How I scored Band 9 in ielts speaking

How I scored Band 9 in IELTS Speaking
“I believe I managed to score a 9 with continuous practice and being myself in the test. The best thing is not to feel shy when you speak about any particular topic. Do not think that your thoughts might be too little or simple to express. Some of us may believe that if we are not full of knowledge, we may not be able to impress the examiner. In speaking module however, knowledge of the topic is not a big deal. The thoughts presented may just be of a lay man and do not need to reflect an in-depth understanding of the subject.
I never crammed any specific topics however; I did gather my thoughts for topics which I would have found difficult to talk about. For example, I have not been visiting many historical places in the past. The one or two that I have visited, I made sure that I gather sufficient thoughts about those places to talk about. Important thing is that those thoughts were purely my own and not learnt from a book or Wikipedia. Gathering own thoughts in your own words is important.“
Liz’s Comments and Summary:
Nouman’s band score 9 advice is excellent. Here are his points in a list with some extra tips for IELTS Speaking:

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  don’t be shy
  
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  enjoy the chat with the examiner
  
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  your ideas are not important – your knowledge is not being tested
  
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  say your ideas with confidence and showcase your language skills
  
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  simple ideas explained using excellent English can get you band score 9
  
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  review topics
  
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  think of your experiences relating to the topics
  
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  if the topic is a museum, think of museums you have been to or would like to go to
  
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  remember your past experiences
  
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  speak from the heart – your English is better when you do that
  
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  learn to express yourself using your own language
  
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  imagine talking about your experienced and your views