IELTS Speaking: what to expect and how to do well

The IELTS Speaking test is the part many students worry about most, because it's a real conversation with a real person. The good news: it follows the same structure every time, so you can prepare for it. It takes about 11 to 14 minutes and is recorded.

The three parts

Part 1: Introduction and familiar topics (4–5 minutes)

The examiner checks your identity, then asks simple questions about you: your home, work or studies, hobbies, daily routine. Answer naturally in two or three sentences. Don't give one-word answers, and don't give a speech either.

Example: "Do you enjoy cooking?" → "Yes, quite a lot, especially on weekends. I like trying recipes from my home country, though I'm still learning to make my mother's dishes properly."

Part 2: The long turn (3–4 minutes)

You get a task card with a topic and a few points to cover, for example "Describe a place you like to visit." You have one minute to prepare (you can take notes), then speak for up to two minutes. The examiner may ask one or two short questions afterwards.

Use your minute to jot down 4–5 keywords, not sentences. Cover every point on the card, and if you finish early, add a story or an example. Keep talking until the examiner stops you.

Part 3: Discussion (4–5 minutes)

The examiner asks deeper, more abstract questions linked to your Part 2 topic. If you talked about a place you like, you might be asked how tourism changes cities, or whether people travel too much. This is where higher bands are won: give an opinion, explain why, and consider another side.

What the examiner scores

Your band comes from four equally weighted areas:

• Fluency and coherence: speaking at a natural pace without long pauses, and linking ideas clearly ("on the other hand", "that's why", "for example").
• Lexical resource: the range and accuracy of your vocabulary, including natural phrases and the ability to say things another way when you don't know a word.
• Grammatical range and accuracy: using a mix of simple and complex sentences correctly.
• Pronunciation: being easy to understand, with clear sounds, stress and intonation. Your accent itself is not a problem.

Tips that actually help

1. Extend every answer. Answer, explain why, give an example. That simple pattern fixes most short answers.
2. Don't memorize answers. Examiners are trained to spot them and will change the topic. Practice ideas and phrases, not scripts.
3. It's OK to ask. "Sorry, could you repeat the question?" is completely fine and costs you nothing.
4. Buy thinking time naturally. "That's an interesting question. I'd say…" sounds much better than silence.
5. Correct yourself briefly if you notice a mistake, then move on.
6. Practice out loud with a timer, especially Part 2. Two minutes is longer than it sounds.
7. Get feedback. Record yourself, or practice with a teacher who can tell you exactly which of the four areas is holding your score back.

Practice with a real examiner-style interview

Private IELTS lessons with Juliet include full mock speaking interviews with feedback on all four scoring areas, plus marking of your writing tasks. IELTS prep is $70 per hour, online or in Santa Monica.

For official sample questions and the current test rules, see ielts.org.