Understand the Speaking Test Format

How to Prepare for IELTS Speaking

Understand the Speaking Test Format

This might seem like an obvious point, but there are lots of students who go into the IELTS speaking test not knowing what to expect at all.
The speaking test is split into three parts and it lasts between 11-14 minutes in total.
Part 1 last around 4-5 minutes and you will be asked about yourself and your family. The examiner could also ask you about your hometown, your work or studies, your family or your hobbies. This part is designed to help you relax and start talking naturally about familiar topics.
In part 2 you will be given a card with a topic on it. The card will also have a list of points that you should talk about. You are given one minute to read the card, make notes and think about what you are going to say. You will then have to talk for between 1-2 minutes about that topic. The examiner will not ask you any questions or help you in any way when you are talking. Please check out our strategy for answering part 2 questions, if you need extra help with this.
Part 3 is the most abstract part of the speaking test and students often find it the most challenging. The examiner will ask you questions related to the topic you spoke about in part 2 and this part lasts for between 4-5 minutes. The examiner might test your ability to talk about the past, present or future, give your opinion, talk about hypothetical situations, compare and contrast or evaluate another person’s opinion.

Know What the Examiner Wants

It is essential that you understand how the exam is marked.
There are four marking criteria:

• 
  fluency and coherence
  
• 
  lexical resource
  
• 
  grammatical range and accuracy
  
• 
  pronunciation
  

Each criterion counts towards 25% of your mark and you will be marked on a 9 band scale.
Fluency refers to your ability to talk smoothly without any unnatural stoppages.
Coherence refers to how easy it is for the examiner to understand what you mean.
Lexical resource refers to your ability to use a wide range of vocabulary both appropriately and accurately.
You will also be given a mark for your grammar. Your sentences should be as error free as possible and you should use a range of appropriate grammatical structures.
Finally, you will be judged on pronunciation. Your speech should be clear and contain a full range of pronunciation features, such as intonation, sentence stress and weak sounds.