Welcome to your complete guide to conquering the IELTS Speaking test. This is the part of the exam that makes many candidates nervous, but it’s simply a structured conversation designed to assess your ability to communicate effectively in English. With the right preparation and understanding, you can approach it with confidence. This guide breaks down each part of the test, the scoring criteria, and provides you with practical tips to shine on test day.
The IELTS Speaking Test: An Overview
- Format: A one-on-one, face-to-face conversation with a certified IELTS examiner.
- Duration: 11-14 minutes.
- Parts: The test is divided into three parts, each designed to test a different aspect of your speaking ability.
- Recording: The entire conversation is recorded for marking and quality control purposes.
How You Are Marked: The 4 Band Descriptors
Your speaking skills are assessed based on four criteria, each worth 25% of your score:
- Fluency and Coherence (FC):
- Can you speak without too much hesitation?
- Is your speech smooth and connected?
- Can you link your ideas together logically using a range of cohesive devices (linking words)?
- Lexical Resource (LR):
- Do you use a wide range of vocabulary?
- Do you use words accurately and appropriately?
- Can you use less common and idiomatic language?
- Grammatical Range and Accuracy (GRA):
- Do you use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures?
- Is your grammar accurate? How often do you make errors?
- Pronunciation (P):
- Can you be understood easily?
- Do you use intonation and stress correctly to convey meaning? (It does not require you to have a “British” or “American” accent).
Part 1: Introduction & Interview (4-5 minutes)
- What to expect: The examiner will introduce themselves and ask you to introduce yourself and confirm your identity. They will then ask you general, familiar questions about yourself, your life, and familiar topics like your home, work, studies, hobbies, and interests.
- Number of questions: Usually 3 topics, with about 4 questions per topic.
- Goal: To make you feel comfortable and test your ability to give opinions and information on everyday topics.
Part 1 Strategies:
- Keep it natural: Answer as you would in a normal conversation. Avoid memorised, long, and robotic answers.
- Expand, don’t ramble: Give a direct answer followed by 1-2 extra sentences of detail or explanation. Don’t just say “Yes” or “No.”
- Examiner: “Do you like reading?”
- Weak Answer: “Yes, I do.”
- Strong Answer: “Yes, I’m an avid reader, actually. I’m particularly fond of historical fiction because it teaches me about the past while telling a compelling story.”
- Be prepared: Prepare ideas for common Part 1 topics (work, study, hometown, home, weather, hobbies, sports, friends, family).
Part 2: The Long Turn (3-4 minutes)
- What to expect: The examiner will give you a task card on a particular topic. You will have 1 minute to prepare and make notes. You must then speak for 1-2 minutes on the topic. The examiner will then ask one or two rounding-off questions.
- Goal: To test your ability to speak at length on a given topic, organising your ideas coherently.
Part 2 Strategies:
- Use the 1 minute wisely: The task card has bullet points to guide you. Use them! Write short notes for each point. Don’t write full sentences.
- Structure your talk: A simple structure keeps you fluent and coherent.
- Introduction: Briefly state what you are going to talk about.
- Point 1: Address the first bullet point.
- Point 2: Address the second bullet point.
- Point 3: Address the third bullet point.
- Conclusion: Summarise or give a final thought.
- Keep talking: Aim to speak for the full 2 minutes. The examiner will tell you when to stop. If you finish early, the examiner will remain silent, so practice expanding your answers.
- Practice with a timer: Use a wide range of common IELTS cue cards to practice planning and speaking for 2 minutes.
Part 3: Two-Way Discussion (4-5 minutes)
- What to expect: The examiner will ask you broader, more abstract questions linked to the theme of Part 2. This part involves discussing issues in more depth.
- Goal: To test your ability to justify opinions, analyse, discuss, and speculate about issues.
Part 3 Strategies:
- Think abstractly: The questions are no longer about you. They are about society, the world, and general ideas. Avoid talking about yourself and your family here.
- Give extended answers: This is where you must show off your language skills. Structure your answers:
- State your opinion: Directly answer the question.
- Explain why: Give a reason for your opinion.
- Provide an example: Support your reason with an example (from history, current events, or general knowledge).
- Consider the other side (optional): “However, some people might argue that…”
- Use hedging language: For complex topics, use phrases like “It could be argued that…”, “To a certain extent…”, “This tends to be the case…”. This shows sophistication.
- Don’t panic if you’re stuck: It’s okay to say, “That’s a tricky question. I’ve never really thought about that before, but I suppose…” to buy yourself a moment to think.
Top Tips for IELTS Speaking Success
- It’s a conversation, not an interrogation: Be polite, smile, and make eye contact. This helps with nervousness and pronunciation.
- Focus on clarity, not accent: The examiner needs to understand you. Focus on clear word stress and intonation, not losing your native accent.
- Correct yourself lightly: If you make a small grammatical error, you can quickly correct it and move on. Don’t freeze or apologise repeatedly. Fluency is key.
- Ask for clarification if needed: If you don’t understand a question, it’s okay to say, “I’m sorry, could you repeat that question, please?” or “I’m not sure what you mean by [word]. Could you explain?”
- Think about the vocabulary: Before the test, brainstorm synonyms for common words (e.g., ‘good’, ‘bad’, ‘important’) so you can use a wider range of vocabulary naturally.
- Practice speaking out loud: The only way to improve speaking is by speaking. Practice with a partner, record yourself, or talk to yourself in English about your day.
How to Prepare Effectively
- Record Yourself: Listen back to identify areas for improvement in fluency, grammar, and pronunciation.
- Think in English: Try to think in English throughout the day instead of translating from your native language.
- Immerse Yourself: Listen to English podcasts, watch movies and TV shows, and try to shadow (repeat after) the speakers.
- Mock Tests: Practice full speaking tests with a friend or a teacher who can give you feedback.
Ready to Find Your Voice?
Understanding the format and criteria is the first step to building confidence. Now it’s time to practice! Explore our website for [Link to Speaking Practice Questions], [Link to Vocabulary Builders], and [Link to Mock Test Services] to refine your skills and walk into the test room ready to have a great conversation.
Good luck! You can do this.