IELTS Speaking in Marrakech: 5 Mistakes Moroccan Students Make (and How to Fix Them)

Many Moroccan candidates are better at English than their IELTS Speaking score shows. The language is there, but the test rewards a particular way of speaking, and a few habits quietly cost points. Here are the five we see most often in Marrakech, and how to fix each one.

First, how Speaking is scored

The test is 11 to 14 minutes with a trained examiner, in three parts: familiar questions (Part 1), a short talk on a topic card after one minute of preparation (Part 2), and a deeper discussion (Part 3). The examiner scores four things, each worth a quarter of your Speaking band: Fluency and Coherence, Lexical Resource (vocabulary), Grammatical Range and Accuracy and Pronunciation. Keep these four in mind and every mistake below makes sense.

1. Part 1 answers that are too short

"Do you like cooking?" "Yes, I like." End of answer. The examiner now has nothing to score. Aim for two to three sentences: answer, give a reason, add a small example.

Fix: use the pattern answer, because, for example on every Part 1 question until it feels automatic.

2. Memorised answers

Candidates learn a perfect answer for "describe a person you admire" and recite it. Examiners are trained to notice this, and a rehearsed speech sounds flat and does not answer the question you were really asked. It can hurt your Fluency and Coherence score instead of helping it.

Fix: memorise ideas, not sentences. For each common topic (family, work, travel, technology, health) keep three or four stories ready, then tell them in new words each time.

3. Long silences and translating in your head

If you build every sentence in French or Darija first and translate it, you will pause and say "eeee" a lot. Fluency does not mean speaking fast. It means keeping a steady flow without long gaps.

• Learn a few connecting phrases: Well, it depends. To be honest, I have never thought about it, but... What I mean is...
• If you forget a word, describe it: "the thing you use to measure temperature" is better than silence.
• Practise speaking for one full minute on any topic without stopping, then record yourself.

4. Small vocabulary and the same words again and again

"Good", "nice", "very", "many". These words are fine, but if they are all you use, your Lexical Resource score stays low. Also watch for patterns that come straight from French or Darija: "I have 30 years" (say "I am 30") and "I am agree" (say "I agree").

Fix: learn words in groups with the phrases they go with. Instead of "very good", say excellent, really impressive or far better than I expected. Instead of "many people", say a large number of people or plenty of people.

5. Flat pronunciation

You do not need a perfect accent, but you do need to be easy to follow. The usual problems for Moroccan speakers are the TH sounds ("three" becoming "tree"), P and B, long and short vowels, and putting stress on the wrong syllable. Speaking in a monotone also makes you sound less confident than you are.

Fix: stress the important words in each sentence and let the small words (to, of, a, the) go quickly. Record yourself, listen back and compare with a native speaker. We go through the main sounds in American accent for Moroccans: 7 sounds to fix first.

A 10-minute daily plan

1. Minutes 1 to 4: answer three Part 1 questions out loud, two or three sentences each.
2. Minutes 5 to 8: pick one Part 2 card. Write five key words (not sentences) during the one minute of preparation, then speak for up to two minutes.
3. Minutes 9 to 10: listen to your recording and write down one mistake and one thing you did well.

Once a week, do a full timed mock with someone who can give you honest feedback on all four criteria.

How Fluenti can help

Fluenti offers one-to-one IELTS preparation in Marrakech (Gueliz and Hivernage) and online. Students get full practice exams, with the Speaking tasks recorded and reviewed by the tutor, and notes after every session so you know exactly what to work on next. Start with a paid trial session to find out your level and your biggest score blocker. IELTS preparation in Marrakech or all lessons.

FAQ