The complete guide to the Speaking part of IELTS

If you’re looking for information about the Speaking section of the IELTS test, this article is for you, and will answer many of your questions!

Looking for information about the Speaking part of IELTS? Don’t know where to find the practice resources you need? Find all the information and tools you need to achieve an excellent score on the Speaking part of IELTS, plus tips to help you pass your exam with flying colors!

How the IELTS Speaking test works

IELTS offers two versions of the reading, writing and listening part of the IELTS exam:

• a paper version with a test booklet,
• a computerized version

These different sections must be completed in the same session. The speaking section has a few special features. In most cases, candidates’ oral interviews are scheduled on the same day as the paper or computer test. However, the interview is sometimes scheduled up to a week before or after your paper or computer test. These instructions will be given to you when you register for IELTS at your local test center.

When you take your speaking test, you’ll need to go to a room where the examiner will be waiting to welcome you. He or she will ask you to identify yourself (using your first and last name and a piece of identification) and your oral will then begin immediately. If you decide to practice for this test with Your Dream School, you’ll have access to an online preparation platform with 700 targeted practice questions, 1 complete mock test and 100 video lessons on each test concept, tips and pitfalls.

The Speaking section of IELTS is divided into 3 parts. Before going into more detail on each of them, let’s first familiarize ourselves with their specific features.

The different parts of the test

Part 1 of the IELTS Speaking test is similar to a personal interview and lasts around 4-5 minutes. In this 1st part of the test, you introduce yourself and talk about yourself, your life and your experiences, answering the examiner’s questions. You should think of this exchange with your examiner as a “small talk”, as it’s the kind of question someone you’ve just met might ask you.

The second part of the IELTS Speaking test is called the “long turn”. In this section of the test, you’ll be asked about a specific topic, as well as some secondary points you’ll need to cover in your speaking. You’ll have about a minute to prepare your answer, and you’ll be expected to speak for about 2 minutes. The examiner may ask you further questions once you’ve finished.

Finally, for Part 3 of the IELTS Speaking test, you’ll again have a discussion (as in Part 1) on the same or similar topic as in Part 2. However, the questions are more complex, as they will require you to give your opinion or make an analysis.

For example, consider the topic of Part 2, which asks you to describe a happy memory from your childhood. In Part 3, the examiner might ask you, “What are the main things you should do to live a happy life?” In this example, the two sections are thus linked by the theme of “happiness”.

Grading and test rules

IELTS uses four scoring categories to assess your speaking ability. Be sure to consult the official criteria or “Band descriptors” that IELTS uses to assign a Speaking Band score. These descriptors range from 0 to 9, with 9 being the highest score and 0 the lowest.

To score a 9 in each category, you’ll need to speak fluent English and demonstrate your ability to express yourself in English without any mistakes.

In each category, it’s still possible to make a few mistakes and get a score of 8. If you’re more hesitant and make more mistakes, then your score could go down to 7 in some categories like IELTS Speaking.

If you take the test and speak at least the minimum, you’ll get the minimum mark of 2. You can only get a mark of 0 if you don’t take the test.

Fluidity and consistency

Fluency and coherence are measures of a speaker’s ability to communicate logically, clearly and effortlessly in English. In other words, this aspect of the official “band” descriptors for the Speaking section will measure your ability to express yourself as a native English speaker.

Lexical resources

In the Oral Expression section, lexical resources measure your ability to use words effectively, or in other words, your command of spoken English vocabulary. To get the best scores, use words in the right context and with the right meaning. Bear in mind that your use of words is tested not only at the individual level, but also at the level of the idioms and phrases you will use.

Grammatical range

To get good results in this section, you need not only the right grammar, but also a varied and natural one.

Pronunciation

Speaking also measures your pronunciation. Remember, it’s not just a question of articulation or correct pronunciation of individual words. Many students have pronunciation problems, and these can usually be found in rhythm or intonation, for example. There’s no quick fix for these difficulties, but it’s usually daily practice that will help you improve your English.

If you’re unable to speak English on a daily basis, listen to recordings, stopping the recording from time to time and trying to repeat the same phrases with an intonation identical to that of the speaker. As you practice, you could also try to imitate the speaker’s speed of speech (speeding up, slowing down and stopping in sentences) and emotions. Over time, this will improve your listening skills, enabling you to identify sounds in English and reproduce them more accurately.

Our tips and advice to help you prepare for the IELTS test

Unfortunately, knowing only the band descriptors in the IELTS Speaking section won’t be enough to improve your score. You need to use this knowledge in your answers!

1. Avoid common mistakes in English: conjugation errors, grammatical errors… certain habits in your daily life could affect your IELTS score.
2. Ask your examiner for an explanation: if you’re not sure about the question you’ve been asked, or if you need to listen to it again, you can ask your examiner to repeat it back to you. This will penalize you less than giving an off-topic answer that could seriously damage your score. Be careful, however, not to ask your examiner to define a word!
3. Plan your answers to the second part of the Speaking exam using notes: it may indeed be difficult to remember everything you wanted to say in Part 2 of the exam, but don’t worry, you’re allowed to keep your notes.
4. Try to overcome your stress on exam day and remember to breathe and articulate!
5. Adopt a natural air and respond spontaneously: ideally, you should avoid giving the impression of repeating ready-made or memorized phrases.