SPEAKING TEST

PRACTICE TIME: 20 to 25 minutes

The speaking test interview between the candidate and the examiner takes 11 to 14 minutes.

Remember, there are three parts to the speaking test:

  • Part 1: the introduction and interview
  • Part 2: the individual long turn, using a task card
  • Part 3: the two-way discussion

Your performance is rated according to four different criteria:

  • Fluency and coherence
  • Lexical resource
  • Grammatical range and accuracy
  • Pronunciation

All criteria have equal weighting. The final result of the test is given as one score, or band.


Familiarise yourself with the part-by-part description below. Then contact your tutor to arrange your test simulation.

Familiarise yourself with the part-by-part description below. Then time yourself as you speak on the topics in each part of the test. It is also very useful to record yourself and then listen back to the recording.

Once you have listened back to your recording, listen to a native speaker on the same topics in the speaking test sample below. Notice useful language that the speaker uses. Record your interview again, incorporating this language and trying to improve on your first recording.

In the real IELTS Speaking Test you will receive a score between 0 and 9 for this subtest.

 

Part 1: Introduction and interview.

This part of the test lasts 4 to 5 minutes. The examiner will ask general questions to which you should give full, expansive answers.

Step-by-step approach to interview:

Step 1 The examiner introduces him/herself and the candidate does the same.
Step 2

The examiner will ask the candidate questions about her/himself, his/her home, work or studies and other familiar topics. For example:

Your home

  • Where do you live?
  • What is your town or city like?
  • Who do you live with?
  • What type of building do you live in?
  • How long have you lived there?
  • What interesting things are there to see where you live?

Free time

  • How much free time do you have?
  • How do you spend your free time?
  • Do you prefer to spend free time alone or with other people?
  • Do you think that people have enough free time these days?
  • What do you usually do at the weekend?
  • What did you do last weekend?

Computers

  • Do use a computer at work or at home?
  • What do you use a computer for?
  • Do you like using computers?
  • When did you start using a computer?
  • How important are computers these days?
  • What jobs do computers do better than people?

 

Part 2: Individual long turn.

You will be handed a card (see below) and will have 1 minute to prepare a talk of 1 or 2 minutes, using the card as a guide. You are permitted to make notes during the minute preparation time. At the end of this time, the examiner will ask one or two questions to begin your long turn.

Example cards that you might be given:

CARD 1
Talk about a holiday you have taken recently or at some time in the past.

You should say: where you went on your holiday
why you went to this particular place
what you did and with whom
and explain why you enjoyed or didn't enjoy your holiday.

Rounding-off questions

  • How often do you go on holiday?
  • What do you like about going on holiday?

CARD 2
Describe a health problem that you once had (or talk about someone else's problem).

You should say: the nature of the health problem
why the problem occurred
what you or the other person could not do because of the problem
and explain what you or the other person had to do to get better.

Rounding-off questions

  • How often do you have health problems?
  • What are some common health problems?

CARD 3
Describe a city or a town that you know well.

You should say: the location of the city or town
the part of the city or town that you are most familiar with
important landmarks or places to visit
and explain what makes that city/town special to you and others.

Rounding-off questions

  • How has the city or town changed in recent years?
  • What has caused these changes?

Part 3: Two-way discussion.

After the talk in Part 2 is over, the examiner will ask further questions related to the topic of the talk. The questions will relate the personal experiences discussed in Part 2, and to more general aspects of the topic.

Below, the cards from Part 2 are reproduced, and below each card are suggested discussion points for the examiner:

CARD 1/DISCUSSION 1

CARD 1
Talk about a holiday you have taken recently or at some time in the past.

You should say: where you went on your holiday
why you went to this particular place
what you did and with whom
and explain why you enjoyed or didn't enjoy your holiday.

Rounding-off questions

  • How often do you go on holiday?
  • What do you like about going on holiday?

SUGGESTED DISCUSSION POINTS:

Holidays

  • What kind of places are most popular for holidays generally?
  • Have attitudes towards holidays and tourism changed in the last 50 years?
  • In some countries, some workers are reluctant to take holidays - can you think of why this might be?
  • Should these workers be encouraged to take holidays?

Tourism

  • How can tourism be good for a place?
  • Can tourism have a negative effect on a particular place? In what ways?
  • What can you learn when you travel to different places?
  • Some people say there are too many tourists in popular tourist destinations. Do you agree or disagree with this statement? Why?

