Vikram from Patna speaks English at work every day, yet his practice Speaking test came back at 6.0. His trainer’s notes listed habits he had never noticed.

Indian English is a respected variety, but some of its habits can count as mistakes in IELTS Speaking against the grammar and vocabulary criteria. Swapping a handful for internationally standard forms is a practical fix.

Why Standard Forms Matter for the Test

Nothing in this post says Indian English is wrong. These habits work well when you speak with friends and colleagues in India.

The test is different because the descriptors judge accuracy and appropriate word choice. These habits matter mostly under two of the four criteria: Grammatical Range and Accuracy, and Lexical Resource.

The descriptors do not mention dialect, and an IELTS research report from 2006 notes that examiners found it hard to decide whether an unusual word choice was dialect or a mistake. A form that is clearly standard removes that doubt.

Twelve Habits to Swap for Standard English

The table pairs ten habits with a standard form. Two more follow below.

❌ Habit ✅ Standard form Type
I am having a doubt I have a question Grammar (state verb)
Since three years For three years Grammar (duration)
Discuss about Discuss Grammar (extra preposition)
Do one thing Here’s what I’d do Vocabulary (discourse phrase)
Prepone the meeting Bring the meeting forward Vocabulary (Indian English coinage)
Revert back to me Get back to me Vocabulary (different meaning)
My native place My hometown Vocabulary (regional phrase)
My cousin brother My cousin Vocabulary (redundant word)
Isn’t it? for every tag A tag that matches the verb, such as ‘aren’t you?’ Grammar (question tag)
Today morning This morning Vocabulary (collocation)

Where to Read More on Each Group

Some verbs, such as “discuss” and “reach”, take no preposition in standard English, so “reach to the office” becomes “reach the office”. Our guide to common preposition errors covers more.

Another habit, “out of station”, may not be followed by international listeners. Say “out of town” instead.

“For” goes with a period of time and “since” with a starting point, as our guide to mixing tenses naturally explains. For tags such as “isn’t it?”, see our lesson on question tags.

Article errors (a, an, the) are a separate group, covered in our guide to article errors. Habit words such as “basically” belong to fillers in IELTS Speaking.

Which Habits Should You Fix First?

Don’t try to change your whole speaking style overnight. Watching a dozen habits at once can slow you down.

Record yourself answering practice prompts and find the two or three habits you repeat most. Fix those first, and use our guide to Indian English versus standard English to decide what to adapt.

Tip

Pick two habits from the table and write them on a sticky note near your desk, where you will see them every day.

Sample Part 1 Answer: Describing Your Hometown

Here is a Part 1 answer without the regional phrasing in the table, such as “native place”.

Sample answer (illustrative Band 7)

I’m from Patna, an old city on the Ganges in Bihar. It has grown quickly in recent years, so you see historic places next to modern shops and offices. What I like most is the street food and how friendly people are. Traffic can be chaotic at peak hours, but it’s still a lively, welcoming place to live, and I’m proud to be from there.

Why it works: The answer says “I’m from Patna” instead of “my native place”, uses standard forms throughout, and keeps a natural spoken rhythm.

Try It

Rewrite each of the following five sentences using internationally standard grammar and vocabulary.

  1. I am having a doubt regarding the second step.
  2. My cousin brother lives in Mumbai.
  3. We will discuss about this topic tomorrow.
  4. The meeting has been preponed to Friday.
  5. You are coming to the library, isn’t it?
Show sample answer
  1. I have a question about the second step.
  2. My cousin lives in Mumbai.
  3. We will discuss this topic tomorrow.
  4. The meeting has been brought forward to Friday.
  5. You are coming to the library, aren’t you?

Key Takeaways

  • Indian English is a legitimate variety, but the descriptors judge accuracy and appropriate word choice.
  • Swap regional coinages like “prepone” and “out of station” for widely understood forms.
  • Use a question tag that matches the verb instead of “isn’t it?”.
  • Record your practice to find the two or three habits you repeat most.

The bottom line: You don’t have to give up Indian English; you just need the standard forms ready when an international examiner is listening.