Hey there, welcome back to IELTS on Fire – your daily five-minute boost for better English and a higher IELTS score. I’m Teacher Phil, and today we’re talking about a tiny skill that makes a big difference: how to buy time in the IELTS Speaking test.

If you want to sound fluent, confident, and natural, even when you get a tricky question, this episode is for you. Buying time helps you organize your thoughts, calm your nerves, and show the examiner that you can handle real conversation.

So here’s the trick: native speakers use little phrases to give themselves a moment to think before answering. In IELTS Speaking, these ‘time-fillers’ are a secret weapon for sounding natural and avoiding awkward silence.

Let’s say the examiner asks:

‘What kind of books do you enjoy reading?’

You don’t want to sit there in silence, right? That’s where these phrases come in.

"Let’s try it out. Imagine I get that question. Here’s how I might respond: ‘Hmm, that’s an interesting question. I suppose I read a variety of books, but if I had to choose, I’d say I’m really into biographies these days. The reason is, I love learning about people’s real-life experiences. Actually, the last book I read was about a famous entrepreneur, and it really inspired me to work harder on my own goals.’

See how I started? I didn’t rush. I gave myself a second to think, and then answered naturally."

Let me break that down for you. The structure is simple:

First, I bought time with a phrase. Then, I answered the question and added some detail.

Here are three native-sounding time-filler phrases you can steal for your own answers:

• ‘That’s an interesting question…’
• ‘Let me think about that for a second…’
• ‘Well, I haven’t really thought about it before, but…’

These phrases do two things:

First, they give you a second to think. Second, they make your English sound more natural and fluent. Examiners love to hear these because it shows you can handle conversation just like a native speaker.

Bonus tip: Use them in Part 1, 2, or 3 – anywhere you need a moment to organize your ideas.

Ready for a quick challenge? Here’s what I want you to do:

Pick any common IELTS Speaking question, like ‘What’s your favorite type of music?’ or ‘Do you prefer to spend time alone or with others?’

Before you answer, practice saying one of these time-filler phrases, then give your response.

After this podcast try it for one minute. The goal isn’t a perfect answer, it’s just to get used to buying yourself that little bit of thinking time. You’ll sound more confident, I promise.

That’s it for today’s IELTS on Fire. Practice those phrases before your next mock test, and you’ll notice a big improvement in your fluency and confidence. Join me tomorrow for another practical IELTS tip. Until then, keep practicing and let’s set your English on fire.