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Test format and timings
IELTS Speaking is an 11-14 minute face-to-face conversation with an examiner. It has three parts, and the examiner controls the transitions between them.
| Part | Length | What happens |
|---|---|---|
| Part 1 | 4-5 min | Introduction and short questions on familiar topics: work, hometown, free time, food. |
| Part 2 | 3-4 min | You get a cue card. One minute to prepare and make notes, then two minutes speaking without interruption. |
| Part 3 | 4-5 min | Abstract discussion growing out of the Part 2 topic. The examiner pushes you to justify your views. |
The examiner will not correct you, will not say "well done", and will not give hints. That coldness is deliberate — it keeps conditions identical for every candidate. It does not mean you are doing badly.
The four marking criteria
Your score is the average of four separate criteria, each carrying equal weight. Perfect grammar with poor fluency still produces a middling band.
1. Fluency and coherence
This measures how continuously you speak, not how fast. Pausing is normal — but fillers like "erm" and "how do you say", and restarting sentences halfway through, cost you marks. Linking words (however, although, that's why) lift the coherence score directly.
2. Lexical resource
Not about using difficult words, but about finding the right one. Being able to talk around a word you don't know (paraphrasing) is explicitly rewarded. Synonyms and idiomatic language are expected at the higher bands.
3. Grammatical range and accuracy
Being error-free is not enough — examiners look for range. A candidate who speaks entirely in simple present tense will struggle to pass 6 even without a single mistake. Conditionals, relative clauses and varied tenses pull the band up.
4. Pronunciation
Accent is not a problem — you can score 8 with a strong regional accent. What is measured is intelligibility: word stress, sentence intonation and vowel length. Speaking in a flat monotone is the most common way to lose marks here.
What separates Band 6 from Band 7
Most candidates stall at this threshold. The difference is usually not vocabulary but behaviour:
- Band 6: understandable but hesitant; goes back and restarts sentences after a mistake; answers are short and literal.
- Band 7: still makes mistakes but keeps going without breaking the flow; extends answers with examples; states an opinion and justifies it; varied grammar appears naturally.
The route to 7 is not "make no mistakes" — it is carrying on despite them.
Five most common mistakes
- Memorised answers. Examiners spot them immediately and mark down. A rehearsed block never quite fits the question, and the intonation gives it away.
- Finishing Part 2 early. Stopping after forty seconds means giving the examiner nothing to assess.
- One-word answers in Part 1. "Yes, I do" is correct and worth nothing.
- Refusing to take a position in Part 3. "Both sides have a point" is an escape answer; the examiner wants to hear yours.
- Going silent when you don't understand. Saying "Sorry, do you mean…?" is allowed and costs you nothing. Silence costs you a lot.
How to practise
Speaking is the one section that does not improve by reading. Memorising word lists helps your Reading score, not your Speaking — because what is measured is production in real time.
- Practise out loud. The sentence you build in your head is not the sentence that comes out of your mouth.
- Use a timer. If you never rehearse Part 2 against two real minutes, you cannot judge the length on the day.
- Record and listen back. It is the only way you will notice your filler words.
- Speak without seeing the card first. Keep the preparation minute to an actual minute.
For concrete material: 45 cue card topics and the Part 1 question bank.
Want to try it under test conditions? Take the free IELTS Speaking mock test with an AI examiner: Parts 1-3, a cue card and an estimated band on the four criteria.
Frequently asked questions
How long is the IELTS Speaking test?
Between 11 and 14 minutes in total: roughly 4-5 minutes for Part 1, 3-4 minutes for Part 2 including one minute of preparation, and 4-5 minutes for Part 3.
Does my accent affect my IELTS Speaking score?
No. Pronunciation is marked on intelligibility — word stress, intonation and vowel length — not on sounding like a native speaker. Candidates with strong regional accents regularly score 8 and above.
Can I ask the examiner to repeat a question?
Yes. Asking the examiner to repeat or rephrase a question does not lose you marks. Staying silent because you did not understand does.
What is the difference between Band 6 and Band 7?
Band 6 speakers are understandable but hesitant and often restart sentences after a mistake. Band 7 speakers still make mistakes but keep the flow going, extend answers with examples, and use a wider range of grammar naturally.
Should I memorise answers for IELTS Speaking?
No. Examiners are trained to detect memorised responses and mark them down. Rehearsed blocks rarely fit the exact question asked, and the change in intonation is noticeable.
Want to practise this out loud?
TalkSmart gives you a live AI examiner — cue cards, timing and band scores included.