100 Advanced IELTS Speaking Phrases

A collection of 100 advanced phrases for IELTS Speaking, categorized by their conversational functions to help achieve Band 8-9.

As far as I'm concerned

A phrase used for giving your opinion.

From my point of view

A phrase used for giving your opinion.

Personally speaking

A phrase used for giving your opinion.

If you ask me

A phrase used for giving your opinion.

The way I see it

A phrase used for giving your opinion.

I firmly believe that

A phrase used for giving your opinion.

I'm convinced that

A phrase used for giving your opinion.

I'd argue that

A phrase used for giving your opinion.

In my opinion

A phrase used for giving your opinion.

I tend to think that

A phrase used for giving your opinion.

To be honest

A phrase used for being honest.

If I'm being completely honest

A phrase used for being honest.

Truth be told

A phrase used for being honest.

Frankly speaking

A phrase used for being honest.

To tell you the truth

A phrase used for being honest.

That's an interesting question

A phrase used for thinking time to buy seconds before answering.

I've never really thought about that before

A phrase used for thinking time to buy seconds before answering.

Let me think for a second

A phrase used for thinking time to buy seconds before answering.

Give me a moment to gather my thoughts

A phrase used for thinking time to buy seconds before answering.

Off the top of my head

A phrase used for thinking time, meaning without preparation or research.

Every now and then

A phrase used to describe frequency, meaning occasionally.

From time to time

A phrase used to describe frequency, meaning occasionally.

Once in a blue moon

A phrase used to describe frequency, meaning very rarely.

On a regular basis

A phrase used to describe frequency, meaning regularly.

More often than not

A phrase used to describe frequency, meaning usually.

Every so often

A phrase used to describe frequency, meaning occasionally.

Without fail

A phrase used to describe frequency, meaning always and consistently.

Hardly ever

A phrase used to describe frequency, meaning almost never.

Day in, day out

A phrase used to describe frequency, meaning every day or continuously.

On occasion

A phrase used to describe frequency, meaning sometimes.

I couldn't agree more

A phrase used for agreeing completely with a statement.

That's absolutely true

A phrase used for agreeing with a statement.

You've got a point

A phrase used for agreeing with someone's point of view.

Exactly

A phrase used for complete agreement.

That's a fair point

A phrase used for agreeing with a reasonable argument.

Up to a point

A phrase used for partly agreeing.

To some extent

A phrase used for partly agreeing.

I see where you're coming from

A phrase used for partly agreeing or showing understanding of an opinion.

That may be true, but

A phrase used for partly agreeing before introducing a counter-argument.

It depends

A phrase used for partly agreeing or showing that the answer varies based on factors.

In other words

A phrase used for explaining or rephrasing a statement.

What I mean is

A phrase used for explaining or clarifying a statement.

To put it another way

A phrase used for explaining or rephrasing a point.

Basically

A phrase used for explaining the core idea of something simply.

More specifically

A phrase used for explaining a point in greater detail.

On top of that

A phrase used for adding more ideas or information.

What's more

A phrase used for adding more ideas or information.

Besides that

A phrase used for adding more ideas or information.

Not only that

A phrase used for adding more ideas or information.

On top of everything else

A phrase used for adding more ideas or information.

For instance

A phrase used for giving examples.

For example

A phrase used for giving examples.

Such as

A phrase used for giving examples.

A good example would be

A phrase used for giving examples.

Take … for example

A phrase used for giving examples.

Compared to

A phrase used for comparing two things.

In comparison

A phrase used for comparing things.

Whereas

A phrase used for comparing and contrasting ideas.

On the other hand

A phrase used for comparing and showing a contrasting side.

By contrast

A phrase used for comparing and highlighting differences.

I'm used to

A phrase used for discussing habits or something one is accustomed to.

I tend to

A phrase used for describing habits or common behaviors.

I have a habit of

A phrase used for describing personal habits.

It's part of my daily routine

A phrase used for describing habits performed every day.

I've gotten into the habit of

A phrase used for describing newly established habits.

I'd rather

A phrase used for expressing preferences.

I'd much rather

A phrase used for expressing strong preferences.

I prefer

A phrase used for expressing preferences.

I'm more into

A phrase used for expressing interests or preferences.

I'm quite fond of

A phrase used for expressing preferences or things one likes.

It depends

A phrase used for expressing uncertainty or situational variation.

It's hard to say

A phrase used for expressing uncertainty.

I'm not entirely sure

A phrase used for expressing uncertainty.

I suppose

A phrase used for expressing uncertainty or a tentative belief.

I guess

A phrase used for expressing uncertainty or an informal opinion.

Without a doubt

A phrase used for emphasis.

By far

A phrase used for emphasis, often in superlatives.

One of the biggest

A phrase used for emphasis.

Definitely

A phrase used for emphasis.

There's no denying that

A phrase used for emphasis.

Over the years

A phrase used for discussing change over time.

Nowadays

A phrase used for discussing current situations or change.

These days

A phrase used for discussing current situations or change.

Compared to the past

A phrase used for discussing change by looking backward.

Little by little

A phrase used for discussing gradual change.

As a result

A phrase used for discussing consequences.

Because of that

A phrase used for discussing consequences.

That's why

A phrase used for discussing consequences or reasons.

Which means that

A phrase used for discussing consequences.

Consequently

A phrase used for discussing consequences.

All in all

A phrase used for ending answers or summarizing.

Overall

A phrase used for ending answers or summarizing.

At the end of the day

An idiom used for ending answers or emphasizing a final point.

That's about it

A phrase used for ending answers.

That's pretty much how I see it

A phrase used for ending answers and restating an opinion.

You know

A native filler word used during speech.

I mean

A native filler word used to clarify or fill gaps.

Well

A native filler word used to start or pause an answer.

Kind of

A native filler word used to show approximation.

More or less

A native filler word used to mean 'approximately' or 'basically'.