of that, the punctuation was be very challenging.
ディスコースマーカーについては、下記のページで詳しく紹介しています。
IELTSスピーキング 使える表現・フレーズ まとめ
ここで紹介した、便利な強調表現やフレーズを活用して、自分のスピーキングに磨きをかけましょう。これらは、IELTSスピーキングだけでなく、日常会話でも頻繁に使われます。特に、人の性格を表す形容詞は覚えておくと、いろんな場面で活用できます。
試験では、自分の意見をしっかりと言えることがポイントですので、肯定する表現、否定する表現、フィラーやつなぎ語などをうまく活用し、スピーキングの練習に励みましょう。
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