Test
How long is the IELTS speaking test?
11-14 minutes
What are the assessment criteria?
Fluency and coherence, lexical resource, grammatical range and accuracy, pronunciation
What topics will you be asked questions on?
Personal topics
In the next part of the test you will:
a) choose your own topic to talk about
b) choose between 2 topics you are given to talk about
c) be given 1 topic to talk about
c) be given 1 topic to talk about
In Part 3, you will be asked questions to test how much you can do with your language. You may be asked questions on unfamiliar or more general topics.
How many parts does the speaking test have?
3
Where can you find the speaking band descriptors?
It is publicly available on www.ielts.org. It's a good idea to become familiar with this document.
How long does Part 1 last?
About 4-5 minutes
In this part, you will have:
a) no time to prepare
b) 30 seconds to prepare
c) 60 seconds to prepare
c) 60 seconds to prepare
In the last part of the test you will
a) further discuss the topic from part 2
b) discuss your reasons for taking IELTS
c) discuss your plans and ambitions
a) further discuss the topic from part 2
Why is your speaking test recorded?
It is recorded in case it needs to be re-marked.
What pattern does the Part 1 test follow?
An interview. The examiner asks questions about familiar topics and you will be expected to give a short but full answer.
You will then talk for a maximum of
a) 1 minute
b) 2 minutes
c) 3 minutes
b) 2 minutes
How much time do you have to prepare your answers?
None. You will have to think and answer spontaneously.
No, it is the same.
True or false? You should speak for as long as you can to score better.
False. You are expected to answer in a certain way for each part of the test. If you speak for too long, the examiner will interrupt you with their next question.
Can you use a paper and pencil to write in Part 1?
No. You will have to think and answer spontaneously.
You must talk for a minimum of
a) 1 minute
b) 2 minutes
c) 1.5 minutes
a) 1 minute
How long does Part 3 last?
About 4-5 minutes
Should you memorise answers to possible questions?
No. You will be marked down if your answer sounds unnatural or memorised.
Should you talk about yourself or give a general answer? (e.g. question - What movies do you usually enjoy?)
How long should you ideally speak in the IELTS Speaking test?
It is a good idea for you to talk for 2 minutes as this will give the examiner more samples of your language to assess. You get more chances to show your language proficiency.
Should you talk about yourself in Part 3?
No. The questions in Part 3 generally require you to express your opinion on a topic, explain, compare, or speculate about the future.