CARD 2/DISCUSSION 2

CARD 2
Describe a health problem that you once had (or talk about someone else's problem).

You should say: the nature of the health problem
why the problem occurred
what you or the other person could not do because of the problem
and explain what you or the other person had to do to get better.

Rounding-off questions

  • How often do you have health problems?
  • What are some common health problems?

SUGGESTED DISCUSSION POINTS:

Health today

  • Is there more or less sickness in our society today than in the past?
  • What factors are responsible for illness in today’s society?
  • Has the nature of illness changed?
  • Has the way illnesses are treated changed?

Healthcare

  • What level of healthcare is there in your country?
  • What are the responsibilities of governments with regard to providing healthcare?
  • Are people more informed about health issues than they were in the past?
  • Some people say that people go to the emergency services of hospitals when it is not necessary. Do you agree or disagree with the statement? Why?

CARD 3/DISCUSSION 3

CARD 3
Describe a city or a town that you know well.

You should say: the location of the city or town
the part of the city or town that you are most familiar with
important landmarks or places to visit
and explain what makes that city/town special to you and others.

Rounding-off questions

  • How has the city or town changed in recent years?
  • What has caused these changes?

SUGGESTED DISCUSSION POINTS:

Living in the city or the country

  • Is it better to live in a city, a town or the countryside?
  • In your country, do more people live in urban or rural environments?
  • Is there a big difference between urban and rural life in your country?
  • What are the advantages and disadvantages of each?

Living abroad

  • Have you ever lived abroad or would you like to live abroad?
  • If you could live abroad, is there a particular place you would like to live in?
  • Do you think it would be easier to live in a small town or in a city if you lived abroad?
  • What do you think some of the challenges would be if you lived abroad?
Now you are ready for your test simulation (speaking tutorial). After the simulation, your tutor will give you your score and feedback on your performance.

Speaking test sample

Part 1: Introduction and interview.
This part of the test lasts 4 to 5 minutes. The examiner will ask general questions to which you should give full, expansive answers.
Step-by-step approach to interview:

Step 1 The examiner introduces him/herself and the candidate does the same.

Step 2

The examiner will ask the candidate questions about her/himself, his/her home, work or studies and other familiar topics. For example:

Your home

  • Where do you live?
  • What is your town or city like?
  • Who do you live with?
  • What type of building do you live in?
  • How long have you lived there?
  • What interesting things are there to see where you live?

Free time

  • How much free time do you have?
  • How do you spend your free time?
  • Do you prefer to spend free time alone or with other people?
  • Do you think that people have enough free time these days?
  • What do you usually do at the weekend?
  • What did you do last weekend?

Computers

  • Do use a computer at work or at home?
  • What do you use a computer for?
  • Do you like using computers?
  • When did you start using a computer?
  • How important are computers these days?
  • What jobs do computers do better than people?

Part 2: Individual long turn.
You will be handed a card (see below) and will have 1 minute to prepare a talk of 1 or 2 minutes, using the card as a guide. You are permitted to make notes during the minute preparation time. At the end of this time, the examiner will ask one or two questions to begin your long turn.

CARD

Describe a city or a town that you know well.

You should say: the location of the city or town
the part of the city or town that you are most familiar with
important landmarks or places to visit
and explain what makes that city/town special to you and others.

Rounding-off questions

  • How has the city or town changed in recent years?
  • What has caused these changes?

Part 3: Two-way discussion.
After the talk in Part 2 is over, the examiner will ask further questions related to the topic of the talk. The questions will relate the personal experiences discussed in Part 2, and to more general aspects of the topic.

SUGGESTED DISCUSSION POINTS:

Living in the city or the country

  • Is it better to live in a city, a town or the countryside?
  • In your country, do more people live in urban or rural environments?
  • Is there a big difference between urban and rural life in your country?
  • What are the advantages and disadvantages of each?

Living abroad

  • Have you ever lived abroad or would you like to live abroad?
  • If you could live abroad, is there a particular place you would like to live in?
  • Do you think it would be easier to live in a small town or in a city if you lived abroad?
  • What do you think some of the challenges would be if you lived abroad?

Listen to a native speaker doing the three parts of the test. Notice useful language that the speaker uses. Record your interview again, incorporating this language and trying to improve on your first recording.

See the complete transcript.