The IELTS speaking test is a face-to-face conversation of about 11–14 minutes with an examiner. It rewards natural, extended speech far more than memorised answers.
The three parts
| Part | Length | What happens | Strategy |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Introduction & interview | 4–5 min | Questions on familiar topics: home, work, study, hobbies. | Answer + reason + example. Two to three sentences. |
| 2. Long turn | 3–4 min | A task card; 1 minute to prepare, then speak for up to 2 minutes. | Use all your time. Tell a story with detail. |
| 3. Discussion | 4–5 min | Abstract questions linked to Part 2. | Give opinions, compare, speculate, justify. |
The four criteria (25% each)
- Fluency and coherence — speaking at length without unnatural pauses, linking ideas logically.
- Lexical resource — range and precision of vocabulary, including less common words and collocations.
- Grammatical range and accuracy — mixing simple and complex sentences with few errors.
- Pronunciation — being easy to understand: sounds, word stress, sentence stress and intonation. Accent itself is not penalised.
Estimate your band from these four scores with our free IELTS band estimator.
Eight tips examiners would tell you
- Extend every answer. One-word or one-sentence answers cap your fluency score.
- Don't memorise. Examiners are trained to spot rehearsed answers and will change the topic.
- Paraphrase the question rather than repeating it word for word.
- Use natural fillers sparingly. “That's an interesting question” buys time once; “um” ten times costs marks.
- Show range: conditionals (“If I had more time, I'd…”), comparisons, past and future forms.
- Use topic vocabulary precisely — “commute”, “work-life balance”, “sustainable”.
- Self-correct naturally if you make a mistake — it shows control.
- Ask for repetition if needed: “Sorry, could you repeat the question?” is acceptable.
A three-week plan
Week 1: Record Part 1 answers on 15 common topics. Check pace and fillers with the pace meter.
Week 2: Do one Part 2 card daily with a strict 1-minute prep and 2-minute talk. Use the just-a-minute timer.
Week 3: Full mock tests with a partner or coach, focusing on Part 3 opinion questions.
Only an official test centre can give a certified band. Our tools are for practice and self-assessment.
Need band-descriptor feedback before test day? Book a free IELTS speaking demo.